Dynamic microwave-assisted alkali pretreatment of cornstalk to enhance hydrogen production via co-culture fermentation of Clostridium thermocellum and Clostridium thermosaccharolyticum

A novel dynamic microwave-assisted alkali pretreatment (DMAP) of cornstalk (CS) was developed in a microwave pretreatment system, which resulted in the effective removal of lignin and an increased release of soluble compounds more accessible to microorganisms. The key factors affecting the pretreatm...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biomass & bioenergy 2014-05, Vol.64, p.220-229
Main Authors: Li, Qian, Guo, Chen, Liu, Chun-Zhao
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alternative fuels. Production and utilization
Applied sciences
Bio-hydrogen
Biofuel production
Biological and medical sciences
Biotechnology
Clostridium thermocellum
Clostridium thermosaccharolyticum
Co-culture
Cornstalk
Dynamic microwave-assisted alkali pretreatment
Energy
Exact sciences and technology
Fuels
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hydrogen
Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects
Thermophilic fermentation
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Summary:A novel dynamic microwave-assisted alkali pretreatment (DMAP) of cornstalk (CS) was developed in a microwave pretreatment system, which resulted in the effective removal of lignin and an increased release of soluble compounds more accessible to microorganisms. The key factors affecting the pretreatment process were optimized for enhancing thermophilic hydrogen production by co-culture of Clostridium thermocellum and Clostridium thermosaccharolyticum. The hydrogen yield reached 105.61 mL g−1 of CS when cornstalk was pretreated by DMAP for 45 min with an alkali loading, a liquid/solid ratio and flow rate of 0.12 NaOH g−1 of CS, 50:1 (mL:g) and 60 mL s−1, respectively. This was 54.8% higher than that from the untreated cornstalk, with greatly increased hemicellulose and cellulose degradations ranging from approximately 41%–79.55% and 71.28%, respectively. The present work indicates that DMAP has the strong potential to significantly improve the conversion efficiency of lignocellulosic material to renewable biofuel. •Dynamic microwave-assisted alkali pretreatment (DMAP) of cornstalk was developed.•Hydrogen fermentation of cornstalk samples treated by DMAP was improved.•DMAP provides great potential to improve the conservation of biomass to bio-fuels.
ISSN:0961-9534
1873-2909
DOI:10.1016/j.biombioe.2014.03.053