Types Of Lignocellulosic Biomass Research Articles

Prediction of Syngas Composition During Gasification of Lignocellulosic Waste Mixtures

Avoiding global dependence on fossil oils and improving the environmental impact of energy production are factors that drive research into renewable energies. Considering lignocellulosic biomass residues as a raw material for gasification, a thermochemical process that converts lignocellulosic resources into synthesis gas (H2, CO, CH4, and CO2) is an alternative under study due to its low costs, high efficiency, and wide variety of applications. Fortunately, there are still areas for its improvement and technological development. For example, this can be achieved by gasification. Distinct types of lignocellulosic biomass, such as sugarcane bagasse, wheat straw, pine sawdust, or corn cob, differ in their physical, chemical, and morphological properties, which can affect the characteristics of the gasification process. This work uses the generalized stoichiometry and mass and atomic balances in the gasification reactor to predict the composition of syngas produced via the gasification of both individual substrates and mixtures. The results provide useful information for the design and operation of gasification reactors with an operating region between 2.0 bar and 4.5 bar and between 1023.15 K and 1223.15 K, particularly with regard to understanding the effects of distinct types of biomasses in terms of their humidity and molecular weight on the operation and performance of the process. One important conclusion reached after simulating the addition of more vapor is that the (H2/CO) ratio cannot be increased indefinitely: it is limited by the thermodynamic equilibrium reached by the system.

Compositional and structural characterization of eleven types of lignocellulosic biomass and its potential application in obtaining nanopolysaccharides and producing polyhydroxyalkanoates

Compositional and structural characterization of eleven types of lignocellulosic biomass and its potential application in obtaining nanopolysaccharides and producing polyhydroxyalkanoates

Production of lignin-containing nanocellulose from six types of unpretreated lignocellulosic biomass by a one-step process

Lignin-containing nanocellulose (LCN) shows great potential in the fabrication of high performance bio-based materials, and suitable raw materials may achieve the production of LCN in a more economical approach. Therefore, in this study, the morphology, chemical and supramolecular structure of six types of lignocellulosic biomass (Broussonetia papyrifera bark, moso bamboo, rattan, balsa wood, poplar wood and fir wood) were analyzed for the production of LCN by using pure oxalic acid dihydrate (OAD). The results revealed that BPBs is a natural available cellulose-rich materials with extremely high cellulose content, low lignin content, and loosely connected cellulose chains. Compared with the other five types of lignocellulosic biomass materials, the hydrolysis of BPBs without any pretreatments by using OAD produced higher yield of LCN with much more uniform size distribution and smaller size. LCN from BPBs had higher crystallinity and thermal stability than that from the other five lignocellulosic biomass. The finding in this study indicated that Broussonetia papyrifera bark without any pretreatment was a favored material for high yield production of LCN compared with the other woody materials, which provided an economically realizable method on the efficient and high yield production of LCN from unpretreated BPBs by using OAD hydrolysis.

Insights into effect of lignocellulosic biomass framework types on bio-based shape stable composite phase change materials

The utilization of biomass waste as framework materials to inhibit the leakage of phase change material (PCMs) has gained widespread attention. In this work, three new kinds of shape stable composite phase change materials (sscPCMs) were prepared which combined with stearic acid (SA) and peanut shell powders (PSP), poplar wood powders (PWP), and corn straw powders (CSP), respectively. The influence of lignocellulosic biomass types on the thermal energy storage performance of sscPCMs was studied by comparing three types of sscPCMs. The research results indicated that SA/CSP exhibited superior properties in terms of load capacity and thermal energy storage performance. According to leakage experiments the load capacity of SA/PSP, SA/PWP and SA/CSP was 31.67 %, 44.69 %, and 50.09 %, respectively. The phase change latent heat of SA/PSP, SA/PWP, and SA/CSP was 55.78, 84.27 and 98.47 J/g, respectively. In addition, the relationship between biomass component content and load rates was studied. The results showed that there was a positive correlation between the loading rates of SA and the ratio of holocellulose (cellulose + hemicellulose) to lignin. The results provided a promising approach for the selection of lignocellulosic biomass framework materials.

Olive stone as a filler for recycled high-density polyethylene: A promising valorization of solid wastes from olive oil industry

The valorization of solid residues generated from olive oil production is a challenging issue for olive oil-producing countries such as Greece, Italy, Spain, etc. Olive stone waste is a type of lignocellulosic biomass with potential use as a natural additive in polymeric composites. In the present study, olive stone waste was compounded with recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) via melt mixing in 5 %, 10 %, and 20 % wt. Additionally, the effect of Joncryl (JC) and polyethylene-grafted maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) as compatibilizers on the properties of the green composites was also investigated. It is worth mentioning that JC was employed for the first time as a compatibilizer for polyolefin composites with olive stone. The materials underwent structural, thermal, and mechanical characterization using multiple complementary techniques. Scanning electron microscopy showed good dispersion of the filler for all composites, while in the compatibilized samples a markedly better adhesion was observed. Tensile tests revealed an increase in the elastic modulus for the composite with 10 % wt. olive stone. Furthermore, all materials demonstrated a strong antioxidant activity, rendering them interesting for active packaging applications. Overall, the solid residue from olive processing can enhance the properties of rHDPE, paving the way to promote circular economy.

Granular activated carbon enhances volatile fatty acid production in the anaerobic fermentation of garden wastes.

Garden waste, one type of lignocellulosic biomass, holds significant potential for the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) through anaerobic fermentation. However, the hydrolysis efficiency of garden waste is limited by the inherent recalcitrance, which further influences VFA production. Granular activated carbon (GAC) could promote hydrolysis and acidogenesis efficiency during anaerobic fermentation. This study developed a strategy to use GAC to enhance the anaerobic fermentation of garden waste without any complex pretreatments and extra enzymes. The results showed that GAC addition could improve VFA production, especially acetate, and reach the maximum total VFA yield of 191.55mg/g VSadded, which increased by 27.35% compared to the control group. The highest VFA/sCOD value of 70.01% was attained in the GAC-amended group, whereas the control group only reached 49.35%, indicating a better hydrolysis and acidogenesis capacity attributed to the addition of GAC. Microbial community results revealed that GAC addition promoted the enrichment of Caproiciproducens and Clostridium, which are crucial for anaerobic VFA production. In addition, only the GAC-amended group showed the presence of Sphaerochaeta and Oscillibacter genera, which are associated with electron transfer processes. Metagenomics analysis indicated that GAC addition improved the abundance of glycoside hydrolases (GHs) and key functional enzymes related to hydrolysis and acidogenesis. Furthermore, the assessment of major genera influencing functional genes in both groups indicated that Sphaerochaeta, Clostridium, and Caproicibacter were the primary contributors to upregulated genes. These findings underscored the significance of employing GAC to enhance the anaerobic fermentation of garden waste, offering a promising approach for sustainable biomass conversion and VFA production.

Optimizing the detoxification conditions of distiller's grains hydrolysate for tetramethylpyrazine fermentation by Bacillus sp. TTMP20

Distiller's grains (DGS) are the main byproduct of the brewing industry and a type of lignocellulosic biomass. In this study DGS were pretreated with water, dilute sulfuric acid, and sodium hydroxide to obtain hydrolysates for the fermentation of tetramethylpyrazine (TTMP). Acid-treated hydrolysate produced the highest TTMP yield. Then detoxification conditions of acid-treated hydrolysate including activated carbon dosage, pH, temperature, and time were optimized for the removal of some inhibitors such as acids, phenols, furfural and 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (HMF), and TTMP production. Under optimal detoxification conditions (activated carbon dosage of 3.0%, pH of 4.0, temperature of 60 ℃, and time of 60 min), almost all inhibitors were removed (83.82% acids, 96.47% phenols, 94.61% furfural and 91.87% HMF). In comparison to the control, this improved detoxification boosted the TTMP yield of Bacillus sp. TTMP20 by 1.27 times. Our strategy provided a suitable way for TTMP production from DGS, which achieved efficient resource utilization of industrial waste DGS.

Enzymatic potential of endophytic fungi: xylanase production by Colletotrichum boninense from sugarcane biomass.

Endophytic fungi constitute a major part of the still unexplored fungal diversity and have gained interest as new biological sources of natural active compounds, including enzymes. Endophytic fungi were isolated from soybean leaves and initially screened on agar plates for the production of CMCase (carboxymethylcellulase), xylanase, amylase and protease. The highest Enzymatic Indexes (IE) were verified for xylanase (2.14 and 1.31) with the fungi M6-A6P5F2 and M12-A5P3F1.2 and CMCase (1.92 and 1.62) with the fungi M13-A9P2F1 and M12-A5P3F1.2, respectively. The production of xylanase and CMCase by the selected fungi was evaluated in submerged cultivation using beechwood xylan and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), as well as sugarcane straw and bagasse in different ratios as carbon sources. Both types of lignocellulosic biomass proved to be good inducers of enzymatic activity. The best xylanase producer among the isolates was identified as Colletotrichum boninense. With this fungus, the highest xylanase activity was obtained with a sugarcane straw-bagasse mixture in a 50:50 ratio (383.63 U mL-1), a result superior to that obtained with the use of beechwood xylan (296.65 U mL-1). Regardingthe kinetic behavior of the crude xylanase, there was found optimal pH of 5.0 and optimal temperatures of 50°C and 60°C. At 40°C and 50°C, xylanase retained 87% and 76% of its initial catalytic activity, respectively. These results bring new perspectives on bioprospecting endophytic fungi for the production of enzymes, mainly xylanase, as well as the exploitation of agro-industrial by-products, such as sugarcane straw and bagasse.

Conversion of archeological iron rust employing coconut husk lignin

Rust powder collected from an archeological iron was evaluated by complementary analyses such as FTIR, XRD, XRF, and SEM/EDX. The analyses revealed that lepidocrocite (L) was the major component in the archeological iron. Coconut husk (CH) can be classified as a type of lignocellulosic biomass of renewable resources that are widely available, especially in coastal areas. In this research, the isolated lignin extracted from CH is being studied as a potential alternative for environmentally friendly applications. The isolated lignin from soda and organosolv pulping went through several analyses such as FTIR, NMR (13C and 2D-HSQC), and TGA analyses. The analyses showed that lignin isolated via soda pulping has superior antioxidant capabilities due to its greater phenolic-OH content compared to lignin isolated from organosolv pulping. The effects of lignin concentrations, pH, and reaction time were utilized in rust conversion studies of an archeological iron. 5 wt% of soda lignin (SL) was revealed as the ideal condition in this rust conversion study with a value of 84.21 %. The treated rust powder with 5 wt% of SL was then further gone through several complementary analyses, which revealed that the treated rust had nearly transformed into an amorphous state.

Exploring the potential of multiple lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for biobutanol production

To improve the cost-effectiveness of biobutanol production, lignocellulosic biomass is used as a cheap and sustainable feedstock. It provides fermentable sugars for microbial fermentation but lacks nitrogen resources and other nutrients. This study investigated the effects of combining multiple types of lignocellulosic biomass with nitrogen-rich wheat bran on ABE fermentation. Depending on the composition and fermentation effects, the optimal mixing ratio of wheat bran added with sugarcane bagasse, corncob and pine was 1:1, 1:4 and 2:3, respectively. The addition of corn steep powder as a nutritional source significantly enhanced sugar consumption and solvent concentration. Integration of pervaporation with ABE fermentation facilitated timely removal of butanol and alleviated product inhibition, resulting in a final total solvents concentration of 14.51 g/L, comparable to fermentation with TYA synthetic medium. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using combined lignocellulosic biomass to reduce feedstock costs and enhance the application of biobutanol production.

Challenges and opportunities in the production of sustainable hydrogen from lignocellulosic biomass using microwave-assisted pyrolysis: A review

Hydrogen is the potential future resource to cater the energy and chemical requirements. Microwave-assisted pyrolysis (MAP) could be the potential technology to obtain green hydrogen from lignocellulosic biomass waste. The proximate and elemental composition varies with the type of lignocellulosic biomass, which influences the yield of hydrogen. In MAP, the operating parameters including microwave power, heating rate, temperature, and susceptor play an important role in hydrogen production. Cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin present in the lignocellulosic biomass undergo decomposition when they are subjected to MAP. Most importantly, the susceptor material added to the feedstock induces the plasma, which would help the cleavage of the bonds to form hydrogen gas. When the microwave power intensity is high, then the generation of hydrogen would be high. During the MAP, the formed char from the biomass would act as susceptor cum catalyst, hence it further speeds up the hydrogen generation pathways. The energy and time required for the MAP are very less compared to conventional pyrolysis. The present review manuscript would help the research community to understand the possible applications of MAP for hydrogen production.

The structure and properties of lignin isolated from various lignocellulosic biomass by different treatment processes

The structure and properties of lignin can vary depending on the type of lignocellulosic biomass it comes from and the separation techniques used, and also affects its suitability for different applications. In this work, the structure and properties of lignin isolated from moso bamboo, wheat straw, and poplar wood by different treatment processes were compared. Results show that deep eutectic solvent (DES) extracted lignin exhibits well-preserved structures (including β-O-4, β–β, and β-5 linkages), a low molecular weight (Mn = 2300–3200 g/mol), and relatively homogeneous lignin fragments (1.93 < PDI < 2.33) compared to dealkaline lignin (DL) and milled wood lignin (MWL). Besides, lignin samples extracted by DES have a regular nanostructure, higher carbon residue content (>40 %), and excellent antioxidant properties (the free radical scavenging index >20). Among the three types of biomass, the structural destruction of lignin in straw is the most obvious, which is due to the degradation of β-O-4 and β-β linkages during DES treatment. These findings can contribute to a better understanding of the structural changes that occur in various treatment processes from different lignocellulosic biomass, and help maximize the targeted development of their applications based on the characteristics of lignin.

Comparative Production of Bio-Oil from In Situ Catalytic Upgrading of Fast Pyrolysis of Lignocellulosic Biomass

Catalytic upgrading of fast pyrolysis bio-oil from two different types of lignocellulosic biomass was conducted using an H-ZSM-5 catalyst at different temperatures. A fixed-bed pyrolysis reactor has been used to perform in situ catalytic pyrolysis experiments at temperatures of 673, 773, and 873 K, where the catalyst (H-ZSM-5) has been mixed with wood chips or lignin, and the pyrolysis and upgrading processes have been performed simultaneously. The fractionation method has been employed to determine the chemical composition of bio-oil samples after catalytic pyrolysis experiments by gas chromatography with mass spectroscopy (GCMS). Other characterization techniques, e.g., water content, viscosity, elemental analysis, pH, and bomb calorimetry have been used, and the obtained results have been compared with the non-catalytic pyrolysis method. The highest bio-oil yield has been reported for bio-oil obtained from softwood at 873 K for both non-catalytic and catalytic bio-oil samples. The results indicate that the main effect of H-ZSM-5 has been observed on the amount of water and oxygen for all bio-oil samples at three different temperatures, where a significant reduction has been achieved compared to non-catalytic bio-oil samples. In addition, a significant viscosity reduction has been reported compared to non-catalytic bio-oil samples, and less viscous bio-oil samples have been produced by catalytic pyrolysis. Furthermore, the obtained results show that the heating values have been increased for upgraded bio-oil samples compared to non-catalytic bio-oil samples. The GCMS analysis of the catalytic bio-oil samples (H-ZSM-5) indicates that toluene and methanol have shown very similar behavior in extracting bio-oil samples in contrast to non-catalytic experiments. However, methanol performed better for extracting chemicals at a higher temperature.

Cellulose hydrolysis and bioethanol production from various types of lignocellulosic biomass after microwave-assisted hydrotropic pretreatment

This study examined the impact of microwave-assisted hydrotropic pretreatment using sodium cumene sulfonate on the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose contained in pine chips, beech chips and wheat straw biomasses as well as the effectiveness of the production of bioethanol from the obtained hydrolysates. The effectiveness of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose contained in beech chips and wheat straw subjected to pretreatment in optimised process conditions amounted to ca. 55–60%. As a result of this, hydrolysates containing glucose in the concentration of 76–84 g/L were acquired, which is a significant achievement in the case of cellulosic hydrolysates. A lower efficiency of the process was recorded when cellulose from pine chips was used (maximum hydrolysis efficiency was 17.21 ± 0.09%), which confirms a higher resistance of softwood biomass to the process of biodegradation. The highest concentration of ethanol, at the level of 41.44 ± 0.55 g/L, was achieved through the fermentation of the medium being a hydrolysate of wheat straw after microwave-assisted hydrotropic pretreatment. The developed raw material and hydrolysate preparation method indicates the possibility of using wheat straw after microwave-assisted hydrotropic pretreatment for efficient cellulosic ethanol production using high-gravity (HG) technology.

Improving Lignocellulosic and Non-Lignocellulosic Biomass Characteristics through Torrefaction Process

In this study, three locally available biomasses, namely miscanthus, hops, sewage sludge, and additionally, their mixtures, were subjected to the torrefaction process to improve their fuel properties. The torrefaction process was conducted at 250–350 °C and 10–60 min in a nitrogen (N2) environment. The torrefaction temperature and time were studied to evaluate the selected biomass materials; furthermore, heating values, mass and energy yields, enhancement factors, torrefaction severity indexes (TSI), and energy-mass co-benefit indexes (EMCI) were calculated. In addition, thermogravimetric (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared analyses (FTIR) were performed to characterize raw and torrefied biomass under the most stringent conditions (350 °C and 60 min). The results showed that with increasing torrefaction temperature and duration, mass and energy yields decreased, and heating values (HHVs) increased for all studied biomasses. The results of the TSI and EMCI indexes showed that the optimum torrefaction conditions were as follows: 260 °C and 10 min for pure miscanthus and hops, whilst this could not be confirmed for the sewage sludge. Furthermore, the combination of sewage sludge and the above-mentioned types of lignocellulosic biomass exhibited better fuel properties than sewage sludge alone.

Comparison of properties of biochar produced from different types of lignocellulosic biomass by slow pyrolysis at 600 °C

Production of biochar from corn cob and corn stalk has gained great interest for efficient waste management with benefits of improving soil properties, increasing crop productivity, and contributing to carbon sequestration. This study investigated slow pyrolysis of corn cob and corn stalk at 600 °C to characterize yields and properties of products, with focus on solid biochar. Spruce wood, a rather well studied woody biomass, was also included for comparison purposes. It was observed that yields of biochar and condensates from corn cob, corn stalk, and spruce wood were comparable. However, gas release profiles and yields from the three biomasses were quite different, which is mainly related to the different chemical compositions (i.e., hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin, and inorganic species) of the studied raw feedstocks. The produced biochars were analyzed for proximate analysis, CHNS-elemental analysis, specific surface area and specific pore volume for pores in the nm-range, inorganic composition, solid functional groups, and aromaticity. The corn cob and corn stalk biochar presented significantly higher concentration of inorganic elements, especially P and K, favoring soil application. The SEM analysis results showed that the spruce wood biochar has different microstructure than corn cob and corn stalk biochars. Condensates and light gases, as by-products from biochar production, contained over 50% of the energy and 40% of the total carbon of the initial biomass. Utilization of the condensates and light gases as valuable resources is therefore critical for improving environmental and energy benefits of the biochar production process.

Study on differences in the enzyme hydrolysis induced from lignins from diverse types of lignocellulosic biomass

ABSTRACT The content and composition of substrate lignin significantly impacted the enzymatic hydrolysis of the lignocellulosic biomass process, mainly manifested in steric hindrance and non-productive adsorption, which was considered one of the main obstacles affecting enzymatic hydrolysis. Because of the intricate lignin structure, the mechanism of its effect on enzyme hydrolysis was unclear. Hence, this study aimed to inquire into the effect of the lignin structural units on the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. Lignins with different structural units were isolated from non-wood: reed, rice straw, and bamboo. Analyzed the structural differences of lignins using methods like GPC, FT-IR, and NBO. The results showed that bamboo lignins had a higher S/G ratio of 1.7: 1, which was different from reed and rice straw lignin of 0.9: 1. The surface morphology of lignin/cellulose composite films was characterized byAFM. QCM-D was used to monitor the hydrolysis process of lignin/cellulose composite films in situ and in real-time. Bamboo lignin composite film had the slowest enzymatic hydrolysis rate of 0.2 min−1, the longest time (23.6 min) to get the maximum enzymatic hydrolysis, and the lowest maximum hydrolysis frequency of 83.9 Hz. Structural analysis indicated the bamboo lignin had a higher yield of the content of syringyl unit, a higher degree of non-condensation, and contained more aryl ether bonds. Both enzymatic hydrolysis and QCM-D results showed that bamboo had the lowest enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency. This study focuses on how the structural differences of the three isolated lignins affect the enzymatic hydrolysis process. It suggests that the lignin with a higher S/G ratio inhibits the enzyme adsorption to cellulose present in composite and retard enzymatic hydrolysis process of cellulose more obviously.

Cost of ligno-cellulosic biomass production for bioenergy: A review in 45 countries

Energy generation from biomass is a promising alternative to fossil fuels since biomass resources are available in most parts of the world and offer great flexibility through their capacity for use in different forms of energy carriers. However, its cost-competitiveness remains difficult to assess due to the large variability of bioenergy costs, to which the cost of biomass feedstock contributes disproportionately. To address this issue, this paper evaluates the production cost of primary energy production from ligno-cellulosic biomass based on a literature review covering 106 references in academic and grey literature from 45 countries. Our data relate to five types of ligno-cellulosic biomass: managed forest, wood energy crops, grass energy crops, agricultural residues and forest residues. Our results provide insight into the variability of feedstock costs within and between biomass types. We found that the cost of residues from forestry and agriculture is significantly lower than the other biomass types. We did not find any significant difference between the cost of grass energy crops, wood energy crops and managed forest. Biomass grown in Europe is significantly more expensive than in other regions, while biomass grown in Latin America is significantly cheaper.

Effect of Potassium Salts on Biochar Pyrolysis

Alkali pretreatment is one of the chemical pretreatment technologies that has been examined on various types of lignocellulosic biomass. To gain a better insight into the effects of a potassium-based catalyst on pyrolysis behavior with different materials, potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3) and potassium nitrate (KNO3) were used as additives in this study. The experimental parameters which included particle size, heating rate, and additive loading were investigated. The results showed that adding potassium for both KHCO3 and KNO3 to feedstocks led to increase in biochar. A model-free method, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO), was implemented in this study to determine the activation energy values for untreated and potassium-treated feedstocks. A reduction in apparent activation energy values of treated biomass was observed. This indicates that adding potassium salt to biomass influenced the structures of the main components and promoted the catalytic effect of pyrolysis. Activation energies of treated pine range from 250 to 308 kJ/mol, and energies of wheat straw range from 277 to 402 kJ/mol.

Integrated Life Cycle Assessment Modelling of Densified Fuel Production from Various Biomass Species

This work presents new data on the life cycle impact assessment of various lignocellulosic biomass types in Mexico. A comparative life cycle assessment model of biomass densification systems was conducted. An integrated approach that incorporated various process variables, such as technology and variations in feed properties, within the analysis was employed to evaluate the environmental impact of producing 1 MJ of energy-containing densified fuel. The results show that the densification unit and curing (fuel drying) have the highest impact on the life cycle’s operational energy and the total life cycle energy, respectively. Of all the 33 biomass types from the 17 species sources considered in this study, sweet sorghum and sandbur grass have the highest global warming potential, 0.26 and 0.24 (kg CO2-eq), and human toxicity 0.58 and 0.53 (kg 1,4-dichlorobenzene-eq), respectively, while coffee pulp and cooperi pine wood have the least impact in both categories, with values of 0.08 and 0.09 (kg CO2-eq), and 0.17 and 0.16 (kg 1,4-dichlorobenzene-eq), respectively. Chichicaxtla sawmill slabs also have a low environmental impact, and cooperi pine and Ceiba wood have the lowest ozone depletion and ecotoxicity potential. A sensitivity analysis indicated the effects of the transportation system and energy source on the life cycle’s environmental impact. Adequate feed preparation, the blending of multiple feeds in the optimum ratio, and the careful selection of densification technology could improve the environmental performance of densifying some of the low-bulk-density feed biomass types.