Obtenção de nanofibras de celulose a partir de resíduos da indústria fumageira

Abstract

In the 2013/14 harvest, Brazil produced 751,000 tons of tobacco leaves. Tobacco industry employs tobacco leaves for cigarette and cigar production. About 4% of the tobacco leaves processed become a waste, which is basically constituted of tobacco stems (leaves midribs) and dust from processing. Since cellulose confers an unpleasant taste when burnt, tobacco stems are not directly used in cigar and cigarette production. In order to allow tobacco stem use, it is laminated and turned into reconstituted tobacco. However, this process do not consumes all the waste produced. The characterization of tobacco stems showed high amounts of hot water extractives and low lignin contents. Aiming to reuse, tobacco stems were submitted to soda-anthraquinone pulping by steam explosion to obtain cellulose nanofibers. Statistical analysis was employed to determine the optimum conditions for pulping process. The independent variables tested were active alkali and severity index. Kappa number and raw yield were evaluated as dependent variables. Time of 6.8 minutes at 175 °C (expressed as severity index) combined with 16.25% of active alkali, was statistically defined as the optimum pulping condition. The pulps obtained in optimum condition had good fibrillation and extraction of about 50% of lignin. After bleaching, these pulps were refined in a Masuko Sangyo MKCA6-2 grinder using specific energy of up to 5067 kWh/ton for nanocelulose production. For comparative purposes, eucalyptus kraft pulp was refined in the same conditions. Tobacco stems pulp presented gel-like behavior after 1.5 hours of refining, while eucalyptus kraft pulp took 3 hours to present this behavior. For 2 hours of refining, FE-SEM analysis showed greater levels of nanofibers for tobacco stems pulp than for eucalyptus kraft pulp. In these conditions, some intact fibers were observed for both pulps. For 4 hours of refining tobacco stems pulp revealed high fibrillation and eucalyptus pulp still had undamaged fibers. Thermal analysis (TGA), infrared spectra (FTIR) and X-ray (XRD) were performed in order to characterize the raw material and the final product. After analisys of all data obtained in the study, it was concluded that production of cellulose nanofibers from tobacco stems may be an important alternative for the reuse of these residues.