Priority directions for agro-industrial waste processing

Abstract

One of the pressing problems in an agricultural economy is the problem of managing agro- industrial waste. Agro-industrial waste is the most bulky in the world, but also the most renewable. Every year the amount of this biomass is in a permanent increase that has an enormous impact not only on the environment, but also a loss of a potentially valuable material, which being processed could ensure the obtaining of precious products such as fuels, feed, chemicals and even food supplements. Nowadays, alternatives for the use of agro-industrial waste and even outlets can be found. Preventive processing can be an important tool for the decomposition of this waste, which in most cases consists of cellulose, hemicelulosis and lignin. The most widespread in agro- industrial waste is of course cellulose, which can be found in large quantities. In this regard, it is necessary to identify an effective method, which would allow to separate the cellulose and hemicelulosis from the cell wall, but also at the same time economically profitable. Currently there are various methods of preventive processing, among which we can list physical, chemical, biological and mixed. The physical and chemical processing of agro-industrial waste leads to the destruction of materials present in the waste. Whereas preventive processing by biological method is considered better, since glucose is easily used by microorganisms and is present in cellulose.