Chemical and Energetic Characterization of the Wood of Prosopis laevigata: Chemical and Thermogravimetric Methods.

Diverse methodologies exist to determine the chemical composition, proximate analysis, and calorific value of biomass. Researchers select and apply a specific methodology according to the lignocellulosic material they study and the budgetary resources available. In this project, we determined the primary chemical constitution and proximate analysis of Prosopis laevigata (Humb. & Bonpl.) Jonhst wood using a traditional chemical method and a novel procedure based on the deconvolution of the DTG signal produced by TGA. The highest calorific value was verified using a calorimetric pump based on mathematical models. We also conducted elemental analysis and a microanalysis of ash, and applied Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis (FT-IR). The means of the results obtained by the chemical method and TGA-DTG, respectively, were: hemicelluloses 7.36%-(8.72%), cellulose 48.28%-(46.08%), lignin 30.57%-(32.44%), extractables 13.53%-(12.72%), moisture 2.03%-(4.96%), ash 1.77%-(1.90%), volatile matter 75.16%-(74.14%), and fixed carbon 23.05%-(18.93%). The procedure with the calorimetric pump generated a calorific value above 20.16 MJ/kg. The range generated by the various models was 18.23-21.07 MJ/kg. The results of the elemental analysis were: carbon 46.4%, hydrogen 6.79%, oxygen 46.43%, nitrogen 0.3%, and sulfur 0.5%. The microanalysis of ash identified 18 elements. The most abundant ones were potassium ˃ calcium ˃ sodium. Based on the infrared spectrum (FT-IR) of Prosopis laevigata wood, we detected the following functional groups: OH, C-H, C=O, CH2, CH3, C-O-C, C-OH, and C4-OH. Our conclusion is that the TGA-DTG method made it possible to obtain results in less time with no need for the numerous reagents that chemical procedures require. The calorific value of P. laevigata wood is higher than the standards. Finally, according to our results, proximate analysis provides the best model for calculating calorific value.

Pyrolysis and Physicochemical, Thermokinetic and Thermodynamic Analyses of Ceiba aesculifolia (Kunth) Britt and Baker Waste to Evaluate Its Bioenergy Potential.

Ceiba aesculifolia is an important species in Mexico that generates significant amounts of biomass waste during its exploitation, which can be utilized to produce energy. This study presents the characterization of this waste based on chemical (proximal and elemental) and thermal analyses (TGA-DTG) at different heating rates (ß = 10-30 °C/min (283-303 K/min)) in the presence of nitrogen and in a temperature range of 25-900 °C. Kinetic parameters were calculated and analyzed as well. Activation energy (Ea) and the pre-exponential factor (A) were determined using the Friedman (132.03 kJ/mol, 8.11E + 10 s -1), FWO (121.65 kJ/mol, 4.30E + 09), KAS (118.14 kJ/mol, 2.41E + 09), and Kissinger (155.85 kJ/mol, 3.47E + 11) kinetic methods. Variation in the reaction order, n (0.3937-0.6141), was obtained by Avrami's theory. We also calculated the thermodynamic parameters (ΔH, ΔG, ΔS) for each kinetic method applied. The results for Ea, A, n, ΔH, ΔG, and ΔS show that this biomass waste is apt for use in pyrolysis. Moreover, the moisture (<10%), ash (<2%), volatile material (>80%), and HHV (>19%) contents of C. aesculifolia allowed us to predict acceptable performance in generating energy and fuels. Finally, infrared spectroscopy analysis (FT-IR) allowed us to identify important functional groups, including one that belongs to the family of the aliphatic hydrocarbons.

Techno-functional aspects of kombucha analogs formulated from mulberry coproducts.

This study investigated the techno-functional conditions for producing fermented beverages using the kombucha artisanal consortium (kAC) while implementing sustainable strategies. According to the circular economy principles, the study focused on mulberry coproducts (MC) generated as agro-industrial waste during mulberry fruit production. The presence of target microorganisms in the beverage and biofilm was recorded to determine the MC content necessary for establishing kAC. Additionally, the physicochemical characteristics, carbohydrate and polyphenol profiles were analyzed to understand their impact on antioxidant activity and sensory responses in the soft drink. Notably, a concentration of 0.25% MC was found to yield fermented soft drinks rich in probiotic populations and displaying nutraceutical qualities that enhance antioxidant activity and sensory acceptability. This study offers valuable technical guidance for repurposing mulberry pruning coproducts in the creation of novel products.

Comparison of five pretreatments for the production of fermentable sugars obtained from Pinus pseudostrobus L. wood.

To benefit from the use of a waste product such as pine sawdust from a sawmill in Michoacán, Mexico, five different pretreatments for the production of reducing sugars by enzymatic hydrolysis were evaluated (sodium hydroxide, sulfuric acid, steam explosion, organosolv and combined method nitric acid / sodium hydroxide). The main finding of the study was that the pretreatment with 6 % HNO3 and 1 % NaOH led to better yields than those obtained with sodium hydroxide, dilute sulfuric acid, steam explosion, and organosolv pretreatments. Also, HNO3 yields were maximized by the factorial method. With those results the maxima concentration of reducing sugar found was 97.83 ± 1.59, obtained after pretreatment with 7.5 % HNO3 at 120 °C for 30 minutes; followed by 1 % of NaOH at 90 °C for 30 minutes at pH 4.5 for 168 hours with a load enzyme of 25 FPU/g of total carbohydrates. Comparing the results obtained by the authors with those reported in the literature, the combined method was found to be suitable for use in the exploitation of sawdust.

Chemical composition of biomass generated in the guava tree pruning.

Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae) is a native plant of Central America and is now widely cultivated in many tropical regions of the world for the fruit production. In Mexico, in the guava orchards common practices to control fruit production are: water stress, defoliation and pruning. In this study, we report the chemical composition of the biomass (branches and leaves) generated in the pruning practices. The results ranged as follows: pH (4.98-5.88), soda solubility (39.01-70.49 %), ash (1.87-8.20 %); potassium and calcium were the major inorganic elements in ash. No heavy metals were detected in the studied samples; total solubility (15.21-46.60 %), Runkel lignin (17.77-35.26 %), holocellulose (26.56 -69.49 %), α-cellulose (15.53-35.36 %), hemicelluloses (11.02-34.12 %), tannins in aqueous extracts (3.81-9.06 %), and tannins in ethanolic extracts (3.42-15.24 %).