AUTHOR=Romero-Cárdenas Erika , Romero-Romero Byron Ramiro , Tapia-Núñez Diego Wladimir , Zúñiga-Santillán Xiomara Leticia , Valenzuela-Cobos Juan Diego 

TITLE=Sustainable paper from agricultural residues: differentiating treatment effects in banana pseudostem fibers using X-STATIS multiblock analysis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sustainability

VOLUME=Volume 6 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainability/articles/10.3389/frsus.2025.1628095

DOI=10.3389/frsus.2025.1628095

ISSN=2673-4524

ABSTRACT=IntroductionThe sustainable valorization of agricultural waste is key to advancing circular economy models and reducing environmental impacts. Banana pseudostem (Musa spp.), an abundant byproduct of tropical agriculture, is evaluated as a renewable raw material for eco-friendly papermaking.MethodsFour treatments were applied to banana pseudostem pulp: untreated, naturally fermented, starchenhanced, and mechanically re-homogenized. Key physical and mechanical properties basis weight, caliper, and tear resistance were measured. Data were analyzed using Partial Triadic Analysis (X-STATIS) to assess structural differences and consistency.ResultsNatural fermentation improved fiber bonding, starch addition significantly increased mechanical strength, and mechanical re-homogenization negatively affected structural integrity. Distinct differences in paper quality were observed among treatments.DiscussionBanana pseudostem shows strong potential as a sustainable lignocellulosic resource for papermaking. Optimized treatments improve material properties, supporting agro-industrial waste valorization and contributing to circular bioeconomy practices in tropical regions.