20.06.2022.
ERDF Project "Innovative green extraction process, using water, with elaboration of microwave hybrid reactor and mechano-chemical biomass pretreatment, creating a new biorefinery cluster oriented to phytochemicals and biomaterials production from underexploited tree biomass"finished!
Project ID No.1.1.1.1/18/A/182
This project aimed to develop the prototype of innovative microwave-assisted water extraction technology and equipment for more efficient forest biomass feedstock utilization, flexible variation in feedstock and high value-added bio-products portfolio, focusing on the regional bio-economy demands in the forest and market situation, with creation of new knowledge increasing the scientific and engineering capacity of researches, students and industrial professionals. To achieve this aim:
• the innovative microwave extractor equipped with automatic controlling system was constructed, installed and approbated;
• the composition of alder (Alnus glutinosa), aspen (Populus tremula) and pine (Pinus sylvestris) barks as well as their water, water/ethanol and organic solvents extracts was thoroughly characterized with focus on the identification and quantification of plant phenolics;
• the effects of the pre-treatment method, the solvent used, the microwaves-assisted extraction conditions (temperature, duration of isothermal heating, air or inert medium, substrate-solvent ratio) on the yield of biologically active phenolic compounds from alder, aspen and pine barks were studied and the optimal extraction conditions were developed for each type of bark;
• the antioxidant, antimicrobial, enzymes inhibitory and adhesives properties of barks crude water extracts and their phenolic fractions were characterized;
• the residual bark biomass after extraction was characterized in context of its potential application, including pelletizing for application as biofuel.