Title
Chemical and physical characterization and acid hydrolysis of a mixture of Jatropha curcas shells and husks
Authors
ARIEL GARCIA YONEY LOPEZ KEIKHOSRO KARIMI AGUSTIN BENITEZ MAGNUS LUNDIN MOHAMMAD TAHERZADEH and CARLOS MARTIN

Received April 1, 2014
Published Volume 49 Issue 9-10 October-December
Keywords Jatropha curcas shells, ethanol, dilute-acid hydrolysis, pretreatment

Abstract
Jatropha curcas L. is a tropical plant with considerable potential for producing biodiesel and other products of high economic and social interest. During the biodiesel production process from J. curcas different residues, such as shells and husks are generated. In this work, the physical characterization of J. curcas fruits was performed, and the chemical composition of a mixture of shells and husks was determined. The physical characterization revealed that shells and husks account, respectively, for 25.0 and 27.8% of the fruit weight. The compositional analyses of the material showed a quite high content of glucans (32.8% w/w) and xylans (16.4% w/w), which indicates the potential of J. curcas shells and husks for production of ethanol, xylitol and other glucose- and xylose-derived products. Acid hydrolysis was applied to a mixture of shells and husks under different sulphuric acid concentrations (from 0.5 to 4.5%), temperatures (170-220 ºC) and time (10-20 min), and the hydrolytic conversion of xylan was evaluated. A zone of experimental conditions giving maximal xylan conversion was identified at around 4% H2SO4, 180 ºC and reaction time below 10 min.