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Comparative Production and Optimisation of Furfural and Furfuryl Alcohol from Agricultural Wastes

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Abstract

Present-day environmental pollution caused by the usage of synthetic organic compounds derived from fossil sources is a major concern. In substitute of fossil-based chemicals, alternative feedstock materials are being sourced. Furfural (F) and furfuryl alcohol (FA) are valuable platform chemicals obtained from biomass that serve as a link between biomass raw materials and the bio-refinery sector and are used as building blocks in the development of several chemicals and fuels. The syntheses of FA from biomass-derived F via selective hydrogenation are difficult, expensive and involve the use of critical elements. In this study, an easy comparison method for producing furfural is presented. Furfural is subsequently transformed into FA using a simple sodium hydroxide hydrogenation process, which is regarded as a reliable, inexpensive, and accessible catalyst. The production protocols for F and FA were optimized. The findings showed that furfural synthesis was improved by increasing sulfuric acid concentration, duration, and temperature at constant biomass weight. Maize cob (7.2%) produced the highest amount of furfural, followed by elephant grass (3.2%), sunflower, and baobab pulp (2.3%) when sulfuric acid (20%) was used in a 1:20 ratio to biomass weight, at 160 °C, for 160 min. The optimization of the maize cob's maturity stages was done in light of this conclusion. The maize cob that had reached maturity (8th week) had the highest furfural yield (35.20%). By lengthening the reaction time, raising the temperature to 10 °C, and increasing the NaOH content, FA synthesis was improved. At 10 °C, less FA was recovered at 50 °C, the maximum FA yield (64%) was obtained in this study. As a result, this study generated FA by a straightforward sodium hydroxide hydrogenation of furfural using a safe, affordable, and easily accessible feedstock and catalyst.

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The authors attest that this study’s supporting data are contained in the publication and its supplemental materials, which are available on subcription to the journal of Chemistry Africa.

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Acknowledgements

Authors thank the Department of Chemistry, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, and the Department of the Chemical Sciences Olusegun Agagu University of Technology, Okitipupa, Nigeria for providing infrastructural support to carry out this research study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, The Federal University of Technology, PMB 704, Akure, Nigeria

    A. J. Adebayo, J. K. Ogunjobi, O. O. Oluwasina & L. Lajide

  2. Department of Chemical Sciences, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, PMB 353, Okitipupa, Nigeria

    A. J. Adebayo

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42250_2023_594_MOESM1_ESM.doc

Supplementary file1 GC-MS Spectrum of Furfural from SFS, GC-MS Spectrum of Furfural from CC, GC-MS Spectrum of Furfural from EGS, and GC-MS Spectrum of Furfural from BP (DOC 95 KB)

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Adebayo, A.J., Ogunjobi, J.K., Oluwasina, O.O. et al. Comparative Production and Optimisation of Furfural and Furfuryl Alcohol from Agricultural Wastes. Chemistry Africa 6, 2401–2417 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42250-023-00594-7

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