The search for sustainable solutions to environmental challenges has led to increased interest in repurposing agro-industrial waste. In a recent study published in Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Cechinel et al., explored using malt bagasse, a brewery waste product abundant in Brazil, to create a carbonaceous material with a dual function: removing the antibiotic tetracycline from water and enabling its detection.

The researchers employed a method called pyrolysisPyrolysis is a thermochemical process that converts waste biomass into bio-char, bio-oil, and pyro-gas. It offers significant advantages in waste valorization, turning low-value materials into economically valuable resources. Its versatility allows for tailored products based on operational conditions, presenting itself as a cost-effective and efficient More, heating the malt bagasse in a controlled environment, to produce this carbonaceous material. They then tested how different production conditions—temperature (200-500°C), heating rate (2-8°C/min), and carbonization time (30-180 min)—affected the material’s ability to adsorb tetracycline and its suitability for conversion into carbon dots.

The study revealed that temperature was the most critical factor in determining the material’s effectiveness. The optimal material, produced at 350°C for 30 minutes with a heating rate of 5°C/min, demonstrated a tetracycline adsorption capacity of 7.0 mg/g. The材料 was also successfully used to create carbon dots, nanoparticles with fluorescent properties, that enabled detection of tetracycline in water samples.

This research demonstrates the potential of malt bagasse, an abundant and low-cost agricultural waste, as a source for creating multi-functional carbonaceous materials. These materials could be used for both water treatment and pollutant detection, offering a sustainable and innovative approach to managing environmental contamination.

SOURCE: Cechinel, M. A. P., Rocha, L. F., Padoin, N., & Soares, C. (2025). Dual functionality of malt bagasse-based carbonaceous material for obtaining carbon dots and adsorbent: removing and detecting tetracycline. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 32(1), 1-17.