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ECN publication
Title:
Pretreatment and Fractionation of Wheat Straw by an Acetone-Based Organosolv Process
 
Author(s):
 
Published by: Publication date:
ECN Biomass, Coal and Environmental Research 18-10-2010
 
ECN report number: Document type:
ECN-W--10-047 Article (scientific)
 
Number of pages:
10  

Published in: Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. (), , 2010, Vol.49, p.10132-10140.

Abstract:
Acetone-based organosolv fractionation of wheat straw was studied to produce sugars and lignin in a lignocellulose biorefinery. The influence of acetone-water ratio, reaction time, and temperature on fractionation degree, lignin yield, and enzymatic digestibility of the cellulose fraction was examined. The solvent-water ratio was found to influence delignification and hemicellulose hydrolysis by its effect on lignin solubility and pH. Organosolv treatment in 50:50% w/w acetone-water during 1 h at 205 ?C resulted in 82% hemicelluloses hydrolysis, 79% delignification, and 93% cellulose recovery. A substantial part of the sugars formed upon hemicellulose hydrolysis seems to have reacted further including possible formation of lignin-furfural condensation products. Finally, aqueous acetone pretreatment was found to substantially improve the enzymatic digestibility of the cellulose fraction (glucose yield: up to 87% vs 16% for untreated wheat straw).


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