Kazakh scientists turn sugar beet waste into industrial materials

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (MNTV) — Scientists at Satbayev University have unveiled a new method to convert sugar beet pulp — a byproduct that can account for up to 80 percent of biomass in sugar production — into high-value materials for the food, pharmaceutical and nanotechnology sectors, The Times of Central Asia reported.

Led by Associate Professor Sana Kabdrakhmanova, researchers Faisal Kholiya and Meruert Imanbek used hydrothermal synthesis to extract high-quality pectin, cellulose with a yield of about 35 percent, and photoluminescent carbon quantum dots measuring between 8 and 14 nanometers.

Kabdrakhmanova said the project demonstrates how agricultural waste can be transformed into premium industrial inputs.

The extracted materials have applications in food preservation, targeted drug delivery, diagnostic tools and a wide range of nanotechnology solutions.

The research was carried out at the International R&D Center for Advanced Functional Materials and Composites within the Omirkhan Baikonurov Institute of Mining and Metallurgy at Satbayev University.

Particular attention has focused on the carbon quantum dots, which are used in biological sensors, medical imaging, LED manufacturing and photonics.

Kazakh institutions have been pursuing other recycling and circular-economy innovations. The Kazakh Road Research Institute is developing techniques to restore worn asphalt for reuse in road repair and construction, earlier reports show.