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Effects of Liquid Hot Water Pretreatment on Enzymatic Hydrolysis and Physicochemical Changes of Corncobs

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Abstract

Liquid hot water (LHW) pretreatment is an efficient chemical-free strategy for enhancing enzymatic digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass for conversion to fuels and chemicals in biorefinery. In this study, effects of LHW on removals of hemicelluloses and lignin from corncobs were studied under varying reaction conditions. LHW pretreatment at 160 °C for 10 min promoted the highest levels of hemicellulose solubilization into the liquid phase, resulting into the maximized pentose yield of 58.8% in the liquid and more than 60% removal of lignin from the solid, with 73.1% glucose recovery from enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated biomass using 10 FPU/g Celluclast™. This led to the maximal glucose and pentose recoveries of 81.9 and 71.2%, respectively, when combining sugars from the liquid phase from LHW and hydrolysis of the solid. Scanning electron microscopy revealed disruption of the intact biomass structure allowing increasing enzyme’s accessibility to the cellulose microfibers which showed higher crystallinity index compared to the native biomass as shown by x-ray diffraction with a marked increase in surface area as revealed by BET measurement. The work provides an insight into effects of LHW on modification of physicochemical properties of corncobs and an efficient approach for its processing in biorefinery industry.

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Acknowledgments

This project was financially supported by research grants from the Thailand Research Fund and the Office of the Higher Education Commission (MRG6080162). N.L. was supported by a research grant (RTA 598006) from the Thailand Research Fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Energy and Environment, University of Phayao, Tambon Maeka, Amphur Muang, Phayao, 56000, Thailand

    Saksit Imman

  2. The Joint Graduate School for Energy and Environment (JGSEE), King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Prachauthit Road, Bangmod, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand

    Navadol Laosiripojana

  3. BIOTEC–JGSEE Integrative Biorefinery Laboratory, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Innovation Cluster 2 Building, Thailand Science Park, Khlong Luang, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand

    Navadol Laosiripojana & Verawat Champreda

  4. Enzyme Technology Laboratory, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Thailand Science Park, Khlong Luang, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand

    Verawat Champreda

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  1. Saksit Imman
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  2. Navadol Laosiripojana
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  3. Verawat Champreda
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Correspondence to Saksit Imman.

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Imman, S., Laosiripojana, N. & Champreda, V. Effects of Liquid Hot Water Pretreatment on Enzymatic Hydrolysis and Physicochemical Changes of Corncobs. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 184, 432–443 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-017-2541-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-017-2541-1

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