Researchers at the University of Córdoba and the University of Girona have developed a method to utilize avocado pruning residue from Spain's Andalucía region for sustainable food packaging. This residue, comprising branches and leaves, serves as a biomass source rich in cellulose. Eduardo Espinosa, an assistant professor at the Chemical Institute for Energy and the Environment at the University of Córdoba, highlighted the high cellulose content in avocado pruning residue, making it suitable for reinforcing materials like polyethylene.
Polyethylene, derived from bioethanol, presents an eco-friendly alternative to its fossil fuel counterpart. Espinosa and his team aimed to create a more sustainable food packaging material by incorporating lignocellulosic fibers extracted from the avocado residue into bio-polyethylene. The process involved converting the residue into pulp, extracting fibers while preserving lignin, and then blending these fibers with bio-polyethylene to form a composite material. This approach leverages the benefits of cellulose fibers and the properties of lignin, aiming to reduce reliance on non-biodegradable plastics.
Source: advancedsciencenews.com