Study on the acid and enzymatic hydrolysis of sisal pulp

• Grant number: 12/21576-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2013
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Elisabete Frollini
• Grantee: Joice Jaqueline Kaschuk
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project aims at perform the depolymerization of sisal cellulose, via acidic and enzymatic hydrolysis, what should result in fermentable sugars that are needed for ethanol production, also called cellulosic ethanol or bioethanol, in order to differentiate from that obtained via the petrochemical route. The sisal starting pulp has been chosen due to the short growing cycle of the respective plant, the high cellulose content of the fiber, as well as due to the fact that Brazil is the largest world producer of this fiber.The sisal pulp will be subjected to mercerization (treatment with aqueous alkaline solution), via ultrasound, aiming mainly an increase in the surface area of the pulp, a decrease in crystallinity and removal of hemicelluloses, since these parameters influence the next step (hydrolysis). The pulps treated and untreated will be characterized as to the content of alpha cellulose, average molecular weight, fiber size distribution and crystallinity. The treated cellulose pulps will be subjected to acid hydrolysis with sulfuric acid at varying concentrations, using a reactor specific for the process, at 100 ° C. This temperature has been selected from prior studies.The enzymatic hydrolyses will be carried out using a commercial enzymatic complex and an enzymatic complex obtained by the growth of terrestrial and marine fungi in culture medium with 2% of malt extract, artificial sea water. The pulp will be added to a citrate buffer at a pH of about 5, starting with variation of approximately 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 ml enzyme complex for each gram of pulp. Depending on the initial results, other ratios enzimatic complex/pulp will be used.Aliquots will be withdrawn at certain time intervals in both the enzymatic and acid hydrolysis, and the unreacted pulp will be separated from the liquor. The unreacted pulp will be characterized as the average molar weight, fiber size distribution and crystallinity, in order to evaluate how these parameters change during the reactions.The liqueurs will be analyzed for sugar content and decomposition products. The perspective is that the results that will be obtained will allow aggregate knowledge about the behavior of the sisal pulp under conditions of acid and enzymatic hydrolysis, as well as it will be possible to compare the efficiency of different processes of hydrolysis (acidic and enzymatic) between them. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

KASCHUK, JOICE JAQUELINE; SANTOS, DARLISSON DE ALEXANDRIA; FROLLINI, ELISABETE; CANDURI, FERNANDA; MELEIRO PORTO, ANDRE LUIZ. Influence of pH, temperature, and sisal pulp on the production of cellulases from Aspergillus sp. CBMAI 1198 and hydrolysis of cellulosic materials with different hemicelluloses content, crystallinity, and average molar mass. BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY, v. 10, n. 2, p. 483-494, JUN 2020. (12/00116-6, 12/21576-5)

KASCHUK, JOICE JAQUELINE; FROLLINI, ELISABETE. Effects of average molar weight, crystallinity, and hemicelluloses content on the enzymatic hydrolysis of sisal pulp, filter paper, and microcrystalline cellulose. INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS, v. 115, p. 280-289, MAY 2018. (12/00116-6, 12/21576-5)

KASCHUK, JOICE JAQUELINE; LACERDA, TALITA MARTINS; FROLLINI, ELISABETE. Investigating effects of high cellulase concentration on the enzymatic hydrolysis of the sisal cellulosic pulp. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, v. 138, p. 919-926, OCT 1 2019. (12/00116-6, 12/21576-5)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

KASCHUK, Joice Jaqueline. Enzymatic hidrollys of pulp sisal. 2014. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC/BT) São Carlos.