Pretreated Sugarcane Bagasse Research Articles

Dilute Sulphuric Acid Pre-treatment for Efficient Production of Bioethanol from Sugarcane Bagasse using Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In the present study, the effect of dilute acid hydrolysis during the pre-treatment of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) was conducted using sulphuric acid of various concentrations. A high concentration of reducing sugar of 270.90 g/L was achieved by soaking bagasse in 0.5M of H2SO4 at a constant temperature of 120 oC. After the pre-treatment (saccharification), the reducing sugars obtained at the different concentrations were fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae mono-culture modes. The results indicated that, the pre-treated SCB treated with 0.5M H2SO4 produced the highest yield of ethanol which was 8.884 g/L with a productivity of 0.134 g/L/h. However, relatively low ethanol yield was found when 0.2M H2SO4 was used which yielded 8.2185 g/L. In any case, acid hydrolysis proves to be a better method of hydrolysis and an increase in the concentration during hydrolysis contributes to higher sugar yield and subsequently higher ethanol yields.

Efficient delignification of sugarcane bagasse by Fenton oxidation coupled with ultrasound-assisted NaOH for biotransformation from Agaricus sinodeliciosus var. Chaidam

Sugarcane bagasse (SCB), a widely available lignocellulosic by-product, could be potentially used in macrofungal bioconversion for high-value bioactive compounds. For macrofungus with poor lignin degradation capacity, its recalcitrant lignin structure blocked the release of fermentable sugars for cell growth. Herein, the main objective was to construct an effective delignification pretreatment strategy for SCB biotransformation and synthesis of bioactive substances by Agaricus sinodeliciosus var. Chaidam. Different pretreatments including chemical (alkali and Fenton oxidation) and ultrasound methods were used to intensify the delignification process. Physico-chemical characteristics of native and pretreated SCB were examined via XRD, XPS, FT-IR and 13C ssNMR to characterize crystallinity index, surface lignin and chemical structure. Lignocellulose-degrading enzymes were also used to assess the ability of the macrofungus to degrade SCB. By comparing morphological structure, chemical composition and fermentation characteristics, a suitable multiple sequential pretreatment method was finally identified. Our findings revealed that Fenton-ultrasound-alkali pre-treatment has an optimum delignification effect on SCB with never-uncovered excellent ability to detoxify harmful substances produced by Fenton oxidation. Under this pretreatment condition, the cellulose content was increased by 106.45%, whereas hemicelluloses and lignin were decreased by 48.34% and 74.15%, respectively. The macrofungal growth, intracellular polysaccharides, total phenols and terpenoids formation were 2.4, 1.46, 1.36 and 1.66 times higher than those of the untreated, respectively. Fermentation kinetic results showed outstanding fit and prediction of macrofungal growth and enzymatic activity secretion on above pretreated SCB. This study shed light on developing a novel pretreatment strategy for low-cost SCB lignocellulose transformation into high-value products.

Multi-product biorefinery with sugarcane bagasse: Process development for nanocellulose, lignin and biohydrogen production and lifecycle analysis

Sugarcane processing sector generates large quantities of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) as the residual lignocellulosic biomass (∼30% by weight). With its rich biochemical composition, SCB can function as potential, renewable, and alternative feedstock for high valued biobased products in the framework of circular economy. Production of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) from SCB, integrated with co-production of lignin and biohydrogen in a biorefinery approach was studied. Pretreatment of SCB resulted in the extraction of cellulose (0.34 ± 0.02 g/g) followed by NCC production (0.15 ± 0.02 g/g SCB) through depolymerization. In the biorefinery scenario, 0.15 L/g CODR of H2, and 0.15 ± 0.05 g/g SCB of lignin was produced in addition to NCC. The products were characterized for their respective qualitative and quantitative recoveries. Further, standalone NCC production and biorefinery processes were compared for their sustainability by employing lifecycle impact assessment (LCA) tool. The biorefinery scenario has depicted nearly 30% less environmental impacts along with 24% less CO2 emissions (GWP) than the standalone process. Sensitivity analysis validated the data precision with repeatability and reproducibility of the results. Establishment SCB based biorefinery process with zero liquid discharge (ZLD) approach provides additional benefits to the sugarcane processing industries by infusing circular chemistry in the industry 4.0 framework.

Enhancement of glucose production from sugarcane bagasse through an HCl-catalyzed ethylene glycol pretreatment and Tween 80

In this work, an HCl-catalyzed ethylene glycol (EG) pretreatment was exploited for promoting sugar release from sugarcane bagasse (SCB). The results showed that the combination of HCl and EG could remove the xylan (∼100.0%) and lignin (∼61.3%) in SCB together, which finally resulted in the pretreated substrate having a good efficacy for follow-up enzymatic hydrolysis. The maximum glucose yield of this work was 93.9% and obtained after pretreatment at 130 °C for 60 min with 0.5% HCl and 72 h enzymatic digestion. The analysis of various pretreated or un-pretreated SCB indicated that the changes of surface morphology and internal compositions of SCB were the mainly reasons for its hydrolysis efficiency enhancement. The addition of Tween 80 into hydrolysis process could remarkably shorten hydrolysis time and cellulase dosage from 72 h to 36 h and 20 FPU/g substrate to 10 FPU/g substrate, respectively, meanwhile maintaining a relatively high glucose yield (91.4%).

Optimization of Dilute Acid Pretreatment for Enhanced Release of Fermentable Sugars from Sugarcane Bagasse and Validation by Biophysical Characterization

Pretreatment of biomass is one of the most challenging steps in the process of second-generation (2G) ethanol and biochemical production. Dilute acid pretreatment is a widely adapted and convenient method to recover pentose (C5) as well as hexose (C6) sugars due to its featured solubilization of hemicellulose and cellulose before and after enzymatic saccharification, respectively. In the present study, dilute sulfuric acid (H2SO4) pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) was statistically optimized using the face-centered composite design (FCCD) of response surface methodology (RSM) in terms of acid concentration (0.1–3% v/v), solid loading (5–20% w/v) and residence time (15–60 min) at constant temperature of 121 °C followed by enzymatic hydrolysis using commercial cellulase (Novozymes Cellic CTec2) for enhanced combined sugar yield (CSY) comprising of C5 and C6 sugars in pretreated as well as saccharified hydrolysates. Optimized process parameters found in the study were 2.18% (v/v) acid; 14.35% (w/v) solid loading; and 29.49 min residence time. CSY under optimized conditions was found to be 521.42 ± 7.2 g/kg raw SCB with 72.06 ± 1.0% sugars recovered out of the maximum theoretical sugars present in the raw biomass. Total reducing sugar yields in pretreated and saccharified hydrolysates were found to be 215.28 ± 2.4 and 306.14 ± 5.3 g/kg raw SCB, respectively. Morphological and structural changes in optimized pretreated and saccharified biomass further validated the efficiency of optimized pretreatment applied in the present study. The maximum ethanol concentration, volumetric productivity and yield from released sugars were calculated as 10.82 ± 2.2 g/L, 0.45 ± 0.9 g/L/h and 0.42 g/g-glucose consumed or 71.45 ± 2.5 g/kg raw SCB, respectively. Ethanol yield obtained from the fermentation of dilute H2SO4-pretreated SCB was corresponding to 82.4% of the theoretical ethanol yield.

Levoglucosan as the Intermediate Product on the Pre-treated Sugarcane Bagasse Hydrolysis Catalyzed by Brønsted Acid

Levoglucosan as the Intermediate Product on the Pre-treated Sugarcane Bagasse Hydrolysis Catalyzed by Brønsted Acid

Ultrasonic-Assisted Dual-Alkali Pretreatment and Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Sugarcane Bagasse Followed by Candida tropicalis Fermentation to Produce Xylitol.

In this work, the investigation mainly focused on ultrasonic-assisted dual-alkali pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse followed by Candida tropicalis fermentation to produce xylitol. The results showed that the combination of NaOH and ammonia water had the best effect by comparing the effects of the four single-alkali (NaOH, KOH, ammonia water, Ca(OH)2) and their mixed double-alkali pretreatments on xylose content. Then, the optimal conditions for ultrasonic-assisted pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse were obtained by response surface methodology. When the ratio of NaOH and ammonia water was 2:1, the mixed alkali concentration (v/v) was 17%, the ultrasonic temperature was 45°C, the ultrasonic power was 300 W, and the ultrasonic time was 40 min, the content of xylose reached a maximum of 2.431 g/L. Scanning electron microscopy showed that sugarcane bagasse by ultrasonic-assisted alkali pretreatment aggravated with more folds and furrows. Moreover, the fermentation results showed that the concentration ratio of enzymatic hydrolysate of sugarcane bagasse affected the xylitol yield, and when concentrated three times, the highest yield of xylitol (54.42%) was obtained.

Multicopper oxidase enzymes from Chrysoporthe cubensis improve the saccharification yield of sugarcane bagasse

The genome of phytopathogenic fungus Chrysoporthe cubensis has distinct groups of multicopper oxidase (MCO) coding genes, including new laccases, that could have the potential for biotechnological applications. Here, the complete genomic arsenal of MCOs from C. cubensis was identified and characterized. Laccases were induced, purified from the fungal crude extract, and these enzymes' potential to improve the sugarcane bagasse saccharification was tested. In silico genomic analysis revealed 13 MCOs classified as fungal ferroxidases; ascomycete laccases; laccases/ferroxidases; fungal pigments MCOs, and ascorbate oxidases. The C. cubensis cultivation in different lignocellulosic biomass yielded enzymatic extracts more efficiently for sugarcane bagasse saccharification than commercial preparations. The higher laccase activity (4.88 U g-1) was detected in the crude extract of the fungus cultivated on wheat bran and orange peel (3:1), and MCOs with laccase activity were purified from this protein extract. Mass spectrometry using MALDI-TOF/TOF identified two MCOs with 53.4 kDa and 74 kDa. The mixture containing the purified laccases oxidized 91% of the phenolic compounds produced from the alkaline pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse and allowed the improved saccharification yields. These enzymes are promising for application in biomass hydrolysis, especially in the detoxification of phenolic compounds.

Stability of the Cellic CTec2 enzymatic preparation immobilized onto magnetic graphene oxide: Assessment of hydrolysis of pretreated sugarcane bagasse

Sugarcane bagasse (SB) was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis using an enzyme cocktail immobilized on magnetic graphene oxide particles (GO-MNP). The thermal, storage, pH, and operational stabilities of the immobilized enzymes, including exoglucanase, endoglucanase, β-glucosidase, xylanase, and β-xylosidase, were evaluated. The half-life of the biocatalyst (GO-MNP-Enz) was longer than that of the free enzymes at temperatures above 45 °C, with the exception of endoglucanase. SB was subjected to pretreatments generating sulfite-NaOH pretreated SB (SSB) and chlorite pretreated SB (CSB). The enzymatic hydrolysis of SSB and CSB was evaluated using free enzymes and GO-MNP-Enz. The cellulose and xylan conversion of SSB using free enzymes was higher than using GO-MNP-Enz; however, a similar result was obtained after 72 h. This did not occur in the hydrolysis of CSB, in which at the end of 72 h, conversion using GO-MNP-Enz did not reach the levels obtained with free enzymes. GO-MNP-Enz was successfully reused in several SSB hydrolysis cycles, maintaining an efficiency of approximately 80% and presenting the highest turnover frequency when compared with previous results reported in literature. Finally, these results show that the immobilization of cellulases and xylanases improves their operational stability and the obtained GO-MNP-Enz can be used for various SB hydrolysis cycles.

Optimization of Liquid Hot Water Pretreatment and Fermentation for Ethanol Production from Sugarcane Bagasse Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Sugarcane bagasse can be considered a potential raw material in terms of quantity and quality for the production of alternative biofuels. In this research, liquid hot water (LHW) was studied as a pretreatment process to enhance the digestibility of pretreated material for further conversion into bioethanol. Different variables (temperature, residual time, and acid concentration) were determined to predict the optimized condition. LHW pretreatment showed an impact on the hemicellulose structure. The optimized condition at 160 °C for 60 min with 0.050 M acid concentration reached the highest glucose yield of 96.86%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed conspicuous modification of the sugarcane bagasse structure. The effect of LHW pretreatment was also demonstrated by the changes in crystallinity and surface area analysis. FTIR techniques revealed the chemical structure changes of pretreated sugarcane bagasse. The prepared material was further converted into ethanol production with the maximized ethanol concentration of 19.9 g/L.

Pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse with dilute citric acid and enzymatic hydrolysis: Use of black liquor and solid fraction for biogas production

This study evaluated the pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) with dilute citric acid solution for biogas production. The black liquor (BL) from pretreatment and residual solid fraction (RSF) obtained after enzymatic hydrolysis were used as substrates for the biogas production. After saccharifications of the pretreated solid fractions performed with Cellic® CTec 3 cocktail, the highest concentration of total reducing sugars (TRS) was in the range of 10.7–184.8 g L−1 and the sugar yields were in the range of 3.5–88.8%. For BL, the contents of glucose, xylose, and arabinose were in the range of 1.9–8.9 g L−1, 4.0–24.7 g L−1, and 0.2–5.4 g L−1, respectively. Biogas production from BL and RSF resulted, respectively, in maximum values of 563.6 and 57.8 NmL gCOD−1, indicating the feasibility of using dilute citric acid pretreatment coupled to biogas production in biorefineries. Brief energy and economic assessment were carried out considering the energy balance (thermal energy generated by burning biogas - thermal energy spent in the pretreatment), as well as revenue from a possible sale of electricity generated in a combined heat and power system.

The Deconstruction of the Lignocellulolytic Structure of Sugarcane Bagasse by Laccases Improves the Production of H2 and Organic Acids.

The production of biofuels using sugarcane bagasse (SCB) as substrate can be considered an environmentally friendly approach, due to the possibility of combining energy production with the reuse of agroindustrial wastes. This study was undertaken to explore the applicability of a new extract with the enzymes (Lacmix) isolated from Chaetomium cupreum for SCB pretreatment. Lacmix was more active at pH of 2.2 to 4 and 50 to 60°C. Further, the individual and mutual effects of SCB concentration (6.6 to 23.4g L- 1), enzyme concentration (0.066 to 0.234 U L- 1), and incubation time of the SCB with Lacmix (19 to 221min) on SCB pretreatment were evaluated using a response surface methodology and central composite design. The optimized conditions were 23.4g L- 1 SCB, 0.234 U mL- 1 laccases, and 2.44h resulting in 547 ± 108mg L- 1 of total sugars. This value agrees with the predicted value (455 ± 41mg L- 1) by the statistical model. Through the SCB pretreated with Lacmix fermentation, 96.1% more H2 and 22.5% more organic acids were observed compared to SCB without pretreatment. Therefore, laccases improve delignification, maximizing biomass fermentation for biofuel production.

Ferric chloride aided peracetic acid pretreatment for effective utilization of sugarcane bagasse

The synergetic impacts of ferric chloride aided peracetic acid (FPA) pretreatment were investigated to enhance the total biomass utilization through effective cellulose conversion and high-quality lignin production. The sugarcane bagasse pretreatment with 2% peracetic acid (PAA) and 0.1 mol/L ferric chloride (FeCl3) effectively removed 57.3% of lignin and 72.2% of xylan while preserving ∼ 97% of cellulose from sugarcane bagasse under mild temperature (90 °C). The FPA pretreated sugarcane bagasse was effectively hydrolyzed with a glucose yield of 313.0 mg/g-biomass, which was 4.5 times higher than the yield of untreated biomass (69.75 mg/g-biomass) and 1.6 and 3.6 times higher than that of individual PAA and FeCl3 pretreated sugarcane bagasse, respectively. The regenerated lignin (FPA lignin) showed great potential for further valorization by preserving the major interunit linkage (up to 86% of β-O-4) without significant carbohydrate contamination and lignin condensation due to its mild reaction conditions. In this study, the combination of PAA and FeCl3 synergistically enhanced the pretreatment efficiency on sugarcane bagasse and resulted in high fermentable sugar and high-quality lignin production.

When the order matters: Impacts of lignin removal and xylan conformation on the physical structure and enzymatic hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse

Dilute acid and alkaline pretreatments are commonly used to fractionate lignocellulosic biomass for its conversion into biofuels and renewable materials. In the current work, we compare the structure and morphology of one and two-step alkaline and acid pretreated sugarcane bagasse (SCB) and differences in their enzymatic hydrolysis rates and yields. We used physical techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and X-ray diffraction to shed light on physical and morphological changes introduced by the pretreatments in SCB. We also applied solid state NMR procedures which allowed us to separate xylan structural conformations inside pretreated plant biomass samples. Our results reveal that practically all xylan in two-step “alkaline first” (NaOH 1% + H2SO4 1%) pretreated samples adopts two-fold ribbon-like conformation, tightly associated with crystalline cellulose. On the contrary, a main part of xylan in the SCB samples after “acid first” (H2SO4 1% + NaOH 1%) combined pretreatment has a three-fold screw conformation characteristic of xylan bound to lignin. Modifications in the biomass composition, physical structure and xylan conformation introduced by the alternative pretreatments contribute to the observed differences in the enzymatic hydrolysis rates and yields. These results could be relevant for analysis and optimization of pretreatments and enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass in general.

The lytic polysaccharide monooxigenases secreted by the fungus Chrysoporthe cubensis: Genomic analysis and impact on sugarcane bagasse saccharification

This work aimed to identify and evaluate the impact of oxidoreductases secreted by Chrysoporthe cubensis COAD 3356 on the saccharification of sugarcane bagasse. Genomic analyses focusing on lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases from Auxiliary Activity family 9 (LPMO9s) indicated fourteen putative LPMO9-coding genes in the C. cubensis genome. The predicted proteins were clustered with other LPMO9s based on sequence similarity. We evaluated if the clusters correlate with LPMO9 function, such as substrate specificity and oxygenation regioselectivity, and with evolutionary features (phylo-specific proteins and the presence of genes coding for LPMO9 redox partners in fungal genomes). There was no apparent connection between the LPMO9 sequences and the evaluated functional properties. On the other hand, we detected clusters containing phylo-specific LPMO9, and a cluster enriched in LPMO9s from fungi with no genes coding for cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH). Proteomic analysis using LC-MS/MS revealed the presence of seven LPMO9s in C. cubensis exoproteome, in addition to flavin-containing oxidoreductases. Saccharification of alkaline pretreated sugarcane bagasse in aerobic and anaerobic conditions using C. cubensis exoproteome fractions, which contained different LPMO9s, indicated that the CcLPMO9C and CcLPMO9D are better fitted than other LPMO9s secreted by C. cubensis for sugarcane bagasse saccharification.

Optimization of chemical solution concentration and exposure time in the alkaline pretreatment applied to sugarcane bagasse for methane production

ABSTRACT Sugarcane is the most traded crop in the world, with Brazil being the world’s largest producer. Sugarcane processing generates up to 28% of sugarcane bagasse (SB) from the entire plant, with only 50% of it used for energy generation. SB is a lignocellulosic biomass that can be converted into biogas. However, the optimization of pretreatment process parameters is essential for its successful scaling up. This study evaluated the effect of mild alkaline pretreatment of SB using NaOH and KOH at concentrations of 1–10% and exposure time of 1–12 hours) on the biochemical methane potential (BMP) under mesophilic temperature. The central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was applied as statistical tool to generate optimal operating pretreatment conditions. The tests were performed in triplicates totalizing 84 batch bottles. The BMP of the untreated SB varied between 297–306 LN CH4 kg VS−1 while the BMP of the pretreated samples with NaOH and KOH were 19% and 20% higher. The optimized conditions were NaOH at 7.7% and KOH at 8.3% KOH for 12 hours. However, the range indicated by the statistical design with CCRD revealed that there was no statistical difference in terms of methane yield when concentrations between 4–10% NaOH and 6–10% KOH during 12 hours were applied, when compared to the specific optimized points. The optimization of the pretreatment parameters demonstrated to be a key-factor to improve the anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic substrates, leading to a less chemically dependent and more sustainable approach, while allowing a more profitable process.

Coproduction xylo-oligosaccharides with low degree of polymerization and glucose from sugarcane bagasse by non-isothermal subcritical carbon dioxide assisted seawater autohydrolysis

High pretreatment temperature is necessary to obtain xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) with low degree of polymerization (DP). However, traditional isothermal pretreatment for XOS production may increase the generation of xylose and furfural with the reaction time extending (10–100 min). In this study, non-isothermal subcritical CO2-assisted seawater autohydrolysis (NSCSA) firstly used seawater and CO2 for the coproduction of XOS with low DP and glucose. 51.44% XOS was obtained at 205 °C/5 MPa, and low-DP (2–4) XOS accounted for 79.13% of the total XOS. Furthermore, the specific surface area and total pore volume of the pretreated sugarcane bagasse (SCB) were 1.96 m2/g and 0.011 cm3/g, respectively, increased by 148% and 83% than that of nature SCB. Compared with subcritical CO2 pretreatment, NSCSA is an efficient method for the coproduction of XOS with low DP and glucose through inorganic salts in seawater and H2CO3 formed from CO2.

Combined Sugarcane Pretreatment for the Generation of Ethanol and Value-Added Products

In this work, we have tested individual and combination of applications of ozonolysis and liquid hot water (LHW) to pretreat sugarcane bagasse (SCB) for the removal of enzyme and/or microbial inhibitors and generation of potential value-added chemicals. A solid content with 80% cellulose and a liquid phase (liquor) rich in phenolic derived compounds (3 g.L−1) from lignin, sugars (>20 g.L−1), and other compounds, such as furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), were generated. Maximal (59%) glucan conversion occurred in the presence of double-pretreated bagasse, which had 32–50% more glucan available than the samples that were individually LHW or ozone-pretreated, resulting in maximal ethanol production (92% after 42 h) from double-pretreated SCB enzyme hydrolyzate. In summary, this work showed that ozone reacts effectively with lignin without the use of any other chemical reagent, and LHW pretreatment, followed by a washing step, was effective in solubilizing and cleaning up the fiber enzyme and microbial inhibitory compounds with ozone being effective against phenolics. Moreover, the generated cellulose-rich substrate is readily fermentable. The acidic liquor fraction removed by sequential washings and containing mainly sugars and phenolic compounds may be evaluated for use in green chemistry bioconversions processes.

Developing Microbial Co-Culture System for Enhanced Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) Production Using Acid Pretreated Lignocellulosic Biomass.

In the growing polymer industry, the interest of researchers is captivated by bioplastics production with biodegradable and biocompatible properties. This study examines the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production performance of individual Lysinibacillus sp. RGS and Ralstonia eutropha ATCC 17699 and their co-culture by utilizing sugarcane bagasse (SCB) hydrolysates. Initially, acidic (H2SO4) and acidified sodium chlorite pretreatment was employed for the hydrolysis of SCB. The effects of chemical pretreatment on the SCB biomass assembly and its chemical constituents were studied by employing numerous analytical methods. Acidic pretreatment under optimal conditions showed effective delignification (60%) of the SCB biomass, leading to a maximum hydrolysis yield of 74.9 ± 1.65% and a saccharification yield of 569.0 ± 5.65 mg/g of SCB after enzymatic hydrolysis. The resulting SCB enzymatic hydrolysates were harnessed for PHA synthesis using individual microbial culture and their defined co-culture. Co-culture strategy was found to be effective in sugar assimilation, bacterial growth, and PHA production kinetic parameters relative to the individual strains. Furthermore, the effects of increasing acid pretreated SCB hydrolysates (20, 30, and 40 g/L) on cell density and PHA synthesis were studied. The effects of different cost-effective nutrient supplements and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) with acid pretreated SCB hydrolysates on cell growth and PHA production were studied. By employing optimal conditions and supplementation of corn steep liquor (CSL) and spent coffee waste extracted oil (SCGO), the co-culture produced maximum cell growth (DCW: 11.68 and 11.0 g/L), PHA accumulation (76% and 76%), and PHA titer (8.87 and 8.36 g/L), respectively. The findings collectively suggest that the development of a microbial co-culture strategy is a promising route for the efficient production of high-value bioplastics using different agricultural waste biomass.

An eco-friendly biocatalytic process for producing better quality paper from sugarcane bagasse using ultrafiltered enzymes concoction.

In the current study, pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse has been carried out with ultrafiltered xylano-pectinolytic enzymes, before conventional chemical bleaching process. Optimized enzymatic dose (4IU xylanase and 1.2IU pectinase per g of oven dried pulp) and retention time (180min) were determined on the basis of maximum decrement in kappa number (from 20.93 to 15.32), release of maximum sugars (7.4mg/g) as well as attainment of maximum brightness (25.1% ISO), whiteness (from-57.3 to-41.9) and minimum yellowness (from 48.7 to 35.3) of the pulp samples. Enzymatically treated samples also showed release of phenolic, lignin and hydrophobic compounds in their filtrates. Nearly 30% decrement in the exhaustion of bleaching chemical dose was detected as compared to control samples. The physical properties such as tear index, burst index, double fold number, breaking length, gurley porosity and viscosity of enzymo-chemically treated bagasse pulp samples were improved by 6.68%, 33.86%, 22.92%, 13.43%, 17.5% and 9.64%, respectively. Additionally, a decrement of 36.75% and 28.29% in the values of BOD and COD of the effluents was also noted, which demonstrated the fact that, inclusion of enzymes in chemical based protocols of paper and pulp industries could be a highly beneficial and eco-friendly approach in upcoming decades. This is the first report mentioning the effect of ultrafiltered xylano-pectinolytic enzymes concoction on sugarcane bagasse pulp.