Energies (Jan 2017)

Investigation of Ethanol Production Potential from Lignocellulosic Material without Enzymatic Hydrolysis Using the Ultrasound Technique

  • Manoj Kandasamy,
  • Ihsan Hamawand,
  • Leslie Bowtell,
  • Saman Seneweera,
  • Sayan Chakrabarty,
  • Talal Yusaf,
  • Zaidoon Shakoor,
  • Sattar Algayyim,
  • Friederike Eberhard

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/en10010062
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 1
p. 62

Abstract

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This research investigates ethanol production from waste lignocellulosic material (sugarcane bagasse). The bagasse was first pretreated using chemicals and ultrasound techniques. These pretreatment techniques were applied separately and combined. The pretreated bagasse was then fermented anaerobically for biofuel production without enzymatic hydrolysis. The results showed higher ethanol production than those reported in the literature. The maximum ethanol production of 820 mg/L was achieved with a combination of ultrasound (60 amplitude level, 127 W) and acid (3% H2SO4 concentration). The combination of two-step pretreatment such as an ultrasound (50 amplitude level, 109 W) with acid (3% H2SO4 concentration) and then an ultrasound with alkaline (23% NaOH concentration) generated 911 mg/L of ethanol.

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