PRETRATAMIENTO AL VAPOR ASISTIDO POR IMPREGNACIÓN ÁCIDA O ALCALINA PARA LA PRODUCCIÓN DE ETANOL A PARTIR DE BAGAZO Y PAJA DE CAÑA DE AZÚCAR

Resumen

Sugarcane bagasse and trash, the left-over residue of leaves and tops, can be converted to ethanol by enzymatic or acid catalyzed hydrolysis and fermentation of the released monosaccharides. Prior to enzymatic hydrolysis, pretreatment is required, and steam explosion enhanced by pre-impregnation with dilute acid or alkali promises to be a viable technology in the future. In the present work, the efficiency of the impregnation of sugarcane residual biomass with sulphuric acid, sulphur dioxide and lime prior to steam explosion is evaluated. Sulphur dioxide impregnation prior to steam explosion led to enzymatic conversions of around 70% of cellulose and 57% of the xylan remaining in the fibres and a total sugar yield of 53 g per 100 g bagasse. In the lime-assisted pretreatment the enzymatic conversions of cellulose and xylan were approximately 80 and 50%,  respectively, and the sugar yield was 40%.