Student Work

Lignocellulosic Hydrolysate Detoxification for the Production of Second Generation Ethanol

Public

Downloadable Content

open in viewer

This experiment analyzed the ability of biochar to detoxify lignocellulose biomass hydrolysate, a common feedstock for second generation ethanol. Before lignocellulose biomass can be fermented, it undergoes hydrolysis to break down the coarse structure of the biomass. Hydrolysis increases the surface area of carbohydrates, while simultaneously creating fermentation inhibitors, such as furans, phenols, and weak acids. Before the hydrolysate can be fermented it must be detoxified. The experiment determined that biochar is not able to adsorb fermentation inhibitors at a large enough capacity to successfully detoxify the hydrolysate. The found saturation capacity for all biochars was less than 34 mg/g and 20 mg/g, for 5- hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural respectively.

  • This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.
Creator
Publisher
Identifier
  • E-project-050720-005547
Advisor
Year
  • 2020
Sponsor
Date created
  • 2020-05-07
Resource type
Major
Rights statement

Relations

In Collection:

Items

Items

Permanent link to this page: https://digital.wpi.edu/show/6m311r81t