Project Details
Description
This is an applied research project that aims to develop an efficient large-scale industrial process to process large volumes of the pineapple plant leaf and transform it into high-value-added raw materials for other industries. The first objective is the transformation into a biomaterial that can be used, first, in the production of export packaging for the same pineapple industry and, secondly, high-value by-products such as cellulose for the food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries.
The project is proposed in stages: the first: its own research for the transformation of the waste into the expected products, the implementation of a pilot plant, the production of a "minimum viable product," a market study for by-products, marketing of the minimum viable product, and the projected industrial scaling design. In a second stage, the required scaling would be performed.
The pineapple leaf contains valuable elements with exploitable commercial potential as a raw material in other industries. In summary, these elements are:
Fiber that has physical characteristics of torsion, elasticity, thermal resistance, and others, desirable for the production of a biomaterial. In addition, there is evidence of its benefits when applied in processes to fortify other materials such as concrete, plastics, and bioplastics.
Lignin: It has high value as a fuel and also as a potential biofertilizer and for other applications in the chemical industry.
Cellulose: With simple transformation processes, it has high value for the pharmaceutical, chemical, food, and nutraceutical industries.
The main objective of this project is to industrially and efficiently process the greatest amount of biomass generated by the pineapple plant leaf that is currently left in the field (approximately 9 million tons). The reason is that, in order to achieve operational efficiencies, it is necessary to be able to industrially process high volumes of biomass, to reduce costs and also to generate a national impact solution
The project is proposed in stages: the first: its own research for the transformation of the waste into the expected products, the implementation of a pilot plant, the production of a "minimum viable product," a market study for by-products, marketing of the minimum viable product, and the projected industrial scaling design. In a second stage, the required scaling would be performed.
The pineapple leaf contains valuable elements with exploitable commercial potential as a raw material in other industries. In summary, these elements are:
Fiber that has physical characteristics of torsion, elasticity, thermal resistance, and others, desirable for the production of a biomaterial. In addition, there is evidence of its benefits when applied in processes to fortify other materials such as concrete, plastics, and bioplastics.
Lignin: It has high value as a fuel and also as a potential biofertilizer and for other applications in the chemical industry.
Cellulose: With simple transformation processes, it has high value for the pharmaceutical, chemical, food, and nutraceutical industries.
The main objective of this project is to industrially and efficiently process the greatest amount of biomass generated by the pineapple plant leaf that is currently left in the field (approximately 9 million tons). The reason is that, in order to achieve operational efficiencies, it is necessary to be able to industrially process high volumes of biomass, to reduce costs and also to generate a national impact solution
Research Lines
Biotecnología Ambiental
| Status | Finished |
|---|---|
| Effective start/end date | 1/01/20 → 31/12/21 |
Keywords
- biomass
- natural fiber
- agroindustrial waste
- pineapple
- Bio.material
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