Valorization of Rice Husk and Straw Agriculture Wastes of Eastern Saudi Arabia: Production of Bio-Based Silica, Lignocellulose, and Activated Carbon

Bio-based silica, lignocellulose, and activated carbon were simply produced via the recycling of Hassawi rice biomass waste of Al-Ahsa governorate in the eastern Saudi Arabia region using a fast chemical treatment procedure. Rice husk and rice straw wastes were collected, ground, and chemically treated with sodium hydroxide to extract silica/silicate from the dried plant tissues. The liquid extract is then treated with acid solutions in order to precipitate silica/silicate at neutral medium. Lowering the pH of the supernatant to 2 resulted in the precipitation of lignocellulose. Thermal treatment of the biomass residue under N₂ gas stream resulted in activated carbon production. Separated products were dried/treated and characterized using several physical examination techniques, such as FT-IR, SEM/EDX, XRD, and Raman spectroscopy in order to study their structure and morphology. Silica and lignocelluloses products were then preliminarily used in the treatment of wastewaters and water-desalination processes.