title: Optimization of dilute acid pretreatment of water hyacinth biomass for enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol production.
abstract: The present study was conducted for the optimization of pretreatment process that was used for enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass (Water Hyacinth, WH), which is a renewable resource for the production of bioethanol with decentralized availability. Response surface methodology has been employed for the optimization of temperature ((o)C), time (hr) and different concentrations of maleic acid (MA), sulfuric acid (SA) and phosphoric acid (PA) that seemed to be significant variables with P < 0.05. High F and R (2) values and low P-value for hydrolysis yield indicated the model predictability. The pretreated biomass producing 39.96 g/l, 39.86 g/l and 37.9 g/l of reducing sugars during enzymatic hydrolysis with yield 79.93, 78.71 and 75.9 % from PA, MA and SA treated respectively. The order of catalytic effectiveness for hydrolysis yield was found to be phosphoric acid > maleic acid > sulfuric acid. Mixture of sugars was obtained during dilute acid pretreatment with glucose being the most prominent sugar while pure glucose was obtained during enzymatic hydrolysis. The resulting sugars, obtained during enzymatic hydrolysis were finally fermented to ethanol, with yield 0.484 g/g of reducing sugars which is 95 % of theoretical yield (0.51 g/g glucose) by using commercial baker's yeast (Sacchromyces cerveasiae).
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, GC University, Katchery Road, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Idrees
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, GC University, Katchery Road, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adnan
authors.affiliation: Drug Control and Traditional Medicine Division, National Institute of Health, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Shahzad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.affiliation: Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Chak Shahzad, Park Road, Islamabad 45600, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Fahim Ashraf
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Qureshic
keywords: Sacchroomyces cervesiae; biomass; maleic acid; optimization; water hyacinth