Acid hydrolysis of wheat straw: A kinetic study Article uri icon

abstract

  • Biotechnological xylitol production can be enhanced if the needed xylose solutions can be obtained from hydrolysis of low-cost lignocellulosic wastes. The hydrolysis of wheat straw to obtain xylose solutions has a double consequence, the elimination of a waste and the generation of a value-added product. The objective of this work was to study the xylose production from wheat straw by sulphuric acid hydrolysis at 130 °C. Several mass fraction of acid (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5%25) were evaluated. Kinetic models were developed to explain the variation with time of xylose, glucose, arabinose, furfural, 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furaldehyde and acetic acid in the hydrolysates. Optimal conditions found were a H 2SO 4 mass fraction of 2%25 at 130 °C for 29 min, which yielded a solution with xylose, 18.9 kg m -3; glucose, 3.5 kg m -3; arabinose, 3.1 kg m -3; furfural, 0.6 kg m -3; 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furaldehyde, 0.3 kg m -3 and acetic acid, 2.3 kg m -3. In these conditions, 99%25 of the hemicelluloses and 11%25 of the glucan were hydrolysed. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

publication date

  • 2012-01-01