Comparison of Treatments by Mercerization and Plasma Glow Discharge on Residues of the Amazon Chestnut Shell (Bertholletia Excelsa)

The chestnut shell from the Amazon region shared between Colombia, Brazil, and Perú is an abundant residue of walnut used for obtaining food cosmetic products. This not yet usable due to lack knowledge its properties environmental impact generated by treatment through methods such as mercerization. work presents results characterization residues treated two methods, mercerization with NaOH solution intense plasma discharge (Glow Discharge Plasma), in a reactor argon gas 0,3-bar vacuum conditions 80 mA 600 s. microstructural, morphological, topographic, nanomechanical changes without proposed treatments were evaluated means µRaman, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy techniques. showed effectiveness method over at more crystalline cellulose structures reduction hemicellulose, lignin, aqueous phase waste.