Enhanced cellulose efficiency of pressurized hot water pretreated highland Ethiopian bamboo (Yushania alpina): A potential feedstock for ethanol production

Mahelete Tsegaye, Bhagwan Singh Chandravanshi2 , Sisay Feleke and Mesfin Redi-Abshiro

Abstract

For the production of ethanol from pretreated lignocellulose biomass play a paramount role in facilitating the conversion of cellulose into glucose in the hydrolysis step. Therefore, this study is focused on the effect of hot water pretreatment on the chemical composition (cellulose and lignin) of highland bamboo of Ethiopia. The chemical composition of highland bamboo showed 46.76% (w/w) cellulose, 25.27% (w/w) lignin, 12.18% (w/w) hemicellulose, 3.77% (w/w) ash, 12.23% (w/w) hot-water extractive and 3.93% (w/w) ethanoltoluene extractives. The effect of hot water pretreatment was observed after the biomass was treated in the autoclave at 121, 128 and 135 oC with 5, 10, and 15 min pretreatment time with distilled water. The best pretreatment method was selected based on the pretreatment method which maximized the cellulose content and minimized the lignin content. Based on the selected pretreatment method a higher cellulose content of 52.44% and lower lignin content of 27.85% was achieved at 128 oC temperature and 10 min pretreatment time.