Production of Sugar Feedstocks for Fermentation Processes from Selected Fast Growing Grasses

Abstract

This study showed that kraft cellulosic pulps from Miscanthus giganetus JM Greef and Deuter ex Hodk. and Renvoize, sweet sorghum and 5 other fast growing grasses may be easily enzymatically converted to glucose-rich sugar feedstocks. The scientific goal of the paper was to assess and compare the potential yield of hydrolysis and verify whether these grasses may be a source of sugars for fermentation processes. Kraft pulping was used as a pretreatment method and hydrolysis of the pulps was conducted using a commercial multienzyme preparation containing cellulases and xylanases at initial substrate concentrations of 0.476, 3.88 and 7.46% w/v, and 3 different enzyme loadings. Results showed that tall wheatgrass, striped tuber oat grass, tall fescue and smooth bromegrass may be efficiently converted to sugar feedstocks for biotechnology application, but that the simple reducing sugars yield is lower than for wood, due to lower cellulose content.

Keywords

• cellulosic pulps
• enzymatic hydrolysis
• kraft pulping
• alternative fibrous raw materials