Green Deep Eutectic Solvents for Microwave-Assisted Biomass Delignification and Valorisation

Area of Science:

• Biomass Pretreatment
• Green Chemistry
• Biorefinery Processes

Background:

• Future biorefineries require sustainable methods for biomass processing.
• Efficient lignin removal and sugar release are crucial for biofuel production.
• Conventional methods often involve harsh chemicals and energy-intensive conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, sustainable biomass pretreatment method.
• To evaluate the efficacy of natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDESs) combined with microwave (MW) technology.
• To explore lignin-derived NaDESs (LigDESs) for improved delignification and closed-loop biorefinery potential.

Main Methods:

• Combined NaDESs and MW irradiation for biomass pretreatment.
• Investigated dielectric properties of NaDESs for MW interaction.
• Developed lignin-derived NaDESs (LigDESs) from recovered lignin.
• Performed wheat straw delignification and assessed sugar release via enzymatic hydrolysis.

Main Results:

• NaDESs demonstrated high potential as green solvents for lignin fractionation and sugar release.
• LigDESs showed promising results in wheat straw delignification.
• MW irradiation provided fast pretreatment under mild conditions (120 °C, 30 min).
• A closed-loop process was conceptualized using recovered lignin to form NaDESs.

Conclusions:

• The developed NaDESs-MW pretreatment is a sustainable and efficient approach for biorefineries.
• NaDESs, particularly LigDESs, offer a green alternative for lignin valorization and biomass processing.
• This method advances the concept of closed-loop biorefineries, enhancing sustainability.