Byproducts of babassu (Orbignya sp) as new adsorptive materials: a review

ABSTRACT Babaçu (Orbignya sp) is a lignocellulosic plant, available in large scale in the north-northeast of Brazil, which has been emerging as a good source of biomaterials, being used in several studies as adsorbents. The objective of this study was to prospectively study the use of babaçu by-products (endocarp, mesocarp, epicarp and activated carbon) as a material with the exception of potential adsorptive target species for inorganic and organic molecules. was carried out through a literature review (article and patents), in the time period of July 2015 and February 2018. The databases used were: National Institute of Industrial Property of Brazil, World Intellectual Property Organization, Patents, Patent and Trademark Office of the United States of America and Spain for Patent Search; and Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science and Scientific Electronic Library Online, for articles. From the careful analysis of the bibliographical survey, 18 scientific papers and 1 patent on the subject were selected. Among them, the mesocarp, epicarp (natural and modified) and the activated charcoal of babassu were very efficient adsorption substrates. The results were satisfactory, so that babassu was shown as a good indicator of cost and benefit, thus being a quality and accessible biomaterial.