Diversity of Cell Wall Composition and Saccharides Production with H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> Pretreatment in Bioenergy Material: <i>Miscanthus</i>

Abstract

Miscanthus is a high yielding bioenergy crop which has been tested as substrate for the bioprocess. In this study, we selected four typical pairs of Miscanthus samples which present different cell wall compositions. The sample shows significant difference in saccharine production with different concentration pretreatment of H2SO4(0.5%, 1.0%, and 4.0%). Much more pentose (about 15.0% -30.0%) was extracted in the supernatant solution; and no significant difference between four species. The hexose yield of all samples is disciplinary and not in order. Direct enzymatic hydrolysis of the H2SO4presoaked biomass was found to give higher hexose yields of 6.0%–13.0%, but low pentose yields of 1.5%–3.0%.Higher H2SO4concentration resulted in more hexose, but less pentose in enzymatic hydrolysis, while they exhibit good tendency in saccharin yields between four typical pairs.