Effect of solvent pre-treatment on microwave assisted pyrolysis of Spirulina (Algal Biomass) and Ficus benghalensis (Lignocellulosic Biomass) for production of biofuels: comparative experimental studies
{"title":"Effect of solvent pre-treatment on microwave assisted pyrolysis of Spirulina (Algal Biomass) and Ficus benghalensis (Lignocellulosic Biomass) for production of biofuels: comparative experimental studies","authors":"Jampana Vishnu Varma, Veluru Sridevi, Modi Musalaiah, Pulipati King, Husam Talib Hamzah, Hemanth Kumar Tanneru, Ramesh Potnuri, G Bhagya Malleswari","doi":"10.1007/s13399-024-05922-6","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>The study focuses on the comparison of microwave-assisted pyrolysis (MAP) of <i>Spirulina</i>, (algal biomass), and aerial roots of <i>Ficus benghalensis</i> (lignocellulosic biomass) as feedstocks for biofuel production. Solvent ethanol was used to pretreat feedstocks. The experiments were carried out using a microwave power of 450 W, considering both fresh and solvent-pretreated feedstocks. Solvent-pretreated Spirulina demonstrated a high bio-oil yield of 56.1 wt. % and a biochar yield of 13.5 wt. %, whereas for solvent-pretreated <i>Ficus benghalensis</i>, the corresponding yields were 35.4 wt. % and 12.3 wt.%. Both solvent-treated and fresh algal biomass feedstocks showed higher yields than lignocellulose biomass. Pre-treatment of feedstocks showed positive results on microwave energy consumption and pyrolysis index. The average heating values were 27.3 <sup>0</sup>C/min for pretreated Spirulina and 46.2 <sup>0</sup>C/min for pretreated <i>Ficus benghalensis</i>. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) characterized the obtained bio-oils and biochar. The FTIR results indicated the presence of distinctive functional groups such as N=C=O, O=C=O, N-O, and S=O in MAP of Spirulina bio-oil, and C=C and C-I stretching in MAP of <i>Ficus benghalensis</i> bio-oil. The FTIR results for biochar were consistent across both feedstocks, showing common functional groups such as C-Cl, C=C, C-H, O-H, C-F, and S=O. However, in the case of Spirulina, an extra functional group, C=N, was also detected. Pre-treatment of microalgal biomass is essential for the maximal recovery of biofuel precursors packed inside the complex microalgal cell wall. It was concluded that pre-treatment is an efficient way to improve the yield and composition of bio-oil with low microwave power and short microwave irradiation time. Efforts are still required to develop an economical and environmentally benign pre-treatment approach to facilitate 100% biomass conversion to added-value products.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Graphical Abstract</h3>\n","PeriodicalId":488,"journal":{"name":"Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-024-05922-6","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENERGY & FUELS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The study focuses on the comparison of microwave-assisted pyrolysis (MAP) of Spirulina, (algal biomass), and aerial roots of Ficus benghalensis (lignocellulosic biomass) as feedstocks for biofuel production. Solvent ethanol was used to pretreat feedstocks. The experiments were carried out using a microwave power of 450 W, considering both fresh and solvent-pretreated feedstocks. Solvent-pretreated Spirulina demonstrated a high bio-oil yield of 56.1 wt. % and a biochar yield of 13.5 wt. %, whereas for solvent-pretreated Ficus benghalensis, the corresponding yields were 35.4 wt. % and 12.3 wt.%. Both solvent-treated and fresh algal biomass feedstocks showed higher yields than lignocellulose biomass. Pre-treatment of feedstocks showed positive results on microwave energy consumption and pyrolysis index. The average heating values were 27.3 0C/min for pretreated Spirulina and 46.2 0C/min for pretreated Ficus benghalensis. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) characterized the obtained bio-oils and biochar. The FTIR results indicated the presence of distinctive functional groups such as N=C=O, O=C=O, N-O, and S=O in MAP of Spirulina bio-oil, and C=C and C-I stretching in MAP of Ficus benghalensis bio-oil. The FTIR results for biochar were consistent across both feedstocks, showing common functional groups such as C-Cl, C=C, C-H, O-H, C-F, and S=O. However, in the case of Spirulina, an extra functional group, C=N, was also detected. Pre-treatment of microalgal biomass is essential for the maximal recovery of biofuel precursors packed inside the complex microalgal cell wall. It was concluded that pre-treatment is an efficient way to improve the yield and composition of bio-oil with low microwave power and short microwave irradiation time. Efforts are still required to develop an economical and environmentally benign pre-treatment approach to facilitate 100% biomass conversion to added-value products.
期刊介绍:
Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery presents articles and information on research, development and applications in thermo-chemical conversion; physico-chemical conversion and bio-chemical conversion, including all necessary steps for the provision and preparation of the biomass as well as all possible downstream processing steps for the environmentally sound and economically viable provision of energy and chemical products.