3 research outputs found
Evaluation of strategies for second generation bioethanol production from fast growing biomass Paulownia within a biorefinery scheme
Fast-growing and short-rotation biomass is identified as glucan-rich feedstock to be used for bioenergy
purposes. For the first time to our knowledge, fast growing biomass (Paulownia tomentosa) was evaluated
for bioethanol production in a biorefinery scheme. For that, Paulownia wood was subjected to autohydrolysis
pretreatment under severity (S0) conditions in the range of 3.315.16. The effect of this treatment
on its fractionation was evaluated by means of hemicelluloses solubilization as hemicellulosederived
compounds in liquid phase and enzymatic hydrolysis of glucan (remained in the solid phase) into
glucose. A xylose and xylooligosaccharides concentration of 17.5 g/L was obtained at S0 = 3.99 which corresponds
to complete xylan solubilization. On the other hand, glucose yield of enzymatic hydrolysis
increased up to reach 99% at S0 = 4.82. In addition, separate and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation
assays (SHF and SSF) of autohydrolyzed Paulownia were compared for ethanol production.
An increase of 47% in ethanol concentration was obtained by SHF in comparison with results achieved
by SSF for Paulownia treated at S0 = 4.19. In SSF, Paulownia was successfully converted into ethanol
(52.7 g/L which corresponded to 80% of ethanol yield) operating at 20% solid loadings and S0 = 4.72.
Energy analysis of results obtained in this work showed that 83% of energy respect to raw material
can be recovered considering the ethanol and the combustion of residual lignin. This work provides a feasible
process for bioethanol production using fast growing specie which could enrich the feedstock needs
for biofuels sector.This work was supported by the ‘‘Ministerio de Economía y
Competitividad” of Spain [research project reference CTQ2012-
3085: ‘‘Development of processes for integral benefit of fastgrowing
biomass through bioethanol and chemicals production”,
partially funded with the FEDER funds of the EU]. Aloia Romaní
is grateful to Xunta de Galicia for her fellowship (Plan I2C, 2014)