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Medicago Sativa Stems-A Multi-Output Integrated Biorefinery Approach
Adrian Cătălin Puițel1, George Bârjoveanu1, Cătălin Dumitrel Balan1
1Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection "Cristofor Simionescu", Technical University "Gheorghe Asachi" Iasi, Bd. Prof. Dimitrie Mangeron, No. 73, 700050 Iaşi, Romania.
Polymers
|June 27, 2025
Summary
Field-stored alfalfa (Medicago sativa) can be processed in a biorefinery to extract valuable protein and cellulose. Alfalfa pulp improves the strength of recycled paper, supporting circular economy principles.
Area of Science:
- Biomass valorization
- Sustainable materials science
- Circular economy
Background:
- Field-stored one-year-old alfalfa (Medicago sativa) represents an underutilized biomass resource.
- Developing multi-output biorefineries is crucial for sustainable resource management and waste reduction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the fractionation of alfalfa biomass into crude protein, polysaccharides, lignin, and cellulose.
- To evaluate the suitability of extracted cellulose for papermaking applications.
Main Methods:
- Biomass pretreatment using water, alkaline buffer, and NaOH solutions.
- Soda pulping under varying severity conditions (20% NaOH, 160 °C, 60 min).
- Chemical characterization of solid and liquid fractions using FTIR, HPLC, and standard methods.
Main Results:
- Water pretreatment achieved over 40% protein content in precipitated fractions.
- Harshest pulping conditions yielded cellulose-rich pulp with high glucan content.
- Alfalfa pulp blended with old corrugated cardboard (OCC) enhanced tensile (35%) and burst (70%) strength.
Conclusions:
- Alfalfa biomass can be effectively fractionated into valuable components.
- Alfalfa-derived pulp shows significant potential for enhancing papermaking properties.
- This approach supports the valorization of agricultural residues and promotes circular economy principles.
