Model study on dilute acid pretreatment of argan pulp for bioethanol production using response surface methodology

Abstract

<jats:p>The present work describes comparative dilute acid pretreatment of the argan pulp (residue produced during the argan oil extraction) used as an economical source for bioethanol production. Response surface methodology was used to optimize the pretreatment process and to explore the effect of operational parameters (acid concentration, temperature, time and biomass loading), depending on the acid type (HCl, H2SO4) and pretreatment approach, on total and reducing sugars recovery, in addition to phenolic compounds rate as inhibitors produced during pretreatment process. Experimental results predict an optimal yield of total and reducing sugars of 171.46 mg/ml and 54.83 mg/ml, respectively, were achieved at an optimized time of 30 min with 7% of sulfuric acid at 160°C using 40 % for biomass loading.</jats:p>

Optimization of Bioethanol Production from Enzymatic Treatment of Argan Pulp Feedstock

“…The optimization of those parameters resulted in a 68% sugar yield, which corresponds to ethanol production of around 250 L/ton of dry raw material [ 45 ]. Additionally, a comparative dilute acid pretreatment study was investigated to improve the saccharification of argan pulp using a composite value of total sugars, and reducing sugars as the response value [ 24 ]. The results showed that dilute sulfuric acid at T < 160 °C with a high solids loading (40%) led to the highest total and reducing sugar yield at 171.46 mg/mL and 54.83 mg/mL, respectively.…”

“…Up to now, and to the best of our knowledge, there has been only one reported study on the pretreatment of argan pulp using acid hydrolysis for bioethanol production [ 24 ], with not much information on fermentation and bioethanol production.…”

Innovation of argan (Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels) products and byproducts for sustainable development of rural communities in Morocco. A systematic literature review

“…Some studies published in the last five years (Rahib et al 2019(Rahib et al , 2021 highlighted their potential use as an innovative source of bioenergy; ANS can represent a low-cost biomass that should be a promising biofuel in combustion systems or a source of antioxidant additives for biofuels (Afailal et al 2021). Argan pulp too can be used as an innovative and low-cost biomass for the bioethanol production (Zouhair et al 2019); According to Zeghlouli et al (2021) it is possible to obtain a production of 322.8 g of second-generation bioethanol from 1 kg of argan pulp through enzymatic hydrolysis pretreatment. This process is economically and environmentally interesting as it produces affordable clean energy and, at the same time, valorize an agricultural waste, contributing to potentially increase the incomes of local farmers, considering that the production of argan pulp is estimated in about 215 kg/ha/year, corresponding to an industrial production of 69.4 kg of bioethanol/ha/year.…”