Increased digestibility of bagasse by pretreatment with alkalis and steam explosion
Alkali treatment and steam explosion of bagasse were investigated in order to develop economical and effective methods of increasing the digestibility of bagasse. The treated bagasse was to be used as a substrate for the production of volatile fatty acids by anaerobic acidogenic bacteria. The alkalis examined were NaOH, NH3 (aqueous), NaOH + NH3, Ca(OH)2, and Ca(OH)2 + Na2CO3, at ambient temperature and in combination with steam explosion at 200 degrees C, 6.9 MPa, and 5 min cooking times. Digestibilities of up to 733 g organic matter (OM)/kg bagasse dry matter (DM) were obtained for bagasse treated with NaOH and Ca(OH)2 + Na2CO3; less than 430 g OM was obtained for bagasse treated with aqueous NH3; and up to 724 g OM was obtained for bagasse treated with Ca(OH)2. This digestibility was only achieved by using high concentrations of Ca(OH)2, i.e., 180-300 g/kg bagasse. Steam explosion increased the digestibility of bagasse up to 740 g OM in the presence of alkali but only to 610 g OM in the absence of alkali. The digestibility of bagasse without pretreatment was 190 g OM/kg bagasse DM. More than one-half the hemicellulose present was solubilized by pretreatment. The composition of the liquid fraction of steam-exploded material was examined and contained mainly xylose monomers and oligomers (112 g/kg original bagasse DM) and acetic acid (33 g/kg original DM). The relative costs of the alkalis used were obtained for the United States, Australia, and Europe. Lime (Ca(OH)2) was the least expensive alkali per unit of additional digestible OM obtained. Ammonia was the most expensive alkali to use, except in the United States where the difference in its cost relative to other alkalis was smaller. However, ammonia provides organic nitrogen for microbial growth, and could be recycled. With acidogenic fermentations, alkali is able to double as a neutralizing agent during fermentation.
- Research Organization:
- Biotech Section, CSIRO Div. of Chemical of Wood Tech., Private Bag 10, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
- OSTI ID:
- 6711552
- Journal Information:
- Biotechnol. Bioeng.; (United States), Vol. 26
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BAGASSE
ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS
HEAT TREATMENTS
BIODEGRADATION
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
HYDROXIDES
STEAM
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLYSIS
LYSIS
ORGANIC WASTES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SOLVOLYSIS
WASTES
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