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So far, a large number of pretreatment methods have garnered significant attention aimed only at optimizing the reducing sugar and bioethanol yields. This study however, carried out pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) using hydrothermal, organosolv, alkaline and alkaline peroxide pretreatment methods comparing their process performance. An evaluation of the energy consumption parameter during pretreatment showed lowest energy use (0.619 kWh/kg) during 5% alkaline peroxide pretreatment. The energy efficiency (0.162 kg bioethanol/kWh) was thus highest whereas the waste generation was lowest (38.895 kg waste/kg bioethanol) during alkaline peroxide pretreatment process. The solid biomass was utilized for enzymatic saccharification and bioethanol fermentation using SSF. Maximum enzyme efficiency and bioethanol yields achieved were 85.02% and 0.101 kg bioethanol/kg biomass respectively. Process performance evaluation can be projected to open up a new avenue for practical implementations of life cycle analysis (LCA) and techno-economic assessment aiding the circular bio-economy approach. [Display omitted] • Chemical pretreatment technologies investigated for process performance evaluation. • Energy efficiency and waste generation used to evaluate process performance. • 0.162 kg bioethanol/kWh- energy efficiency during alkaline peroxide pretreatment. • Also, lowest waste generation (38.895 kg waste/kg bioethanol) was recorded. • NaOH and H 2 O 2 at 5% (w/w) chemical concentration was most effective pretreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the performance of recycled polypropylene (RPP)/peanut shell powder (PSP) composites with untreated PSP and treated PSP with alkaline peroxide. The RPP/PSP and RPP/PSPH2O2 composites were prepared by melt mixing and compression molding at different PSP loadings (10 wt.% to 40 wt.%). The samples were characterized by processing properties, tensile properties, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and water absorption behavior. The treated PSP enhanced the stabilization torque, tensile strength, elongation at break, tensile modulus, and water absorption of RPP/PSP-H2O2 composites. FTIR spectra and SEM showed that the elimination of lignin content strongly influenced the fractured surface and chemical characteristics of the RPP/PSP-H2O2 composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Ethanol productivity was improved by a combined AP pretreatment and SSSF process. [•] 64.9% of lignin was removed by AP pretreatment. [•] Ethanol yield was significantly increased from 12.8% to 63.1%. [•] SSSF generated fewer inhibitors than SSF. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Low-pressure steam explosion (LPSE) combined with alkaline peroxide (AP) pretreatment was first employed to separate hemicellulose from Lespedeza stalks. The monosaccharide composition and molecular weight distribution of the obtained hemicellulose fractions were characterized in this study. The results show that the hemicellulose extracted from Lespedeza stalks consisted of xylose, glucose, galactose, and mannose, which was a mixture of arabinoxylans and xyloglucans or β-glucans. The yield of hemicellulose fractions after AP pretreatment ranged from 11.2% (2.5% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), w/v for 12 h) to 12.2% (3.3% H2O2, w/v for 72 h). The molecular weight of hemicellulose decreased from 2,458 g/mol to 1,984 g/mol after AP pretreatment, indicating its degradation reaction. The structure of hemicellulose was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, and heteronuclear single quantum coherence. The AP pretreatment partially cleaved the backbone and the ether linkage between lignin and hemicelluloses. Also, branched-chain α-Darabinofuranosyl in which β-D-xylose substituted at the C-3 position (monosubstituted) was removed, illustrating a partial debranching reaction. Therefore, the combination of low-pressure steam explosion and alkaline peroxide pretreatment (LPSE-AP) is an effective pretreatment method to separate hemicellulose from Lespedeza stalk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Paper grade pulp was upgraded to dissolving pulp by two stages of treatment. [•] EG-rich industrial cellulase was used for enzymatic treatment. [•] α-Cellulose content and viscosity can be adjusted by alkali peroxide treatment. [•] Reducing sugar in spent liquor can be recovered to generate value-added products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A combination of steam explosion (SE) and alkaline peroxide (AP) used to pretreat bamboo was investigated. Steam explosion at 224 °C for 4 min was applied to bamboo, and the pretreated bamboo was delignified by alkaline peroxide. Enzymatic hydrolysis was compared in the pretreated samples. Steam pretreatment led to remarkable hemicellulose solubilization (63.2%). Lignin solubilization (93.1%) was achieved by alkaline peroxide treatment of steam-pretreated bamboo at 80 °C for 1 h in 0.88% (v/v) H2O2, whereas only 33.4% of lignin was solubilized when using raw bamboo. Pretreatment methods resulted in a low degree of polymerization and increased hydrolysis of cellulose. A maximum glucose yield of 90.5% was achieved with a combined steam explosion and alkaline peroxide pretreatment. The surface structure of treated bamboo and the adsorption of enzyme on the substrate were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Delignification decreased enzyme adsorption and increased enzymatic conversion. SEM analyses indicated that SE-AP pretreatment disrupted lignin networks and exposed crystalline cellulose in bamboo more effectively than SE or AP pretreatment alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A ball-mill assisted alkaline peroxide pretreatment process was developed. • 70% of XOS alone with high yield of fermentable sugars was achieved. • The pretreatment process was environmental-friendly. • The mechanism of enhanced enzymatic digestibility by BAP pretreatment was revealed. The aim of this work was to develop a feasible ball mill-assisted alkaline peroxide pretreatment followed by stepwise hydrolysis to improve the yield of xylo -oligosaccharides (XOS) and fermentable sugars. The hydrogen peroxide charge, ball-milling time, and solid-to-liquid ratio affected the compositions, particle sizes, morphology, and crystallinity of the corn stover, directly improving the following hydrolytic efficiency. The optimal pretreatment was with 0.45 g/g (H 2 O 2 : substrate) and 1:3 solid-to-liquid ratio (w/v) for 1.0 h ball-milling, resulting in 84.29% delignification. Physicochemical properties of the pretreated samples were characterized and their correlations to the enzymatic hydrolysis were revealed. Compared with one-step cellulase hydrolysis, the two-step xylanase-cellulase hydrolysis of the pretreated corn stover showed significant advance in preparing XOS, producing 69.65% (on the base of xylan content in pretreated sample) of XOS, along with 20.55% xylose, 68.94% glucose, and 21.15% gluco -oligosaccharides. The yield of XOS was 2–7 times higher than those in previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The steam pre-treatment with low severity preserves valuable biomass components, and further delignification with alkaline peroxide could improve hydrolysis. A combination of low severity steam pretreatment and alkaline peroxide post-treatment of Lespedeza stalks was investigated. The post-treatment of steam-pretreated Lespedeza stalks with alkaline peroxide significantly increased the cellulose content and changed the structure of the cellulose-rich fractions. A glucose yield of 503.5mgg−1 raw material from enzyme hydrolysis was obtained when the steam-pretreated material (184°C for 4min) was post-treated with 2% hydrogen peroxide at 60°C for 24h with a substrate concentration of 3.3%. Its hydrolysis yield is 88.8%, which is higher than that of samples processed by steam pretreatment alone (63.7%). The samples obtained by post-treatment with alkaline peroxide were found to have a smoother surface and looser structure in scanning electron microscopy images. The isolated lignin preparations had a yield range from 10.9 to 14.7 (% dry matter). The lignin was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and gel permeation chromatography. Alkaline peroxide treatment increased the thermal stability of lignin, and decreased the amounts of all functional groups. Depolymerization and repolymerization occurred during the alkaline peroxide treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As part of a program to reduce electrical energy consumption in the refining process, the effects of the ozone and alkaline peroxide treatments on fibre and handsheet properties, prior and subsequent to low consistency (LC) refining, were assessed and compared by applying different levels of ozone and a range of peroxide and alkali charges to a primary stage hemlock thermomechanical pulp (TMP). Both highly alkaline peroxide treatments and ozone treatments decreased the specific energy required for strong mechanical pulp. The improvement in pulp strength through alkaline peroxide treatment mainly resulted from pulp surface changes caused by generation of acid groups. The highly alkaline peroxide treatments significantly increased pulp brightness but did not promote the further fibrillation during the subsequent LC refining. On the other hand, ozone treatments provided tensile strength increases, along with small brightness enhancements for the dark hemlock TMP, and increased the tensile gains obtained through LC refining. The effects of ozone treatments on tensile strength before and after LC refining were the result of pulp surface modifications, fibre swelling, and loss of fibre wall integrity due to non-selective chemical attack. High levels of ozone treatment caused tear strength to decrease during subsequent LC refining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major challenge for natural fiber composites is their inherent poor adhesion between fiber and the matrix, high moisture absorption, and UV degradation. Lignin and hemicelluloses are the major composites of natural fiber which are responsible for UV degradation and moisture absorption, respectively. In this study, the lignocelluloses (oil palm empty fruit bunch) were treated with alkaline peroxide to separate lignin and hemicelluloses. Composites were produced with treated and untreated fibers using up to 45% fiber with polypropylene matrix using twin-screw extruder followed by injection molding. To improve the interfacial bonding, maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) was used as a coupling agent in the formulation. Properties of composites were evaluated using tensile testing, flexural testing, impact testing, SEM, and FTIR. The tensile, flexural, and impact properties were found to be improved with alkaline peroxide-treated fiber composites compared to untreated fiber composites. Addition of coupling agent (MAPP) also found to provide improved properties of composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The enzymatic hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse was investigated by treating a peroxide–alkaline bagasse with a pineapple stem juice, xylanase and cellulase. Pre-treatment procedures of sugarcane bagasse with alkaline hydrogen peroxide were evaluated and compared. Analyses were performed using 24 factorial designs, with pre-treatment time, temperature, magnesium sulfate and hydrogen peroxide concentration as factors. The responses evaluated were the yield of cellobiose and glucose released from pretreated bagasse after enzymatic hydrolysis. The results show that the highest enzymatic conversion was obtained for bagasse using 2% hydrogen peroxide at 60°C for 16h in the presence of 0.5% magnesium sulfate. Bagasse (5%) was treated with pineapple stem extract, which contains mixtures of protease and esterase, in combination with xylanase and cellulase. It was observed that the amount of glucose and cellobiose released from bagasse increased with the mixture of enzymes. It is believed that the enzymes present in pineapple extracts are capable of hydrolyze specific linkages that would facilitate the action of digesting plant cell walls enzymes. This increases the amount of glucose and other hexoses that are released during the enzymatic treatment and also reduces the amount of cellulase necessary in a typical hydrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Bamboo is an alternative feedstock for the production of fine chemicals, such as fuel ethanol and lactic acid, because bamboo has a large amount of sugars. An effective pretreatment method for enzyme saccharification is required for the efficient production of these materials. Enzyme saccharification (48h) using a 35atm and 5min steam exploded bamboo produced 426 and 488mg/(g initial dry sample) of glucose and reducing sugar, respectively. In addition, pretreatments using 20atm and 5min steam explosion or mechanical milling for 5min followed by 10wt.% sodium hydroxide treatment at 121°C for 60min were attempted in order to enhance the digestibility of the holocellulose component. Both of these pretreatment methods had a large positive effect on the production of sugars by subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis. In particular, the maximum value of glucose production was obtained by the 20atm steam explosion and 10wt.% sodium hydroxide treatment. This produced 456mg/(g initial dry sample) of glucose and 460mg/(g initial dry sample) of reducing sugar. In comparison, the mechanical milling and 10wt.% sodium hydroxide treatment produced 383 and 485mg/(g initial dry sample) of glucose and reducing sugar, respectively. From these results, it was concluded that the pretreatment with 20atm steam explosion and 10wt.% sodium hydroxide treatment was the most effective pretreatment method for the production of glucose from bamboo by enzyme saccharification. However, since this pretreatment method requires the severe conditions of both high pressure and temperature steam explosion and high concentration sodium hydroxide, an alkaline peroxide pretreatment without a steam explosion and high concentration sodium hydroxide was also attempted. A comparatively large amounts of glucose and reducing sugar production, i.e. 399 and 568mg/(g initial dry sample), respectively, were obtained in 1%(v/v) hydrogen peroxide and 1wt.% sodium hydroxide treatment at 90°C for 60min. Therefore, it was concluded that alkaline peroxide pretreatment is an effective and environmentally friendly method for the enzyme saccharification of bamboo. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A two-stage pretreatment method was proposed and tested for deconstruction of recalcitrant Miscanthus. During a 1st pretreatment at 50°C, 1.0–4.0% alkaline peroxide solutions were used to partially remove hemicellulose and lignin. The remaining solids were subjected to a 2nd pretreatment at 121°C with electrolyzed water. Using 15 filter paper units of cellulase per gram cellulose, a digestibility of 95% was achieved by the two-stage method, which was higher than 81% obtained from a 1% H2SO4 pretreatment (200°C, 8min). A mass balance for the two-stage process showed that 63% hemicellulose and 64% lignin were removed from the Miscanthus samples after the 1st pretreatment. The Scanning Electron Microscopy images and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy spectra revealed that after the 1st pretreatment, crystalline cellulose fibers were partially exposed and the linkages between residual lignin and hemicellulose disappeared. After the 2nd pretreatment, cellulose fibers were completely exposed even with cracks developed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The cellulose content of substrate is one of the most important factors for ethanol production from lignocellulose. To increase the cellulose content of substrate and ethanol yield in simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), a pretreatment method coupling steam explosion with alkaline peroxide for wheat straw was studied. After the complex pretreatment, the cellulose content in wheat straw increased from 31.5% to 67.2%. In the hydrolysate of wheat straw pretreated with the complex method and steam explosion, the glucose concentration was 110.9g/L and 67.8g/L, respectively. The optimal conditions for SSF were 40°C, 120h, cellulase loading 40FPU/(g wheat straw), yeast inoculum 10% (v/v) and substrate concentration 16.7% (w/v). Under the optimal conditions, the total ethanol concentration in SSF of wheat straw pretreated with steam explosion and alkaline peroxide reached 51.5g/L, and an overall yield of 81.1% was obtained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Treatment of dewaxed oil palm frond fiber; fast-growing poplar wood; maize stems; and barley, wheat, rice, and rye straws with 2.0% H2O2 at pH 11.6 for 16 hr at 45°C solubilized 85.7%, 49.5%, 78.2%, 79.7%, 87.1%, 92.7%, and 79.4% of the original hemicelluloses and 72.1%, 24.9%, 87.3%, 70.9%, 85.7%, 88.6%, and 89.8% of the original lignin, respectively. The results indicated that hydrogen peroxide at pH 11.6 had a significant effect on the release of hemicelluloses and delignification from oil palm frond fiber and cereal straws such as maize stems and barley, wheat, rice, and rye straws under the condition used. All the hemicellulosic preparations were much lighter in color and had relatively lower amounts of associated lignin than those obtained using traditional alkaline extraction in the absence of peroxide from the corresponding lignified materials. Xylose is the dominant sugar component in the hemicellulosic preparations isolated from oil palm frond fiber, fast-growing poplar wood, maize stems, and barley, wheat and rye straws, whereas the hemicelluloses obtained from rice straw are rich in glucose and xylose. The seven hemicellulosic samples were also studied by fourier transform infrared(FT-IR} and 1H- and 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography(GPC), and thermal analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 90% of the original hemicelluloses in the cell walls of bagasse were sequentially extracted with distilled water, 0.5 M NaOH, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 3.0% H2O2 at pH 11.5, and 2.0 M NaOH at 55 °C for 2 h. Meanwhile, the successive treatments also released 89.0% of the original lignin. Chemical composition, physico-chemical properties, and structures of the eight hemicelluloses were elucidated by a combination of sugar analysis, nitrobenzene oxidation of bound lignin, molecular determination, Fourier transform infrared, and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and thermal analysis and the results are reported. The results showed that the sequential treatments were very effective on the fractionation of hemicelluloses from bagasse, and the extraction strength, such as alkali and H2O2 concentration, had a great influence on the chemical and structural features of the hemicelluloses, e.g. content of associated lignin and molecular weight. The hemicellulosic fraction, isolated with 0.5% H2O2 at pH 11.5 for 2 h under 55 °C, had a backbone of xylose residues with β-(1→4) linkages and were branched mainly through arabinofuranosyl and 4-O-methyl glucopyranosyl units. Ferulic and p-coumaric acids were found to be esterified to the hemicelluloses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Two-stage treatments of Caligonum monogoliacum and Tamarix spp. with acidic organosolv and alkaline peroxide were performed. Pre-treatment with ethanol–H2O (60/40, v/v) under acid catalyst (0.2 N HCl) at 70 °C for 4 h released 18.7 and 17.8% hemicelluloses from dewaxed C. monogoliacum and Tamarix spp., respectively, Sequential treatment with 2% H2O2 at pH 11.5 for 16 h at 45 °C solubilized 26.2 and 26.5% hemicelluloses from pre-treated C. monogoliacum and Tamarix spp., respectively. Cellulose predominated in the insoluble residues, accounting for 36.7–37.8% of dry materials. It was found that the two alkaline peroxide soluble hemicellulosic preparations contained a much higher amount of xylose (74.1–77.3%) but lower in glucose (7.4–18.6%), galactose (3.0–8.3%), rhamnose (2.3–2.9%), mannose (0.8–2.7%), and arabinose (1.3–1.4%) than those of the two acidic organosolv soluble hemicellulosic fractions in which xylose (31.8–50.8%), glucose (21.4–30.3%), galactose (7.6–24.1%), and rhamnose (5.7–10.1%) were the major sugar components. The content of uronic acids was slightly higher in the two alkaline peroxide soluble hemicellulosic preparations (7.5–8.3%) than the two acidic organosolv soluble hemicellulosic fractions (5.0–6.5%). Furthermore, the studies showed that the two alkaline peroxide soluble hemicellulosic preparations were more linear and acidic, and had a large molecular mass (M¯w, 27,220–31,410 g mol−1) than the two acidic organosolv soluble hemicellulosic fractions (M¯w, 13,820–18,380 g mol−1). Lignin content and its composition associated in the four isolated hemicelluloses were determined by alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation and monitored with HPLC. No significant differences in lignin content (5.94–9.82%) and its composition were found. Further comparative study of the four hemicellulosic preparations and two cellulosic fractions was carried by both degraded methods such as acid hydrolysis and thermal analysis and non-degradation techniques such as FT-IR and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Eight hemicellulosic fractions were obtained by sequential treatment of dewaxed barley straw with 0.1 M NaOH at 45 °C for 3 h, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0% H2O2 at 45 °C for 3 h at pH 11.5, and 10% KOH–1% Na2B4O7·10H2O at 28 °C for 15 h under continuous agitation. The yields of the fractions were 8.0, 3.1, 3.3, 3.3, 2.2, 2.0, 2.0, and 9.9%, respectively, of the initial amount of barley straw, corresponding to the dissolution of 21.6, 8.4, 8.9, 8.9, 5.9, 5.4, 5.4, and 26.7% of the original hemicelluloses. Meanwhile, the successive treatment also solubilized 29.1, 15.8, 14.6, 10.8, 4.5, 3.2, 2.7, and 3.7% of the original lignin, respectively. This sequential extraction together resulted in dissolution of 91.1% of the original hemicelluloses and 84.8% of the original lignin. The 0.1 M NaOH-soluble hemicellulosic fraction contained mainly xylose, glucose, and arabinose, 44.2, 15.7, and 15.2%, respectively, while the 10% KOH–1% Na2B4O7·10H2O-soluble fraction predominated in xylose, 75.0%. The six alkaline peroxide-soluble fractions were composed of 50.3–54.4% xylose, 14.7–16.9% arabinose, 6.8–10.7% glucose, 6.8–8.5% glucuronic acid or 4-O-methyl-d-glucuronic acid, 0.4–1.5% mannose, and 0.3–1.2% rhamnose. All the hemicellulosic fractions contained substantial amounts of glucuronoarabinoxylans and noticeable quantities of β-glucans. In comparison, the six hemicellulosic fractions, isolated with alkaline peroxide, had much higher molecular weights (56,890–63,810 g mol−1) than those of the two hemicellulosic preparations (28,000–29,080 g mol−1), isolated with alkali in the absence of hydrogen peroxide. The thermal stability of the hemicelluloses increased with an increment of their molar mass. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, the seven acid-insoluble lignin preparations from barley straw were first extracted with alkaline hydrogen peroxide in order to study how the delignification and degradation of the lignin is influenced by aqueous 1.5% H2O2 extractant to straw ratios. The results showed that treatment of dewaxed barley straw with 1.5% H2O2 at 45 °C for 14 h (pH 12.0) under the extractant to straw ratios of 10:1, 13:1, 15:1, 18:1, 20:1, 25:1, and 30:1 resulted in dissolution of 65.8%, 68.4%, 68.4%, 69.0%, 69.7%, 71.6%, and 72.3% of the original lignin and 78.7%, 79.8%, 82.3%, 83.4%, 84.8%, 85.3%, and 85.3% of the original hemicelluloses, respectively. The degraded seven lignin samples were analyzed with respect to their chemical compositions, content of chemically linked polysaccharides, molecular weights and structural changes. It was found that the alkaline peroxide treatment under the conditions given led to a noticeable increase in a amount of carboxyl groups due to the oxidation. The results from 13C-NMR analyses showed that the treatment was extremely effective for isolation of highly pure lignins from the straw, and the treatment under the conditions used did not affect the overall structure of lignin. The β-O-4 ether bond and β–β carbon–carbon linkage were found to be the major linkages between lignin units. Hydroxycinnamic acids, such as p-coumaric and ferulic acids, appeared to be strongly linked to lignin molecules, in which p-coumaric acid was found to be bonded to lignin by ester linkage, while ferulic acid was linked by its phenolic group via ether bond to lignin and also principally linked by its carboxyl group via ester bond to lignin and/or hemicelluloses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]