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Cellulosic Ethanol Production Using Waste Wheat Stillage after Microwave-Assisted Hydrotropic Pretreatment
Grzegorz Kłosowski1, Dawid Mikulski1, Prashant Bhagwat2
1Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kazimierz Wielki University, ul. K. J. Poniatowskiego 12, 85-671 Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 23, 2022
Summary
Microwave-assisted pretreatment of wheat stillage using sodium cumene sulphonate (NaCS) effectively breaks down lignocellulosic biomass. This process enhances cellulose accessibility, leading to high yields of second-generation bioethanol without additional nutrients.
Area of Science:
- Biomass Pretreatment
- Biofuel Production
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Efficient pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass is crucial for cellulosic ethanol production.
- Wheat stillage is a potential feedstock for second-generation bioethanol.
- Understanding biomass composition changes during pretreatment is key to optimizing ethanol yields.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of microwave-assisted pretreatment of wheat stillage using sodium cumene sulphonate (NaCS) hydrotrope.
- To assess the effectiveness of this pretreatment method for second-generation bioethanol production.
- To analyze the changes in biomass composition and their correlation with ethanol yield.
Main Methods:
- Microwave-assisted pretreatment of wheat stillage in the presence of NaCS hydrotrope.
- Analysis of biomass composition (lignin, hemicellulose, cellulose) before and after pretreatment.
- Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to identify changes in functional groups.
- Fermentation of pretreated biomass to produce ethanol and measurement of ethanol concentration and yield.
Main Results:
- Microwave-assisted pretreatment with NaCS significantly altered wheat stillage composition, increasing cellulose content to 42.91 ± 0.10%.
- FTIR spectra confirmed a reduction in lignin-characteristic functional groups post-pretreatment.
- Complete conversion of glucose to ethanol was achieved within 48 hours, with a yield exceeding 91% of the theoretical value.
- The highest observed ethanol concentration was 23.57 ± 0.10 g/L, demonstrating high pretreatment effectiveness.
Conclusions:
- Microwave-assisted pretreatment with NaCS is a highly effective method for preparing wheat stillage for cellulosic ethanol production.
- The method significantly enhances cellulose accessibility by reducing lignin and hemicellulose content.
- This pretreatment strategy enables high ethanol yields without the need for additional nutrient supplementation.
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