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Variables Affecting Delignification of Corn Wastes Using Urea for Total Reducing Sugars Production
Juan Mercado-Pacheco1, Yuranis Julio-Altamiranda1, Eduardo Sánchez-Tuirán1
1Process Design and Biomass Utilization Research Group (IDAB), Chemical Engineering Department, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130015, Bolívar, Colombia.
ACS Omega
|June 18, 2020
Summary
Mechanical and chemical pretreatments using urea on corn residues significantly enhance total reducing sugars (TRS) production. Optimal conditions involved a 2% urea concentration at 50°C with 0.5 mm particle size, yielding 36.50 g/L TRS.
Area of Science:
- Biomass Pretreatment
- Biochemical Engineering
- Renewable Energy
Background:
- Corn residues (leaves and stems) are abundant lignocellulosic biomass.
- Efficient conversion of biomass to sugars requires effective pretreatment to break down lignin and hemicellulose.
- Current methods may not fully optimize sugar yield from diverse biomass components.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a combined mechanical and chemical pretreatment strategy using urea on corn residues.
- To determine optimal conditions for maximizing total reducing sugars (TRS) yield.
- To assess the impact of particle size, urea concentration, temperature, and time on TRS production.
Main Methods:
- Biomass characterization using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin content.
- Mechanical pretreatment involved size reduction to 0.5, 1, and 2 mm.
- Chemical pretreatment utilized urea solutions (2-10% w/v) at 150 rpm for 20 hours and temperatures of 30°C and 50°C.
- Hydrolysis was performed using sulfuric acid (1% v/v) at 121°C for 1 hour.
- TRS quantification via the 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) method; post-pretreatment biomass analysis using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR).
Main Results:
- Corn residues comprised approximately 47.4% cellulose, 40.04% hemicellulose, and 26.38% lignin.
- The highest TRS yield (36.50 g/L) was achieved with a 2% urea concentration at 50°C and a particle size of 0.5 mm.
- Pretreated biomass yielded significantly higher TRS compared to raw corn residues, indicating effective delignification and improved sugar accessibility.
Conclusions:
- Combined mechanical (0.5 mm particle size) and chemical (2% urea, 50°C) pretreatment is effective for enhancing TRS production from corn residues.
- Optimized pretreatment conditions significantly improve the efficiency of converting lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars.
- This approach offers a promising pathway for the valorization of agricultural waste into valuable biochemicals.
