Thermal and structural analysis of sugarcane bagasse pretreated with ozone, ultrasound and microwave for cellulosic ethanol production by enzymatic hydrolysis

• Grant number: 13/06234-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: June 01, 2013
• End date: May 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Roberto da Silva
• Grantee: Olavo Micali Perrone
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 10/12624-0 - Application of physical-chemical and enzymatic methods in the saccharification of sugar cane bagasse: studies on microorganisms, fermentative processes and hydrolyses methods, AP.TEM

Abstract

Brazil and United States of America are the biggest ethanol producers in the world and together them holds about three quarters of mundial production of ethanol. Brazilian ethanol is obteined by sugar cane. About 80 liters of ethanol are produced for ton harvested sugar cane, This efficiency requires one relatively large acreage to keep the market supplied. After extraction of sugarcane juice for ethanol production, the resulting fiber (bagasse) becomes one of the main byproducts of the sugar and ethanol mill. The fiber of sugarcane bagasse is composed mainly of lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose, so is possible to produce cellulosic ethanol from depolymerization or saccharification of cellulose and hemicellulose present in this fiber.To produce the cellulosic ethanol by enzymatic hydrolysis from the fiber are necessary at least four steps, which are: pre-treatment, hydrolysis, fermentation of the sugars and distillation to obtain the cellulosic ethanol. There are already many patents and scientific papers published on the manufacture of cellulosic ethanol having as starting material lignocellulosic fibers such as bagasse from sugar cane, but there is no economic feasibility on industrial plants operating at large scale, because the pretreatment bagasse are an expensive process and in most cases generate compounds which inhibit fermentation, causing a problem to the next step. The development of this technology would be possible the reuse of sugarcane bagasse for ethanol production, increasing the amount of ethanol produced per cultivated area, reducing waste of water and environmental impacts. The main focus of this project is to promote thermal and structural characterization of sugarcane bagasse pretreated, relating the result obtained with the yield of enzymatic hydrolysis of the bagasse and the content of inhibitory compounds of alcoholic fermentation, continuing the study started during the scientific initiation (Process nº 2011/06923-8) which underwent pre-treatment with ozone, ultrasound and microwave in differents chemical conditions, and the enzymatic hydrolysis after treatments. The use of ozonolysis in the treatment process of sugarcane bagasse is already being studied by the group and has shown good results (TRAVAINI et al., 2013). This project is part of the Thematic Program FAPESP Bioenergy Research (BIOEN) and Paulista Center for Bioenergy Research, and is being proposed by the research line Bioenergy, Waste Treatment and Utilization Program of Postgraduate in Chemistry of the Institute of Biosciences, Arts and Exact Sciences of São José do Rio Preto. (AU)

Academic Publications

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

PERRONE, Olavo Micali. Avaliação térmica e estrutural do bagaço de cana de açúcar pré-tratado com ozônio, ultrassom e micro-ondas para produção de etanol celulósico por hidrólise enzimática. 2015. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Instituto de Biociências Letras e Ciências Exatas. São José do Rio Preto São José do Rio Preto.