The use of Tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus) from different origins for biomass and paper production

Author

M.M.GarcíaF.LópezA.AlfaroJ.ArizaR.Tapias

Chemical Engineering Department, Huelva University, Avda. Fuerzas Armadas s/n, 21071 Huelva, Spain

Received 28 March 2007, Revised 31 July 2007, Accepted 3 August 2007, Available online 18 September 2007.

Abstract

In order to identify faster-growing non-woody species usable for biomass and paper production, four Tagasastes (Chamaecytisus proliferus) from different origins are tested. All the Tagasaste species (T. Huelva, T. Australia, T. New Zealand and T. La Palma island) show a good soil and climatic adaptation to Southwest Spain. The studied Tagasaste provenances shows biomass productivity ranges from 1.0 t ha−1 yr−1 to 3.4 t ha−1 yr−1(o.d.b.) and 25.3 t ha−1 yr−1 to 49.4 t ha−1 yr−1 under Mediterranean conditions for first and second year sprouts, respectively. The quantity of solubles and extractives shows similar values when compared with wood materials. A relatively lower lignin content in Tagasaste (from 13.7% to 17.1%) species has been found with respect to other vegetal species. The α-celullose contents (43.6–45.3%) were in the range of the normal values expected for the other non-wood raw materials.

The study confirms the feasibility of the organocell yield pulping process to Tagasaste provenances. Organocell processes provide an efficient delignification (kappa index from 7.2 to 10.9 and pulp yield from 43.6% to 54.1%). The best results are obtained for the physical properties of paper sheets for Tagasaste from Australia in the second year, with values of tensile index of 16.0 kNm/kg, burst index of 1.12 MPa m2/kg and tear index of 0.55 Nm2/kg.

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