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Anthraquinone-assisted alkaline deep eutectic solvent for lignin selective separation and carbohydrates protection
Pengcheng Xue1, Yan Tong2, Rong Guo1
1Guangxi Key Laboratory of Clean Pulp & Papermaking and Pollution Control, School of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
|April 30, 2026
Summary
This study introduces anthraquinone (AQ) into alkaline deep eutectic solvents (ADES) for efficient lignocellulose pretreatment. The AQ-ADES system selectively removes lignin while preserving carbohydrates, enabling high glucose yields for biomass valorization.
Area of Science:
- Biomass Pretreatment
- Green Chemistry
- Biorefinery Technologies
Background:
- Lignocellulose biomass is an abundant renewable resource.
- Efficient pretreatment is crucial for lignocellulose valorization.
- Alkaline deep eutectic solvents (ADES) show promise but require enhancement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance ADES efficiency for lignocellulose pretreatment.
- To investigate the synergistic mechanism of AQ-ADES.
- To achieve selective fractionation and maximize biomass valorization.
Main Methods:
- Incorporation of anthraquinone (AQ) into ChCl/MEA-based ADES.
- Evaluation of chemical composition, enzymatic hydrolysis, and lignin deconstruction.
- Utilizing the AQ/AHQ redox cycle for delignification.
- Density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.
Main Results:
- Optimal conditions achieved 79.25% lignin removal with high cellulose (93.72%) and hemicellulose (78.74%) retention.
- The AQ-ADES system demonstrated exceptional fractionation selectivity.
- Solid residue showed high enzymatic digestibility, yielding 93.15% glucose.
- Simulations confirmed ADES disrupts hydrogen bonds and AQ facilitates lignin dissolution while protecting carbohydrates.
Conclusions:
- The AQ-ADES system is an innovative and green pretreatment strategy.
- This method enables efficient selective fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass.
- The approach facilitates the total valorization of lignocellulose.
