Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.
2019
Volume 22
Issue 2
Topic:
Biotechnology
ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
ŁysakowskI P. , Brona N. , Grajek W. 2019. CHANGES IN MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS OF MISCANTHUS AND SORGHUM BIOMASS AFTER ACID AND ALKALI PRETREATMENT
DOI:10.30825/5.ejpau.174.2019.22.2 , EJPAU 22(2), #04.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume22/issue2/abs-04.html

CHANGES IN MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS OF MISCANTHUS AND SORGHUM BIOMASS AFTER ACID AND ALKALI PRETREATMENT
DOI:10.30825/5.EJPAU.174.2019.22.2

Piotr ŁysakowskI, Natalia Brona, Włodzimierz Grajek
Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland

 

ABSTRACT

Effectiveness and, by extension, profitability of the second-generation bioethanol production process is dependent on pretreatment. The aim is to develop an inexpensive, easy-to-conduct pretreatment that would highly increase hydrolysis efficiency and, at the same time, maximize the fermentable sugar yield and minimize substrate loss. In this work, optimal conditions of low-cost miscanthus and sorghum biomass pretreatment were determined and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface analysis (BET) was used to characterize specific substrate area. Microscopic structure changes of both substrates were demonstrated by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images. Lignin content in pretreated materials was determined according to NREL procedure. While alkali pretreatment had minor effects on the structure, acid pretreatment resulted in the emergence of noticeable pores and fissures in the surface of miscanthus and sorghum fibres. The increase in specific surface area and substrate porosity improved the efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis of polysaccharides. However, the decrease of lignin content turned out to be a key factor in hydrolysis efficiency enhancement.

Key words: bioethanol, lignocellulose, structure, surface area.


Piotr ŁysakowskI
Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
ul. Wojska Polskiego 48
60-627 Poznań
Poland
email: pj.lysakowski@gmail.com

Natalia Brona
Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
ul. Wojska Polskiego 48
60-627 Poznań
Poland

Włodzimierz Grajek
Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
ul. Wojska Polskiego 48
60-627 Poznań
Poland

Responses to this article, comments are invited and should be submitted within three months of the publication of the article. If accepted for publication, they will be published in the chapter headed 'Discussions' and hyperlinked to the article.