Potential of agro-industrial residues from the Amazon region to produce activated carbon
João Rodrigo Coimbra Nobre,
Leandro Santos Queiroz,
Jonnys Paz Castro,
Matheus Felipe Freire Pego,
Lisiane Nunes Hugen,
Carlos Emmerson Ferreira da Costa,
Juliana de Jesus Rocha Pardauil,
Luís Adriano Santos do Nascimento,
Geraldo Narciso da Rocha Filho,
José Roberto Zamian,
Elias Costa de Souza,
Maria Lucia Bianchi
Affiliations
João Rodrigo Coimbra Nobre
Department of Technology and Naturals Resources (DTRN), State University of Pará, Campus V, Travessa Éneas Pinheiro, Marco, Belém, CEP 68625-000, Brazil; Department of Forest Science (DCF), Federal University of Lavras, C.P. 3037, 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brazil; Corresponding author. Department of Technology and Naturals Resources (DTRN), State University of Pará, Campus V, Travessa Éneas Pinheiro, Marco, Belém, CEP 68625-000, Brazil.
Leandro Santos Queiroz
Research Laboratory and Fuel Analysis, Laboratory of Amazon Oils and Graduate in Chemistry Program, Federal University of Pará, CEP 66075-110, Belém, Pará, Brazil
Jonnys Paz Castro
Federal Rural University of Amazon (UFRA), Campus Capitão Poço, Capitão Poço, Zip Code 68650-000, Pará, Brazil
Matheus Felipe Freire Pego
Department of Forest Science (DCF), Federal University of Lavras, C.P. 3037, 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brazil
Lisiane Nunes Hugen
Department of Forest Science (DCF), Federal University of Lavras, C.P. 3037, 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brazil
Carlos Emmerson Ferreira da Costa
Research Laboratory and Fuel Analysis, Laboratory of Amazon Oils and Graduate in Chemistry Program, Federal University of Pará, CEP 66075-110, Belém, Pará, Brazil
Juliana de Jesus Rocha Pardauil
Federal University of Amazonas, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
Luís Adriano Santos do Nascimento
Research Laboratory and Fuel Analysis, Laboratory of Amazon Oils and Graduate in Chemistry Program, Federal University of Pará, CEP 66075-110, Belém, Pará, Brazil
Geraldo Narciso da Rocha Filho
Research Laboratory and Fuel Analysis, Laboratory of Amazon Oils and Graduate in Chemistry Program, Federal University of Pará, CEP 66075-110, Belém, Pará, Brazil
José Roberto Zamian
Research Laboratory and Fuel Analysis, Laboratory of Amazon Oils and Graduate in Chemistry Program, Federal University of Pará, CEP 66075-110, Belém, Pará, Brazil
Elias Costa de Souza
Department of Technology and Naturals Resources (DTRN), State University of Pará, Campus V, Travessa Éneas Pinheiro, Marco, Belém, CEP 68625-000, Brazil; Department of Forest Sciences, University of São Paulo (ESALQ/USP). Av. Pádua Dias, 11, 13418-900, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil; Corresponding author. Department of Technology and Naturals Resources (DTRN), State University of Pará, Campus V, Travessa Éneas Pinheiro, Marco, Belém, CEP 68625-000, Brazil.
Maria Lucia Bianchi
Department of Chemistry (DQI), Federal University of Lavras, C.P. 3037, 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brazil
Thousands of tons of residual lignocellulosic biomass are produced and discarded by agroindustries in the Amazon. These biomasses could be harnessed and used in the preparation of activated carbon, in view of the growing demand for this product with high added value, however, little is known about their characteristics, in addition to their potential as precursors of activated carbon. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the potential of four different biomasses in the preparation and quality of activated carbon. Residues from the processing of the fruits of acai, babassu, Brazil nut, and oil palm were collected, characterized, carbonized, physically activated with CO2, and characterized. The contents of the total extractives, insoluble lignin, minerals, holocellulose, and elemental (CHNS–O) were analyzed. The surface area and surface morphology were determined from the AC produced, and adsorption tests for methylene blue and phenol were performed. The four biomasses showed potential for use in the preparation of CA; the residues presented high contents of lignin (21.83–55.76%) and carbon (46.49–53.79%). AC were predominantly microporous, although small mesopores could be observed. The AC had a surface area of 569.65–1101.26 m2 g−1, a high methylene blue (93–390 mg g−1), and phenol (159–595 mg g−1) adsorption capacities. Babassu-AC stood out compared to the AC of the other analyzed biomasses, reaching the best results.
