Presentation: 2025 ND EPSCoR Annual conference
October 21, 2025, NDSU Memorial Union, Fargo, North Dakota
Valu-Added Products from Agricultural Residues for Healthcare and Climate Mitigation
Kaydee
Koistinen
Undergraduate Student
Mayville State University
Co-authors: Md Abdur Rahim Badsha, Research Associate, Mayville State University, Bethany Holter, Undergraduate Student, Mayville State University, Michael Kjelland, Associate Professor, Mayville State University, Khwaja Hossain, Professor, Mayville State University
Session
Poster number: 141
Nueta Room
Agricultural byproducts, produced globally at an estimated 1.3 billion tons annually, remain largely underutilized despite their abundance, renewability, and richness in polymers and bioactive compounds. This study explores the valorization of wheat bran, sugar beet pulp, chickpea flour, and maple leaves to develop multifunctional, value-added materials for biomedical, environmental, and sustainable applications. Arabinoxylan was extracted from wheat bran and sugar beet pulp and incorporated into polymeric hydrogels that successfully supported the growth of triple-negative breast cancer cells for over 21 days, demonstrating strong biomedical potential. In parallel, wheat bran and maple leaves were converted into biochar-based beads capable of removing diverse water pollutants, highlighting their utility in environmental remediation. Additionally, fibers from wheat bran and chickpea flour were processed into thermoplastic films with properties suitable for replacing conventional plastics. Collectively, these findings underscore the versatility of agricultural residues and present a scalable framework for transforming agro-waste into functional biomaterials and eco-friendly solutions.