title: Sugar yields from dilute sulfuric acid and sulfur dioxide pretreatments and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of switchgrass.
abstract: Dacotah switchgrass was pretreated with sulfuric acid concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 wt.% at 140, 160, and 180 °C and with 1 and 3 wt.% sulfur dioxide at 180 °C over a range of times. Sulfur dioxide loadings of 0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, and 10%wt.% of dry biomass were also tested at 180 °C for 10 min. Sugar yields were tracked for pretreatment and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis to identify conditions for the highest total sugar yields. Pretreatment with 1 wt.% dilute sulfuric acid at 140 °C for 40 min followed by enzymatic hydrolysis with 48.6 mg enzyme/g initial glucan in raw biomass resulted in ∼86% of theoretical yield for glucose and xylose combined. For sulfur dioxide pretreatment, the highest total sugar yield of about 87% occurred at 5% SO₂ for 10 min and 180 °C. However, xylose yields were higher at shorter times and glucose yields at longer times.
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental Research and Technology, University of California, Riverside, USA.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Mirvat A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ebrik
authors.forename: Charles E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Wyman
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002480:Cellulase / Q000378:metabolism; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008897:Panicum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D013464:Sulfuric Acids / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D002241:Carbohydrates; D013464:Sulfuric Acids; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D002480:Cellulase; C033158:sulfuric acid