Enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials in aqueous media and the subsequent microbiological synthesis of bioethanol

Abstract

The enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials (LCMs) from miscanthus and oat husks (OH) in an aqueous medium and the subsequent production of ethanol are studied. LCMs are obtained at a pilot plant of the Institute of Problems of Chemical and Energy Technologies by means of one-stage nitric acid treatment. Enzymatic hydrolysis is conducted in an aqueous medium with a high initial concentration of phosphates (90 g/L) using freely available CelloLux-A and BrewZyme BGX industrial enzymatic preparations. The yields of reducing compounds are found to be 65.4 and 73.3% for miscanthus and oat husk LCM, respectively. The composition of monosaccharides (products of enzymatic LCM destruction) is studied for the first time. It is shown that glucose comprises the largest share of monosaccharides. Ethanol is produced from LCM for the first time. Ethanol yields per metric ton of raw material are 19.4 and 16.2 daL/t for miscanthus biomass and OH, respectively. Ethanol samples are characterized by low methanol contents (0.002 to 0.005 vol %).