Dilute acid pretreatment of softwoods: Scientific note

Selective thinning of forests in the western United States will generate a large, sustainable quantity of softwood residues that can be an attractive feedstock for fuel ethanol production. The major species available from thinning of forests in northern California and the eastern Rocky Mountains inc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied biochemistry and biotechnology 1998-03, Vol.70-72 (1), p.77-87
Main Authors: NGUYEN, Q. A, TUCKER, M. P, BOYNTON, B. L, KELLER, F. A, SCHELL, D. J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abies concolor
Biofuel production
Biological and medical sciences
Biotechnology
Cellulose
Energy
Ethanol
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects
Mountains
Pine trees
Pinus ponderosa
Pseudotsuga menziesii
Softwoods
Sulfuric acid
Thinning
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Summary:Selective thinning of forests in the western United States will generate a large, sustainable quantity of softwood residues that can be an attractive feedstock for fuel ethanol production. The major species available from thinning of forests in northern California and the eastern Rocky Mountains include white fir (Abies concolor), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). Douglas fir chips were soaked in 0.4% sulfuric acid solution, then pretreated with steam at 200 - 230°C for 1 - 5 min. After pretreatment, 90 - 95% of the hemicellulose and as much as 20% of the cellulose was solubilized in water, and 90% of the remaining cellulose can be hydrolyzed to glucose by cellulase enzyme. The prehydrolysates, at as high as 10% total solid concentration, can be readily fermented by the unadapted yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae D^sub 5^A.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:0273-2289
1559-0291
DOI:10.1007/BF02920125