Process intensification of delignification and enzymatic hydrolysis of delignified cellulosic biomass using various...

Different methods of pretreatment including alkali treatment, treatment with ultrasound, biological treatment using laccase enzyme and combined treatment like ultrasound-laccase for Napier grass have been tried. With alkali pretreatment optimized conditions obtained were sodium hydroxide 0.3% w/v giving 86% delignification at temperature of 80°C, treatment time of 2h. In physical methods of treatment ultrasound, at a temperature of 45°C, treatment time of 2h, operating at frequency 24kHz and power of 100W gave 18% delignification. For laccase pretreatment, optimized conditions obtained were 300rpm impeller speed, enzyme concentration 10U/gm of Napier grass gave 50% delignification with cellulose. The optimized conditions for delignification by using combination treatment of ultrasound & enzymatic were obtained at 24kHz frequency, 100W giving 75% of delignification in 6h. An enhancement in lignin degradation by 25% and reduction in the treatment time from 12 to 6h is achieved as compared to only laccase treatment.