Extraction of Hemicellulosic Sugar and Acetic Acid from Different Wood Species with Pressurized Dilute Acid Pretreatment

Abstract

Extraction is a necessary element in the bioconversion of lignocellulosics to fuels and chemicals. Although various forms of chemical pretreatment of cellulosic materials have been proposed, their effectiveness varies depending on the treatment conditions and substrate. In this study, mixed hardwood (MH) and loblolly pine (LP) were pretreated with dilute acid in a 100 mL accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) at the predetermined optimal conditions: temperature: 170°C, acid concentration: 0.5% (w/v), and reaction time: 2～64 min. This method was highly effective for extracting the hemicellulose fraction. Total xmg (defined as the sum of xylose, mannose, and galactose) can be extracted from milled MH and LP through pressurized dilute acid treatment in maximum yields of 12.6 g/L and 15.3 g/L, respectively, representing 60.5% and 70.4% of the maximum possible yields, respectively. The crystallinity index increased upon pretreatment, reflecting the removal of the amorphous portion of biomass. The crystalline structure of the cellulose in the biomass, however, was not changed by the ASE extraction process.