Application of statistical experimental design for the optimisation of dilute sulphuric acid hydrolysis of Cassava Bagasse

Abstract

The dilute sulphuric acid hydrolysis of cassava bagasse was investigated in this study under the following conditions: acid concentration (0.5-2.5%w/w), temperature (100-130°C), time (5-40 minutes) and liquid to solid ratio (10-30 mL/g). Results of chemical composition analysis of the bagasse showed that the major components of the cassava bagasse used in this study were cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin which accounted for 36.6, 21.3 and 17.3% of the weight of the material respectively. A statistical model was developed and validated to predict the yield of fermentable sugars during hydrolysis. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to optimise the hydrolysis conditions. The maximum sugar yield of 81.63% was obtained at the optimum temperature, acid concentration, hydrolysis time and liquid to solid ratio (i.e. 122.5 ºC, 2%w/w, 20.5 minutes and 25 mL/g respectively).