Quality Assessment of Corn Cob Monomeric Sugars for Biofuel Production
- September 22, 2020
- Posted by: RSIS Team
- Categories: Agriculture, IJRIAS
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS) | Volume V, Issue III, January 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186
Quality Assessment of Corn Cob Monomeric Sugars for Biofuel Production
Adejoju Omodolapo Adedara1*, Olayinka Helen Ogunsuyi1, Satyavolu Jagannadh2
1Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, The Federal University of Technology, PMB 704,Akure, Nigeria
2Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA
*Corresponding Author
Abstract: – The optimal condition for quantitative release of monomeric sugars such as xylose, glucose and arabinose from corn cob biomass were investigated. In this study, acid hydrolysis using dilute sulfuric acid was adopted for liquefaction of the biomass under different conditions. Experimental parameters such as acid concentration (0.4 %w/v, 0.6 %w/v and 4 %w/v), particle size (1.11μm, 1.14 μm and 1.17 μm), reaction temperature (80 0C, 100 0C and 120 0C) and contact time (45 min, 60 min and 120 min) were varied in order to establish the best hydrolysis conditions for the release of sugars as well as conditions under which emergence of sugar degradation products (furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) were minimal. The concentration of the monomeric sugars at each run of the hydrolysis was evaluated using a dual wavelength Uv-visible spectrophotometer. The effects of the hydrolysis
on surface morphology and structural composition of the pre-hydrolysed and post-hydrolysed biomass were monitored using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Fourier Transformed Infra Red (FTIR) Spectrophotometer. From the hydrolysis experiments, the optimal reaction conditions for quantitative recovery of xylose, glucose and arabinose were obtained with 4 %w/v sulfuric acid, 120 0C, reaction temperature, 2 h reaction time and 1.11 μm particle size of the biomass. The hydrolysate was fermented for ethanol production using in-house yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisea) generated from waste fruits. The FTIR spectrum of the fermented liquor showed the product obtained was an alcohol. The result of this study showed corn cob as a promising feed stock for biofuel production.
Keywords: Hydrolysis, Monomeric sugars, Degradation products, Fermentation and Ethanol
