Exploring the Bioethanol Production Potential of <i>Miscanthus</i> Cultivars
<i>Miscanthus</i> is a fast-growing perennial grass that attracts significant attention for its potential application as a feedstock for bioethanol production. This report explores the difference in the lignocellulosic composition of various <i>Miscanthus</i> cultivars, inclu...
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/21/9949 |
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| author | William Turner Darren Greetham Michal Mos Michael Squance Jason Kam Chenyu Du |
| author_facet | William Turner Darren Greetham Michal Mos Michael Squance Jason Kam Chenyu Du |
| author_sort | William Turner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Miscanthus</i> is a fast-growing perennial grass that attracts significant attention for its potential application as a feedstock for bioethanol production. This report explores the difference in the lignocellulosic composition of various <i>Miscanthus</i> cultivars, including <i>Miscanthus × giganteus</i> cultivated at the same location (mainly Lincoln, UK). It also assesses the sugar release profiles and mineral composition profiles of five <i>Miscanthus</i> cultivars harvested over a growing period from November 2018 to February 2019. The results showed that <i>Miscanthus × giganteus</i> contains approximately 45.5% cellulose, 29.2% hemicellulose and 23.8% lignin (dry weight, <i>w</i>/<i>w</i>). Other cultivars of <i>Miscanthus</i> also contain high quantities of carbohydrates (cellulose 41.1–46.0%, hemicellulose 24.3–32.6% and lignin 21.4–24.9%). Pre-treatment of <i>Miscanthus</i> using dilute acid followed by enzymatic hydrolysis released 63.7–80.2% of the theoretical glucose content. Fermentation of a hydrolysate of <i>Miscanthus</i> × <i>giganteus</i> using <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> NCYC2592 produced 13.58 ± 1.11 g/L of ethanol from 35.13 ± 0.46 g/L of glucose, corresponding to a yield of 0.148 g/g dry weight <i>Miscanthus</i> biomass. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the morphology of raw and hydrolysed <i>Miscanthus</i> samples, which provided visual proof of <i>Miscanthus</i> lignocellulose degradation in these processes. The sugar release profile showed that a consequence of <i>Miscanthus</i> plant growth is an increase in difficulty in releasing monosaccharides from the biomass. The potassium, magnesium, sodium, sulphur and phosphorus contents in various <i>Miscanthus</i> cultivars were analysed. The results revealed that these elements were slowly lost from the plants during the latter part of the growing season, for a specific cultivar, until February 2019. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:07:18Z |
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| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:07:18Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-5d9c7b6faa624515929f6d5a2694db3f2023-11-22T20:25:30ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172021-10-011121994910.3390/app11219949Exploring the Bioethanol Production Potential of <i>Miscanthus</i> CultivarsWilliam Turner0Darren Greetham1Michal Mos2Michael Squance3Jason Kam4Chenyu Du5School of Applied Science, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UKSchool of Applied Science, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UKTerravesta, Unit 4 Riverside Court, Skellingthorpe Road, Saxilby, Lincoln LN1 5AB, UKTerravesta, Unit 4 Riverside Court, Skellingthorpe Road, Saxilby, Lincoln LN1 5AB, UKTerravesta, Unit 4 Riverside Court, Skellingthorpe Road, Saxilby, Lincoln LN1 5AB, UKSchool of Applied Science, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK<i>Miscanthus</i> is a fast-growing perennial grass that attracts significant attention for its potential application as a feedstock for bioethanol production. This report explores the difference in the lignocellulosic composition of various <i>Miscanthus</i> cultivars, including <i>Miscanthus × giganteus</i> cultivated at the same location (mainly Lincoln, UK). It also assesses the sugar release profiles and mineral composition profiles of five <i>Miscanthus</i> cultivars harvested over a growing period from November 2018 to February 2019. The results showed that <i>Miscanthus × giganteus</i> contains approximately 45.5% cellulose, 29.2% hemicellulose and 23.8% lignin (dry weight, <i>w</i>/<i>w</i>). Other cultivars of <i>Miscanthus</i> also contain high quantities of carbohydrates (cellulose 41.1–46.0%, hemicellulose 24.3–32.6% and lignin 21.4–24.9%). Pre-treatment of <i>Miscanthus</i> using dilute acid followed by enzymatic hydrolysis released 63.7–80.2% of the theoretical glucose content. Fermentation of a hydrolysate of <i>Miscanthus</i> × <i>giganteus</i> using <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> NCYC2592 produced 13.58 ± 1.11 g/L of ethanol from 35.13 ± 0.46 g/L of glucose, corresponding to a yield of 0.148 g/g dry weight <i>Miscanthus</i> biomass. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the morphology of raw and hydrolysed <i>Miscanthus</i> samples, which provided visual proof of <i>Miscanthus</i> lignocellulose degradation in these processes. The sugar release profile showed that a consequence of <i>Miscanthus</i> plant growth is an increase in difficulty in releasing monosaccharides from the biomass. The potassium, magnesium, sodium, sulphur and phosphorus contents in various <i>Miscanthus</i> cultivars were analysed. The results revealed that these elements were slowly lost from the plants during the latter part of the growing season, for a specific cultivar, until February 2019.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/21/9949<i>Miscanthus</i> × <i>giganteus</i>bioethanolpre-treatment and saccharificationyeast fermentationSEM |
| spellingShingle | William Turner Darren Greetham Michal Mos Michael Squance Jason Kam Chenyu Du Exploring the Bioethanol Production Potential of <i>Miscanthus</i> Cultivars Applied Sciences <i>Miscanthus</i> × <i>giganteus</i> bioethanol pre-treatment and saccharification yeast fermentation SEM |
| title | Exploring the Bioethanol Production Potential of <i>Miscanthus</i> Cultivars |
| title_full | Exploring the Bioethanol Production Potential of <i>Miscanthus</i> Cultivars |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the Bioethanol Production Potential of <i>Miscanthus</i> Cultivars |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the Bioethanol Production Potential of <i>Miscanthus</i> Cultivars |
| title_short | Exploring the Bioethanol Production Potential of <i>Miscanthus</i> Cultivars |
| title_sort | exploring the bioethanol production potential of i miscanthus i cultivars |
| topic | <i>Miscanthus</i> × <i>giganteus</i> bioethanol pre-treatment and saccharification yeast fermentation SEM |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/21/9949 |
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