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Multifunctional Eco-Friendly Adsorbent Cryogels Based on Xylan Derived from Coffee Residues
Valentina Quintero1, Johann F Osma2, Ulugbek Azimov3
1Grupo de Investigación en Tecnologías de Valorización de Residuos y Fuentes Agrícolas e Industriales para la Sustentabilidad Energética (INTERFASE), Escuela de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Cra. 27 N°9, Bucaramanga 680002, Colombia.
Researchers developed eco-friendly xylan cryogels from coffee waste to capture ammonia (NH3) and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These sustainable adsorbents show promise for environmental applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Environmental Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Agricultural and animal farming generate significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including ammonia (NH3), methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
- These emissions contribute to local environmental issues like air and water pollution, posing health risks.
- There is a growing demand for effective and environmentally benign methods to capture these pollutants, particularly using solid adsorbents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel, responsive, and eco-friendly cryogels using xylan extracted from coffee parchment, a readily available agricultural residue.
- To investigate the potential of these xylan-based cryogels as adsorbents for capturing ammonia and other greenhouse gases.
Main Methods:
- Xylan was extracted from coffee parchment and used to create cryogels via freeze-thawing and freeze-drying.
- Cryogels were characterized for morphology (SEM), porosity, and density (liquid saturation method).
- Moisture and ammonia adsorption capacities were evaluated, with ammonia adsorption kinetics modeled using a pseudo-second-order equation.
Main Results:
- The developed cryogels exhibited porosity ranging from 0.62 to 0.42 and apparent densities between 0.14 g/cm³ and 0.25 g/cm³.
- Moisture adsorption capacity increased with relative humidity, reaching 0.25–0.43 g/g at 80% RH, and was enhanced by higher xylan content (up to 10% w/v).
- Ammonia adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, with a maximum capacity of 0.047 mg NH3/g at 10% xylan, indicating chemisorption.
Conclusions:
- Xylan-based cryogels derived from coffee parchment are effective and sustainable materials for ammonia adsorption.
- These cryogels demonstrate potential for application in greenhouse gas separation and pollution control, offering an eco-friendly alternative to conventional adsorbents.
