8-53: Biomass characteristics and bioethanol production of yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) treated with slurry composting and biofiltration liquid as fertilizer

  This study was focused on the effect of Slurry Composting and Biofiltration liquid fertilizer (SCBLF) on production of biomass and bioethanol of yellow poplar. Primarily, SCBLF was treated to yellow poplar, and evaluated the effect of SCBLF on growth characteristics. Then, SCBLF treated yellow poplar was pretreated with either dilute acid or organosolv to improve the enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation processes. 

  Seven year old yellow poplars planted in forest area were divided into three experimental sectors, control, water and SCBLF treatments, to measure inorganic contents, relative growth rate, chlorophyll contents and biomass quantity. SCBLF were applied 20 L tree^-1 week^-1 for 15 weeks to SCBLF treatments sector and the same amount of water was applied to water treatment sector. All the growth characteristics were the highest level in SCBLF treatment, and especially, total biomass quantity and increased amount of biomass volume were reached to 12.08 kg and 9590 cm³. 

  Prior to pretreatment, sugar compositions of yellow poplar were analyzed. Glucose contents of control were 50.37±2.20%, however that were increased to 55.31±0.37% by SCBLF treatments. Among the pretreatment process, organosolv pretreatment with 1% (w/w) of sulfuric acid were most effectively removed both hemicelluloses and lignin. The highest ethanol yield (39.68±0.33 g/l) was obtained from SCBLF treated yellow poplar after 72 h SSF procedure, and it stands for 18.66g of bioethanol could be produced by 100g wood powder. 

  Further analysis will be required to accomplish the optimal pretreatment conditions of yellow poplar for economically feasible production of ethanol.