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Title
Low temperature acid hydrolysis of grass- derived lignocellulose for fermentable sugars production
Authors
REMY M. K. VALA and L. TICHAGWA
Received
March 4, 2012
Published
Volume 47 Issue 7-8 July-August
Keywords
lignocellulose, biomass, acid hydrolysis, bioethanol, hydrolysate, fermentable sugars
Abstract
Fermentable sugars from food crops have been used for ethanol biofuel production. However, a major food security
concern has led to an increase in the research of non-food crops as biomass for biofuels. Lignocellulosic materials
(biopolymers) have been considered as biomass, but their use involves challenging production processes to release
fermentable sugars. Several approaches using high temperatures and pressures have been used to facilitate the
breakdown of lignocellulose. In this study, Kikuyu grass was investigated as a low-cost source of fermentable sugars.
The lignocellulosic material from grass was subjected to pretreatment and then hydrolysed by sulphuric acid at
comparatively low temperatures of below 100 °C at atmospheric pressures to produce fermentable sugars. A simple and
low-cost method for the removal of some inhibitors (by-products produced during hydrolysis) using wood shavings
packed in a chromatographic column was developed. The yield of fermentable sugars obtained after hydrolysis was
22.26 g/L (38.4% w/w).
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