Pretreatment of microcrystalline cellulose in organic electrolyte solutions for enzymatic hydrolysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous studies have shown that the crystalline structure of cellulose is negatively correlated with enzymatic digestibility, therefore, pretreatment is required to break down the highly ordered crystalline structure in cellulose, a...

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Main Authors: Tian Xiao-fei, Fang Zhen, Jiang Dan, Sun Xi-yan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2011-11-01
Series:Biotechnology for Biofuels
Online Access:http://www.biotechnologyforbiofuels.com/content/4/1/53
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author Tian Xiao-fei
Fang Zhen
Jiang Dan
Sun Xi-yan
author_facet Tian Xiao-fei
Fang Zhen
Jiang Dan
Sun Xi-yan
author_sort Tian Xiao-fei
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous studies have shown that the crystalline structure of cellulose is negatively correlated with enzymatic digestibility, therefore, pretreatment is required to break down the highly ordered crystalline structure in cellulose, and to increase the porosity of its surface. In the present study, an organic electrolyte solution (OES) composed of an ionic liquid (1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([AMIM]Cl)) and an organic solvent (dimethyl sulfoxide; DMSO) was prepared, and used to pretreat microcrystalline cellulose for subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis; to our knowledge, this is the first time that this method has been used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Microcrystalline cellulose (5 wt%) rapidly dispersed and then completely dissolved in an OES with a molar fraction of [AMIM]Cl per OES (χ <sub>[AMIM]Cl</sub>) of greater than or equal to 0.2 at 110°C within 10 minutes. The cellulose was regenerated from the OES by precipitation with hot water, and enzymatically hydrolyzed. As the χ <sub>[AMIM]Cl </sub>of the OES increased from 0.1 to 0.9, both the hydrolysis yield and initial hydrolysis rate of the regenerated cellulose also increased gradually. After treatment using OES with χ <sub>[AMIM]Cl </sub>of 0.7, the glucose yield (54.1%) was 7.2 times that of untreated cellulose. This promotion of hydrolysis yield was mainly due to the decrease in the degree of crystallinity (that is, the crystallinity index of cellulose I).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>An OES of [AMIM]Cl and DMSO with χ <sub>[AMIM]Cl </sub>of 0.7 was chosen for cellulose pretreatment because it dissolved cellulose rapidly to achieve a high glucose yield (54.1%), which was only slightly lower than the value (59.6%) obtained using pure [AMIM]Cl. OES pretreatment is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly technique for hydrolysis, because it 1) uses the less expensive OES instead of pure ionic liquids, 2) shortens dissolution time, 3) requires lower energy for stirring and transporting, and 4) is recyclable.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-786a8c63ee2942ebaa564b7a1be55f652022-12-22T03:22:50ZengBMCBiotechnology for Biofuels1754-68342011-11-01415310.1186/1754-6834-4-53Pretreatment of microcrystalline cellulose in organic electrolyte solutions for enzymatic hydrolysisTian Xiao-feiFang ZhenJiang DanSun Xi-yan<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous studies have shown that the crystalline structure of cellulose is negatively correlated with enzymatic digestibility, therefore, pretreatment is required to break down the highly ordered crystalline structure in cellulose, and to increase the porosity of its surface. In the present study, an organic electrolyte solution (OES) composed of an ionic liquid (1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([AMIM]Cl)) and an organic solvent (dimethyl sulfoxide; DMSO) was prepared, and used to pretreat microcrystalline cellulose for subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis; to our knowledge, this is the first time that this method has been used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Microcrystalline cellulose (5 wt%) rapidly dispersed and then completely dissolved in an OES with a molar fraction of [AMIM]Cl per OES (χ <sub>[AMIM]Cl</sub>) of greater than or equal to 0.2 at 110°C within 10 minutes. The cellulose was regenerated from the OES by precipitation with hot water, and enzymatically hydrolyzed. As the χ <sub>[AMIM]Cl </sub>of the OES increased from 0.1 to 0.9, both the hydrolysis yield and initial hydrolysis rate of the regenerated cellulose also increased gradually. After treatment using OES with χ <sub>[AMIM]Cl </sub>of 0.7, the glucose yield (54.1%) was 7.2 times that of untreated cellulose. This promotion of hydrolysis yield was mainly due to the decrease in the degree of crystallinity (that is, the crystallinity index of cellulose I).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>An OES of [AMIM]Cl and DMSO with χ <sub>[AMIM]Cl </sub>of 0.7 was chosen for cellulose pretreatment because it dissolved cellulose rapidly to achieve a high glucose yield (54.1%), which was only slightly lower than the value (59.6%) obtained using pure [AMIM]Cl. OES pretreatment is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly technique for hydrolysis, because it 1) uses the less expensive OES instead of pure ionic liquids, 2) shortens dissolution time, 3) requires lower energy for stirring and transporting, and 4) is recyclable.</p>http://www.biotechnologyforbiofuels.com/content/4/1/53
spellingShingle Tian Xiao-fei
Fang Zhen
Jiang Dan
Sun Xi-yan
Pretreatment of microcrystalline cellulose in organic electrolyte solutions for enzymatic hydrolysis
Biotechnology for Biofuels
title Pretreatment of microcrystalline cellulose in organic electrolyte solutions for enzymatic hydrolysis
title_full Pretreatment of microcrystalline cellulose in organic electrolyte solutions for enzymatic hydrolysis
title_fullStr Pretreatment of microcrystalline cellulose in organic electrolyte solutions for enzymatic hydrolysis
title_full_unstemmed Pretreatment of microcrystalline cellulose in organic electrolyte solutions for enzymatic hydrolysis
title_short Pretreatment of microcrystalline cellulose in organic electrolyte solutions for enzymatic hydrolysis
title_sort pretreatment of microcrystalline cellulose in organic electrolyte solutions for enzymatic hydrolysis
url http://www.biotechnologyforbiofuels.com/content/4/1/53
work_keys_str_mv AT tianxiaofei pretreatmentofmicrocrystallinecelluloseinorganicelectrolytesolutionsforenzymatichydrolysis
AT fangzhen pretreatmentofmicrocrystallinecelluloseinorganicelectrolytesolutionsforenzymatichydrolysis
AT jiangdan pretreatmentofmicrocrystallinecelluloseinorganicelectrolytesolutionsforenzymatichydrolysis
AT sunxiyan pretreatmentofmicrocrystallinecelluloseinorganicelectrolytesolutionsforenzymatichydrolysis