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. 2024 Jul 11;29(14):3285.
doi: 10.3390/molecules29143285.

Obtention and Characterization of Microcrystalline Cellulose from Industrial Melon Residues Following a Biorefinery Approach

Ricardo Gómez-García  1   2 , Sérgio C Sousa  1 , Óscar L Ramos  1 , Débora A Campos  1 , Cristóbal N Aguilar  3 , Ana R Madureira  1 , Manuela Pintado  1
Affiliations

Obtention and Characterization of Microcrystalline Cellulose from Industrial Melon Residues Following a Biorefinery Approach

Ricardo Gómez-García et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

Residual melon by-products were explored for the first time as a bioresource of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) obtention. Two alkaline extraction methods were employed, the traditional (4.5% NaOH, 2 h, 80 °C) and a thermo-alkaline in the autoclave (2% NaOH, 1 h, 100 °C), obtaining a yield of MCC ranging from 4.76 to 9.15% and 2.32 to 3.29%, respectively. The final MCCs were characterized for their chemical groups by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), crystallinity with X-ray diffraction, and morphology analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). FTIR spectra showed that the traditional protocol allows for a more effective hemicellulose and lignin removal from the melon residues than the thermo-alkaline process. The degree of crystallinity of MCC ranged from 51.51 to 61.94% and 54.80 to 55.07% for the thermo-alkaline and traditional processes, respectively. The peaks detected in X-ray diffraction patterns indicated the presence of Type I cellulose. SEM analysis revealed microcrystals with rough surfaces and great porosity, which could remark their high-water absorption capacity and drug-carrier capacities. Thus, these findings could respond to the need to valorize industrial melon by-products as raw materials for MCC obtention with potential applications as biodegradable materials.

Keywords: X-ray diffraction; biopolymer; circular bioeconomy; crystalline cellulose; food-waste biorefinery; melon residues.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of the process to obtain microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) from melon residues through a thermo-alkaline process. HCl: hydrochloric acid; CA: citric acid; TA: tartaric acid.
Figure 2
Figure 2
X-ray diffraction patterns of lignocellulosic melon by-products (LMB), melon residues after hot-acid treatment with (A) hydrochloric acid (RHCl), (C) citric acid (RCA), and (E) tartaric acid (RTA) and their microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) (B,D,F), respectively, obtained through the (a) thermo-alkaline, (b) thermo-alkaline double bleaching, and (c) traditional treatments.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Spectra of (A) lignocellulosic melon by-products (LMB) and melon residues after hot-acid treatment and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) from (B) RHCl, (C) RCA, and (D) RTA through the (a) thermo-alkaline, (b) thermo-alkaline double bleaching and (c) traditional treatments.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Spectrum of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) obtained by thermo-alkaline double-bleaching process from melon residues compared to commercial microcrystalline cellulose (MCC-C).
Figure 5
Figure 5
SEM micrographs of (A) LMB and freeze-dried MCC from (B) RHCl (left-column), (C) RCA (middle-column), and (D) RTA (right-column) through the thermo-alkaline double-bleaching treatment (white bar represents the scale; 100 or 200 μm).
Figure 5
Figure 5
SEM micrographs of (A) LMB and freeze-dried MCC from (B) RHCl (left-column), (C) RCA (middle-column), and (D) RTA (right-column) through the thermo-alkaline double-bleaching treatment (white bar represents the scale; 100 or 200 μm).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Process flow chart for melon-peel by-product valorization under biorefinery approach for the obtention of different value-added ingredients.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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