The biomass of crops in rotation, such as that generated by the banana plant, is an interesting source of lignocellulose due to its composition and availability. This research aimed to compare the amount of glucose obtained from different parts of the banana plant (leaves, rachis, and pseudostem) by hydrolysis with sulfuric acid at 100 °C. This reaction was analyzed to determine the amount of water and reagents consumed versus the glucose obtained. The optimal time and acid concentration were studied between 0–30 min and 3–5% v/v, respectively. The best results were obtained with the pseudostem of 13.02 gL⁻¹ of glucose in a reaction time of 20 min and an acid concentration of 5%. In addition, the kinetic study of hydrolysis was carried out. The adjustment to the Saeman model was R² 0.96, which represents a first-order reaction and kinetic constants K₁ = 0.5 and K₂ = 0.3 min⁻¹. This study has shown that these residues can be used as raw materials to generate value-added products due to their high glucose content.

The urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has driven the search for sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. In this context, cocoa residues emerge as a promising feedstock for bioethanol production. This study evaluated the influence of a catalytic biorefinery treatment on the bioethanol production potential from cocoa pod husks. Both raw and catalytically treated biomass were characterized using SEM, pore size distribution analysis, and TGA. Subsequently, enzymatic hydrolysis was performed using various cellulase and hemicellulase loadings, followed by anaerobic fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Bioethanol production was modeled using the modified Gompertz equation. The results evidenced changes in the structure and composition of the lignocellulosic matrix following catalytic treatment, increasing surface area and reducing hemicellulose content. Although total sugar release during hydrolysis was comparable between the two samples, the biomass processed via the catalytic biorefinery promoted higher sugar consumption and bioethanol concentration, reaching 3.36 g/L with a yield of 112 g kg⁻¹ of dry biomass. The kinetic model showed a strong fit (R² between 0.94 and 0.97). These findings demonstrate that the integration of catalytic biorefinery, enzymatic hydrolysis, and fermentation constitutes a viable alternative for the valorization of cocoa residues.

Biomass is an alternative to provide energy sources that replace fossil fuels. The objective of this investigation was to optimize the conditions of the acid hydrolysis reaction for obtaining glucose from biomass: banana rachis, cacao pod, African palm rachis, and sugarcane bagasse. The conditions were evaluated through a 2k experimental design. The factors studied were temperature, time, and acid concentration; the minimum and maximum levels correspond to 70 to 120 °C, 20 to 150 min, and 1 % to 5 % v/v, respectively. In addition, two replicates were made to the center. The best conditions found for obtaining glucose were: 120 °C, 150 min and 1 % v/v sulfuric acid. Sugarcane bagasse and African palm rachis were the biomasses from which the highest glucose content, was obtained 9 936.48 and 7 745.14 mg/L, respectively. The influence of biomass composition on the amount of glucose obtained is discussed.

Biomass is an alternative to provide energy sources that replace fossil fuels. The objective of this investigation was to optimize the conditions of the acid hydrolysis reaction for obtaining glucose from biomass: banana rachis, cacao pod, African palm rachis, and sugarcane bagasse. The conditions were evaluated through a 2k experimental design. The factors studied were temperature, time, and acid concentration; the minimum and maximum levels correspond to 70 to 120 °C, 20 to 150 min, and 1 % to 5 % v/v, respectively. In addition, two replicates were made to the center. The best conditions found for obtaining glucose were: 120 °C, 150 min and 1 % v/v sulfuric acid. Sugarcane bagasse and African palm rachis were the biomasses from which the highest glucose content, was obtained 9 936.48 and 7 745.14 mg/L, respectively. The influence of biomass composition on the amount of glucose obtained is discussed.