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Conversion of Sago (Metroxylon sagu) Pith Waste to Fermentable Sugars via a Facile Depolymerization Process

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Abstract

The conversion of starchy sago (Metroxylon sagu) pith waste (SPW), a lignocellulosic biomass waste, to fermentable sugars under mild conditions had been successfully demonstrated. The optimum depolymerization of SPW was achieved at 2 wt% sample loading which was catalyzed by 100 mM of oxalic acid in the presence of 25 wt% NaCl solution at 110 °C for 3 h. Up to 97% SPW sample was being converted into fermentable sugars with limited formation of by-products after two sequential depolymerization cycles. Both reaction temperature and concentration of oxalic acid were crucial parameters for the depolymerization of SPW which exhibited a high selectivity for the production of glucose over other reducing sugars.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support rendered by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) via the award of fundamental research grants (Grant No. FRGS/ST01(01)/967/2013(08) and F07/FRGS/1495/2016), as well as research management and support provided by the Research Innovation and Management Center (RIMC), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.

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  1. Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia

    Suh Cem Pang, Lee Ken Voon & Suk Fun Chin

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  1. Suh Cem Pang
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  2. Lee Ken Voon
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Correspondence to Suh Cem Pang.

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Pang, S.C., Voon, L.K. & Chin, S.F. Conversion of Sago (Metroxylon sagu) Pith Waste to Fermentable Sugars via a Facile Depolymerization Process. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 184, 1142–1154 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-017-2616-z

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