Turning Waste into Clarity: A Review of Sugarcane Bagasse-Based Activated Carbon in Juice Purification

The extraction of table sugar, predominantly sourced from sugarcane and sugar beet, necessitates the intricate separation of sucrose from various non-sugar components through elaborate clarification and purification techniques. Activated carbon (AC) is widely acknowledged for its remarkable adsorption capabilities, making it an effective agent for eliminating impurities from aqueous solutions, including sugarcane juice. However, the high costs associated with the production and regeneration of commercial activated carbon underscore the need for developing affordable and sustainable alternatives derived from agricultural by-products. In this regard, sugarcane bagasse, a lignocellulosic residue generated during sugar processing, emerges as a plentiful and cost-effective precursor for activated carbon synthesis. The studies reviewed predominantly utilize two-step activation processes that combine chemical and physical methods to enhance the textural and adsorptive characteristics of the produced carbon materials. Critical activation parameters, such as carbonization temperature, impregnation ratio, and activation duration, play a significant role in determining the surface area, pore structure, and adsorption performance of the final product. Although activated carbon has a wide range of applications, there is a notable scarcity of research specifically addressing its function in the clarification of sugarcane juice. Preliminary findings indicate that activated carbon derived from sugarcane bagasse possesses a greater surface area and total pore volume compared to other biomass sources, leading to enhanced efficiency in color and impurity removal. Consequently, this review emphasizes the potential of sugarcane bagasse-based activated carbon as a sustainable and economical clarifying agent for sugarcane juice, advocating for further investigation to refine its use as a viable alternative to traditional chemical flocculants.