D-Mannitol from Agave sisalana biomass waste

Abstract

This work describes an investigation of the major sugar composition of sisal leaf waste liquids. The fractionation of an ethanol extract from the liquid residue of Agave sisalana by open chromatography column packed with SiO2 resulted in the isolation of d-mannitol. The structural elucidation of this natural compound as well as of its acetylated derivative was determined through the melting point, optical rotation in borax solution, and spectroscopic methods (IR, APCI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR). The d-mannitol present in the A. sisalana biomass waste may add economic value to the natural sisal fiber production chain in northeastern Brazil. This compound is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry and is also used as a raw material for producing several types of polymers.