Polish Varieties of Industrial Hemp and Their Utilisation in the Efficient Production of Lignocellulosic Ethanol

Nowadays, more and more attention is paid to the development and the intensification of the use of renewable energy sources. Hemp might be an alternative plant for bioenergy production. In this paper, four varieties of Polish industrial hemp (Białobrzeskie, Tygra, Henola, and Rajan) were investigated in order to determine which of them are the most advantageous raw materials for the effective production of bioethanol. At the beginning, physical and chemical pretreatment of hemp biomass was carried out. It was found that the most effective is the alkaline treatment with 2% NaOH, and the biomasses of the two varieties were selected for next stages of research: Tygra and Rajan. Hemp biomass before and after pretreatment was analyzed by FTIR and SEM, which confirmed the effectiveness of the pretreatment. Next, an enzymatic hydrolysis process was carried out on the previously selected parameters using the response surface methodology. Subsequently, the two approaches were analyzed: separated hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) and a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process. For Tygra biomass in the SHF process, the ethanol concentration was 10.5 g∙L⁻¹ (3.04 m³·ha⁻¹), and for Rajan biomass at the SSF process, the ethanol concentration was 7.5 g∙L⁻¹ (2.23 m³·ha⁻¹). In conclusion, the biomass of Polish varieties of hemp, i.e., Tygra and Rajan, was found to be an interesting and promising raw material for bioethanol production.     

Summary of findings from the Biomass Refining Consortium for Applied Fundamentals and Innovation (CAFI): corn stover pretreatment

The Biomass Refining Consortium for Applied Fundamentals and Innovation, with members from Auburn University, Dartmouth College, Michigan State University, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Purdue University, Texas A&M University, the University of British Columbia, and the University of California at Riverside, has developed comparative data on the conversion of corn stover to sugars by several leading pretreatment technologies. These technologies include ammonia fiber expansion pretreatment, ammonia recycle percolation pretreatment, dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment, flowthrough pretreatment (hot water or dilute acid), lime pretreatment, controlled pH hot water pretreatment, and sulfur dioxide steam explosion pretreatment. Over the course of two separate USDA- and DOE-funded projects, these pretreatment technologies were applied to two different corn stover batches, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis of the remaining solids from each pretreatment technology using identical enzyme preparations, enzyme loadings, and enzymatic hydrolysis assays. Identical analytical methods and a consistent material balance methodology were employed to develop comparative sugar yield data for each pretreatment and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis. Although there were differences in the profiles of sugar release, with the more acidic pretreatments releasing more xylose directly in the pretreatment step than the alkaline pretreatments, the overall glucose and xylose yields (monomers + oligomers) from combined pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis process steps were very similar for all of these leading pretreatment technologies. Some of the water-only and alkaline pretreatment technologies resulted in significant amounts of residual xylose oligomers still remaining after enzymatic hydrolysis that may require specialized enzyme preparations to fully convert xylose oligomers to monomers.     

Utilisation of Non-Edible Source (Pongamia pinnata Seeds Shells) for Producing Methyl Esters as Cleaner Fuel in the Presence of a Novel Heterogeneous Catalyst Synthesized from Waste Eggshells

Waste eggshells were considered for synthesising a precursor (CaO) for a heterogeneous catalyst, further impregnated by alkali caesium oxide (Cs₂O). The following techniques were used to characterise the synthesised catalysts: X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Temperature Programmed Desorption (CO₂-TPD). The synthesised catalyst revealed its suitability for transesterification to produce biodiesel. The biodiesel production process was optimised, and it showed that the optimal biodiesel yield is 93.59%. The optimal set of process parameters is process temperature 80 °C, process time 90 min, methanol-to-oil molar ratio 8 and catalyst loading 3 wt.%. It has been found that the high basicity of the catalyst tends to give a high biodiesel yield at low methanol-to-oil ratio 8 when the reaction time is also less (90 min). The fuel properties of biodiesel also satisfied the standard limits defined by ASTM and the EN standards. Thus, the synthesised catalyst from waste eggshells is highly active, improved the biodiesel production conditions and PPSS oil is a potential nonedible source.     

用于水蒸气重整生物质热解焦油的镍基催化剂的发展(英文)

Nickel catalysts are effective for the steam reforming of tar derived from biomass pyrolysis,but the improvement is needed in terms of activity,stability,suppression of coke deposition and aggregation,and regeneration.Our recent development of Ni-based catalysts for the steam reforming of tar is reviewed including the modification with CeO2(or MnO),trace Pt,and MgO.The role of additives such as CeO2,MnO,Pt,and MgO is also discussed.     

Pattern Search Method for Determination of DAEM Kinetic Parameters from Nonisothermal TGA Data of Biomass

The most accurate and up-to-date approach to modeling biomass pyrolysis is to adopt the distributed activation energy model (DAEM). In this study, a pattern search method to be used for the determination of DAEM kinetic parameters from the nonisothermal thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) data of biomass has been introduced. The method has been applied to the nonisothermal TGA data of peanut shell sample, and DAEM kinetic parameters of biomass samples have been determined. Calculated model results from determined kinetic parameters have been compared with nonisothermal TGA data of biomass.     

生物质废弃物碳作为锂离子电池负极材料研究的综合性实验设计

为了拓展能源化工和材料专业高年级本科生的知识领域,设计了综合性实验--生物质废弃物碳作为锂离子电池负极材料研究。实验内容包括生物质废弃物碳的制备、结构表征、电极的制备、模拟电池组装及电化学性能测试等。通过实验操作、电化学工作站和充放电测试仪的使用及数据处理等环节,不仅可以巩固学生所学知识,还能培养他们的创新思维能力和团队意识,进一步提高综合素养水平。     

Integrated processes for use of pulps and lignins obtained from sugarcane bagasse and straw

Sugarcane bagasse and straw can be converted into pulps, oils, controlled-release formulations, chelating agents, and composites. This article reviews bagasse and straw conversion efforts in Brazil. Laboratory-scale processes were developed aiming at the integral use of these biomass byproducts. Organosolv pulping and oxidation of lignin are the most promising processes for the rational use of sugarcane residues. Fungal pretreatment and spectroscopic characterization are also discussed.     

A Multiresidue Method for the Analysis of Carbamate and Urea Pesticides from Soils by Microwave-Assisted Extraction and Liquid Chromatography with Photodiode Array Detection

Abstract

A multiresidue approach using microwave-assisted extraction and liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection was investigated for the determination of butylate, carbaryl, carbofuran, chlorpropham, ethiofencarb, linuron, metobromuron, and monolinuron in soils. The critical parameters of the developed methodology were studied. Method validation was performed by analyzing freshly and aged spiked soil samples. The recoveries and relative standard deviations reached using the optimized conditions were between 77.0±0.46% and 120±2.9% except for ethiofencarb (46.4±4.4% to 105±1.6%) and butylate (22.1±7.6% to 49.2±11%). Soil samples from five locations of Portugal were analysed.     

Biomass magnetic porous carbon prepared from mangosteen shell for the preconcentration of three bisphenols from beverages followed by liquid chromatography with quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry determination

Natural biomass magnetic porous carbon was successfully prepared via a cost-effective and green route using mangosteen shells as raw material. The prepared magnetic porous carbon was used as a magnetic solid-phase extraction adsorbent for bisphenols enrichment from beverages followed by high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry. Parameters affecting extraction efficiency including sample solution pH, adsorbent amount, extraction time, eluent type, and volume were optimized. Results showed that biomass magnetic porous carbon had excellent adsorption properties for bisphenols due to its large specific surface area and abundant functional groups, which could form hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking with bisphenols. The enrichment factor of 3 bisphenols was in the range of 15–19. Under optimum conditions, favorable linearity for all analytes was obtained with correlation coefficients higher than 0.998. Recoveries of spiked samples were in the range of 88.5–105.1% with a relative standard deviation of 3.4–5.5%. These results demonstrated that magnetic porous carbon may be a promising adsorbent for the enrichment of aromatic compounds.