TOBACCO BIOMASS AS SOURCE OF BIO-BASED MATERIALS

Abstract

Tobacco is widely cultivated as an important nonfood economic crop throughout the world, and large amounts of biomass are generated during the vegetation and post-harvest processes. Biomass has a complex composition, including large amounts of sugars, proteins and oil can be used to produce animal feed, as well as lignin and hemicellulose for energy. This study is conducted with the focus on the application of biotechnology for the production of biomass-based materials from tobacco through research and literature review. The study focused on three objectives, examining the potency of tobacco seeds and stalks, obtaining and handling raw materials and their application. Leaves contain about 1–4 % fatty acids per dry weight, and seeds contain about 40 % oil, which makes them good sources for biofuel. Because of the high contents of lignin (40-45 %) and cellulose (28-40 %), tobacco stalks can be used for production of briquettes, pellets, and ethanol.