Effect of Delignification on Reducing Sugar Recovery from Crocodile Gourd for Bioethanol Production

Abstract

A central composite experimental design was used to optimize the key parameters affecting biomass delignification process of crocodile gourd for maximum reducing sugar recovery. The effects of temperature (70 oC to 90 oC), residence time (2 hrs. to 6 hrs.), concentration of sodium chloride (0.05 g/dm3 to 0.1 g/dm3) and volume of acetic acid (0.50 mL to 3 mL) were studied. The result obtained showed that optimum reducing sugar yield for crocodile gourd was achieved at temperature, time, sodium chloride and acetic acid of 70 oC, 6 hrs. 3 g and 3 mL respectively. The results indicate that X3, X4, X1 2 interactions and X2X4 interaction has linear effect on reducing sugar yield for crocodile gourd. The result of the proximate analysis showed moisture content of 6.50+ 0.50 %, Ash Content 11.00+ 0.28 %, Carbohydrate 64.40+0.62 %, Organic carbon 12.95+0.13 (%), Nitrogen 2.10+ 0.02 (%), Carbon/Nitrogen 6.16+0.08 %, Potassium 14100+23 mg/kg, Sodium 228+ 29 mg/kg, and Fixed carbon 7.4+0.80 %. The result of proximate analysis and compositional analysis revealed that the substrate could be utilized for biofuel production.