Hydrolysis of sugar cane bagasse for the hydrogen production in mesophilic condition

• Grant number: 14/11851-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: March 15, 2015
• End date: September 14, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Maria Bernadete Amâncio Varesche
• Grantee: Juliana Kawanishi Braga
• Supervisor: Maria Madalena dos Santos Alves
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade do Minho (UMinho), Portugal
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/20196-7 - Hydrolysis of sugar cane bagasse for the hydrogen and biogas production with suspended and immobilized in nanocoatings biomass, BP.PD

Abstract

Lignocellulosic residues such as sugar cane bagasse are abundant sources of carbohydrates and their bioconversion has received great attention. It is known that the biological production of hydrogen and biogas makes sugar cane economically competitive since is low cost source of carbohydrates. Whereas the São Paulo state is the largest processor of sugarcane in Brazil and that this activity generates large amounts of waste rich in carbohydrates, especially sugar cane bagasse, this study will be evaluated its use as a substrate for the hydrogen production.For the implementation of this project, hydrolysis of bagasse will be performed using the Aspergillus niger fungus as well as the steam explosion (LPB / EESC / USP). Assay batch reactors operated at mesophilic condition will be performed with different concentrations of total carbohydrates derived from pretreated sugar cane bagasse (LPB / EESC / USP). The inoculum for the fermentation test for H2 production with immobilized bacteria in nanocoatings (University of Minho, Portugal) will be derived from the batch test with better production yield of H2. Synthetic substrate, similar to that employed in the batch test will be used in the assay with nanocoatings in continuous flow reactor. During the reactor operation different hydraulic detention times will be tested and ultimately the microbial characterization will be carried out by analysis of cryogenic scanning electron microscopy "Cryo-SEM" to analyze the microstructure and nanoporosidade of nanocoatings. (AU)