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Process optimization for acidic deep eutectic solvent pretreatment of corn stover to enhance enzymatic saccharification

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Abstract

In the present study, deep eutectic solvent (DES) was employed for an effective pretreatment of recalcitrant corn stover (CS) to improve the efficiency of the subsequent saccharification process. Accordingly, the molar ratios of lactic acid (LA)/choline chloride (ChCl), temperature, and time were studied via response surface methodology to optimize pretreatment conditions. While the best cellulose and hemicelluloses digestibility (94.85%) and delignification (29.27%) efficiency were achieved using the LA/ChCl molar ratio of 1 at 140 °C after 4 h. Overall, this efficiency was nearly seven-fold higher when compared to the untreated CS. Besides, at higher temperatures (> 140 °C), the humins were generated in the pretreatment process, which might have wrapped around the surface of the pretreated CS and resulted in an impeded enzymatic accessibility. The pretreatment efficiency was also fully maintained after three repeated cycles. This study provides an insight into the comprehensive utilization of the LA/ChCl type of DES for robust lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program (2018YFB1501401), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21978167), and the Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai (19160745300).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

    Tian-Jie Ao, Kai Li, Xin-Qing Zhao, Feng-Wu Bai & Chen-Guang Liu

  2. Bioenergy Research Center, Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan

    Muhammad Aamer Mehmood

  3. Department of Biological Sciences, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA, 70310, USA

    Raj Boopathy

Authors
  1. Tian-Jie Ao
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  2. Kai Li
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  4. Xin-Qing Zhao
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  5. Feng-Wu Bai
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  7. Chen-Guang Liu
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Contributions

Tian-Jie Ao: investigation, methodology, writing the original draft. Kai Li: investigation, methodology. Muhammad Aamer Mehmood: conceptualization, writing—review and editing. Xin-Qing Zhao: conceptualization. Feng-Wu Bai: supervision, funding acquisition, project administration. Raj Boopathy: writing—review and editing. Chen-Guang Liu: supervision, funding acquisition, project administration, conceptualization, writing- review and editing.

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Correspondence to Chen-Guang Liu.

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Highlights

• DES was employed for an effective pretreatment of corn stover (CS).

• The DES pretreatment was optimized via RSM and the single-factor approach.

• Humins were wrapped around the pretreated CS, causing poor enzymatic efficiency.

• The DES pretreatment efficiency was fully maintained after 3 repeated cycles.

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Ao, TJ., Li, K., Mehmood, M.A. et al. Process optimization for acidic deep eutectic solvent pretreatment of corn stover to enhance enzymatic saccharification. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 14, 6215–6228 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-022-02738-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-022-02738-0

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