Sugarcane bagasse into value-added products: a review

Area of Science:

• Biomass Conversion and Biorefining
• Sustainable Chemistry
• Waste Management

Background:

• Sugarcane bagasse (SB) is an abundant lignocellulosic waste stream with significant valorization potential.
• Conventional SB pretreatment methods often lack environmental sustainability and industrial scalability.
• Existing research highlights limitations in current pretreatment strategies for effective SB bioconversion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of environmentally acceptable thermochemical and biological pretreatment techniques for sugarcane bagasse.
• To critically assess advancements in SB conversion processes for producing a wide range of industrial products.
• To offer insights into scientific developments for value-added products from SB valorization and guide industrial-scale biorefinery development.

Main Methods:

• In-depth literature review of thermochemical and biological pretreatment methods for sugarcane bagasse.
• Critical analysis of conversion processes including pyrolysis, liquefaction, gasification, and fermentation.
• Evaluation of scientific developments and systematic perceptions in SB valorization.

Main Results:

• Identified a variety of environmentally benign pretreatment techniques for sugarcane bagasse.
• Reviewed advancements in conversion technologies yielding biofuels, bioelectricity, bioplastics, bioadsorbents, and organic acids.
• Highlighted key aspects of thermochemical and biological conversion processes for industrial applications.

Conclusions:

• Environmentally acceptable pretreatment and conversion processes are crucial for sustainable sugarcane bagasse valorization.
• Optimized methods can facilitate the industrial-scale production of diverse value-added products from SB.
• This review provides a foundation for developing efficient, sustainable sugarcane-based biorefineries.