Chemical Characteristics and Ethanol Fermentation of the Cellulose Component in Autohydrolyzed Bagasse

The chemical characteristics, enzymatic saccharification, and ethanol fermentation of autohydrolyzed lignocellulosic material that was exposed to steam explosion were investigated using bagasse as the sample. The effects of the steam explosion on the change in pH, organic acids production, degrees of polymerization and crystallinity of the cellulose component, and the amount of extractive components in the autohydrolyzated bagasse were examined. The steam explosion decreased the degree of polymerzation up to about 700 but increased the degree of crystallinity and the micelle width of the cellulose component in the bagasse. The steam explosion, at a pressure of 2.55 MPa for 3 mins, was the most effective for the delignification of bagasse. 40 g/L of glucose and 20 g/L of xylose were produced from 100 g/L of the autohydrolyzed bagasse by the enzymatic saccharification using mixed cellulases, acucelase and meicelase. The maximum ethanol concentration, 20 g/L, was obtained from the enzymatic hydrolyzate of 100 g/L of the autohydrolyzed bagasse by the ethanol fermentation using Pichia stipitis CBS 5773; the ethanol yield from sugars was 0.33 g/g sugars.