Production of xylose, furfural, fermentable sugars and ethanol from agricultural residues

Abstract

AbstractWith the developing shortage of petroleum, reliance on biomass as a source of chemicals and fuels will increase. In the present work, bagasse and rice husk were subjected to dilute acid (H2SO4) hydrolysis using pressurised water to obtain furfural and fermentable sugars. Various process conditions such as particle size, solid‐liquid ratio, acid concentration, reaction time and temperature have been studied to optimise yields of furfural, xylose and other fermentable sugars. The use of particle sizes smaller than 495 μm did not further increase the yield of reducing sugars. A solid‐liquid ratio of 1:15 was found to be the most suitable for production of reducing sugars. Hydrolysis using 0.4% H2SO4 at 453 K resulted in selective yields (g per 100 g of dried agricultural residues) of xylose from bagasse (22.5%) and rice husk (21.5%). A maximum yield of furfural was obtained using 0.4% H2SO4 at 473 K from bagasse (11.5%) and rice husk (10.9%). It was also found that hydrolysis using 1% H2SO4 at 493 K resulted in maximum yields of total reducing sugar from bagasse (53.5%) and rice husk (50%). The reducing sugars obtained were fermented to ethanol after removal of furfural. The effect of furfural on the fermentation of sugars to ethanol was also studied. Based on these studies, an integrated two‐step process for the production of furfural and fermentable sugars could be envisaged. In the first step, using 0.4% H2SO4 at 473 K, furfural could be obtained, while in the second step, the use of 1% H2SO4 at 493 K should result in the production of fermentable sugars.