Effect of mixed acid catalysis on pretreatment and enzymatic digestibility of sugar cane bagasse

TitleEffect of mixed acid catalysis on pretreatment and enzymatic digestibility of sugar cane bagasse
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2016
AuthorsPal, S, Joy, S, Kumbhar, P, Trimukhe, KD, Varma, A, Padmanabhan, S
JournalEnergy & Fuels
Volume30
Issue9
Pagination7310-7318
Date PublishedSEP
AbstractAqueous pretreatment using homogeneous acid catalyst is considered as a low-cost technology in the production of lignocellulosic bioethanol. To establish the synergism of mixed acids, pilot-level aqueous pretreatments of bagasse covering a wide range of combined severity (CS) were carried out. To investigate the effect of application of mixture of acids on xylose hydrolysis as well as glucose hydrolysis via pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis, the following three combinations of acids were explored: (1) oxalic acid + sulfuric acid (organic + mineral acid), (2) phosphoric + sulfuric acid (mineral acids), and (3) ferric chloride + sulfuric acid (Lewis acid with a mineral acid). Of the pretreatments evaluated, the synergism was most pronounced for the combination of sulfuric and phosphoric acid, which resulted in more than 90% conversion of hemicellulose to xylose and 70% conversion of cellulose to glucose through enzymatic hydrolysis. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) studies of pretreated samples showed higher syringyl/guaiacyl (S/G) ratio for sulfuric and phosphoric acid combination pretreatment, leading to higher enzymatic conversion. FTIR and dynamic light scattering (DLS) experiments conducted on pretreated sugar cane bagasse provided useful correlation with regard to the pretreatment type, particle size, and enzymatic hydrolysis.
DOI10.1021/acs.energyfuels.6b01011
Type of Journal (Indian or Foreign)Foreign
Impact Factor (IF)2.835
Divison category: 
Polymer Science & Engineering