Sunday, May 3, 2009
3-70

Integration of particles of different sizes in a hydrothermal process for the pre-treatment of agro-industrial residues such as wheat straw

Héctor A. Ruiz Leza1, Daniel P. Silva2, Denise S. Ruzene2, António A. Vicente1, Adilson R. Gonçalves3, and José A. Teixeira1. (1) IBB - Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, 4710-057, Portugal, (2) ITP-Instituto de Tecnologia e Pesquisa, Tiradentes University, Campus Farolândia, Aracaju/SE, 49032-490, Brazil, (3) Biotechnology Department, Engineering School of Lorena, University of São Paulo, Campus I, P.O.Box116, Lorena, 12602-810, Brazil

The recent year’s extensive research focusing on processes for the integral use of lignocellulosic materials has brought the possibility of production of several commodity chemicals; particular attention has been paid to fuel-ethanol production. Wheat straw, an abundant by-product from worldwide wheat production, has been studied in this work, aming at evaluating the influence of the particle size distribution, through the integration of different proportions of particles of different sizes, in a hydrothermal process, based on the utilization of water as sole fractionation agent, as pre-treatment of agro-industrial residues. The milled material was initially separated into fractions (a. > 1.0mm, b. 1.0-0.5mm, c. 0.5-0.3mm and d. < 0.3mm) and then mixed in different proportions. Considering the values of water absorption capability in each sample, hydrothermal processes were evaluated in different conditions of time and temperature. Thus, water was added to a wheat straw sample (solid/liquid ratio, 1:10w/v) and placed in a closed and pressurized vessel, taking into account the moisture content. After each treatment, the liquid phase (hemicelluloses fraction) was separated from the solids. The hemicelluloses were precipitated with three volumes of 95% ethanol and dried for yield determination. The operation at 200ºC/30 min (containing 10% of a., 40 % of b., 40% of c. and 10% of d.) showed to be the most efficient. This process has been developed aiming at a more efficient utilization of agro-industrial wastes on autohydrolysis processes for hemicelluloses extraction during the initial stage of straw integral use.
Financial Support: ALBAN Programme, FCT/Portugal, FAPESP and CNPq/Brazil

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See more of The 31st Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (May 3-6, 2009)