• KSBB Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.267-272
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• 2009

During a dilute acid hydrolysis, degradation products are formed or liberated by pre-treatment of lignocelluloses depend on both the biomass and the pretreatment conditions such as temperature, time, pressure, pH, redox conditions, and addition of catalysts. In lignocellulosic biomass, sugars can be degraded to furfural which is formed from pentoses and 5-hydroxymethulfurfural (HMF) from hexoses. 5-HMF can be further degraded, forming levulinic acid and formic acid. Acetate is liberated from hemicellulose during hydrolysis. Some decomposed compounds hinder the subsequent bioconversion of the solubilized sugars into desired products, reducing conversion yields and rates during fermentation. In the present work, samples of rapeseed strawwere hydrolyzed to study the optimal pretreatment condition by assessing yields of sugars and decomposed products obtained under different reaction conditions ($H_2SO_4$ 0.5-1.25% (w/w), reaction time 0-20 min and temperature range 150-220 C). A careful analytical investigation of acid hydrolyzate of rapeseed straw has not yet been undertaken, and a well-closed mass balance for the hydrolyzate in general is necessary to verify the productivity and economic predictions for this process.