Valorization of sugarcane bagasse for sugar extraction and residue as an adsorbent for pollutant removal

• Published in: Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology Vol. 10; p. 893941
• Main Authors: Wang, Duanhao, Tian, Jiahua, Guan, Jian, Ding, Yiwen, Wang, Ming Li, Tonnis, Brandon, Liu, Jiayang, Huang, Qingguo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A 24.08.2022
• Subjects: adsorbent; Bioengineering and Biotechnology; dye; heavy meals; hydrolysis; sugar; sugarcane bagasse (SCB)
• ISSN: 2296-4185; 2296-4185
• DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.893941

Following juice crushing for sugar or bioethanol production from sugarcane, bagasse (SCB) is generated as the main lignocellulosic by-product. This study utilized SCB generated by a hydraulic press as feedstock to evaluate sugar extraction as well as adsorption potential. Total soluble sugar (sucrose, glucose, and fructose) of 0.4 g/g SCB was recovered with H 2 O extraction in this case. Insoluble sugar, that is, cellulose in SCB, was further hydrolyzed into glucose (2%–31%) with cellulase enzyme, generating a new bagasse residue (SCBE). Persulfate pretreatment of SCB slightly enhanced saccharification. Both SCB and SCBE showed great potential as adsorbents with 98% of methylene blue (MB) removed by SCB or SCBE and 75% of Cu 2+ by SCBE and 80% by SCB in 60 min. The maximum adsorption amount ( q m ) was 85.8 mg/g (MB by SCB), 77.5 mg/g (MB by SCBE), 3.4 mg/g (Cu 2+ by SCB), and 1.2 mg/g (Cu 2+ by SCBE). The thermodynamics indicated that the adsorption process is spontaneous, endothermic, and more random in nature. The experimental results offer an alternative to better reutilize SCB.