Enhancing sugar yield for bioconversion of rice straw: Optimization of Microwave-assisted Pretreatment using dilute acid hydrolysis

Abstract

Producing of biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass, such as rice straw, has increased with the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and mitigate climate change. However, the complex structure of lignocellulosic material requires pretreatment to break down the matrix and release the fermentable sugars. In this study, microwave-assisted dilute acid hydrolysis was optimized as a pretreatment method for enhancing the bioconversion of rice straw. Response Surface Methodology was used to investigate the effects of reaction time, temperature, and catalyst concentration on sugar yield. The optimized conditions were determined to be a reaction time of 10 min, reaction temperature of 75 °C, and a catalyst concentration of 1.5 g/L, resulting in a total sugar yield of 27.81 ± 0.73%. The findings demonstrate the potential of this method as an effective pretreatment for enhancing the bioconversion of rice straw, contributing to the development of sustainable energy sources.