Selective solvent delignification for fermentation enhancement

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Biotechnol. Bioeng.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5334174

Avgerinos, G C; Wang, D I.C.

Cellulose and hemicellulose in renewable biomass resources such as cornstover and wheat straw have been examined as substrates for the production of ethanol. A mixed culture of selected strains of Clostridium thermocellum and Clostridium thermosaccharolyticum are used to accomplish both the hydrolysis and fermentation of these carbohydrates in a single step. However, lignin and related phenolic materials are shown to diminsh the rate, extent, and yield at which these carbohydrates can be utilized for ethanol production. In order to overcome this problem, a selective solvent pretreatment with alkaline-ethanol-water mixtures was examined for the delignification of cellulosic biomass under conditions where very little loss of fermentable carbohydrates results. Under optimal conditions, up to 67% of the initial lignin in cornstover can be extraced while 95% of the alpha cellulose and pentosan carbohydrates remain insoluble. Subsequent mixed culture fermentation of the treated material has shown a 400% increase in the rate of degradation and greater than 85% utilization of substrate. The effects of various extraction parameters on delignification kinetics and subsequent fermentation performance are discussed. (Refs. 17).

• Research Organization: Dept. of Nutrition and Food Science, Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA 02139
• OSTI ID: 5334174
• Report Number(s): CONF-810813-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Biotechnol. Bioeng.; (United States) Journal Volume: 25:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ALCOHOLS
BACTERIA
BIOCONVERSION
CARBOHYDRATES
CELLULOSE
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLOSTRIDIUM
CLOSTRIDIUM THERMOCELLUM
CLOSTRIDIUM THERMOSACCHAROLYTICUM
DECOMPOSITION
DELIGNIFICATION
ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS
ETHANOL
FERMENTATION
HEMICELLULOSE
HYDROLYSIS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KINETICS
LYSIS
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLYSACCHARIDES
REACTION KINETICS
SACCHARIDES
SOLVENTS
SOLVOLYSIS
STRAW