title: Spectroscopic and Microscopic Study of Peroxyformic Pulping of Agave Waste.
abstract: The peroxyformic process is based on the action of a carboxylic acid (mainly formic acid) and the corresponding peroxyacid. The influences of processing time (60-180 min), formic acid concentration (80-95%), temperature (60-80°C), and hydrogen peroxide concentration (2-4%) on peroxyformic pulping of agave leaves were studied by surface response methodology using a face-centered factorial design. Empirical models were obtained for the prediction of yield, κ number (KN) and pulp viscosity as functions of the aforementioned variables. Mathematical optimization enabled us to select a set of operational variables that produced the best fractionation of the material with the following results: pulp yield (26.9%), KN (3.6), and pulp viscosity (777 mL/g). Furthermore, this work allowed the description and evaluation of changes to the agave fibers during the fractionation process using different microscopic and spectroscopic techniques, and provided a comprehensive and qualitative view of the phenomena occurring in the delignification of agave fibers. The use of confocal and scanning electron microscopy provided a detailed understanding of the microstructural changes to the lignin and cellulose in the fibers throughout the process, whereas Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that cellulose in the pulp after treatment was mainly of type I.
authors: 1Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias,Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo,Av. Universidad Km 1,Tulancingo,C.P. 43600,Hidalgo,México.
authors: Hilda M
authors: HM
authors: Hernández-Hernández
authors: 2Departamento de Ingeniería Bioquímica,Instituto Politécnico Nacional,Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas,Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n,Col. Santo Tomas,C.P. 11340,MéxicoD.F.
authors: Jorge J
authors: JJ
authors: Chanona-Pérez
authors: 3Research Group EnQA,Department of Physical Chemistry and Chemical Engineering,Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA),Faculty of Science,Universidade da Coruña,15071 A Coruña.Spain.
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Vega
authors: 3Research Group EnQA,Department of Physical Chemistry and Chemical Engineering,Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA),Faculty of Science,Universidade da Coruña,15071 A Coruña.Spain.
authors: Pablo
authors: P
authors: Ligero
authors: 2Departamento de Ingeniería Bioquímica,Instituto Politécnico Nacional,Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas,Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n,Col. Santo Tomas,C.P. 11340,MéxicoD.F.
authors: Reynold R
authors: RR
authors: Farrera-Rebollo
authors: 4Departamento Ingeniería en Sistemas Ambientales,Instituto Politécnico Nacional,Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas,Wilfrido Massieu s/n U,Profesor Adolfo López Mateos,Gustavo A. Madero,C.P. 07738,MéxicoD.F.
authors: Jorge A
authors: JA
authors: Mendoza-Pérez
authors: 2Departamento de Ingeniería Bioquímica,Instituto Politécnico Nacional,Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas,Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n,Col. Santo Tomas,C.P. 11340,MéxicoD.F.
authors: Georgina
authors: G
authors: Calderón-Domínguez
authors: 1Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias,Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo,Av. Universidad Km 1,Tulancingo,C.P. 43600,Hidalgo,México.
authors: Norma Güemes
authors: NG
authors: Vera
keywords: Raman spectroscopy; agave fibers; microscopy; peroxyformic process