A new correction method for determination on carbohydrates in lignocellulosic biomass

Area of Science:

• Biomass Conversion and Biorefining
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Accurate quantification of lignocellulosic biomass components is essential for effective pretreatment and bioconversion processes.
• The conventional 72% sulfuric acid two-step hydrolysis method for quantitative saccharification (QS) may lead to overcorrection of monosaccharide loss during secondary hydrolysis (SH).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a more accurate method for determining lignocellulosic biomass components by addressing the overcorrection issue in monosaccharide loss.
• To establish a simple correction method for monosaccharide loss using hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural as calibrators.

Main Methods:

• Investigated quantitative relationships between glucose and xylose losses under specific hydrolysis conditions and HMF/furfural production.
• Developed a correction method for monosaccharide loss during primary hydrolysis (PH) and SH using HMF and furfural.
• Applied the new method for component determination in corn stover, Miscanthus, and cotton stalk (raw and pretreated).
• Compared results with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) method.

Main Results:

• A novel correction method for monosaccharide loss during quantitative saccharification was established using HMF and furfural.
• This method effectively avoids excessive correction, particularly for biomass samples with high carbohydrate content.
• The developed method demonstrated comparable accuracy to the NREL method for component determination.

Conclusions:

• The HMF and furfural-calibrated method offers a more accurate and reliable approach for determining lignocellulosic biomass composition.
• This improved analytical technique is vital for optimizing pretreatment and bioconversion strategies in biorefineries.
• The method provides a valuable alternative to existing techniques, especially for challenging high-carbohydrate biomass feedstocks.