Thorough Characterization of Brazilian New Generation of Eucalypt Clones and Grass for Pulp Production

Eucalypt wood is becoming the most important raw material for the pulp industries in South America. However, due to the high wood cost in comparison to other raw material sources, nonwoody materials are also being investigated aiming at pulp production. In this way, this paper aimed at the evaluation of eighteen eucalypt clones obtained from the Brazilian Genolyptus project, regarding their potential characteristics for pulp production. Aiming at the same goal, two species of elephant grass were also evaluated as alternative raw material sources. Through the analyses of the anatomic and chemical characteristics, five eucalypt clones and one elephant grass species were indicated for pulp production and biorefinery application. The results of this study indicate the high technological quality of Eucalyptus clones evaluated and indicate that they can be used for biorefinery applications since they have the suitable characteristics. In general, the eucalypt clones are less moist and denser and contain fewer minerals and extraneous materials than the elephant grass species, which make them more attractive for utilization in deconstruction studies aiming at production of bioproducts

Characterization and application of sugarcane waste aiming at the production of 2G ethanol

A utilização racional da biomassa tem sido considerada uma prática promissora para a obtenção de produtos de alto valor agregado em uma cadeia de produção sustentável. Neste cenário, o conceito de biorrefinaria surgiu, esse refere à conversão de materiais lignocelulósicos em bioprodutos (celulose, produtos químicos, etc.) e bioenergia (etanol, energia, etc.) com o mínimo de emissões e baixo desperdício. O conceito de biorrefinaria baseia-se em muitos diferentes tipos de biomassa, como resíduos agrícolas e florestais, madeira e gramíneas em geral, etc. Nesse trabalho, nos reportamos uma caracterização da lignina e dos extrativos presentes no bagaço, medula e palha de cana-de-açúcar. Para a caracterização da lignina utilizamos a técnica de pirólise analítica acoplada a cromatografia gasosa e espectrometria de massa (Pi-CG/EM) e para extrativos; a técnica de cromatografia gasosa e espectrometria de massa (CG/EM). Também, foi investigado o uso do bagaço e da palha de cana de açúcar como fonte para produção de etanol de segunda geração, através da realização de processos de pré-tratamento (auto-hidrólise) seguido pela sacarificação. A análise química dos extrativos permitiu a identificação de 45 compostos de Eucalyptus urograndis, 47 para palha e 67 para o bagaço. Os principais componentes das matérias-primas estudadas foram os ácidos graxos para E. urograndis e carboidratos para palha e o bagaço. Foi possível identificar mais de 40 produtos primários da pirólise para lignina solúvel em ácido e 30 para lignina Klason para os resíduos da cana de açúcar. A pirólise analítica da lignina solúvel em ácido a partir de bagaço de cana (SCB), da palha de cana (SCS), e da medula da cana (SCP) mostrou a prevalência de picos relacionados com produtos derivados de carboidratos. As pirogramas para as amostras de lignina Klason de SCB, SCP e SCS mostraram a prevalência dos picos derivados da lignina. O estudo da produção de etanol de 2G mostrou que um total de 84,4% de açúcar pode ser recuperado a partir do bagaço de cana de açúcar, a 180 0 C durante 20 min com uma dosagem de enzima de 5 FPU/grama de substrato. A análise econômica para o método proposto mostrou que a produção de bioetanol pode ter um retorno financeiro maior do que 12%. Já produção de etanol a partir da autohidrólise da palha da cana parece ser uma abordagem viável financeiramente se um sistema rentável de coleta de palha seja estabelecido. Com esse estudo foi possível verificar que os resíduos da cana de açúcar podem ser fonte promissoras de bioquímicos valiosos os quais podem ser utilizados na indústria de cosméticos, alimentos ou farmacêutica, como também, na produção do etanol de 2G.In this work, we report the characterization of lignin and extractives present in the bagasse, pith and straw sugarcane. For the characterization of lignin we used the technique of analytical pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS and for extractives to gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Also, we investigated the use of straw and bagasse sugarcane as a source for production of second generation ethanol, by performing pretreatment (autohydrolysis) processes followed by saccharification. Chemical analysis of extractives allowed the identification of 45 compounds for Eucalyptus urograndis, 47 for straw and 67 for bagasse. The major components from the raw materials studied were fatty acids for E. urograndis and carbohydrates for straw and bagasse. It was possible to identify more 40 primary pyrolysis products for acid-soluble lignin and 30 for Klason lignin for sugarcane residues. Analytical pyrolysis of acid-soluble lignin from sugarcane bagasse (SCB), sugarcane straw (SCS), and sugarcane pitch (SCP), showed prevalence of peaks related to products derived from carbohydrates. The pyrograms for the Klason lignin samples of SCB, SCP and SCS showed the prevalence of lignin derivatives. The study of 2G ethanol production showed a total of 84.4% sugar can be recovered from the sugar cane bagasse, at 180 0 C for 20 min with an enzyme dosage 5 FPU / gram of substrate. The economic analysis for the proposed method showed that the production of bioethanol may have a greater financial return than 12%. Already producing ethanol from sugarcane straw autohydrolysis seems to be a viable approach financially if a profitable system of straw collection is established. With this study it was possible to verify that the wastes sugarcane may be promising feedstocks of valuable biochemical that can be used in cosmetics, foods or pharmaceuticals, as well as the production of the 2G ethanol.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, CAPES, Brasi

Comparative study of production of soluble pulp from bamboo and eucalyptus

O aumento do consumo de papel tem causado escassez dos recursos florestais. Isso aliado com questões ambientais tem levado a pesquisa de matérias-primas alternativas para indústria de celulose e papel. Dentre as espécies estudadas, tem-se considerado o bambu como a matéria-prima mais promissora, especialmente em virtude da sua abundância, de seu crescimento rápido e da sua composição química adequada, que se assemelha à da madeira. Por outro lado, os altos custos do linter de algodão e da madeira aliado as restrições ambientais causaram aumento significativo no custo da produção de polpa solúvel a partir destas matérias-primas. Portanto, é necessário avaliar novas fontes de fibra para a fabricação desse tipo de polpa. Neste contexto, o bambu aparece como uma fonte alternativa para indústrias de celulose e papel. Portanto, esse trabalho avaliou cavacos comerciais de bambu como matéria-prima para produção de polpa solúvel. A pré-hidrólise foi usada como tratamento inicial do bambu para produção de polpa de dissolução. Foram realizadas cinco tratamentos com pH inicial igual a 1,5; 2,0; 2,5 e 6,9 em cavacos normais e outro em pH inicial igual a 2,5 em cavacos previamente tratados (70 ºC, 60 min e pH=2,5) para remocão de cálcio A temperatura e relação licor/madeira usadas foram as mesmas para as cinco pré-hidrólises. Os cavacos de bambu pré-hidrolisados na condição selecionada (auto-hidrólise) passaram por uma etapa de polpação NaOH/AQ e a polpa obtida foi branqueada utilizando a sequência: O-CCE-D-(EP)-D-P. A sigla CCE designa uma etapa de extração caústica a frio. Foi possível produzir polpa solúvel de boa qualidade a partir dos cavacos de bambu, comparativa àquela produzida a partir de cavacos de eucalipto, mesmo considerando-se que a química dos cavacos de bambu não era inteiramente favorável (22,4% de lignina; 19,5% de xilana; 49,3% de celulose; 16,8% de extrativos totais e 1,5% de cinzas). A polpa produzida apresentou alvura de 92,4% e teores de α-celulose, de xilanas, de extrativos e de cinzas de 94,9%, 5,1%, 0,041% e 0,13%, respectivamente. A polpa solúvel com estas características é adequada para a fabricação de viscose com vistas à produção de fios de raiona e outros derivados de menor exigência quanto ao teor de alfa-celulose.The increase of paper consumption has caused scarcity of forest resources. This coupled with environmental issues have led to research alternative raw materials for pulp and paper industry. Among the species studied, we have considered the bamboo as the most promising raw material, especially because of its abundance, its fast growth and of its adequate chemical composition that is similar to wood. On the other hand, the high cost of cotton linter and wood combined with environmental constraints caused a significant increase in the cost of pulp production from these soluble materials. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate new sources of fiber for making this. In this context, bamboo appears as an alternative source for pulp and paper. Therefore, this work evaluated commercial bamboo chips as raw material for dissolving pulp production. The pre-hydrolysis was used as the first treatment of bamboo materials for the production of soluble pulp. It was carried out five treatments with initials pH equal to 1.5; 2.0; 2.5 and 6.9 (in H2O without acidification- auto-hydrolysis); and other pre-hydrolysis in initial pH equal to 2.5 with a pretreatment in bath under the following conditions: 70 ºC and 60 min, pH= 2.5. The temperature and liquor/wood ratio were the same for five pre-hydrolysis. The prehydrolised bamboo chips at chosen condition (auto-hydrolysis: AH) went through a stage of NaOH/AQ pulping and the pulp obtained was bleached by sequence: O-CCE-D-(EP)-D-P. The CCE designates a cold caustic extraction stage. It was possible to produce good quality soluble pulp from the bamboo chips, comparative to that produced from eucalyptus chips, even considering that the chemistry of bamboo chips was not entirely favorable (22.4% lignin, 19.5% xylan, 49.3% cellulose, 16.8% of total extractives and 1.5% ash). The produced pulp showed the brightness of 92.4% and contents of α-cellulose, xylans, extractives and ashes of 94.9%, 5.1%, 0,041% and 0.13%, respectively. The soluble pulp with these characteristics is suitable for the fabrication of viscose aiming to the production of rayon wires and other derivatives of lower requirement on the content of alpha cellulose.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológic

Evaluation of alkaline deconstruction processes for Brazilian new generation of eucalypt clones

Wood utilization for pulp and paper and biorefinery applications requires some kind of mechanical and/or physical–chemical pretreatment. Among the chemical treatments the alkaline ones are the most used worldwide, although acid and solvent treatments have also being used. This paper deals with eucalypt wood deconstruction with alkaline processes including soda-AQ, soda-AQ-O2, soda-O2, and kraft. The kraft process is largely used by the pulp industry and is evaluated here only to serve as a reference. The behavior of the four eucalypt clones selected in chapter 2 were investigated when submitted to the aforementioned processes regarding their screened yield, chemical demands and pulp quality at different kappa number levels (15, 35, 50, and 70). The two most promising processes (kraft and soda-AQ) were chosen for producing pulps (kappa 15 and 20) which were studied in depth (content of carbohydrates, uronic acid, hexenuronic acid, polysaccharide molecular weight, residual lignin structure, etc.), as well as their respective black liquors (heating value, solid content, elemental analysis, and lignin structure). The main findings of this work were: (1) the wood of the four different hybrid eucalypt clones behave similarly in the various alkaline deconstruction treatments; (2) the soda-AQ and Kraft were considered the most suitable processes for producing pulp on the basis of yield, chemical demands and pulp fiber integrity; (3) the soda-AQ process can potentially replace the kraft for a high degree of wood delignification (kappa number 15); (4) the alkaline processes using oxygen (soda-AQ-O2 and soda-O2) are more suitable for wood deconstruction aimed at biofuels; and (5) the soda-AQ process resulted black liquor of more suitable burning characteristics than the kraft.Funding provided by the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013 under grant agreement no KBBE-2009-3-244362 LignoDeco, from the Minas Gerais State Research Foundation (FAPEMIG) and from the Brazilian National Council for Science and Technology Development (CNPq) is greatly appreciated. The authors also thank Mr. Paulo Parizzi from the Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil for all support in the materials distribution among the authors.Peer reviewe