Abstract
Aloe vera rind (AVR), a discarded solid biomass after extraction of gel finds no commercial importance could serve as a potent lignocellulosic feedstock for bioethanol production that prerequisite an efficient pretreatment to remove the lignin (16.4%, w/w). In the present study, the impact of mild acid pretreatment on AVR by using microwave energy with varied power (160 W, 320 W and 480 W) and its efficiency on saccharification was evaluated. Microwave acid pretreatment resulted in threefold decrease in recalcitrant lignin (5.58%, w/w) at 480 W than untreated AVR biomass. The effect of pretreatment on AVR biomass was characterized by various analytical techniques. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns deciphered an increase in cellulose crystallinity (14.8%) of delignified AVR biomass as compared to raw biomass (10.5%) and the extent of structural distortion after pretreatment was clearly indicated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Fourier-Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectra revealed the disappearance of peak around 1241 cm−1 (C–O stretching) indicated the deacetylation of hemicellulose after pretreatment. Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of liquid hydrolysate obtained after pretreatment unveiled the presence of higher fraction of carboxylic acids, esters, aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons as a result of lignin oxidation. The maximum reducing sugar obtained by crude cellulase from the delignified AVR biomass was found to be 296.8 ± 1.26 mg/g as compared to untreated AVR biomass (129.68 ± 2.34 mg/g). This study has shown the acid microwave pretreatment of AVR biomass could effectively improve the yield of fermentable sugars that are further used for ethanol production.
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