Lignocellulosic feedstock evaluation (sugarcane bagasse and coconut shells) for ethanol production as a potential refinery fuel additive
Keywords:
Potential; Lignocellulosic waste; Sugarcane bagasse; Coconut husks; Refining additivesAbstract
This study evaluated the potential of sugarcane bagasse and coconut shells as feedstocks for producing second-generation ethanol intended as a sustainable oxygenate additive in refinery gasoline. Using a rigorous methodology that included physicochemical characterization of the biomass, acid hydrolysis and fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and robust statistical analysis, the results demonstrated the technical feasibility of both residues. Coconut shells stood out for their higher calorific value (16.44 MJ/kg) and significantly higher fermentation yield (90.42%) compared to bagasse (12.6 MJ/kg and 83.20%). Both ethanol products had alcohol contents above 93% v/v, complete combustion with no detectable residues, and, critically, extremely low sulfur content (<0.12%). Statistical analysis using Student's t-test for independent samples (α = 0.05) confirmed a significant difference in fermentation yields between the two biomasses (p = 0.012). However, the low final ethanol titers (≈6 g/L) obtained under the current non-optimized protocol remain a critical bottleneck. It is concluded that while both residues are technically feasible as feedstocks, substantial process optimization, particularly in pretreatment and hydrolysis, is required before their ethanol can be considered for industrial application. The extremely low sulfur content (<0.12%) supports their potential for producing cleaner fuels within a circular economic framework. Recovering these wastes through co-processing in refineries is an effective strategy to promote the circular economy, improve fossil fuel quality (by increasing octane ratings), and contribute to the decarbonization of the transport sector.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Pedro Gelson Morais, Vlademir Pereira, Jacinta Pinto António, Lúcia Rafael Funda, Kavuanda Francisco, Sónia Marinela da Silva Rêgo de Sousa Paim (Author); Elvis Napoleão Queto Cardoso (Translator); Onésimo Sebastião Fula Francisco, Adilson Adilson Venâncio Martins, Samuel Carlos Victorino (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
