Fermentable sugars production by dilute acid pretreatment of sugarcane leaves with minimum sugar degradation products

Abstract

Xylan from sugarcane leave can be hydrolyzed by acid pretreatment. Xylose is a monosaccharide produced from the biomass by acid pretreatment that can be converted into several by-products of value-added. Using response surface methodology, this study evaluated the acid pretreatment of sugarcane leaves to obtain a high xylose yield with a minimum generation of furfural (degradation product). The studied variables were: sulfuric acid concentration, reaction time, and solid/liquid rate. The sugarcane leaves present 37.47% of cellulose, 29.69% of hemicellulose, and 12.24% of lignin. Maximum xylose production (52.82%) was observed with a minimum generation of furfural (1.7%), applying specific conditions of pretreatment containing acid (50% m/m or 1% m/v), reaction time (60 min) and solid rate/liquid (8% m/v). The highest xylose yields (above 40 %) occurred with the application of higher acid concentrations (above 1% m/v or 50% m/m), the most important variable observed in this study. This study pointed to process conditions for xylose production, and such parameters that can be used in the process of obtaining high added-value products by xylose conversion.