Co-production of bioinsecticide and biochar from sunflower edible oil waste: A preliminary feasibility study

Abstract

The objective of this work is to evaluate the feasibility of co-producing furfural-enriched bio-oil as bioinsecticide and biochar for soil amendment from an industrial waste. Starting with acid pretreated sunflower seed hulls (SSHA), two bench scale pyrolysis methodologies (Py1 and Py2) were conducted. For Py1, the yields to bio-oil and biochar were 45 % and 34 %, respectively, whereas for Py2, 48 % for bio-oil and 35 % for biochar. GC–MS analysis of bio-oils showed a relatively high concentration of furfural, which is responsible for insecticidal activity. From the physicochemical characterization of biochars, Py2 methodology was selected to study soil/biochar interaction and germination effect. It is concluded that biochar fulfills the prerequisites for soil amendment. In addition, a conceptual design of a multi-product pyrolysis plant located at Ingeniero White port (Argentina) indicates that around 23,158 kg/y of SSHA can be processed to produce bioinsecticide with a minimum selling price of USD 11/kg.