Sunday, May 4, 2008
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Characterization and mapping of lignin during bioethanol process: Comparison between thermochemical and oxidative pre-treatment processes

Prasad Kaparaju and Claus Felby. Danish Center for Forest and Landscape, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, Frederiksberg, DK-1958, Denmark

The objective of the study was to characterize and map changes in lignin during pre-treatment/hydrolysis/fermentation of biomass to ethanol. Chemical composition with regard to cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, extractives and ash along with the changes in lignin molecular weight distribution and structure throughout different steps of two different bioethanol processes were compared. The two processes included are thermochemical pre-treatment from the IBUS process (www.bioethanol.info) and steam explosion combined with wet oxidation from the BioGasol company (www.biogasol.dk). Both processes include subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation.  The results reported cover difference in overall composition, lignin molecular weights and location as well as AFM and confocal microscopy of the processed biomass.