Preliminary studies of bio-oil from fast pyrolysis of coconut fibers

J Agric Food Chem. 2013 Jul 17;61(28):6812-21. doi: 10.1021/jf401379s. Epub 2013 Jul 1.

Abstract

This work studied fast pyrolysis as a way to use the residual fiber obtained from the shells of coconut ( Cocos nucifera L. var. Dwarf, from Aracaju, northeastern Brazil). The bio-oil produced by fast pyrolysis and the aqueous phase (formed during the pyrolysis) were characterized by GC/qMS and GC×GC/TOF-MS. Many oxygenated compounds such as phenols, aldehydes, and ketones were identified in the extracts obtained in both phases, with a high predominance of phenolic compounds, mainly alkylphenols. Eighty-one compounds were identified in the bio-oil and 42 in the aqueous phase using GC/qMS, and 95 and 68 in the same samples were identified by GC×GC/TOF-MS. The better performance of GC×GC/TOF-MS was due to the possibility of resolving some coeluted peaks in the one-dimension gas chromatography. Semiquantitative analysis of the samples verified that 59% of the area on the chromatogram of bio-oil is composed by phenols and 12% by aldehydes, mainly furfural. Using the same criterion, 77% of the organic compounds in the aqueous phase are phenols. Therefore, this preliminary assessment indicates that coconut fibers have the potential to be a cost-effective and promising alternative to obtain new products and minimize environmental impact.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aldehydes / analysis
  • Biofuels / analysis
  • Brazil
  • Chromatography, Gas
  • Cocos / chemistry*
  • Fruit / chemistry*
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Hot Temperature*
  • Ketones / analysis
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Phenols / analysis
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Oils / chemistry*

Substances

  • Aldehydes
  • Biofuels
  • Ketones
  • Phenols
  • Plant Extracts
  • Plant Oils