DELIGNIFICATION OF RICE HUSK BY ORGANOSOLV TREATMENT TO INCREASE ITS IN-VITRO DIGESTIBILITY.

Abstract

The present study was conducted to analyze the effect of three different organicsolvents (Ethanol, Methanol and Acetone) on delignification of rice husk (basmati rice). Two differentconcentrations (50% and70%) and three different temperatures (160° C, 180° C and 200° C) wereused. Two major experimental groups were designed, autocatalytic (without catalyst) and catalytic(with 1% sulphuric acid as catalyst), each with three subgroups and three replicates. Treatmentduration was 1 hour for both autocatalytic group andcatalytic group. Our results showed that 70%concentration of each organic solvent was better than 50% for delignification. Treated rice husk wasused to test the in vitro digestibility. Result showed a positive correlation between percentage ofdelignification and digestability, a 20% increase indigestibilitywas observed with 25 % delignification.Hence organic solvents, although expensive can be employed for effective delignification.