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Fulignati S, Di Fidio N, Antonetti C, Raspolli Galletti AM, Licursi D. Challenges and Opportunities in the Catalytic Synthesis of Diphenolic Acid and Evaluation of Its Application Potential. Molecules 2023; 29:126. [PMID: 38202709 PMCID: PMC10779658 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29010126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Diphenolic acid, or 4,4-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)pentanoic acid, represents one of the potentially most interesting bio-products obtainable from the levulinic acid supply-chain. It represents a valuable candidate for the replacement of bisphenol A, which is strongly questioned for its toxicological issues. Diphenolic acid synthesis involves the condensation reaction between phenol and levulinic acid and requires the presence of a Brønsted acid as a catalyst. In this review, the state of the art related to the catalytic issues of its synthesis have been critically discussed, with particular attention to the heterogeneous systems, the reference benchmark being represented by the homogeneous acids. The main opportunities in the field of heterogeneous catalysis are deeply discussed, as well as the bottlenecks to be overcome to facilitate diphenolic acid production on an industrial scale. The regioselectivity of the reaction is a critical point because only the p,p'-isomer is of industrial interest; thus, several strategies aiming at the improvement of the selectivity towards this isomer are considered. The future potential of adopting alkyl levulinates, instead of levulinic acid, as starting materials for the synthesis of new classes of biopolymers, such as new epoxy and phenolic resins and polycarbonates, is also briefly considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Fulignati
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (S.F.); (N.D.F.); (C.A.); (D.L.)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario Reattività Chimica e Catalisi (CIRCC), Via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Nicola Di Fidio
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (S.F.); (N.D.F.); (C.A.); (D.L.)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario Reattività Chimica e Catalisi (CIRCC), Via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Claudia Antonetti
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (S.F.); (N.D.F.); (C.A.); (D.L.)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario Reattività Chimica e Catalisi (CIRCC), Via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Raspolli Galletti
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (S.F.); (N.D.F.); (C.A.); (D.L.)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario Reattività Chimica e Catalisi (CIRCC), Via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Domenico Licursi
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (S.F.); (N.D.F.); (C.A.); (D.L.)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario Reattività Chimica e Catalisi (CIRCC), Via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
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Licursi D, Antonetti C, Di Fidio N, Fulignati S, Benito P, Puccini M, Vitolo S, Raspolli Galletti AM. Conversion of the hydrochar recovered after levulinic acid production into activated carbon adsorbents. Waste Manag 2023; 168:235-245. [PMID: 37320891 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2023.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Levulinic acid production by acid-catalyzed hydrothermal conversion of (ligno)cellulosic biomass generates significant amounts of carbonaceous hydrochar, which is currently considered a final waste. In this work, the hydrochar recovered after the levulinic acid production, was subjected to cascade pyrolysis and chemical activation treatments (by H3PO4 or KOH), to synthesize activated carbons. The pyrolysis post-treatment was already effective in improving the surface properties of the raw hydrochar (Specific Surface Area: 388 m2/g, VP: 0.22 cm3/g, VMESO: 0.07 cm3/g, VMICRO: 0.14 cm3/g), by removing volatile compounds. KOH activation resulted as the most appropriate for further improving the surface properties of the pyrolyzed hydrochar, showing the best surface properties (Specific Surface Area: 1421 m2/g, VP: 0.63 cm3/g, VMESO: 0.10 cm3/g, VMICRO: 0.52 cm3/g), which synergistically makes it a promising system towards adsorption of CO2 (∼90 mg/g) and methylene blue (∼248 mg/g). In addition, promising surface properties can be achieved after direct chemical activation of the raw hazelnut shells, preferably by H3PO4 (Specific Surface Area: 1918 m2/g, VP: 1.34 cm3/g, VMESO: 0.82 cm3/g, VMICRO: 0.50 cm3/g), but this choice is not the smartest, as it does not allow the valorization of the cellulose fraction to levulinic acid. Our approach paves the way for possible uses of these hydrochars originating from the levulinic acid chain for new environmental applications, thus smartly closing the biorefinery loop of the hazelnut shells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Licursi
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale - Università di Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario Reattività Chimica e Catalisi (CIRCC), Via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy.
| | - Claudia Antonetti
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale - Università di Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario Reattività Chimica e Catalisi (CIRCC), Via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Nicola Di Fidio
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale - Università di Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario Reattività Chimica e Catalisi (CIRCC), Via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Sara Fulignati
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale - Università di Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario Reattività Chimica e Catalisi (CIRCC), Via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Patricia Benito
- Dipartimento di Chimica Industriale "Toso Montanari", Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Viale Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Monica Puccini
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Industriale - Università di Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino, 56122 Pisa, Italy
| | - Sandra Vitolo
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Industriale - Università di Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino, 56122 Pisa, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Raspolli Galletti
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale - Università di Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario Reattività Chimica e Catalisi (CIRCC), Via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
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Galletti AMR, Lorè R, Licursi D, Di Fidio N, Antonetti C, Fulignati S. Insights on butyl levulinate bio-blendstock: from model sugars to paper mill waste cellulose as feedstocks for a sustainable catalytic butanolysis process. Catal Today 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2023.114054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
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Di Fidio N, Tozzi F, Martinelli M, Licursi D, Fulignati S, Antonetti C, Raspolli Galletti AM. Sustainable Valorisation and Efficient Downstream Processing of Giant Reed by High‐Pressure Carbon Dioxide Pretreatment. Chempluschem 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202200273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Di Fidio
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry University of Pisa Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13 56124 Pisa (Italy)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Reattività Chimiche e la Catalisi (CIRCC) Via Celso Ulpiani 27 70126 Bari (Italy)
| | - Federico Tozzi
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry University of Pisa Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13 56124 Pisa (Italy)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Reattività Chimiche e la Catalisi (CIRCC) Via Celso Ulpiani 27 70126 Bari (Italy)
| | - Marco Martinelli
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry University of Pisa Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13 56124 Pisa (Italy)
| | - Domenico Licursi
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry University of Pisa Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13 56124 Pisa (Italy)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Reattività Chimiche e la Catalisi (CIRCC) Via Celso Ulpiani 27 70126 Bari (Italy)
| | - Sara Fulignati
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry University of Pisa Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13 56124 Pisa (Italy)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Reattività Chimiche e la Catalisi (CIRCC) Via Celso Ulpiani 27 70126 Bari (Italy)
| | - Claudia Antonetti
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry University of Pisa Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13 56124 Pisa (Italy)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Reattività Chimiche e la Catalisi (CIRCC) Via Celso Ulpiani 27 70126 Bari (Italy)
| | - Anna Maria Raspolli Galletti
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry University of Pisa Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13 56124 Pisa (Italy)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Reattività Chimiche e la Catalisi (CIRCC) Via Celso Ulpiani 27 70126 Bari (Italy)
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Di Fidio N, Tozzi F, Martinelli M, Licursi D, Fulignati S, Antonetti C, Raspolli Galletti AM. Sustainable valorisation and efficient downstream processing of giant reed by high‐pressure carbon dioxide pretreatment. Chempluschem 2022; 87:e202200189. [DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202200189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Di Fidio
- University of Pisa: Universita degli Studi di Pisa Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13 56124 Pisa ITALY
| | - Federico Tozzi
- Università di Pisa: Universita degli Studi di Pisa Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale ITALY
| | - Marco Martinelli
- University of Pisa: Universita degli Studi di Pisa Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale ITALY
| | - Domenico Licursi
- University of Pisa: Universita degli Studi di Pisa Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale ITALY
| | - Sara Fulignati
- University of Pisa: Universita degli Studi di Pisa Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale ITALY
| | - Claudia Antonetti
- University of Pisa: Universita degli Studi di Pisa Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale ITALY
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Fulignati S, Antonetti C, Wilbers E, Licursi D, Heeres HJ, Raspolli Galletti AM. Tunable HMF hydrogenation to furan diols in a flow reactor using Ru/C as catalyst. J IND ENG CHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2021.04.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Licursi D, Antonetti C, Parton R, Raspolli Galletti AM. A novel approach to biphasic strategy for intensification of the hydrothermal process to give levulinic acid: Use of an organic non-solvent. Bioresour Technol 2018; 264:180-189. [PMID: 29803088 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2018.05.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Levulinic acid is a platform chemical obtained from acid-catalyzed hydrothermal conversion of cellulose-rich biomass. The low amounts of solid biomass which can be handled in the reactor limit the levulinic acid concentration in the aqueous stream, making the economic viability of the aqueous phase process unsuitable for large scale applications. Now a novel approach to biphasic process has been proposed, where a mineral oil has been used as non-solvent for levulinic acid, thus concentrating it in the water phase, reducing the water volume to be processed downstream but at the same time maintaining enough liquid phase to sustain the slurry processability. The work has studied: i) the optimization of the biphasic hydrolysis of corn grain to levulinic acid; ii) the characterization of the recovered oil; iii) the evaluation of the energetic properties of the recovered hydrochar for its exploitation, thus smartly closing the biorefinery cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Licursi
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudia Antonetti
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Rudy Parton
- GFB Europe BV, Brightlands Chemelot Campus, Burg. Lemmensstraat 358, 6163JT Geleen, The Netherlands
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Licursi D, Antonetti C, Fulignati S, Vitolo S, Puccini M, Ribechini E, Bernazzani L, Raspolli Galletti AM. In-depth characterization of valuable char obtained from hydrothermal conversion of hazelnut shells to levulinic acid. Bioresour Technol 2017; 244:880-888. [PMID: 28847076 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
For the first time, the exploitation of hazelnut shells for the combined production of levulinic acid (LA) and hydrochar was investigated. The optimization of the catalytic hydrothermal treatment was performed both in autoclave and microwave reactor, approaching a maximum LA yield of ∼9-12wt%. Hydrochars recovered with high yield (∼43-47wt%) were characterized by different techniques, including elemental and proximate analysis, heating value, FT-IR, XPS, XRD, SEM-EDX, and SAA. Their "lignite-like" energetic properties make them suitable for the energy recovery within the same biorefinery plant for LA production, thus partially offsetting the cost of the entire process. Alternatively, since the synthesized hydrochars maintain high levels of oxygenated groups, they could be smartly exploited as natural sorbents for environmental applications. The proposed integrated approach makes possible to fully exploit this waste, smartly closing its biorefinery cycle in a sustainable development perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Licursi
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudia Antonetti
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Sara Fulignati
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Sandra Vitolo
- Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino 2, 56122 Pisa, Italy
| | - Monica Puccini
- Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino 2, 56122 Pisa, Italy
| | - Erika Ribechini
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Luca Bernazzani
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
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Antonetti C, Raspolli Galletti AM, Fulignati S, Licursi D. Amberlyst A-70: A surprisingly active catalyst for the MW-assisted dehydration of fructose and inulin to HMF in water. CATAL COMMUN 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.catcom.2017.04.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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Antonetti C, Licursi D, Raspolli Galletti AM, Martinelli M, Tellini F, Valentini G, Gambineri F. Application of microwave irradiation for the removal of polychlorinated biphenyls from siloxane transformer and hydrocarbon engine oils. Chemosphere 2016; 159:72-79. [PMID: 27281539 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.05.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2016] [Revised: 05/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The removal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) both from siloxane transformer oil and hydrocarbon engine oil was investigated through the application of microwave (MW) irradiation and a reaction system based on polyethyleneglycol (PEG) and potassium hydroxide. The influence of the main reaction parameters (MW irradiation time, molecular weight of PEG, amount of added reactants and temperature) on the dechlorination behavior was studied. Promising performances were reached, allowing about 50% of dechlorination under the best experimental conditions, together time and energy saving compared to conventional heating systems. Moreover, an interesting dechlorination degree (up to 32%) was achieved for siloxane transformer oil when MW irradiation was employed as the unique driving force. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time in which MW irradiation is tested as the single driving force for the dechlorination of these two types of PCB-contaminated oils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Antonetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Domenico Licursi
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Raspolli Galletti
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco Martinelli
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Filippo Tellini
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giorgio Valentini
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124, Pisa, Italy
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Licursi D, Antonetti C, Martinelli M, Ribechini E, Zanaboni M, Raspolli Galletti AM. Monitoring/characterization of stickies contaminants coming from a papermaking plant--Toward an innovative exploitation of the screen rejects to levulinic acid. Waste Manag 2016; 49:469-482. [PMID: 26838609 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2016.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2015] [Revised: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Recycled paper needs a lot of mechanical/chemical treatments for its re-use in the papermaking process. Some of these ones produce considerable rejected waste fractions, such as "screen rejects", which include both cellulose fibers and non-fibrous organic contaminants, or "stickies", these last representing a shortcoming both for the papermaking process and for the quality of the final product. Instead, the accepted fractions coming from these unit operations become progressively poorer in contaminants and richer in cellulose. Here, input and output streams coming from mechanical screening systems of a papermaking plant using recycled paper for cardboard production were sampled and analyzed directly and after solvent extraction, thus confirming the abundant presence of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers in the output rejected stream and cellulose in the output accepted one. Despite some significant drawbacks, the "screen reject" fraction could be traditionally used as fuel for energy recovery within the paper mill, in agreement with the integrated recycled paper mill approach. The waste, which still contains a cellulose fraction, can be also exploited by means of the hydrothermal route to give levulinic acid, a platform chemical of very high value added.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Licursi
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudia Antonetti
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco Martinelli
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Erika Ribechini
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco Zanaboni
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Raspolli Galletti
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
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Antonetti C, Bonari E, Licursi D, Nassi O Di Nasso N, Raspolli Galletti AM. Hydrothermal Conversion of Giant Reed to Furfural and Levulinic Acid: Optimization of the Process under Microwave Irradiation and Investigation of Distinctive Agronomic Parameters. Molecules 2015; 20:21232-53. [PMID: 26633324 PMCID: PMC6332085 DOI: 10.3390/molecules201219760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The hydrothermal conversion of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) to furfural (FA) and levulinic acid (LA) was investigated in the presence of dilute hydrochloric acid. FA and LA yields were improved by univariate optimization of the main reaction parameters: concentration of the acid catalyst, solid/liquid ratio of the reaction mixture, hydrolysis temperature, and reaction time. The catalytic performances were investigated adopting the efficient microwave (MW) irradiation, allowing significant energy and time savings. The best FA and LA yields were further confirmed using a traditionally heated autoclave reactor, giving very high results, when compared with the literature. Hydrolysis temperature and time were the main reaction variables to be carefully optimized: FA formation needed milder reaction conditions, while LA more severe ones. The effect of the crop management (e.g., harvest time) on FA/LA production was discussed, revealing that harvest time was not a discriminating parameter for the further optimization of both FA and LA production, due to the very high productivity of the giant reed throughout the year. The promising results demonstrate that giant reed represents a very interesting candidate for a very high contemporary production of FA and LA of up to about 70% and 90% of the theoretical yields, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Antonetti
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, Pisa 56124, Italy.
| | - Enrico Bonari
- Land Lab, Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, P.za Martiri della Libertà 33, Pisa 56127, Italy.
| | - Domenico Licursi
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, Pisa 56124, Italy.
| | - Nicoletta Nassi O Di Nasso
- Land Lab, Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, P.za Martiri della Libertà 33, Pisa 56127, Italy.
| | - Anna Maria Raspolli Galletti
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, Pisa 56124, Italy.
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