Author : Sachin Tomar and S. Y. Adaganti

In this work the feasibility of Calliandra shrub, a lignocellulosic material, for ethanol production was investigated by using hydrothermal pre-treatment method. Lignocellulosic materials are considered as a new source to produce second generation biofuels like bio-ethanol. The aim of this study was to obtain the best condition for the hydrothermal pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass followed by acid hydrolysis and fermentation to produce ethanol. Optimum conditions were found to be: for hydrothermal pre-treatment pressure 6 Kg/cm2, temperature 165oC, time 1 hour, for hydrolysis: pressure 1-1.5 Kg/cm2, time 1 hour, 5% H2SO4, for fermentation: pH of 6, 5% yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), temperature 37.50C, time 4 days in the rotary shaker incubator at a speed of 144 rpm. The biomass was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), chemical methods and ethanol obtained was tested by Gas chromatography–Mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Keywords: Biomass, Calliandra, Pretreatment, Lignocellulosic.

Article published in International Journal of Current  Engineering  and Technology, Vol.3,No.5(Dec- 2013)