Comparison of different pretreatments for the production of bioethanol and biomethane from corn stover and switchgrass

Bioresour Technol. 2015 May:183:101-10. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.01.121. Epub 2015 Feb 11.

Abstract

In this study the efficiency of mild ionic liquid (IL) pretreatment and pressurized hot water (PHW) is evaluated and compared in terms of bioethanol and biomethane yields, with corn stover (CS) and switchgrass (SG) as model bioenergy crops. Both feedstocks pretreated with the IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate [C2C1Im][OAc] at 100°C for 3h exhibited lower glucose yield that those treated with harsher pretreatment conditions previously used. Compared to PHW, IL pretreatment demonstrated higher bioethanol yields; moreover IL pretreatment enhanced biomethane production. Taking into consideration both bioethanol and biomethane productions, results indicated that when using IL pretreatment, the total energy produced per kg of total solids was higher compared to untreated biomasses. Specifically energy produced from CS and SG was +18.6% and +34.5% respectively, as compared to those obtained by hot water treatment, i.e. +2.3% and +23.4% for CS and SG, respectively.

Keywords: Bioethanol; Biomass pretreatment; Biomethane; Ionic liquid pretreatment; Pressurized hot water pretreatment.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Anaerobiosis / drug effects
  • Biofuels*
  • Biotechnology / methods*
  • Carbohydrate Metabolism / drug effects
  • Ethanol / metabolism*
  • Fermentation / drug effects
  • Glucans / analysis
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Hot Temperature
  • Ionic Liquids / pharmacology
  • Kinetics
  • Lignin / isolation & purification
  • Methane / biosynthesis*
  • Oxygen / analysis
  • Panicum / chemistry*
  • Waste Products*
  • Water / pharmacology
  • Zea mays / chemistry*

Substances

  • Biofuels
  • Glucans
  • Ionic Liquids
  • Waste Products
  • Water
  • Ethanol
  • Lignin
  • Glucose
  • Methane
  • Oxygen