Comparison of different ionic liquids pretreatment for barley straw enzymatic saccharification

Abstract

Recently, application of ionic liquids due to their special solvency properties as a promising method of pretreatment for lignocellulosic biomass has received much attention. Chemical stability, temperature stability, nonflammability, low vapor pressure, wide liquidus range, and non-toxicity are among those unique properties. These solvents are also known as green solvents due to non-toxicity and low vapor pressure. The present study was set to compare the effect of five different ionic liquids namely, 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium acetate, 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium diethyl phosphate, 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium chlorides, 1,3-dimethyl imidazolium dimethyl phosphate, and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium-trifluoromethane sulfonate on barley straw in bioethanol production process. The performance of ionic liquids was evaluated based on the change observed in chemical structure, crystallinity index, and cellulose digestibility. Overall, 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium acetate was found most effective in pretreating barely straw for bioethanol production. To the best of our knowledge, the present study reports different ionic liquids; some for the first time, for barely straw pretreatment. © The Author(s) 2012.