Bioethanol production from popping pretreated switchgrass

Abstract

Switchgrass was selected as a promising biomass resource for bioethanol production through popping pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification and fermentation using commercial cellulase and xylanase, and fermenting yeast. The reducing sugar yields of popping pretreated switchgrass after enzymatic saccharification were above 95% and the glucose in thesaccharificaiton solution to ethanol conversion rate after fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae was reached to 89.6%. Chemical compositions after popping pretreatment developed in our laboratory were 40.8% glucose and 20.3% xylose, with much of glucose remaining and only xylose decreased to 4.75%. This means that the hemicelluloses area broke off during popping pretreatment. FE-SEMexamination of substrate particles after popping pretreatment was showed fiber separation, and tearing and presence of numerous micro pores. These changes help explain, enhanced enzymatic penetration resulting in improved hydrolysis of switchgrass particles after popping pretreatment.