Acid and enzymatic saccharification of agricultural mixed polymers for alcohol production

The paper reports the evaluation of potentials of acid (HCl and H₂SO₄) and enzymatically (cellulase) saccharified corncob, groundnut shell, sugarcane bagasse and wheat straw biopolymers for ethanol production. Of the three yeast isolates tested, Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. ellipsoideus was found to be most efficient, closely followed by Kluyveromyces marxianus NCYC 179 in its ability to ferment enzymatically hydrolysed mash of all the substrates tested to ethanol. However, S. cerevisiae NCYC 240 and acid hydrolysed agricultural polymers were found to be a poor organism and poor substrates, respectively, for ethanol fermentation. The order of ethanol production on substrate basis was corncob > wheat straw > sugarcane bagasse > groundnut shell biomass biopolymer. An incubation period of 24 h was found optimum for the optimal production of ethanol by S. cerevisiae var. ellipsoideus in both acid and enzymatically hydrolysed agricultural residues.     

Biogas Production from Sugarcane Waste: Assessment on Kinetic Challenges for Process Designing

Biogas production from sugarcane waste has large potential for energy generation, however, to enable the optimization of the anaerobic digestion (AD) process each substrate characteristic should be carefully evaluated. In this study, the kinetic challenges for biogas production from different types of sugarcane waste were assessed. Samples of vinasse, filter cake, bagasse, and straw were analyzed in terms of total and volatile solids, chemical oxygen demand, macronutrients, trace elements, and nutritional value. Biochemical methane potential assays were performed to evaluate the energy potential of the substrates according to different types of sugarcane plants. Methane yields varied considerably (5–181 Nm³·ton_FM⁻¹), mainly due to the different substrate characteristics and sugar and/or ethanol production processes. Therefore, for the optimization of AD on a large-scale, continuous stirred-tank reactor with long hydraulic retention times (>35 days) should be used for biogas production from bagasse and straw, coupled with pre-treatment process to enhance the degradation of the fibrous carbohydrates. Biomass immobilization systems are recommended in case vinasse is used as substrate, due to its low solid content, while filter cake could complement the biogas production from vinasse during the sugarcane offseason, providing a higher utilization of the biogas system during the entire year.     

麦秸秆的氢氧化钙预处理及酶解试验研究

采用氢氧化钙对麦秸秆进行预处理,以酶解还原糖得率为目的,分别优化预处理及酶解条件。结果表明,氢氧化钙预处理麦秸秆的最佳条件是:Ca(OH)2添加量为0.06g/g(对秸秆),固液比为1:10,在120℃下反应时间为2h;最佳酶解条件是:温度50℃,pH4.8,纤维素酶17FPU/g(对秸秆),木聚糖酶160IU/g,在添加0.15g/g(对秸秆)Tween80条件下,酶解液中还原糖质量浓度为62.32g/L,酶解还原糖得率达85.23%。     

Enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation of lime pretreated wheat straw to ethanol

BACKGROUND: The objective of this work is to develop an efficient pretreatment method that can help enzymes break down the complex carbohydrates present in wheat straw to sugars, and to then ferment of all these sugars to ethanol. RESULTS: The yield of sugars from wheat straw (8.6%, w/v) by lime pretreatment (100 mg g^?1 straw, 121 °C, 1 h) and enzymatic hydrolysis (45 °C, pH 5.0, 120 h) using a cocktail of three commercial enzyme preparations (cellulase, β‐glucosidase, and xylanase) at the dose level of 0.15 mL of each enzyme preparation g^?1 straw was 568 ± 13 mg g^?1 (82% yield). The concentration of ethanol from lime pretreated enzyme saccharified wheat straw (78 g) hydrolyzate by recombinant Escherichia coli strain FBR5 at pH 6.5 and 35 °C in 24 h was 22.5 ± 0.6 g L^?1 with a yield of 0.50 g g^?1 available sugars (0.29 g g^?1 straw). The ethanol concentration was 20.6 ± 0.4 g L^?1 with a yield of 0.26 g g^?1 straw in the case of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation by the E. coli strain at pH 6.0 and 35 °C in 72 h. CONCLUSION: The results are important in choosing a suitable pretreatment option for developing bioprocess technologies for conversion of wheat straw to fuel ethanol. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

FED-BATCH SIMULTANEOUS SACCHARIFICATION AND FERMENTATION OF MICROWAVE/ACID/ALKALI/H2O2 PRETREATED RICE STRAW FOR PRODUCTION OF ETHANOL

The batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of microwave/acid/alkali/H₂O₂ pretreated rice straw to ethanol was optimized using cellulase from Trichoderma reesei and Saccharomyces cerevisiae YC-097 cells prior to the fed-batch SSF studies. The batch SSF optima were 10% w/v substrate, 40°C, 15 mg cellulase/g substrate, initial pH 5.3, and 72 hours. Under the optimum conditions the ethanol concentration and its yield were 29.1 g/L and 61.3% respectively. Based on the optimal batch SSF, the fed-batch SSF was investigated and its operation parameters were optimized. Under its optimal conditions the ethanol concentration reached 57.3 g/L, while its productivity and yield were only slightly less than those in the batch SSF. This suggests that fed-batch SSF is a potential operation mode for effective ethanol production from microwave/acid/alkali/H₂O₂ pretreated rice straw.     

里氏木酶利用预处理小麦秆生产纤维素酶的应用研究

为了降低里氏木霉生产纤维素酶的成本,研究了小麦秸秆经白腐菌和酸处理后主要成分如纤维素、木聚糖、木质素含量的变化,采用正交实验考察了里氏木霉菌发酵小麦秆生产纤维素酶的最佳条件,研究得到的最佳条件为:小麦秆∶麸皮=2∶3,培养温度30℃,起始pH 5.0,发酵时间48 h。通过对正交实验条件的优化,发酵液滤纸酶活(FPA)为6.11 IU.mL-1,羧甲基纤维素酶活(CMCase)为29.11 IU.mL-1,纤维二糖酶活(CBA)为16.11 IU.mL-1。和原工艺相比FPA、CMCase和CBA分别提高了30.78%、26.82%和37.11%。     

An approach to optimization of enzymatic hydrolysis from sugarcane bagasse based on organosolv pretreatment

BACKGROUND: The organosolv pretreatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated material and subsequent fermentation of the hydrolysate produced, was the strategy used for ethanol production from sugarcane bagasse. The effect of different operational variables affecting the pretreatment (the catalyst type and its concentration, and the pretreatment time) and enzymatic hydrolysis stage (substrate concentration, cellulase loading, addition of xylanase and Tween 20, and the cellulase/β‐glucosidase ratio), were investigated. RESULTS: The best values of glucose concentration (28.8 g L^?1) and yield (25.1 g per 100 g dry matter) were obtained when the material was pretreated with 1.25% (w/w) H₂SO₄ for 60 min, and subsequently hydrolyzed using 10% (w/v) substrate concentration in a reaction medium supplemented with xylanase (300 UI g^?1) and Tween 20 (2.5% w/w). Fermentation of the broth obtained under these optimum conditions by Saccharomyces cerevisiae resulted in an ethanol yield of 92.8% based on the theoretical yield, after 24 h. CONCLUSION: Organosolv pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse under soft conditions, and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated material with a cellulolytic system supplemented with xylanase and Tween 20, is a suitable procedure to obtain a glucose rich hydrolysate efficiently fermentable to ethanol by Sacharomyces cerevisiae yeasts. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Physico-chemical characterisation of Indian biomass ashes

India stands fourth in biomass utilisation for various purposes like domestic, commercial and industrial applications. While extensive studies have been made for coal ash characterisation and utilisation, studies on characterisation of biomass ash and its utilisation has not been addressed. In this paper, biomass ash from five sources i.e. rice husk, bagasse, groundnut shell, cashewnut shell, and arecanut shell have been characterised. Chemical composition analysis, particle size analysis, thermal analysis, and microstructure analysis were carried out. Results show that in all ashes silica is the major compound with particle size ranging from 15 to 30 μm and having irregular shape. Ash powders originating from cashewnut shell, arecanut shell and groundnut shell also have compounds of calcium, magnesium and potassium. Bagasse and cashewnut shell ashes have high LOI due to presence of unburnt carbon, P₂O₅ and other volatiles.     

Study of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation for steam exploded wheat straw to ethanol

Although simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) has been investigated extensively, the optimum condition for SSF of wheat straw has not yet been determined. Dilute sulfuric acid impregnated and steam explosion pretreated wheat straw was used as a substrate for the production of ethanol by SSF through orthogonal experiment design in this study. Cellulase mixture (Celluclast 1.5 l and β-glucosidase Novozym 188) were adopted in combination with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae AS2.1. The effects of reaction temperature, substrate concentration, initial fermentation liquid pH value and enzyme loading were evaluated and the SSF conditions were optimized. The ranking, from high to low, of influential extent of the SSF affecting factors to ethanol concentration and yield was substrate concentration, enzyme loading, initial fermentation liquid pH value and reaction temperature, respectively. The optimal SSF conditions were: reaction temperature, 35°C; substrate concentration, 100 g·L⁻¹; initial fermentation liquid pH, 5.0; enzyme loading, 30 FPU·g⁻¹. Under these conditions, the ethanol concentration increased with reaction time, and after 72 h, ethanol was obtained in 65.8% yield with a concentration of 22.7 g·L⁻¹. __________ Translated from Chemical Engineering (China), 2007, 35(12): 42–45 [译自: 化学工程]     

FED-BATCH SIMULTANEOUS SACCHARIFICATION AND FERMENTATION OF MICROWAVE/ACID/ALKALI/H2O2 PRETREATED RICE STRAW FOR PRODUCTION OF ETHANOL

The batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of microwave/acid/alkali/H₂O₂ pretreated rice straw to ethanol was optimized using cellulase from Trichoderma reesei and Saccharomyces cerevisiae YC-097 cells prior to the fed-batch SSF studies. The batch SSF optima were 10% w/v substrate, 40°C, 15 mg cellulase/g substrate, initial pH 5.3, and 72 hours. Under the optimum conditions the ethanol concentration and its yield were 29.1 g/L and 61.3% respectively. Based on the optimal batch SSF, the fed-batch SSF was investigated and its operation parameters were optimized. Under its optimal conditions the ethanol concentration reached 57.3 g/L, while its productivity and yield were only slightly less than those in the batch SSF. This suggests that fed-batch SSF is a potential operation mode for effective ethanol production from microwave/acid/alkali/H₂O₂ pretreated rice straw.     

Study of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation for steam exploded wheat straw to ethanol

Although simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) has been investigated extensively, the optimum condition for SSF of wheat straw has not yet been determined. Dilute sulfuric acid impregnated and steam explosion pretreated wheat straw was used as a substrate for the production of ethanol by SSF through orthogonal experiment design in this study. Cellulase mixture (Celluclast 1.5 l and ?-glucosidase Novozym 188) were adopted in combination with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae AS2.1. The effects of reaction temperature, substrate concentration, initial fermentation liquid pH value and enzyme loading were evaluated and the SSF conditions were optimized. The ranking, from high to low, of influential extent of the SSF affecting factors to ethanol concentration and yield was substrate concentration, enzyme loading, initial fermentation liquid pH value and reaction temperature, respectively. The optimal SSF conditions were: reaction temperature, 35°C; substrate concentration, 100 g·L^-1; initial fermentation liquid pH, 5.0; enzyme loading, 30 FPU·g^-1. Under these conditions, the ethanol concentration increased with reaction time, and after 72 h, ethanol was obtained in 65.8% yield with a concentration of 22.7 g·L^-1.     

蒸汽爆破麦草同步糖化发酵转化乙醇的研究

近年来对木质生物资源同步糖化发酵转化乙醇的研究较多,但是,麦草同步糖化发酵转化乙醇的最佳工艺条件还未确定。文中采用正交试验设计的方法,对在混合酶(纤维素酶Celluclast 1.5 1,β-葡萄糖苷酶Novozym 188)与酿酒酵母菌作用下,稀硫酸催化的蒸汽爆破麦草原料同步糖化发酵转化乙醇的工艺条件进行研究,详细讨论了反应温度、底物质量浓度、发酵液pH值、纤维素酶浓度对乙醇质量浓度和得率的影响。结果表明,工艺条件对乙醇质量浓度和得率的影响程度由高到低依次为:底物质量浓度、纤维素酶浓度、发酵液pH值、反应温度。最佳工艺条件为反应温度35℃,底物质量浓度100 g/L,发酵液pH值5.0,纤维素酶浓度30 FPU/g。在此条件下,随着反应时间的延长,乙醇质量浓度持续上升。反应72 h后,乙醇质量浓度和得率分别达到22.7 g/L和65.8%。     

Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of pretreated Antigonum leptopus (Linn) leaves to ethanol

Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreated Antigonum leptopus (Linn) leaves to ethanol was optimized using cellulase from Trichoderma reesei QM‐9414 (Celluclast® from Novo) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae NRRL‐Y‐132 cells. Contrary to the saccharification optima (2.5% w/v substrate concentration, 50 °C, 4.5 pH, 40 FPU cellulase g⁻¹ substrate and 24 h reaction time), the SSF optima was found to be somewhat different (10% w/v substrate, 40 °C, 100 FPU cellulase g⁻¹ substrate and 72 h). Better ethanol yields were obtained with SSF compared with the traditional saccharification and subsequent fermentation (S&F) and when the cellulase was supplemented with β‐glucosidase. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Trace elements in Turkish biomass fuels: Ashes of wheat straw, olive bagasse and hazelnut shell

Ash contents of wheat straw, olive bagasse and hazelnut shells were 7.9%, 3.9%, 1.2%, respectively, which seemed to be within the average values of ash of biomass. The microstructure of ashes included smooth, polygonal, granular and molten drop structures. A large percentage of particles present in ashes are commonly ∼1-20 μm in size. SEM/EDS analyses performed on the major ash forming elements in different ashes indicated that Si, Ca, K and Mg and P were generally the most abundant species. Trace element levels in ash samples of various biomass types such as hazelnut shell, wheat straw, olive bagasse were analysed using ICP spectroscopy. The elements determined were some of those considered being of great environmental concern such as, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb. In all of the ashes studied Fe had the highest concentration among other trace elements, Mn was the second element that exhibited higher concentrations. The order of concentration of elements in the ashes from the highest to the lowest values was as follows: Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu > Ni > Cr > Pb > Co.     

Immobilized fungal biocatalysts for the production of cellulase complex hydrolyzing renewable plant feedstock

We discuss characteristics of the directional formation of samples of heterogeneous biocatalysts based on immobilized cells of different microscopic fungi that are characterized by high productivity of cellulases with different substrate specificities (endoglucanases, exoglucanases, and beta-glucosidases). Samples of immobilized cells characterized by maximum productivity of the enzymes of cellulase complex are selected based on our study of the catalytic and operating characteristics of the designed biocatalysts. It is found that a biocatalyst based on Aspergillus terreus spores immobilized in polyvinyl alcohol cryogel is the best of the ones available. It is shown for the first time that the developed biocatalyst retains a high level of productivity for the full complex of cellulases when using various substrate inducers of enzyme biosynthesis, such as birch and oak sawdust, and rice and wheat straw. We demonstrate the possibility of efficiently using cellulase complexes obtained as a result of the functioning of immobilized cells in the saccharification of various cellulose-containing agricultural wastes and the conversion of the obtained sugars to organic solvents (ethanol, butanol) considered to be promising alternative fuels. The concentrations of organic solvents in media with immobilized cells are considerably higher than those found for free cells of the same microorganisms.     

表面活性剂对麦草同步糖化发酵转化乙醇的影响

研究了5种非离子型表面活性剂(BSA, Tween-20, Tween-80, PEG-4000, PEG-6000)促进麦草同步糖化发酵的效果. 结果表明,5种表面活性剂均能促进麦草同步糖化发酵,以Tween-20效果最为显著. 反应体系中添加Tween-20可降低酶用量而保持乙醇浓度基本相同. 在pH 5.0、温度37℃、底物浓度50 g/L及Celluclast 1.5 l用量25 FPU/g、Novozym 188用量15 IU/g的反应体系中,添加0.03 g/g Tween-20,反应72 h,乙醇浓度达到18.7 g/L,比未添加表面活性剂的体系提高了14.0%,反应时间缩短了12 h.     

Preparation and electrochemical behaviour of biomass based porous carbons as electrodes for supercapacitors — a comparative investigation

We compared the relationship of the behavior and performance of sugarcane baggase and rice straw as supercapacitor electrodes. X-ray diffraction revealed the evolution of crystallites of carbon and silica during activation at higher temperature. The morphology of the carbon samples was determined by SEM. The surface area, pore volume, and pore size distribution of carbon composites were measured. The electrochemical responses were studied by using cyclic voltammetry experiment at 25 °C in a three-electrode configuration. The specific capacitance of the sugarcane bagasse carbon electrodes was in the range 92-340 F/g, whereas for rice straw, it was found to be 56–112 F/g at scan rates of 2-3 mV/s. The sugarcane bagasse carbon exhibited better performance than rice straw carbon using H₂SO₄ as the electrolyte. However, the results clearly show that lignocellulosic wastes possess a new biomass source of carbonaceous materials for high-performance supercapacitors.     

Extraction of p-coumaric acid from agricultural residues and separation using ‘sugaring out’

We investigated the extraction of para-coumaric acid (pCA) from different agriculture residues (corn stover, sugarcane bagasse, sorghum stalk, pearl millet stalk, green gram shell, groundnut shell, sesame shell) using sugarcane bagasse alkaline hydrolysis and separation of pCA using sugaring out - a new phase separation method. Primary screening of different feed stocks was by alkaline hydrolysis with 2M NaOH for 6 h at room temperature. Sugarcane baggase resulted into significant amount of pCA (1.1 g/L) and small amount of ferulic acid (FA) (0.23 g/L). The optimized alkaline hydrolysis conditions (2 M NaOH and 16 h) resulted into maximum pCA release of 2.0 g/L. The pCA was separated from alkaline hydrolysate using sugaring out, a two phase separation method that results in aqueous phase and the organic solvent (acetonitrile) phase. Sugaring-out separated more than 90% of the pCA from the alkaline hydrolysate. Results of HPLC using standard pCA and FA showed that the main component of the separated top (organic solvent) phase was pCA rather than FA.     

Comparison of bioethanol production of simultaneous saccharification & fermentation and separation hydrolysis & fermentation from cellulose-rich barley straw

Cellulose rich barley straw, which has a glucan content of 62.5%, followed by dilute acid pretreatment, was converted to bioethanol by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF). The optimum fractionation conditions for barley straw were an acid concentration of 1% (w/v), a reaction temperature of 158 °C and a reaction time of 15 min. The maximum saccharification of glucan in the fractionated barley straw was 70.8% in 72 h at 60 FPU/gglucan, while the maximum digestibility of the untreated straw was only 18.9%. With 6% content WIS (water insoluble solid) for the fractionated barley straw, 70.5 and 83.2% of the saccharification yield were in SHF and SSF (representing with glucose equivalent), respectively, and a final ethanol concentration of 18.46 g/L was obtained under the optimized SSF conditions: 34 °C with 15 FPU/g-glucan enzyme loading and 1 g dry yeast cells/L. The results demonstrate that the SSF process is more effective than SHF for bioethanol production by around 18%.     

Agricultural by-products as granular activated carbons for adsorbing dissolved metals and organics

Surplus, low value agricultural by-products can be made into granular activated carbons (GACs) which are used in environmental remediation. This study characterized and evaluated GACs, made from these feedstocks, as effective removers of organics and metals from water. The by-products included soft lignocellulosics such as rice straw, soybean hull, sugarcane bagasse, peanut shell, and harder materials such as pecan and walnut shells. The softer materials were combined with a binder, molasses, to produce briquettes and pellets. The precursors were CO₂- or steam-activated, and subsequent treatments included oxidation to enhance metal adsorption. Many of the GACs had acceptable physical GAC attributes, such as durability, for commercial usage. GACs made from pecan and walnut shells adsorbed higher levels of benzene, toluene, methanol, acetonitrile, acetone, and 1,4-dioxane from an aqueous mixture than commercial GACs. Neither CO₂ nor steam activation was particularly advantageous in enhancing metal adsorption. Oxidation using O₂–N₂ gas increased metal adsorption while (NH₄)S₂O₈ solution did not. In a copper solution, oxidized GACs made from soybean hull had three to four times the Cu(II) adsorption capacity of metal-adsorbing, commercial GACs. Oxidized GACs made from soybean hull, sugarcane bagasse, peanut shell, and rice straw adsorbed from a mixture higher amounts of Pb(II), Cu(II), Ni(II), Cd(II) and Zn(II) than any commercial GACs. Commercial GACs adsorbed only Pb(II), Cu(II) and Cd(II). The GACs made from the agricultural by-products have considerable potential for adsorption of organics and metals of environmental concern. © 1998 SCI.