Biomass

Biography

Biography: Nancy Quaranta

Abstract

The objective of this work is to characterize a residual biomass material, salted pistachio shells, from both a physcochemical and an environmental point of view, in order to analyze its possible valorization. Studies on pyrolysis of pistachio shells for energy production have been carried out by various authors. Low heat capacities when compared to the coal traditionally used were obtained. Furthermore, the activated carbon manufacturing and adsorption of heavy metals have been studied. These discards are analyzed using different characterization techniques: optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDS), X-ray difraction, loss on ignition (LOI), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (DTA-TGA), ecotoxicity and emission during calcination, among others. This material has a microscopic structure in the form of fibers, with resistant characteristics, and are mainly composed of C and O (98%), containing small percentages of Na, K, Cl, Ca and Si. When washed Na, K and Cl are not detected by EDS. The DTA-TGA analysis shows combustion-decomposition exothermic reactions in the range 200°C-470°C that were assigned to hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin. From these essays a total weight loss of 98.2% of the original sample has been determined. These values have been compared with the test LOI performed in the laboratory, whose results were about 99.5%. The XRD pattern shows four reflexion peaks for 2 values of 16.7, 21.7, 34.7 and 44.4, values, assigned to microcrystalline cellulose. According to the obtained results different new alternatives for recycling this waste are discussed.