Purification of agave fiber by a hydrothermal method

The bagasse of agave tequilana Weber is a lignocellulosic waste generated by the tequila production process. Purification of agave fiber was carried out by evaluating the effect of temperature and reaction time on the hydrothermal process. Hydrolysis was carried out in a high pressure digester, temperature 140°C, the process was standardized using 3.5 g of fiber previously dried, a solution of 0.5 M nitric acid (HNO₃) in deionized water and reaction time of 6 h, the developed pressure inside the system caused the release of organic material such as hemicellulose and lignin from the cellulose microfiber grid that forms the structure of agave bagasse. Overall, a yield of 326 g/kg dry matter was obtained; equivalent to 48% of the theoretical value, this method is a promising alternative to treat this type of waste.

Keywords: agave fiber, microfiber, cellulose, hydrothermal process.