Thermal degradation kinetics of sucrose, glucose and fructose in sugarcane must for bioethanol production

Abstract

Thermal degradation of sugars contained in sugarcane must (21.5 degrees Brix, pH 6.14) was evaluated at temperatures of 110, 120, 130 and 140C, using the thermal-death-time tube method, determining remaining sugars by high-pressure liquid chromatography. The study analyzed thermal degradation kinetics of both the total reducing sugars (TRS) and glucose and fructose individually. All curves of remaining sugars presented strong nonlinearity, with initial shoulder and final tail adjusted by an extended logistic model that was adapted for two species for TRS, and a simple logistic model for the monosaccharides. It was shown that rate constants are influenced by temperature according to two irreconcilable methods: the Arrhenius and the Bigelow methods. Obtained activation energies for fructose and glucose were quite coincident, 140.37 and 140.23 kJ/mol, respectively. Thermal resistance parameters were 21.59 and 21.61C, respectively. Comparison of the rate constants revealed that fructose degraded approximately 9-10 times faster than glucose.29546247