title: Steam explosion pretreatment for enhancing biogas production of late harvested hay.
abstract: Grasslands are often abandoned due to lack of profitability. Extensively cultivating grassland for utilization in a biogas-based biorefinery concept could mend this problem. Efficient bioconversion of this lignocellulosic biomass requires a pretreatment step. In this study the effect of different steam explosion conditions on hay digestibility have been investigated. Increasing severity in the pretreatment induced degradation of the hemicellulose, which at the same time led to the production of inhibitors and formation of pseudo-lignin. Enzymatic hydrolysis showed that the maximum glucose yields were obtained under pretreatment at 220 °C for 15 min, while higher xylose yields were obtained at 175 °C for 10 min. Pretreatment of hay by steam explosion enhanced 15.9% the methane yield in comparison to the untreated hay. Results indicate that hay can be effectively converted to methane after steam explosion pretreatment.
authors.affiliation: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Konrad-Lorenz-Strasse 24, A-3430 Tulln, Austria; AlpS-GmbH, Centre for Climate Change Adaptation Technologies, Grabenweg 68, A-6010 Innsbruck, Austria. Electronic address: alexander.bauer@boku.ac.at.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.affiliation: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Konrad-Lorenz-Strasse 24, A-3430 Tulln, Austria; AlpS-GmbH, Centre for Climate Change Adaptation Technologies, Grabenweg 68, A-6010 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lizasoain
authors.affiliation: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Konrad-Lorenz-Strasse 24, A-3430 Tulln, Austria.
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Theuretzbacher
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, N-1432 Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Jane W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Agger
authors.affiliation: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Konrad-Lorenz-Strasse 24, A-3430 Tulln, Austria.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rincón
authors.affiliation: AlpS-GmbH, Centre for Climate Change Adaptation Technologies, Grabenweg 68, A-6010 Innsbruck, Austria; Mechanics Section, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Torino, largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Menardo
authors.affiliation: AlpS-GmbH, Centre for Climate Change Adaptation Technologies, Grabenweg 68, A-6010 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Molly K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Saylor
authors.affiliation: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Konrad-Lorenz-Strasse 24, A-3430 Tulln, Austria.
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Enguídanos
authors.affiliation: Cambi AS, Skysstasjon 11A, 1383 Asker, Norway.
authors.forename: Paal J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry of Renewable Resources, Konrad-Lorenz-Strasse 24, A-3430 Tulln, Austria.
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Potthast
authors.affiliation: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry of Renewable Resources, Konrad-Lorenz-Strasse 24, A-3430 Tulln, Austria.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zweckmair
authors.affiliation: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Konrad-Lorenz-Strasse 24, A-3430 Tulln, Austria.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gronauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, N-1432 Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Svein J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Horn
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels; D002482:Cellulose / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D003246:Conservation of Energy Resources / Q000379:methods; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008697:Methane / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D006109:Poaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D013227:Steam
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D011134:Polysaccharides; D013227:Steam; C007916:hemicellulose; D002482:Cellulose; D008697:Methane
keywords: Biofuel; Biogas; Hay; Methane; Steam explosion