Removal of furan and phenolic compounds from simulated biomass hydrolysates by batch adsorption and continuous fixed-bed column adsorption methods

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2016-09, Vol.216, p.661-668
• Main Authors: Lee, Sang Cheol, Park, Sunkyu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetic Acid - chemical synthesis; Acetic Acid - isolation & purification; Activated charcoal; Adsorption; Adsorption equilibrium; Biomass; Biotechnology - instrumentation; Biotechnology - methods; Charcoal; Fixed-bed column adsorption; Furaldehyde - chemistry; Furaldehyde - isolation & purification; Furan; Furans - chemistry; Furans - isolation & purification; Hydrolysis; Parabens - chemistry; Parabens - isolation & purification; Phenolic compound; Phenols - chemistry; Phenols - isolation & purification; Simulated hydrolysates; Sulfuric Acids - chemistry; Sulfuric Acids - isolation & purification; Xylose - chemistry; Xylose - isolation & purification
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2016.06.007

•Activated charcoal adsorption methods were used to remove more hydrophobic inhibitors.•A furan and phenolic compounds were completely removed from simulated hydrolysates.•At least one fixed-bed column adsorption method was required to minimize xylose loss.•Complete removal of furan and phenolic compounds without xylose loss was achievable. It has been proposed to remove all potential inhibitors and sulfuric acid in biomass hydrolysates generated from dilute-acid pretreatment of biomass, based on three steps of sugar purification process. This study focused on its first step in which furan and phenolic compounds were selectively removed from the simulated hydrolysates using activated charcoal. Batch adsorption experiments demonstrated that the affinity of activated charcoal for each component was highest in the order of vanillic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, furfural, acetic acid, sulfuric acid, and xylose. The affinity of activated charcoal for furan and phenolic compounds proved to be significantly higher than that of the other three components. Four separation strategies were conducted with a combination of batch adsorption and continuous fixed-bed column adsorption methods. It was observed that xylose loss was negligible with near complete removal of furan and phenolic compounds, when at least one fixed-bed column adsorption was implemented in the strategy.