PRODUCTION OF XYLOSE USING ACID HYDROLYSIS OF WHEAT STRAW

Abstract

This study was conducted to produce xylose by acid hydrolysis from lignocellulose by product . The process of acid hydrolysis carried out using dilute H₂SO₄ to hydrolyze the available sources of  lignocellulosics  in Province of Wassit being (corn stover, rice husk, reed and wheat straw) ,wheat straw was selected as the best source for hemicellulose  (35)% as compared to the above mentioned sources. The hydrolysis  process included  two separated experiments ,acid hydrolysis of autoclaved and non- autoclaved wheat straw using the following reaction conditions  [(0.5, 1 and 1.5%) sulfuric acid solution, (1, 2 and 3hrs) hydrolysis time and (1:10, 1:15 and 1:20) solid to liquid ratio]. The results  indicated that the optimal reaction conditions for the recovery of xylose from autoclaved wheat straw was observed when 1% sulfuric acid solution, 1:15 solid: liquid ratio over 1 hr. incubation time  was used . From scaling up to using 10 g wheat straw as substrate, an average xylose yield was 20.61g xylose/100 g of wheat straw (dry basis) . Also, results indicated that  the highest level of furfural (0.77) % was observed when 1.5% sulfuric acid solution  over 3hrs hydrolysis. while, the lowest level (0.22)%  was observed when 0.5% sulfuric acid after 1hr reaction time used, demonstrating that the reaction time and acid concentration has very significant role on concentration of furfural formation.