Abstract
This work studies the influence of the alkali pre-treatment of Sorghum Moench — a representative of energy crops used in biogas production. Solutions containing various concentrations of sodium hydroxide were used to achieve the highest degradation of lignocellulosic structures. The results obtained after chemical pre-treatment indicate that the use of NaOH leads to the removal of almost all lignin (over 99 % in the case of 5 mass % NaOH) from the biomass, which is a prerequisite for efficient anaerobic digestion. Several parameters, such as chemical oxygen demand, total organic carbon, total phenolic content, volatile fatty acids, and general nitrogen were determined in the hydrolysates thus obtained in order to define the most favourable conditions. The best results were obtained for the Sorghum treated with 5 mass % NaOH at 121°C for 30 min The hydrolysate thus achieved consisted of high total phenolic compounds concentration (ca. 4.7 g L−1) and chemical oxygen demand value (ca. 45 g L−1). Although single alkali hydrolysis causes total degradation of glucose, a combined chemical and enzymatic pre-treatment of Sorghum leads to the release of large amounts of this monosaccharide into the supernatant. This indicates that alkali pre-treatment does not lead to complete cellulose destruction. The high degradation of lignin structure in the first step of the pre-treatment rendered the remainder of the biomass available for enzymatic action. A comparison of the efficiency of biogas production from untreated Sorghum and Sorghum treated with the use of NaOH and enzymes shows that chemical hydrolysis improves the anaerobic digestion effectiveness and the combined pre-treatment could have great potential for methane generation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amon, T., Amon, B., Kryvoruchko, V., Machmüller, A., Hopfner-Sixt, K., Bodiroza, V., Hrbek, R., Friedel, J., Pötsch, E., Wagentristl, H., Schreiner, M., & Zollitsch, W. (2007). Methane production through anaerobic digestion of various energy crops grown in sustainable crop rotations. Bioresource Technology, 98, 3204–3212 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2006.07.007.
Antonopoulou, G., Gavala, H. N., Skiadas, I. V., Angelopoulos, K., & Lyberatos, G. (2008). Biofuels generation from sweet sorghum: Fermentative hydrogen production and anaerobic digestion of the remaining biomass. Bioresource Technology, 99, 110–119. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2006.11.048.
Appels, L., Baeyens, J., Degrève, J., & Dewil, R. (2008). Principles and potential of anaerobic digestion of waste-active sludge. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 34, 755–781. DOI: 10.1016/j.pecs.2008.06.002.
Arantes, V., Milagres, A. M. F., Filley, T. R., & Goodell, B. (2011). Lignocellulosic polysaccharides and lignin degradation by wood decay fungi: the relevance of nonenzymatic Fenton-based reactions. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology, 38, 541–555. DOI: 10.1007/s10295-010-0798-2.
Baudel, H. M., Zaror, C., & de Abreu, C. A. M. (2005). Improving the value of sugarcane bagasse wastes via integrated chemical production systems: an environmentally friendly approach. Industrial Crops and Products, 21, 309–315. DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2004.04.013.
Cao, W., Sun, C., Liu, R., Yin, R., & Wu, X. (2012). Comparison of the effects of five pretreatment methods on enhancing the enzymatic digestibility and ethanol production from sweet sorghum bagasse. Bioresource Technology, 111, 215–221. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2012.02.034.
Cara, C., Ruiz, E., Oliva, J. M., Sáez, F., & Castro, E. (2008). Conversion of olive tree biomass into fermentable sugars by dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification. Bioresource Technology, 99, 1869–1876. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2007.03.037.
Carballa, M., Manterola, G., Larrea, L., Ternes, T., Omil, F., & Lema, J. M. (2007). Influence of ozone pre-treatment on sludge anaerobic digestion: Removal of pharmaceutical and personal care products. Chemosphere, 67, 1444–1452. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.10.004.
da Costa Sousa, L., Chundawat, S. P. S., Balan, V., & Dale, B. E. (2009). ’Cradle-to-grave’ assessment of existing lignocellulose pretreatment technologies. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 20, 339–347. DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2009.05.003.
Gunaseelan, V. N. (2004). Biochemical methane potential of fruits and vegetable solid waste feedstock. Biomass and Bioenergy, 26, 389–399. DOI: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2003.08.006.
Hendriks, A. T. W. M., & Zeeman, G. (2009). Pretreatments to enhance the digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass. Bioresource Technology, 100, 10–18. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2008.05.027.
Kumar, P., Barrett, D. M., Delwiche, M. J., & Stroeve, P. (2009). Methods for pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass for efficient hydrolysis and biofuel production. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 48, 3713–3729. DOI: 10.1021/ie801542g.
Kürschner, K., & Hoffer, A. (1931). A new quantitative cellulose determination. Chemiker-Zeitung, 55, 161–163, 182–184.
Lenihan, P., Orozco, A., O’Neill, E., Ahmad, M. N. M., Rooney, D. W., & Walker, G. M. (2010). Dilute acid hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. Chemical Engineering Journal, 156, 395–403. DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2009.10.061.
McIntosh, S., & Vancov, T. (2010). Enhanced enzyme saccharification of Sorghum bicolor straw using dilute alkali pretreatment. Bioresource Technology, 101, 6718–6727. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2010.03.116.
Michalska, K., Miazek, K., Krzystek, L., & Ledakowicz, S. (2012). Influence of pretreatment with Fenton’s reagent on biogas production and methane yield from lignocellulosic biomass. Bioresource Technology, 119, 72–78. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2012.05.105.
Michalska, K., & Ledakowicz, S. (2012). Degradation of lignocellulosic structures and the products of their decomposition. Inżynieria i Aparatura Chemiczna, 51, 157–159.
Michaud, S., Bernet, N., Buffière, P., Roustan, M., & Moletta, R. (2002). Methane yield as a monitoring parameter for the start-up of anaerobic fixed film reactors. Water Research, 36, 1385–1391. DOI: 10.1016/s0043-1354(01)00338-4.
Mosier, N., Wyman, C., Dale, B., Elander, R., Lee, Y. Y., Holtzapple, M., & Ladisch, M. (2005). Features of promising technologies for pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass. Bioresource Technology, 96, 673–686. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2004.06.025.
Piecha-Marasek, M. (1992). Raw metrials for papers industry — pulpwood — chemical analysis. Retrieved June 15, 2012, from http://infostore.saiglobal.com/store/Details.aspx?ProductID=321814
Rabelo, S. C., Filho, R. M., & Costa, A. C. (2008). A comparison between lime and alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatments of sugarcane bagasse for ethanol production. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 144, 87–100. DOI: 10.1007/s12010-007-8086-y.
Singleton, V. L., & Rossi, J. A. (1965). Colorimetry of total phenolics with phosphomolybdic-phosphotungstic acid reagent. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, 16, 144–158.
Vancov, T., & McIntosh, S. (2012). Mild acid pretreatment and enzyme saccharification of Sorghum bicolor straw. Applied Energy, 92, 421–428. DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.11.053.
Wang, Z., Keshwani, D. R., Redding, A. P., & Cheng, J. J. (2010). Sodium hydroxide pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of coastal Bermuda grass. Bioresource Technology, 101, 3583–3585. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2009.12.097.
Whitfield, M. B., Chinn, M. S., & Veal, M. W. (2012). Processing of materials derived from sweet sorghum for biobased products. Industrial Crops and Products, 37, 362–375. DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2011.12.011.
Wu, L., Arakane, M., Ike, M., Wada, M., Takai, T., Gau, M., & Tokuyasu, K. (2011). Low temperature alkali pretreatment for improving enzymatic digestibility of sweet sorghum bagasse for ethanol production. Bioresource Technology, 102, 4793–4799. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2011.01.023.
Wyman, C. E., Dale, B. E., Elander, R. T., Holtzapple, M., Ladisch, M. R., & Lee, Y. Y. (2005). Coordinated development of leading biomass pretreatment technologies. Bioresource Technology, 96, 1959–1966. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2005.01.010.
Xu, F., Shi, Y. C., Wu, X., Theerarattananoon, K., Staggenborg, S., & Wang, D. (2011). Sulfuric acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of photoperiod sensitive sorghum for ethanol production. Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, 34, 485–492. DOI: 10.1007/s00449-010-0492-9.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Michalska, K., Ledakowicz, S. Alkali pre-treatment of Sorghum Moench for biogas production. Chem. Pap. 67, 1130–1137 (2013). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11696-012-0298-0
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11696-012-0298-0