Multistage treatment of almonds waste biomass: characterization and assessment of the potential applications of raw material and products

Abstract

Almond shells are waste biomass generated in agro-industrial activities, which represent a resource that can be further valorized upon treatment. The purpose of this work was to assess new value-added products obtained through a novel multi-stage delignification process of almond shells. A comprehensive chemical characterization of the raw materials and products involved in each stage of the process was carried out. Moreover, an extensive mass balance was developed, providing a full understanding of the extraction process. The pulps produced did not display a significant cellulose loss and hence they could be exploited as cellulose-rich materials. On the other hand, the obtained lignins presented high purity values (≈90%) and a high reactivity, and their structures became more condensed and homogeneous after each extraction cycle. These features would allow their utilization as feedstock of renewable materials such bio-sourced phenolic resins.