Exploiting Deep Eutectic Solvents and Ionic Liquids for the Valorization of Chestnut Shell Waste

Year: 2020

Authors: Husanu E., Mero A., Gonzalez Rivera J., Mezzetta A., Ruiz JC., D’Andrea F., Pomelli CS., Guazzelli L.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Pisa, Dept Pharm, I-56126 Pisa, Italy; INO CNR UOS Pisa, Natl Inst Opt, I-56124 Pisa, Italy; Univ Guanajuato, Dept Chem Engn, Guanajuato 36050, Mexico.

Abstract: The full utilization of agricultural waste and its recycle into a new chain of value are of primary importance for the development of a sustainable and profitable agricultural industry. Chestnut shell waste (CSW) is an interesting case of study, whose valorization has been though partially investigated to date. This work aims at exploring the complete utilization of CSW, in terms of obtaining both value-added compounds and enriched cellulose and lignin fractions. The results were obtained via the unreported combined use of two classes of nonconventional organic solvents, namely natural deep eutectic solvents and bio-based ionic liquids (bio-ILs). At first, combinations of choline chloride (ChCl)-based DESs with an acid, a polyol, or a sugar as hydrogen bond donors were employed for the extraction of polyphenols from the CSW. The best performing system was found to be ChCl:oxalic acid dihydrate (ChCl:Oax2H(2)O). The extraction efficiencies of the DESs tested correlate well with the measured Kamlet-Taft a parameters. After polyphenol removal, the residual solid material was treated with a bio-IL [cholinium glycinate (ChGly)] for further separation of lignin and cellulose. The products obtained by the fractionation process were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis, which confirmed the separation of the residue into a lignin-rich material and a cellulose-rich material. The results obtained were further corroborated by a three parallel reaction model combined with the distributed activation energy model, which allowed for predicting the composition of the pristine CSW and of the ChCl:Oax2H(2)O treated CSW as well as the two fractions obtained after ChGly treatment. The recyclability of the best performing DES and the recovery of the bio-IL have also been proven, which make the whole process viable and amenable for large-scale applications.

Journal/Review: ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING

Volume: 8 (50)      Pages from: 18386  to: 18399

More Information: E.H. would like to thank the BIHO (Bando Incenti vi di Ateneo Horizon e Oltre) project of the University of Pisa for the financial support. L.G., C.S.P., and A. Mero gratefully acknowledge Era-Net Cofund SUSFOOD2 Call 2017 and MIUR for funding. The authors would like to thank the University of Pisa for financial support (PRA_2017_33) and Ortofrutticola del Mugello s.r.l. (Italy) for providing the CSW.
KeyWords: chestnut shell waste; circular bioeconomy; natural deep eutectic solvents; bio-based ionic liquids
DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c04945

Citations: 51
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