Thermal Characteristics and Kinetics of the Thermal Degradation of Sugar Beet Waste Leaves and Pulp in Relation to Chemical Composition.

Thermal characteristics of dried sugar beet pulp, leaves and leaf fractions obtained after extraction: fibrous leaf pulp and fibre rich leaf fraction, were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry. The sugar beet samples showed a similar thermal behaviour associated with a similar composition. Two endotherms are found on the differential scanning calorimetry curves. First one in the temperature range 31-153 °C and the second from 150-160 °C. Thermal degradation kinetics was studied by thermogravimetric analysis. Four degradation stages were observed within the temperature range 25-700 °C. The kinetic parameters of the degradation, obtained by Ortega and Friedman non-isothermal isoconversional methods did not significantly differ between models: Ea-activation energy at a conversion degree 0.1-0.9 ranged 50-200 kJ/mol; lnA- the natural logarithm of the pre-exponential factor 8-48; kp-thermal degradation rate constant at a conversion extent of 0.5 ranged of 0.19-2.55 min. Constant rate of degradation is highest for the sugar beet leaves kp (2.58-2.55 min), and kp (70.1-70.4 min). The results obtained are valuable for sugar beet leaf industrial processing. A positive environmental impact is achieved by transforming the waste into high-value food additives.