Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.5714/CL.2016.17.1.001

Microwave-assisted pretreatment technologies for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to sugars and ethanol: a review  

Puligundla, Pradeep (Department of Food Science & Biotechnology, Gachon University)
Oh, Sang-Eun (Department of Biological Environment, Kangwon National University)
Mok, Chulkyoon (Department of Food Science & Biotechnology, Gachon University)
Publication Information
Carbon letters / v.17, no.1, 2016 , pp. 1-10 More about this Journal
Abstract
Lignocellulosic biomass conversion to biofuels such as ethanol and other value-added bio-products including activated carbons has attracted much attention. The development of an efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly pretreatment process is a major challenge in lignocellulosic biomass to biofuel conversion. Although several modern pretreatment technologies have been introduced, few promising technologies have been reported. Microwave irradiation or microwave-assisted methods (physical and chemical) for pretreatment (disintegration) of biomass have been gaining popularity over the last few years owing to their high heating efficiency, lower energy requirements, and easy operation. Acid and alkali pretreatments assisted by microwave heating meanwhile have been widely used for different types of lignocellulosic biomass conversion. Additional advantages of microwave-based pretreatments include faster treatment time, selective processing, instantaneous control, and acceleration of the reaction rate. The present review provides insights into the current research and advantages of using microwave-assisted pretreatment technologies for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable sugars in the process of cellulosic ethanol production.
Keywords
lignocellulosic biomass; microwave pretreatment; activated carbon; bioenergy; ethanol;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 1  (Citation Analysis)
연도 인용수 순위
1 Nomanbhay SM, Hussain R, Palanisamy K. Microwave-assisted alkaline pretreatment and microwave assisted enzymatic saccharification of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber for enhanced fermentable sugar yield. J Sustainable Bioenergy Syst, 3, 7 (2013). http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jsbs.2013.31002.   DOI
2 Intanakula P, Krairikshb M, Kitchaiya P. Enhancement of enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic wastes by microwave pretreatment under atmospheric pressure. J Wood Chem Technol, 23, 217 (2003). http://dx.doi.org/10.1081/WCT-120021926.   DOI
3 Lai LW, Idris A. Disruption of oil palm trunks and fronds by microwave-alkali pretreatment. Bioresources, 8, 2792 (2013).
4 Ooi BG, Rambo AL, Hurtado MA. Overcoming the recalcitrance for the conversion of kenaf pulp to glucose via microwave-assisted pre-treatment processes. Int J Mol Sci, 12, 1451 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms12031451.   DOI
5 Chen WH, Tu YJ, Sheen HK. Disruption of sugarcane bagasse lignocellulosic structure by means of dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment with microwave-assisted heating. Appl Energy, 88, 2726 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.02.027.   DOI
6 Ooshima H, Aso K, Harano Y, Yamamoto T. Microwave treatment of cellulosic materials for their enzymatic hydrolysis. Biotechnol Lett, 6, 289 (1984). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00129056.   DOI
7 Peng H, Li H, Luo H, Xu J. A novel combined pretreatment of ball milling and microwave irradiation for enhancing enzymatic hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose. Bioresour Technol, 130, 81 (2013). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2012.10.167.   DOI
8 Azuma JI, Tanaka F, Koshijima T. Enhancement of enzymatic susceptibility of lignocellulosic wastes by microwave irradiation. J Ferment Technol, 62, 377 (1984).
9 Binod P, Satyanagalakshmi K, Sindhu R, Janu KU, Sukumaran RK, Pandey A. Short duration microwave assisted pretreatment enhances the enzymatic saccharification and fermentable sugar yield from sugarcane bagasse. Renew Energy, 37, 109 (2012). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2011.06.007.   DOI
10 Ravoof SA, Pratheepa K, Supassri T, Chittibabu S. Enhancing enzymatic hydrolysis of rice straw using microwave assisted nitric acid pretreatment. Int J Med Biosci, 1, 13 (2012).
11 Zhu S, Wu Y, Yu Z, Liao J, Zhang Y. Pretreatment by microwave/alkali of rice straw and its enzymic hydrolysis. Process Biochem, 40, 3082 (2005). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.procbio.2005.03.016.   DOI
12 Zhu S, Wu Y, Yu Z, Zhang X, Wang C, Yu F, Jin S. Production of ethanol from microwave-assisted alkali pretreated wheat straw. Process Biochem, 41, 869 (2006). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.procb io.2005.10.024.   DOI
13 Yang B, Wyman CE. Pretreatment: the key to unlocking low-cost cellulosic ethanol. Biofuels Bioprod Biorefin, 2, 26 (2008). http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bbb.49.   DOI
14 Roberts BA, Strauss CR. Scale-up of Microwave-Assisted Organic Synthesis. In: Tierney JP, Lidström P, eds. Microwave Assisted Organic Synthesis, Blackwell, Oxford, 237 (2005).
15 Surati MA, Jauhari S, Desai KR. A brief review: microwave assisted organic reaction. Arch Appl Sci Res, 4, 645 (2012).
16 Xiong J, Ye J, Liang WZ, Fan PM. Influence of microwave on the ultrastructure of cellulose. J South China Univ Technol, 28, 84 (2000).
17 Gabhane J, William SPMP, Vaidya AN, Mahapatra K, Chakrabarti T. Influence of heating source on the efficacy of lignocellulosic pretreatment: a cellulosic ethanol perspective. Biomass Bioenergy, 35, 96 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2010.08.026.   DOI
18 Keshwani DR, Cheng JJ. Microwave-based alkali pretreatment of switchgrass and coastal bermudagrass for bioethanol production. Biotechnol Prog, 26, 644 (2010). http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/btpr.371.
19 Datta AK. Fundamentals of Heat and Moisture Transport for Microwaveable Food Product and Process Development. In: Datta AK, Anantheswaran RC, eds. Handbook of Microwave Technology for Food Applications, Marcel Dekker, New York, NY, 115 (2001).
20 de la Hoz A, Díaz-Ortiza Á, Moreno A. Microwaves in organic synthesis: thermal and non-thermal microwave effects. Chem Soc Rev, 34, 164 (2005). http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/B411438H.   DOI
21 Verma A, Kumar S, Jain PK. Key pretreatment technologies on cellulosic ethanol production. J Sci Res Banaras Hindu Univ, 55, 57 (2011).
22 Cagnon B, Py X, Guillot A, Stoeckli F, Chambat G. Contributions of hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin to the mass and the porous properties of chars and steam activated carbons from various lignocellulosic precursors. Bioresour Technol, 100, 292 (2009). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2008.06.009.   DOI
23 Nor NM, Lau LC, Lee KT, Mohamed AR. Synthesis of activated carbon from lignocellulosic biomass and its applications in air pollution control: a review. J Environ Chem Eng, 1, 658 (2013). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2013.09.017.   DOI
24 Ioannidou O, Zabaniotou A. Agricultural residues as precursors for activated carbon production: a review. Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev, 11, 1966 (2007). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2006.03.013.   DOI
25 Kumar R, Singh S, Singh OV. Bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass: biochemical and molecular perspectives. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol, 35, 377 (2008). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10295-008-0327-8.   DOI
26 Alvira P, Tomás-Pejó E, Ballesteros M, Negro MJ. Pretreatment technologies for an efficient bioethanol production process based on enzymatic hydrolysis: a review. Bioresour Technol, 101, 4851 (2010). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2009.11.093.   DOI
27 Saratale GD, Chen SD, Lo YC, Saratale RG, Chang JS. Outlook of biohydrogen production from lignocellulosic feedstock using dark fermentation: a review. J Sci Ind Res, 67, 962 (2008).
28 Zhang YHP, Berson E, Sarkanen S, Dale BE. Sessions 3 and 8: Pretreatment and biomass recalcitrance: fundamentals and progress. Appl Biochem Biotechnol, 153, 80 (2009). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12010-009-8610-3.   DOI
29 McMillan JD. Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass. ACS Symp Ser, 566, 292 (1994). http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/bk-1994-0566.ch015.   DOI
30 Lynd LR, Elamder RT, Wyman CE. Likely features and costs of mature biomass ethanol technology. Appl Biochem Biotechnol, 57, 741 (1996). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02941755.
31 Ogura K, Ninomiya K, Takahashi K, Ogino C, Kondo A. Pretreatment of Japanese cedar by ionic liquid solutions in combination with acid and metal ion and its application to high solid loading. Biotechnol Biofuels, 7, 120 (2014). http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13068-014-0120-z.   DOI
32 Brodeur G, Yau E, Badal K, Collier J, Ramachandran KB, Ramakrishnan S. Chemical and physicochemical pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass: a review. Enzyme Res, 2011, 1 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.4061/2011/787532.
33 Hsu TA, Ladisch MR, Tsao GT. Alcohol from cellulose. Chemtech, 10, 315 (1980).
34 Zhang YHP, Ding SY, Mielenz JR, Cui JB, Elander RT, Laser M, Himmel ME, McMillan JR, Lynd LR. Fractionating recalcitrant lignocellulose at modest reaction conditions. Biotechnol Bioeng, 97, 214 (2007). http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bit.21386.   DOI
35 Biomass pre-treatment: separation of cellulose, hemicellulose and treatment: separation of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Existing technologies and perspectives. Available from: http://www.eurobioref.org/Summer_School/Lectures_Slides/day2/Lectures/L04_AG%20Raspolli.pdf.
36 Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass. Available from: http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/beems/images/BEEMS_B1_Biomass_prerteatment.pdf.
37 Mosier N, Wyman C, Dale B, Elander R, Lee YY, Holtzapple M, Ladisch M. Features of promising technologies for pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass. Bioresour Technol, 96, 673 (2005). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2004.06.025.   DOI
38 Kumar P, Barrett DM, Delwiche MJ, Stroeve P. Methods for pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass for efficient hydrolysis and biofuel production. Ind Eng Chem Res, 48, 3713 (2009). http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ie801542g.   DOI
39 Allen SJ, Koumanova B, Kircheva Z, Nenkova S. Adsorption of 2-nitrophenol by technical hydrolysis lignin: Kinetics, Mass Transfer, and Equilibrium Studies. Ind Eng Chem Res, 44, 2281 (2005). http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ie049455d.   DOI
40 Wan C, Li Y. Microbial pretreatment of corn stover with Ceriporiopsis subvermispora for enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol production. Bioresour Technol, 101, 6398 (2010). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2010.03.070.   DOI
41 Alinia R, Zabihi S, Esmaeilzadeh F, Kalajahi JF. Pretreatment of wheat straw by supercritical CO2 and its enzymatic hydrolysis for sugar production. Biosyst Eng, 101, 61 (2010). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2010.07.002.
42 Zhu S, Wu Y, Yu Z, Chen Q, Wu G, Yu F, Wang C, Jin S. Microwave-assisted alkali pre-treatment of wheat straw and its enzymatic hydrolysis. Biosyst Eng, 94, 437 (2006). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2006.04.002.   DOI
43 Sun L, Tian C, Li M, Meng X, Wang L, Wang R, Yin J, Fu H. From coconut shell to porous graphene-like nanosheets for high-power supercapacitors. J Mater Chem A, 1, 6462 (2013). http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c3ta10897j.   DOI
44 Ma F, Yang N, Xu C, Yu H, Wu J, Zhang X. Combination of biological pretreatment with mild acid pretreatment for enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol production from water hyacinth. Bioresour Technol, 101, 9600 (2010). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2010.07.084.   DOI
45 Saratale GD, Oh SE. Lignocellulosics to ethanol: the future of the chemical and energy industry. Afr J Biotechnol, 11, 1002 (2012). http://dx.doi.org/10.5897/AJB10.897.
46 Sethupathi S, Bashir MJK, Akbar ZA, Mohamed AR. Biomass-based palm shell activated carbon and palm shell carbon molecular sieve as gas separation adsorbents. Waste Manag Res, 33, 303 (2015). http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0734242X15576026.   DOI
47 Parshetti GK, Chowdhury S, Balasubramanian R. Plant derived porous graphene nanosheets for efficient CO2 capture. RSC Adv, 4, 44634 (2014). http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c4ra05522e.   DOI
48 Shams SS, Zhang LS, Hu R, Zhang R, Zhu J. Synthesis of graphene from biomass: a green chemistry approach. Mater Lett, 161, 476 (2015). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2015.09.022.   DOI
49 da Silva ASA, Inoue H, Endo T, Yano S, Bon EPS. Milling pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse and straw for enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol fermentation. Bioresour Technol, 101, 7402 (2010). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2010.05.008.   DOI
50 Varga E, Réczey K, Zacchi G. Optimization of steam pretreatment of corn stover to enhance enzymatic digestibility. Appl Biochem and Biotechnol, 114, 509 (2004). http://dx.doi.org/10.1385/ABAB:114:1-3:509.   DOI
51 Xia A, Cheng J, Song W, Yu C, Zhou J, Cen K. Enhancing enzymatic saccharification of water hyacinth through microwave heating with dilute acid pretreatment for biomass energy utilization. Energy, 61, 158 (2013). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2013.09.019.   DOI
52 Hsu TC, Guo GL, Chen WH, Hwang WS. Effect of dilute acid pretreatment of rice straw on structural properties and enzymatic hydrolysis. Bioresour Technol, 101, 4907 (2010). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2009.10.009.   DOI
53 Zanini S, Riccardi C, Canevali C, Orlandi M, Zoia L, Tolppa EL. Modifications of lignocellulosic fibers by Ar plasma treatments in comparison with biological treatments. Surf Coat Technol, 200, 556 (2005). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2005.01.090.   DOI
54 Moisan M, Zakrzewski Z. Plasma sources based on the propagation of electromagnetic surface waves. J Phys D Appl Phys, 24, 1025 (1991). http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/24/7/001.   DOI
55 Zhu S, Wu Y, Yu Z, Zhang X, Li H, Gao M. The effect of microwave irradiation on enzymatic hydrolysis of rice straw. Bioresour Technol, 97, 1964 (2006). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2005.08.008.   DOI
56 Boonsombuti A, Luengnaruemitchai A, Wongkasemjit S. Enhancement of enzymatic hydrolysis of corncob by microwave-assisted alkali pretreatment and its effect in morphology. Cellulose, 20, 1957 (2013). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10570-013-9958-7.   DOI
57 Boonmanumsin P, Treeboobpha S, Jeamjumnunja K, Luengnaruemitchai A, Chaisuwan T, Wongkasemjit S. Release of monomeric sugars from Miscanthus sinensis by microwave-assisted ammonia and phosphoric acid treatments. Bioresour Technol, 103, 425 (2012). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2011.09.136.   DOI
58 Ninomiya K, Yamauchi T, Ogino C, Shimizu N, Takahashi K. Microwave pretreatment of lignocellulosic material in cholinium ionic liquid for efficient enzymatic saccharification. Biochem Eng J, 90, 90 (2014). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bej.2014.05.013.   DOI
59 Ha SH, Mai NL, An G, Koo YM. Microwave-assisted pretreatment of cellulose in ionic liquid for accelerated enzymatic hydrolysis. Bioresour Technol, 102, 1214 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2010.07.108.   DOI
60 New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Evaluation of microwave pretreatment for reducing the recalcitrance of woody biomass to hemicellulose extraction and cellulose hydrolysis (Report No. 11-11), New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Albany, NY (2011).
61 Tatijarern P, Prasertwasu S, Komalwanich T, Chaisuwan T, Luengnaruemitchai A, Wongkasemjit S. Capability of Thai Mission grass (Pennisetum polystachyon) as a new weedy lignocellulosic feedstock for production of monomeric sugar. Bioresour Technol, 143, 423 (2013). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2013.05.128.   DOI
62 Liu J, Takada R, Karita S, Watanabe T, Honda Y, Watanabe T. Microwave-assisted pretreatment of recalcitrant softwood in aqueous glycerol. Bioresour Technol, 101, 9355 (2010). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2010.07.023.   DOI
63 Bundaleska N, Tatarova E, Dias FM, Lino da Silva M, Ferreira CM, Amorim J. Air-water 'tornado'-type microwave plasmas applied for sugarcane biomass treatment. J Phys D Appl Phys, 47, 055201 (2013). http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/47/5/055201.
64 Bundaleska N, Saavedra R, Tatarova E, Dias FM, Ferreira CM, Amorim J. Pretreatment of sugarcane biomass by atmospheric pressure microwave plasmas. Proceedings of ESCAMPIG XXI, Viana do Castelo, Portugal, 2012.
65 Karahan HA, Özdoğan E. Improvements of surface functionality of cotton fibers by atmospheric plasma treatment. Fibers Polym, 9, 21 (2008). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12221-008-0004-6.   DOI
66 Vander Wielen LC, Elder T, Ragauskas AJ. Analysis of the topochemical effects of dielectric-barrier discharge on cellulosic fibers. Cellulose, 12, 185 (2005). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10570-004-2785-0.   DOI
67 Vander Wielen LC, Östenson M, Gatenholm P, Ragauskas AJ. Surface modification of cellulosic fibers using dielectric-barrier discharge. Carbohydr Polym, 65, 179 (2006). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2005.12.040.   DOI
68 Rodrigues THS, Rocha MVP, de Macedo GR, Gonçalves LRB. Ethanol production from cashew apple bagasse: improvement of enzymatic hydrolysis by microwave-assisted alkali pretreatment. Appl Biochem Biotechnol, 164, 929 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12010-011-9185-3.   DOI
69 Tseng KH, Shiao YF, Chang RF, Yeh YT. Optimization of microwave-based heating of cellulosic biomass using Taguchi method. Materials, 6, 3404 (2013). http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ma6083404.   DOI
70 Li Z, Jiang Z, Fei B, Yu Y, Cai Z. Effective of Microwave-KOH Pretreatment on enzymatic hydrolysis of bamboo. J Sustainable Bioenergy Syst, 2, 104 (2012). http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jsbs.2012.24015.   DOI
71 Verma P, Watanabe T, Honda Y, Watanabe T. Microwave-assisted pretreatment of woody biomass with ammonium molybdate activated by H2O2. Bioresour Technol, 102, 3941 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2010.11.058.   DOI
72 Komolwanich T, Tatijarern P, Prasertwasu S, Khumsupan D, Chaisuwan T, Luengnaruemitchai A, Wongkasemjit S. Comparative potentiality of Kans grass (Saccharum spontaneum) and Giant reed (Arundo donax) as lignocellulosic feedstocks for the release of monomeric sugars by microwave/chemical pretreatment. Cellulose, 21, 1327 (2014). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10570-013-0161-7.   DOI
73 Wang X, Li H, Cao Y, Tang Q. Cellulose extraction from wood chip in an ionic liquid 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (AmimCl). Bioresour Technol, 102, 7959 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2011.05.064.   DOI
74 Wang H, Maxim ML, Gurau G, Rogers RD. Microwave-assisted dissolution and delignification of wood in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate. Bioresour Technol, 136, 739 (2013). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2013.03.064.   DOI
75 Li L, Yu ST, Liu FS, Xie CX, Xu CZ. Efficient enzymatic in situ saccharification of cellulose in aquaeous-ionic liquid media by microwave pretreatment. BioResources, 6, 4494 (2011).
76 Xu J, Chen H, Kádár Z, Thomsen AB, Schmidt JE, Peng H. Optimization of microwave pretreatment on wheat straw for ethanol production. Biomass Bioenergy, 35, 3859 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2011.04.054.   DOI
77 Ethaib S, Omar R, Kamal SMM, Biak DRA. Microwave-assisted pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass: a review. J Eng Sci Technol, 10, 97 (2015).
78 Hu Z, Wen Z. Enhancing enzymatic digestibility of switchgrass by microwave-assisted alkali pretreatment. Biochem Eng J, 38, 369 (2008). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bej.2007.08.001.   DOI
79 Chittibabu S, Rajendran K, Santhanmuthu M, Saseetharan MK. Optimization of microwave assisted alkali pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of Banana pseudostem for bioethanol production. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology IPCBEE, Singapore, V2-67 (2011).