Enhancing scalability and economic viability of lignocellulose-derived biofuels production through integrated pretreatment and methanogenesis arrest

Abstract

The pursuit of affordable biofuels necessitates continuous refinement of valorization strategies, focusing on cost-effective feedstocks, accessible bioprocessing, and high-quality products. High energy input required during various stages, including pretreatment, post-pretreatment, and methanogenesis arrest, impeded the economic lignocellulose-derived biofuels production from anaerobic digestion (AD). Addressing this challenge, an upstream process integrating synergistic alkali pretreatment and arrested AD was proposed. Results demonstrated that an optimum reactor pH 10 yielded a volatile fatty acids (VFA) titer of 3.6 gCOD/L, only 23% lower than using methanogenesis inhibitor. The study further explored the interplay between initial pH, cell viability/functionality, and VFA production by assessing cell viability and cell population demographics. This integrated approach demonstrated a VFA yield of 364 gVFA/kgTSsubstrate at a cost of just USD 0.2/kgVFA, encompassing post-pretreatment and methanogenesis arrest, which underscores the viability of combining pretreatment and methanogenesis arrest for cost effective and scalable biofuels production.