Changes of furfural and levulinic acid yield from small-diameter quercus mongolica depending on dilute acid pretreatment conditions

Abstract

In this study, dilute acid pretreatment was operated using small-diameter Quercus mongolica for evaluating the yield change of furfural and levulinic acid depending on pretreatment factors. The dilute acid pretreatment was conducted depending on reaction temperature (140-180°C), reaction time (10-30 min), and sulfuric acid concentration (0-2%, w/w). Then, glucose, XMG (xylose + mannose + galactose), furfural, and levulinic acid contents in the liquid hydrolyzate were measured and analyzed after pretreatment. Glucose content increased to 16.02% as reaction temperature, reaction time, and sulfuric acid concentration increased, but it decreased at the sulfuric acid concentration of 2% (reaction temperature: > 170°C, reaction time: > 20 min). On the other hand, reaction temperature had a strong influenced on XMG content, and XMG content decreased to 1.63% through increasing of reaction temperature and sulfuric acid concentration, but XMG content was less affected by changes of reaction time. Furfural content increased with the increase of reaction temperature, reaction time, and sulfuric acid concentration, and maximum furfural content was 7.61% (reaction temperature: 180°C, reaction time: 20 min, sulfuric acid concentration: 1%) based on a weight of raw material, while furfural content was dropped in more severe condition than in maximum furfural content condition. Levulinic acid content also increased with higher reaction temperature, reaction time, and sulfuric acid concentration. Especially, the sharp increase of levulinic acid content was observed above 170°C, and maximum levulinic acid content was 10.98% (reaction temperature: 180°C, reaction time: 30 min, sulfuric acid concentration: 2%). However, less than 1% of furfural and levulinic acid content was obtained in non-acidic catalyst condition that in whole conditions of reaction temperature and reaction time.