Production of xylooligosaccharides from Camellia oleifera Abel fruit shell using a shell-based solid acid catalyst

Area of Science:

• Biomass Conversion
• Green Chemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) are valuable prebiotics with growing market demand.
• Lignocellulosic biomass, such as Camellia oleifera fruit shell (CFS), is an abundant and underutilized resource.
• Developing efficient and sustainable methods for XOS production from biomass is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and optimize a novel solid acid catalyst (CFS-BSA) from CFS for XOS production.
• To investigate the catalytic performance of CFS-BSA in the hydrolysis of CFS for XOS generation.
• To evaluate the reusability and applicability of CFS-BSA for producing XOS from various lignocellulosic materials.

Main Methods:

• Optimized CFS-BSA preparation via carbonization and sulfonation to achieve high -SO3H functional group concentration.
• Hydrolyzed CFS using CFS-BSA under optimized conditions (1:5 ratio, 170°C, 20 min).
• Assessed XOS yield and catalyst reusability through sieving and repeated catalytic cycles.

Main Results:

• Achieved a maximum XOS yield of 51.41% from CFS using CFS-BSA, significantly higher than subcritical water alone.
• Demonstrated excellent reusability of CFS-BSA for at least six cycles with minimal loss of catalytic activity.
• Successfully produced XOS from diverse lignocellulosic materials, including corncob, sugarcane bagasse, and various woods, with yields ranging from 40-46%.

Conclusions:

• CFS-BSA is a highly effective and reusable catalyst for producing xylooligosaccharides from Camellia oleifera fruit shells.
• This method presents a sustainable and efficient approach for valorizing agricultural waste into high-value prebiotic compounds.
• The developed catalyst shows broad applicability for XOS production from various lignocellulosic feedstocks.