Optimization of reverse-flow, two-temperature, dilute-acid pretreatment to enhance biomass conversion to ethanol

Microwave-assisted pretreatment of recalcitrant softwood in aqueous glycerol

Microwave-assisted pretreatment of recalcitrant softwood in aqueous glycerol containing a series of organic and inorganic acids with different pK(a) values was examined. The pulp obtained by organosolvolysis with 0.1% hydrochloric acid (pK(a) -6) at 180 degrees C for 6 min gave the highest sugar yield, 53.1%, based on the weight of original biomass. The pretreatment efficiency correlated linearly with the pK(a) of the acids, with the exception of malonic and phosphoric acids. Organosolvolysis with 1.0% phosphoric acid (pK(a) 2.15) gave a saccharification yield (50.6%) higher than that expected from its pK(a), while the catalytic effect of malonic acid (pK(a) 2.83) was negligible. Extensive exposure of crystalline and non-crystalline cellulose by the glycerolysis with strong inorganic acids was demonstrated by using fluorescent-labeled recombinant carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs). Because of the low concentration of the acid catalysts and availability of glycerol as a by-product from biodiesel and fatty acid production, organosolvolysis in glycerol is an appealing process for pretreatment of recalcitrant softwood.

Direct conversion of xylan into alkyl pentosides

Xylan has been used as a raw material in the synthesis of butyl, octyl and decyl glycosides. Mixtures of D-xylose-, L-arabinose- and D-glucose-based surfactants were obtained under smooth conditions with high yields in a one-pot process. The surface activities of octyl and decyl glycosides thus obtained have been studied and compared with that of pure alkyl D-xylosides. The results have confirmed that the new synthetic approach described in this paper is a potentially economical and efficient method for the preparation of environmentally friendly surfactants.

Dilute acid and autohydrolysis pretreatment

Exposure of cellulosic biomass to temperatures of about 120-210 degrees C can remove most of the hemicellulose and produce cellulose-rich solids from which high glucose yields are possible with cellulase enzymes. Furthermore, the use of dilute sulfuric acid in this pretreatment operation can increase recovery of hemicellulose sugars substantially to about 85-95% of the maximum possible versus only about 65% if no acid is employed. The use of small-diameter tubes makes it possible to employ high solids concentrations similar to those preferred for commercial operations, with rapid heat-up, good temperature control, and accurate closure of material balances. Mixed reactors can be employed to pretreat larger amounts of biomass than possible in such small-diameter tubes, but solids concentrations are limited to about 15% or less to provide uniform temperatures. Pretreatment of large amounts of biomass at high solids concentrations is best carried out using direct steam injection and rapid pressure release, but closure of material balances in such "steam gun" devices is more difficult. Although flow of water alone or containing dilute acid is not practical commercially, such flow-through configurations provide valuable insight into biomass deconstruction kinetics not possible in the batch tubes, mixed reactors, or steam gun systems.

Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of lignocellulosic residues pretreated with phosphoric acid-acetone for bioethanol production

Bermudagrass, reed and rapeseed were pretreated with phosphoric acid-acetone and used for ethanol production by means of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) with a batch and fed-batch mode. When the batch SSF experiments were conducted in a 3% low effective cellulose, about 16 g/L of ethanol were obtained after 96 h of fermentation. When batch SSF experiments were conducted with a higher cellulose content (10% effective cellulose for reed and bermudagrass and 5% for rapeseed), higher ethanol concentrations and yields (of more than 93%) were obtained. The fed-batch SSF strategy was adopted to increase the ethanol concentration further. When a higher water-insoluble solid (up to 36%) was applied, the ethanol concentration reached 56 g/L of an inhibitory concentration of the yeast strain used in this study at 38 degrees C. The results show that the pretreated materials can be used as good feedstocks for bioethanol production, and that the phosphoric acid-acetone pretreatment can effectively yield a higher ethanol concentration.

Compositional analysis of lignocellulosic materials: evaluation of methods used for sugar analysis of waste paper and straw

To determine the overall efficiency of processes designed to convert lignocellulosic polysaccharides to ethanol, it is first necessary to determine the composition of the lignocellulosic substrates. Three standard methods routinely referenced in the literature for this purpose are monoethanolamine, trifluoroacetic acid and concentrated sulphuric acid-based methods. However, in the course of our studies, the suitability of these standard methods for analysis of wastepaper and wheat straw came into question. This paper details our investigations in this area, together with recommendations for appropriate modifications to one of the standard methods for reproducible and representative lignocellulosic compositional analysis of waste paper and cereal straw.

Effect of xylan and lignin removal by batch and flowthrough pretreatment on the enzymatic digestibility of corn stover cellulose

Compared with batch systems, flowthrough and countercurrent reactors have important potential advantages for pretreating cellulosic biomass, including higher hemicellulose sugar yields, enhanced cellulose digestibility, and reduced chemical additions. Unfortunately, they suffer from high water and energy use. To better understand these trade-offs, comparative data are reported on xylan and lignin removal and enzymatic digestibility of cellulose for corn stover pretreated in batch and flowthrough reactors over a range of flow rates between 160 degrees and 220 degrees C, with water only and also with 0.1 wt% sulfuric acid. Increasing flow with just water enhanced the xylan dissolution rate, more than doubled total lignin removal, and increased cellulose digestibility. Furthermore, adding dilute sulfuric acid increased the rate of xylan removal for both batch and flowthrough systems. Interestingly, adding acid also increased the lignin removal rate with flow, but less lignin was left in solution when acid was added in batch. Although the enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated cellulose was related to xylan removal, as others have shown, the digestibility was much better for flowthrough compared with batch systems, for the same degree of xylan removal. Cellulose digestibility for flowthrough reactors was related to lignin removal as well. These results suggest that altering lignin also affects the enzymatic digestibility of corn stover.

Carbonic acid enhancement of hydrolysis in aqueous pretreatment of corn stover

Carbonic acid and liquid hot water pretreatments were applied to corn stover. Temperatures ranged from 180 to 220 degrees C; reaction times varied between 2 and 32 min and prereaction carbon dioxide pressure was either 0 or 800 psig. Over the range of reaction conditions tested, it was found that the presence of carbonic acid had an effect of increasing the concentrations of xylose and furan compounds in the hydrolysate that was significant at above the 99% confidence level. Thus there appears to be an increase in the severity of the pretreatment conditions with the presence of carbonic acid. These results are contrary to previously reported results on aspen wood, where the presence of carbonic acid was not found to have an effect on either the xylose or furan concentrations. Although pretreatment conditions were more severe with the addition of carbonic acid, the presence of carbonic acid resulted in a hydrolysate with a higher final pH. Thus it appears that the higher severity conditions reduce the accumulation of organic acids in the hydrolysate. This result was consistent with previously reported work on carbonic acid pretreatment of aspen wood.

Ethanol and thermotolerance in the bioconversion of xylose by yeasts

The mechanisms underlying ethanol and heat tolerance are complex. Many different genes are involved, and the exact basis is not fully understood. The integrity of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial membranes is critical to maintain proton gradients for metabolic energy and nutrient uptake. Heat and ethanol stress adversely affect membrane integrity. These factors are particularly detrimental to xylose-fermenting yeasts because they require oxygen for biosynthesis of essential cell membrane and nucleic acid constituents, and they depend on respiration for the generation of ATP. Physiological responses to ethanol and heat shock have been studied most extensively in S. cerevisiae. However, comparative biochemical studies with other organisms suggest that similar mechanisms will be important in xylose-fermenting yeasts. The composition of a cell's membrane lipids shifts with temperature, ethanol concentration, and stage of cultivation. Levels of unsaturated fatty acids and ergosterol increase in response to temperature and ethanol stress. Inositol is involved in phospholipid biosynthesis, and it can increase ethanol tolerance when provided as a supplement. Membrane integrity determines the cell's ability to maintain proton gradients for nutrient uptake. Plasma membrane ATPase generates the proton gradient, and the biochemical characteristics of this enzyme contribute to ethanol tolerance. Organisms with higher ethanol tolerance have ATPase activities with low pH optima and high affinity for ATP. Likewise, organisms with ATPase activities that resist ethanol inhibition also function better at high ethanol concentrations. ATPase consumes a significant fraction of the total cellular ATP, and under stress conditions when membrane gradients are compromised the activity of ATPase is regulated. In xylose-fermenting yeasts, the carbon source used for growth affects both ATPase activity and ethanol tolerance. Cells can adapt to heat and ethanol stress by synthesizing trehalose and heat-shock proteins, which stabilize and repair denatured proteins. The capacity of cells to produce trehalose and induce HSPs correlate with their thermotolerance. Both heat and ethanol increase the frequency of petite mutations and kill cells. This might be attributable to membrane effects, but it could also arise from oxidative damage. Cytoplasmic and mitochondrial superoxide dismutases can destroy oxidative radicals and thereby maintain cell viability. Improved knowledge of the mechanisms underlying ethanol and thermotolerance in S. cerevisiae should enable the genetic engineering of these traits in xylose-fermenting yeasts.

A comparison of liquid hot water and steam pretreatments of sugar cane bagasse for bioconversion to ethanol

Sugar cane bagasse was pretreated with either liquid hot water (LHW) or steam using the same 25 l reactor. Solids concentration ranged from 1% to 8% for LHW pretreatment and was > or = 50% for steam pretreatment. Reaction temperature and time ranged from 170 to 230 degrees C and 1 to 46 min, respectively. Key performance metrics included fiber reactivity, xylan recovery, and the extent to which pretreatment hydrolyzate inhibited glucose fermentation. In four cases, LHW pretreatment achieved > or = 80% conversion by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF). > or = 80% xylan recovery, and no hydrolyzate inhibition of glucose fermentation yield. Combined effectiveness was not as good for steam pretreatment due to low xylan recovery. SSF conversion increased and xylan recovery decreased as xylan dissolution increased for both modes. SSF conversion, xylan dissolution. hydrolyzate furfural concentration, and hydrolyzate inhibition increased, while xylan recovery and hydrolyzate pH decreased, as a function of increasing LHW pretreatment solids concentration (1-8%). These results are consistent with the notion that autohydrolysis plays an important. if not exclusive, role in batch hydrothermal pretreatment. Achieving concurrently high (greater than 90%) SSF conversion and xylan recovery will likely require a modified reactor configuration (e.g. continuous percolation or base addition) that better preserves dissolved xylan.

Ethanol production from renewable resources

Vast amounts of renewable biomass are available for conversion to liquid fuel, ethanol. In order to convert biomass to ethanol, the efficient utilization of both cellulose-derived and hemicellulose-derived carbohydrates is essential. Six-carbon sugars are readily utilized for this purpose. Pentoses, on the other hand, are more difficult to convert. Several metabolic factors limit the efficient utilization of pentoses (xylose and arabinose). Recent developments in the improvement of microbial cultures provide the versatility of conversion of both hexoses and pentoses to ethanol more efficiently. In addition, novel bioprocess technologies offer a promising prospective for the efficient conversion of biomass and recovery of ethanol.