Carbohydrate Composition of Nut Shells and Some Other Agricultural Residues

Twelfe lignocellulosic by‐products of agriculture were analyzed for carbohydrates using acid hydrolysis followed by quantitative borate complex ion exchange chromatography. Hydrolysis residues represented 17% to 21% of the starting materials for corn cobs and cereal straws, for nut and seed shells 23% (pistachio‐nut) to 60% (brasilnut). The carbohydrates in the hydrolysis were made up of 28% (peanut shells) to 52% (walnut, pistachio‐nut shells) xylose, 39% (walnut shells) to 61% (cereal straws) glucose, and in addition arabinose(0.1–6%),4‐0‐methylglucuronic acid, galactose(l–3%), rhamnose (0.1–1%), and mannose (0–0.6%) were present.