ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Thermochemical and molecular insights into biofuel production from gingelly biomass: a comparative study

Spandan Nanda, Amrita Priyadarsinini, Abinash Mishra, Tanya Barpanda, Pradip Kumar Jena, Manasi Dash, and Bipranarayan Mallick

Department of Chemistry, College of Basic Science and Humanities, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, India

E-mail: nanda.spandan56@gmail.com

Received: 1 November 2024  Accepted: 1 September 2025

Abstract:

This study explores the potential of agricultural waste, specifically gingelly biomass from three varieties—Nirmala, Smarak, and Prachi—for biofuel production, a topic that remains largely unexamined. To assess the feasibility of using this biomass as a biofuel feedstock, various characterization techniques were employed, including thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), CHNS/O analysis, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The results revealed an average cellulose content of 35.75%, volatile matter at 76.46%, and a calorific value of 17.40 MJ/kg, indicating the potential of gingelly biomass for a range of industrial applications. Notably, the activation energy (Eα) was observed to be lower for the Smarak variety (approximately 172 kJ/mol) compared to Nirmala (approximately 185 kJ/mol) and Prachi (approximately 179 kJ/mol). The minor difference of 3–4 kJ/mol between Aα and Hα indicates the viability of the thermal disintegration process for this biomass. The master plot illustrates the intersection of experimental and theoretical curves, reflecting the intricate nature of the thermal disintegration process. Additionally, in the sesame variety Nirmala, all the cellulose synthase-specific gene primers were expressed in form of producing distinct bands of varying lengths. High ethanol yield of 0.40 g/g was recorded for Nirmala variety, indicating it as a better candidate for bioethanol production. This study demonstrates the first comprehensive link between kinetic thermodynamic modelling, molecular profiling, and ethanol fermentation efficiency in gingelly biomass, providing new benchmarks for integrated biofuel feedstock evaluation. The results highlight the unique biofuel potential of sesame biomass, which has remained underexplored till date.

Graphical abstract

Keywords: Thermogravimetry; Pyrolysis; FT-NIR; FTIR; DNA marker; Reaction mechanism

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-025-04360-6

Chemical Papers 79 (12) 8917–8933 (2025)