Effect of dilute alkaline pretreatment on the conversion of different parts of corn stalk to fermentable sugars and its application in acetone–butanol–ethanol fermentation

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2016-07, Vol.211, p.117-124
• Main Authors: Cai, Di, Li, Ping, Luo, Zhangfeng, Qin, Peiyong, Chen, Changjing, Wang, Yong, Wang, Zheng, Tan, Tianwei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ABE fermentation; Acetone - chemistry; Alkaline pretreatment; Biofuels; Butanol; Butanols - chemistry; Carbohydrates - chemistry; Corn stalk; Ethanol - chemistry; Fermentation; Hydrolysis; Lignin - chemistry; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Sodium Hydroxide - chemistry; Solvents; Zea mays - chemistry; Zea mays - drug effects
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2016.03.076

[Display omitted] •Different parts of corn stalk were used as raw material for bio-butanol production.•Alkaline pretreatment were optimized for different parts of corn stalks.•Pentose and hexose were used as the carbon source for ABE fermentation.•Bio-butanol yield from different part of corn stalks was different. To investigate the effect of dilute alkaline pretreatment on different parts of biomass, corn stalk was separated into flower, leaf, cob, husk and stem, which were treated by NaOH in range of temperature and chemical loading. The NaOH-pretreated solid was then enzymatic hydrolysis and used as the substrate for batch acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE) fermentation. The results demonstrated the five parts of corn stalk could be used as potential feedstock separately, with vivid performances in solvents production. Under the optimized conditions towards high product titer, 7.5g/L, 7.6g/L, 9.4g/L, 7g/L and 7.6g/L of butanol was obtained in the fermentation broth of flower, leaf, cob, husk and stem hydrolysate, respectively. Under the optimized conditions towards high product yield, 143.7g/kg, 126.3g/kg, 169.1g/kg, 107.7g/kg and 116.4g/kg of ABE solvent were generated, respectively.