title: Cellulosic butanol production from alkali-pretreated switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and phragmites (Phragmites australis).
abstract: A potential dedicated energy crop (switchgrass) and an invasive (North America) plant species (phragmites) were compared as potential substrates for acetone butanol ethanol (ABE) fermentation. Both biomass were pretreated with 1% (w/v) NaOH and subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis. Total reducing sugar yields were 365 and 385gkg(-1) raw biomass for switchgrass and phragmites. Fermentation of the hydrolysates resulted in overall ABE yields of 146 and 150gkg(-1) (per kg dry plant material), with a theoretical maximum of 189 and 208gkg(-1), respectively. Though similar overall solvent yields were obtained from both crops, the largest carbon loss in the case of switchgrass occurred during pretreatment, while the largest loss in the case of phragmites occurred to enzymatic hydrolysis. These findings suggest that higher overall yields are achievable and that both crops are suitable feedstocks for butanol fermentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada; Dipartimento di Ingegeria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriali, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, P.le V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boiano
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ingegeria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriali, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, P.le V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marzocchella
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada. Electronic address: lrehmann@uwo.ca.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rehmann
mesh_terms: D000096:Acetone / Q000378:metabolism; D000468:Alkalies / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018533:Biomass; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D000440:Butanols / Q000378:metabolism*; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D002480:Cellulase / Q000378:metabolism; D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003013:Clostridium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism; D005285:Fermentation / Q000187:drug effects; D006868:Hydrolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000187:drug effects; D008897:Panicum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006109:Poaceae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000468:Alkalies; D000440:Butanols; D000096:Acetone; D000431:Ethanol; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; D002244:Carbon; D002482:Cellulose; D002480:Cellulase
keywords: ABE fermentation; NaOH pretreatment; Phragmites; Switchgrass