Effect of [EMIM]Ac Recycling on Salix gracilistyla Miq. Pretreatment for Enzymatic Saccharification

Abstract

Recycling of ionic liquid (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, [EMIM]Ac) after the pretreatment of Salix gracilistyla Miq. was conducted and the effect of the recycling number on the enzymatic saccharification yield was investigated. Enzymatic saccharification was performed using an enzyme cocktail (Acremonium cellulase and Optimash BG) at 50 °C for 72 h. All recycled [EMIM]Ac samples showed a lower amount of water soluble fraction than pure [EMIM]Ac. On increasing the recycling number from 1 to 4, the amount of water soluble fraction decreased from 18% to 15%. The X-ray diffraction pattern of the products pretreated with recycled [EMIM]Ac showed cellulose I crystalline polymorph. The crystallinity of the product pretreated with recycled [EMIM]Ac was 47-49%, which was lower than 33% of that with pure [EMIM]Ac. The yields of glucose and xylose decreased in the pretreatment with recycled [EMIM]Ac compared to that with pure [EMIM]Ac.