Method for comprehensive utilization of goldenrod

Abstract

The application discloses a comprehensive utilization method of Solidago decurrens, which comprises the following steps: (1) collecting flowers, leaves, stems and roots of Solidago decurrens respectively; (2) drying the collected stems, and then classifying the stems into thick stems and thin stems according to the outer diameters, taking flocculence in the center of the thick stems and the thin stems respectively, making a straw from the hollow thin stem, and making a pencil from the hollow thick stem and the flocculence; and extracting effective components from the flowers and the leaves, and using residues and unused parts to produce biochar. The application realizes a comprehensive management method of utilizing the whole plant, and obtains various products with practical values through different processing methods, so that each part of the whole plant is fully utilized, resource utilization is maximized, the prepared bio-plastics can be used for preparing a film and also used as a green adhesive, the stems of the herbaceous plant are used as the outer wall of the pencil, the prepared pencil does not consume forest resources, and the economic value of Solidago decurrens is improved.

Description

Technical fields:

[0001] This invention relates to a method for the comprehensive utilization of goldenrod, belonging to the field of environment and resources. Background technology:

[0002] Canadian goldenrod, belonging to the genus *Solidago* in the family Asteraceae, is a perennial herbaceous plant that reproduces by seeds and rhizomes, exhibiting clonal characteristics and rapid growth. The invasion of Canadian goldenrod severely damages regional biodiversity and ecosystem stability, depletes soil fertility, and, through allelopathic effects, inhibits the germination and growth of grain and vegetable crops such as wheat, peppers, and tomatoes, thus seriously threatening food production and food security. The nearly two-month-long flowering period of goldenrod produces large amounts of pollen that is dispersed by the wind, causing skin and respiratory allergies in some susceptible individuals, thus seriously threatening human health.

[0003] Currently, the main control methods for invasive alien weeds like Canada goldenrod are manual and mechanical removal, chemical control, and ecological alternatives. However, manual cutting or pulling, mechanical removal, and chemical control cannot eradicate Canada goldenrod, and the removed plants or chemical treatments, to some extent, increase the burden on the ecosystem. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a green and environmentally friendly method for recycling Canada goldenrod, giving it economic value and allowing for its sale, thereby motivating the public to actively remove it. Summary of the Invention:

[0004] The objective of this invention is to provide a method for the comprehensive utilization of the entire plant, specifically targeting the invasive alien species Goldenrod, thereby effectively alleviating the ecological problems caused by invasive alien species and pioneering an efficient and economical technological route for the comprehensive utilization of Goldenrod.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this invention is:

[0006] A comprehensive utilization method for goldenrod, the method comprising the following steps:

[0007] (1) The cut goldenrod plants were collected separately according to their flowers, leaves, stems and roots;

[0008] (2) Take the collected stem parts, dry them, and divide them into thick stems and thin stems according to their outer diameter. Take out the flocculent material from the center of the thick and thin stems respectively. Use the hollow thin stems to make straws, use the flocculent material to make bioplastics, and use the hollow thick stems to make pencils.

[0009] In this invention, *Solidago canadensis* refers to *Solidago canadensis*, a tall plant with a thick stem and well-developed root system; its seeds are small in size but numerous and germinate easily. The stem is woody and grows upright, with the plant reaching a height of 2.0–3.5 m.

[0010] Furthermore, the thick stem refers to a stem with an outer diameter of 8 to 15 mm, and the thin stem refers to a stem with an outer diameter of 4 to 8 mm.

[0011] Furthermore, the collected stems are straight stalks without branches. The main stem of Solidago virgaurea is long and straight with few branches, so there is a lot of usable stem. The branches on the stem can be collected as raw materials for biochar production.

[0012] In step (2), the stems are generally dried to a moisture content of 10-15%.

[0013] Furthermore, in step (2), the preparation of bioplastics from the flocculent material and the production of pencils from the hollow thick rod are carried out according to the following steps:

[0014] The flocculent material extracted from the center of the thick and thin stems is dried and pulverized to obtain flocculent powder. The flocculent powder, starch, glycerol, acetic acid, and water are mixed and reacted at 100-120℃ for 100-125 minutes to prepare bioplastic. At a temperature above the solidification point of the bioplastic, the bioplastic liquid is injected into a hollow thick stem. Then, a pencil lead is inserted into the center of the thick stem filled with bioplastic liquid. The bioplastic cools and solidifies to obtain a pencil.

[0015] Furthermore, the freezing point of bioplastics is generally 60–100℃.

[0016] The mass ratio of the flocculent powder to starch is 1:1 to 1.5.

[0017] The volumetric amount of glycerol used is generally 0.4 to 1 mL / g based on the mass of the flocculent powder.

[0018] The volumetric amount of acetic acid used is generally 0.4 to 1 mL / g based on the mass of the flocculent powder.

[0019] The volumetric amount of water used is generally 2 to 10 mL / g, calculated based on the mass of the flocculent powder.

[0020] The outer diameter of the pencil lead is generally 1.5mm to 2mm.

[0021] The flocculent material is typically dried at 180–200°C for 25–30 minutes.

[0022] The bioplastic is cooled, solidified, and dried to become a solid, which fixes the pencil lead and produces a pencil.

[0023] The particle size of the flocculent powder is generally below a 30-mesh sieve.

[0024] Furthermore, the pencil can be processed by a planer into a white pencil with a length of 178-180mm and an outer diameter of 8-10mm, and then decorated to obtain the finished pencil.

[0025] The appearance decoration process can involve painting and printing on white pencils to obtain finished pencils with different appearance colors and patterns. The decoration process can adopt the conventional decoration techniques used in pencil manufacturing.

[0026] Furthermore, both thick and thin rods generally need to undergo disinfection. Disinfection is carried out by soaking in a 2% sodium hypochlorite solution for 10-15 minutes, followed by rinsing with sterile water and vacuum drying.

[0027] Furthermore, for thick stems, a 5mm outer diameter and 4mm inner diameter needle is generally used to remove the flocculent material inside the stem; for thin stems, a 2-3mm inner diameter and 3-4mm outer diameter needle is generally used to remove the flocculent material inside the stem.

[0028] Furthermore, making a straw generally involves the following steps:

[0029] Take a thin stem with an outer diameter of 4-8 mm, cut it according to the designed straw length, and polish the surface of the stem with a grinder. Soak the polished stem in 2% sodium hypochlorite for 10-15 minutes for disinfection, then rinse with sterile water. Use a spiral needle with an inner diameter of 2-3 mm to remove the fibrous material inside the stem, and then vacuum dry to obtain a biomass straw.

[0030] The design length of straws is generally 10 to 25 cm.

[0031] The fluffy material at the center of the stem of *Solidago canadensis* is mainly composed of holocellulose, which is loose in texture and low in density. If a pencil lead is directly inserted into this fluffy material, it is difficult to secure it. Therefore, this invention uses the fluffy material to create a bioplastic, which serves as a buffer and adhesive material for the pencil lead. The pencil lead is inserted into the bioplastic in its liquid state, and then the bioplastic cools and solidifies to fix the pencil lead inside the stem, using the stem as the outer wall of the pencil. Compared to existing technologies that use wood to make pencil barrels, this invention utilizes herbaceous plants instead of trees, avoiding the consumption of forest resources. Existing technologies have also reported using plant stems directly as the outer wall of pencil leads, but directly using relatively hard stems as the outer wall makes it difficult to securely bond the stem and the pencil lead; the pencil lead will slide within the stem. Therefore, adhesives are still needed to secure the stem and the pencil lead together. The bioplastic prepared by the present invention using flocculent material recycling acts as an adhesive to fix pencil leads, avoiding the pollution of organic solvents in commercial adhesives, making it green and environmentally friendly, and also enabling the economical recycling of goldenrod, thus increasing the recycling value of goldenrod.

[0032] In step (1), the goldenrod plants are preferably felled using a sealed bag to prevent seeds from scattering and pollen from spreading.

[0033] In step (1), a spectral sorting device can generally be used to collect the goldenrod plant separately according to its flowers, leaves, stems, and roots.

[0034] Furthermore, the present invention allows for the recycling of collected goldenrod flowers, leaves, and roots.

[0035] The method may further include step (3):

[0036] (3) Extract the effective components from the flower parts and separate them to obtain flower extract and flower residue;

[0037] The leaves and roots were dried, and the chlorophyll in the leaves was extracted. The leaf extract and leaf residue were then separated.

[0038] Flower residue, leaf residue, dried roots, and unused stems are burned to make biochar.

[0039] The effective components of the flower parts are generally extracted using a 70-75% ethanol solution as the solvent, at an extraction temperature of 70-75°C, a solid-liquid ratio of 1:20-1:25, a pH of 8 in the reaction system, and an extraction time of 4-5 hours.

[0040] After extraction, filtration is generally used to separate the flower extract and flower residue. The flower extract contains effective components such as flavonoids and volatile oils. After concentration and purification, it can be used in pharmaceuticals or daily chemical products.

[0041] The leaves and roots are dried, generally to a moisture content of 10-15%.

[0042] The drying temperature is controlled at 70℃~75℃, and the time is 30~40min.

[0043] The chlorophyll extraction of the leaf parts is generally carried out using a 95% ethanol solution (by volume) for extraction at 80-85°C in the dark for 20-30 hours, with a solid-liquid ratio of 1:10 to 1:25.

[0044] After chlorophyll is extracted, it is generally separated by filtration to obtain leaf extract and leaf residue. The leaf extract is then concentrated and purified, and can be used to manufacture antibiotics, antioxidants, etc., for use in the pharmaceutical, food, or daily chemical industries.

[0045] The process of producing biochar generally involves crushing flower residues, leaf residues, dried roots, and unused stems using a crushing device to obtain particles with a diameter of 5–10 mm; then calcining the particles at a temperature of 500–550 °C for 4–6 hours to obtain biochar.

[0046] This invention also provides a method for preparing bioplastics, the method comprising:

[0047] The stems of goldenrod plants were collected, dried, and the flocculent material in the center of the stems was removed, dried, and crushed to obtain flocculent powder. The flocculent powder, starch, glycerol, acetic acid, and water were mixed and reacted at 100-120℃ for 100-125 minutes to prepare bioplastics.

[0048] The mass ratio of the flocculent powder to starch is 1:1 to 1.5.

[0049] The volumetric amount of glycerol used is generally 0.4 to 1 mL / g based on the mass of the flocculent powder.

[0050] The volumetric amount of acetic acid used is generally 0.4 to 1 mL / g based on the mass of the flocculent powder.

[0051] The volumetric amount of water used is generally 2 to 10 mL / g, calculated based on the mass of the flocculent powder.

[0052] The prepared bioplastics are green and biodegradable. They can be used not only as adhesives in pencil making, but also to make plastic films, mulch films, packaging materials, etc.

[0053] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0054] 1. This invention realizes a comprehensive management method for utilizing the whole plant, and obtains a variety of products with practical value through different processing methods, making full use of all parts of the whole plant and maximizing resource utilization.

[0055] 2. When collecting raw materials, the method of sealing bags during harvesting can prevent seeds from scattering and pollen from spreading, effectively preventing the spread of invasive alien species and having good ecological benefits.

[0056] 3. Bioplastics are prepared through an enhanced reduction-catalytic decomposition method. Using starch and the flocculent material inside the stem of *Solidago canadensis* as raw materials and glycerol as a solvent, bioplastics are prepared by high-temperature heating and can be used as a green adhesive for pencils. Pencils made using this adhesive have the advantages of being green, simple to manufacture, having excellent performance, and low cost. Furthermore, using the plant's own stem as the outer wall of the pencil produces a new type of green and biodegradable product, which is more competitive among similar products and has higher economic and ecological benefits. Compared with existing technologies that use wood to make pencils, the herbaceous plant stems used in this invention do not consume forest resources, are easily obtained, and turn waste into treasure, increasing the economic value of *Solidago canadensis* recycling. The stem of *Solidago canadensis* is approximately 2 meters or more in height, and one stem can make about 8 pencils and 2 straws, resulting in good economic benefits. The bioplastics made from the flocculent material in the center of the stem are biodegradable and can also be used to prepare plastic films, mulch films, packaging materials, etc.

[0057] 5. All residues from various plant parts can be used to produce biochar. Biochar can be applied directly to the soil, addressing several challenges throughout its life cycle, such as: serving as a feed additive to improve the health and productivity of ruminants or poultry; making biodegradable packaging materials to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables; and ultimately improving soil quality after composting. This approach achieves zero-waste production while fully utilizing plant waste, turning waste into treasure, and reusing it in other production stages. Attached image description:

[0058] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating the integrated management and resource utilization methods for Canadian goldenrod.

[0059] Figure 2 Photograph of the finished Goldenrod pencil produced in Example 2.

[0060] Figure 3 Photograph of the finished Goldenrod straw produced in Example 1. Detailed implementation method:

[0061] The technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0062] The flowchart of integrated management and resource utilization methods for Canadian goldenrod is as follows: Figure 1 As shown.

[0063] The specific process is shown in the following example.

[0064] Example 1: Production of biomass straws using the stems of Canadian goldenrod

[0065] (1) The Canadian goldenrod plants were harvested in batches using a sealed bagging method, while retaining their flowers and seeds; the goldenrod plants were sorted according to their flowers, leaves, stems and roots using a spectral sorting device.

[0066] (2) Use a constant temperature oven to dry the leaves, stems and roots. The drying temperature is controlled at 70℃~75℃, the valve is fully open, the wind speed is maintained at 30m / s, the drying time is 30min, and the moisture content is 10~15%.

[0067] Take thin stems with an outer diameter of 4-8mm from the dried stems, cut them to a standard length of 20cm for the designed straw, and polish the surface of the stems using a grinder.

[0068] The polished stems are disinfected by soaking in 2% sodium hypochlorite solution for 10-15 minutes, followed by rinsing with sterile water. The plant fibers inside the stems are then removed using a 2-3mm inner diameter needle, yielding semi-finished biomass straws of uniform diameter. These are then dried in a vacuum oven at 80℃ for 2 hours to obtain the final biomass straws. The resulting straws are shown below. Figure 3 As shown.

[0069] Example 2: Using the stem of a goldenrod to produce pencils

[0070] From the dried stems, take the thicker stems with an outer diameter of 8mm or more, and use a 4mm inner diameter needle to remove the fibrous material inside the stems to obtain hollow thick stems.

[0071] The flocculent material was dried in a constant temperature oven at 180–200℃ for 25–30 minutes. The dried flocculent material was then pulverized using a pulverizer and sieved through a 30-mesh sieve to obtain flocculent powder of uniform diameter.

[0072] Take 5g of flocculent powder and 6g of starch, add 20ml of sterile water, mix well, then add 2ml of glycerol and 2ml of acetic acid. Using an enhanced reduction catalytic deconstruction method, under ambient pressure and at a working temperature of 100-120℃, react for 120-125 minutes to prepare bioplastic. While still hot, at 60-100℃, inject the unsolidified bioplastic liquid into the inner wall of a hollow thin rod using a filling device, then insert a 2mm diameter pencil lead. After the bioplastic cools to room temperature and is further dried, the semi-finished pencil is processed using a planer to produce white pencils with a length of 178-180mm and an outer diameter of 8-10mm. Finally, the white pencils are decorated with paint and printing to create finished pencils with specific specifications, colors, and patterns. The resulting pencils are as follows: Figure 2 As shown.

[0073] The stem of Canadian goldenrod is about 2 meters long. Following the methods in Examples 1 and 2, it can be used to make 8 pencils and 2 straws.

[0074] Example 3: Preparation of Bioplastics

[0075] Take 10g of flocculent powder and 10g of starch, add 40ml of sterile water, mix well, then add 5ml of glycerol and 5ml of acetic acid. Using an enhanced reduction catalytic decomposition method, under ambient pressure, at a working temperature of 100-120℃, react for 120-125 minutes to prepare bioplastics. The bioplastics obtained can be used to prepare pencils in the molten state, or to make biodegradable plastic films.

[0076] Example 4: Preparation of biochar from flowers, leaves, roots, and plant residues in Example 1.

[0077] The effective components, such as flavonoids and volatile oils, were extracted from the flowers using a glass reaction vessel. Extraction was performed using a 70% (v / v) ethanol solution at 70℃–75℃, a solid-liquid ratio of 1:20, a pH of 8, a reaction vessel capacity of 50 ml, and an extraction time of 4 hours. After extraction, the flower extract and flower residue were obtained by filtration. The flower extract, containing effective components such as flavonoids and volatile oils, can be concentrated and purified for use in pharmaceutical or daily chemical products.

[0078] In step (2) of Example 1, chlorophyll was extracted from the dried leaves using a 95% ethanol solution. The leaves were extracted at 80-85°C in the dark for 24 hours with a solid-liquid ratio of 1:10. The leaf extract and leaf residue were obtained by filtration. The leaf extract was further concentrated and purified and could be used as a raw material for manufacturing products such as antibiotics and antioxidants, and was used in the pharmaceutical, food, or daily chemical industries.

[0079] Flower residues, leaf residues, roots, and unused stems with a moisture content of 10%–15% were collected separately and pulverized using a pulverizing device to obtain granules with a diameter of 5 mm. The granules were placed in a tube furnace for carbonization, with a heating rate of 20 °C / min and a temperature of 550 °C, and calcined for 4 hours. The carbonized product was cooled to room temperature to obtain biochar.

Claims

1. A comprehensive utilization method for goldenrod, characterized by the method described above. Includes the following steps: (1) The cut goldenrod plants were collected separately according to their flowers, leaves, stems and roots; (2) Take the collected stem parts, dry them, and divide them into thick stems and thin stems according to their outer diameter. Take out the flocculent material from the center of the thick and thin stems respectively. Use the hollow thin stems to make straws, use the flocculent material to make bioplastics, and use the hollow thick stems to make pencils. (3) Extract the effective components from the flower parts and separate the flower extract and flower residue; dry the leaves and roots, extract the chlorophyll from the leaf parts, and separate the leaf extract and leaf residue; burn the flower residue, leaf residue, dried roots, and unused stems into biochar. The preparation of bioplastics from the flocculent material and the production of pencils from hollow, thick rods are carried out according to the following steps: The flocculent material extracted from the center of the thick and thin stems is dried and pulverized to obtain flocculent powder. The flocculent powder, starch, glycerol, acetic acid, and water are mixed and reacted at 100-120℃ for 100-125 minutes to prepare bioplastic. At a temperature above the solidification point of the bioplastic, the bioplastic liquid is injected into a hollow thick stem. Then, a pencil lead is inserted into the center of the thick stem filled with bioplastic liquid. The bioplastic cools and solidifies to obtain a pencil.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that... The thick stems refer to stems with an outer diameter of 8–15 mm, and the thin stems refer to stems with an outer diameter of 4–8 mm.

3. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that... The mass ratio of the flocculent powder to starch is 1:1 to 1.5; The volumetric amount of glycerol used is 0.4 to 1 mL / g based on the mass of the flocculent powder; The volumetric amount of acetic acid used is 0.4 to 1 mL / g based on the mass of the flocculent powder; The volumetric amount of water used is 2 to 10 mL / g, calculated based on the mass of the flocculent powder.

4. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that... Bioplastics have a freezing point of 60–100℃.

5. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that... In step (2), the hollow thin rod is used to make a straw according to the following steps: Take a thin stem with an outer diameter of 4-8 mm, cut it according to the designed straw length, and polish the surface of the stem with a grinder. Soak the polished stem in 2% sodium hypochlorite for 10-15 minutes for disinfection, then rinse with sterile water. Use a spiral needle with an inner diameter of 2-3 mm to remove the fibrous material inside the stem, and then vacuum dry to obtain a biomass straw.

6. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that... The effective components of the flower parts are extracted using a 70-75% ethanol solution as the solvent, at an extraction temperature of 70-75°C, a solid-liquid ratio of 1:20-1:25, a pH of 8, and an extraction time of 4-5 hours. After extraction, the extract is separated by filtration to obtain flower extract and flower residue. The chlorophyll of the leaf parts is extracted using a 95% ethanol solution at 80-85°C in the dark for 20-30 hours, with a solid-liquid ratio of 1:10-1:

25. After chlorophyll extraction, the extract is separated by filtration to obtain leaf extract and leaf residue.

7. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that... The biochar production process involves crushing flower residue, leaf residue, dried roots, and unused stems using a crushing device to obtain particles with a diameter of 5–10 mm; then calcining the particles at 500–550°C for 4–6 hours to obtain biochar.

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