The pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass with protic low-cost ionic liquids is shown, resulting in a delignified cellulose-rich pulp and a purified lignin. The pulp gives rise to high glucose yields after enzymatic saccharification.
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Method Article
Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass with Low-cost Ionic Liquids
In This Article
Summary
Abstract
A number of ionic liquids (ILs) with economically attractive production costs have recently received growing interest as media for the delignification of a variety of lignocellulosic feedstocks. Here we demonstrate the use of these low-cost protic ILs in the deconstruction of lignocellulosic biomass (Ionosolv pretreatment), yielding cellulose and a purified lignin. In the most generic process, the protic ionic liquid is synthesized by accurate combination of aqueous acid and amine base. The water content is adjusted subsequently. For the delignification, the biomass is placed into a vessel with IL solution at elevated temperatures to dissolve the lignin and hemicellulose, leaving a cellulose-rich pulp ready for saccharification (hydrolysis to fermentable sugars). The lignin is later precipitated from the IL by the addition of water and recovered as a solid. The removal of the added water regenerates the ionic liquid, which can be reused multiple times. This protocol is useful to investigate the significant potential of protic ILs for use in commercial biomass pretreatment/lignin fractionation for producing biofuels or renewable chemicals and materials.
Introduction
Meeting humanity's energy demand sustainably is one of the greatest challenges that our civilization faces. Energy use is predicted to double in the next 50 years, putting greater strain on fossil fuel resources. 1 The buildup of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere through wide-spread fossil fuel use is particularly problematic, as CO2 generated from combustion of fossil fuels is responsible for 50% of the anthropogenic greenhouse effect. 2 Therefore, large-scale application of renewable and carbon neutral technologies is essential for meeting the increased energy and material needs of future generations. 1, 3
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Protocol
Note: The protic ionic liquids used in the process are synthesized in our laboratory, although some might be or become commercially available. The resulting ionic liquids are acidic and corrosive and probably skin/eye irritants (depending on the amine used), and must therefore be handled with care wearing appropriate PPE (lab coat, safety specs, resistant gloves).
1. Preparation
- Preparing and storing the lignocellulosic biomass
- Obtain the lignocellulosic biomass prior to the experiment in sufficient quantities, for example 100 g up to 5 kg.
Note: Each experiment requires at least 3 g of biomass....
- Obtain the lignocellulosic biomass prior to the experiment in sufficient quantities, for example 100 g up to 5 kg.
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Results
The exact amount of lignin removal and lignin precipitation, recovered pulp and glucose yield depend on the type of biomass used, the temperature at which the treatment is run and the duration of the treatment. Short pretreatment times and low temperatures lead to incomplete pretreatment while at higher temperatures the cellulose becomes unstable in the ionic liquid, leading to hydrolysis and degradation. The selected ionic liquid also plays an important role in the outcome of the fractio.......
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Discussion
The technique for the fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass presented here produces a cellulose-rich pulp and a lignin. Most of the hemicelluloses are dissolved into the ionic liquid and hydrolyzed, but not recovered. If hemicellulose sugars are desired, a hemicellulose pre-extraction step prior to the Ionosolv delignification may be necessary. It has so far been impossible to fully close the mass balance for the biomass, as it is not possible to identify and quantify all degradation products found in the ionic liquid.......
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Disclosures
The authors have nothing to disclose.
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment, Climate-KIC and EPSRC (EP/K038648/1 and EP/K014676/1) for funding and Pierre Bouvier for providing experimental data for pine pretreatments.
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Materials
| Name | Company | Catalog Number | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| IL synthesis | |||
| Round bottom flask, with standard ground joint 24/29 NS, 1,000 ml | Lenz | 3 0024 70 | VWR product code 271-1309 |
| 250 ml Addition Funnel, Graduated, 29/26 Joint Size, 0-4 mm PTFE Valve | GPE | CG-1714-16 | |
| Dish-shaped dewar flask, SCH 31 CAL | KGW-Isotherm | 1197 | |
| Volumetric flask, 200 ml | VWR | 612-3745 | |
| Cork rings, pasteur pipettes and teet, wash bottle with deionised water, large magentic stir bar | |||
| Biomass size reduction | |||
| Heavy Duty Cutting Mill SM2000 | Retsch | Discontinued | Replaced with Cutting Mill SM 200 (20.728.0001) |
| Bottom sieves (10 mesh square holes, for particle size <2 mm) | Retsch | 03.647.0318 | Part of cutting mill |
| Analytical Sieve Shaker AS 200 | Retsch | 30.018.0001 | Part of sieving machine |
| Test Sieve 200 mm Ø x 50 mm height ISO 3310/1 (180 µm) | Retsch | 60.131.000180 | Part of sieving machine |
| Test Sieve 200 mm Ø x 50 mm height ISO 3310/1 (850 µm) | Retsch | 60.131.000850 | Part of sieving machine |
| Collecting pan, stainless steel, 200 mm Ø, height 50 mm | Retsch | 69.720.0050 | Part of sieving machine |
| Rotary evaporator | |||
| Rotary evaporator (Rotavapor R-210) | Buchi | Discontinued | Replaced with Rotavapor R-300 |
| Water bath (Heating bath B-491) | Buchi | 48201 | Part of rotary evaporator |
| Recirculator | Julabo | F25 | Part of rotary evaporator |
| Vacuum pump (MPC 101 Z) | Ilmvac GmbH | 412522 | Part of rotary evaporator |
| Vacuum controller (Vacuum Control Box VCB 521) | Ilmvac GmbH | 600053 | Part of rotary evaporator |
| Parallel evaporator | |||
| StarFish Base Plate 135 mm (for Radleys & IKA) | Radleys | RR95010 | Part of parallel evaporator |
| Monoblock for 5 x 250 ml Flasks | Radleys | RR95130 | Part of parallel evaporator |
| Telescopic 5-way Clamp with Velcro | Radleys | RR95400 | Part of parallel evaporator |
| Gas/Vacuum Manifold with connectors | Radleys | RR95510 | Part of parallel evaporator |
| 650 mm Rod | Radleys | RR95665 | Part of parallel evaporator |
| Quick Release Male, R/A Barbed 6.4 mm + Shut-off (3.2 mm ID) | Radleys | RR95520 | Part of parallel evaporator |
| Stirrer/hot plate | Radleys | RR98072 | Part of soxhlet extractor |
| Temperature controller | Radleys | RR98073 | Part of soxhlet extractor |
| Elliptical Stirring Bar 15 mm Rare Earth | Radleys | RR98097 | Part of parallel evaporator |
| Vacuum cold trap, plastic coated, PTFE stopcock | Chemglass | CG-4519-01 | Part of parallel evaporator |
| Vacuum pump (MPC 101 Z) | Ilmvac GmbH | 412522 | Part of parallel evaporator |
| Tygon tubing E-3603, 6.40 mm (internal) 12.80 mm (external) | Saint-Gobain/VWR | 228-1292 | Part of parallel evaporator |
| Parallel Soxhlet extractor | |||
| StarFish Base Plate 135 mm (for Radleys & IKA) | Radleys | RR95010 | Part of soxhlet extractor |
| Monoblock for 5 x 250 ml Flasks | Radleys | RR95130 | Part of soxhlet extractor |
| Telescopic 5-way Clamp with Velcro | Radleys | RR95400 | Part of soxhlet extractor |
| Telescopic 5-way Clamp with Silicone Strap and Long Handle | Radleys | RR95410 | Part of soxhlet extractor |
| Water Manifold with connectors | Radleys | RR95500 | Part of soxhlet extractor |
| 650 mm Rod | Radleys | RR95665 | Part of soxhlet extractor |
| Quick Release Male, R/A Barbed 6.4 mm + Shut-off (3.2 mm ID) | Radleys | RR95520 | Part of soxhlet extractor |
| Coil condensers with standard ground joints 29/32 NS | Lenz | 5.2503.04 | Part of soxhlet extractor |
| Extractor Soxhlet 40 ml borosilicate glass 29/32 socket 24/29 cone | Quickfit | EX5/43 | Part of soxhlet extractor |
| Stirrer/hot plate | Radleys | RR98072 | Part of soxhlet extractor |
| Temperature controller | Radleys | RR98073 | Part of soxhlet extractor |
| Recirculator | Grant | LTC1 | Part of soxhlet extractor |
| Cellulose extraction thimble | Whatman | 2280-228 | |
| Tweezers | Excelta | 20A-S-SE | |
| Vacuum drying oven | |||
| Vacuum drying oven | Binder | VD 23 | Part of vacuum oven |
| Dewar vessel 2 L 100 x 290 mm with handle | KGW-Isotherm | 10613 | Part of vacuum oven |
| Vacuum Trap | GPE | CG-4532-01 | Part of vacuum oven |
| Other equipment | |||
| Analytical balance | A&D | GH-252 | accuracy to ± 0.1 mg |
| Volumetric Karl Fischer titrator | Mettler Toledo | V20 | |
| 10 ml disposable pipette | Corning Inc | Costar 4101 10 mL Stripette | |
| Eppendorf Research plus pipette, variable volume, volume 100-1,000 μl | Eppendorf | 3120000062 | |
| Desiccator | Jencons | JENC250-028BOM | |
| Ace pressure tube bushing type, Front seal, volume 15 ml | Ace Glass | 8648-04 | |
| Ace O-rings, silicone, 2.6 mm, I.D. 9.2 mm | Ace Glass | 7855216 | O-ring for pressure tube |
| Vortex shaker | VWR International | 444-1378 (UK) | |
| Fan-assisted convection oven | ThermoScientific | HeraTherm OMH60 | |
| Oven glove (Crusader Flex) | Ansel Edmont | 42-325 | |
| 250 ml Round bottom flask single neck ground joint 24/29 (Pyrex) | Quickfit | FR250/3S | |
| Rotaflo stopcock adapter with cone 24/29 | Rotaflo England | MF11/2/SC | |
| 50 ml Falcon tube | Heraeus/Kendro | HERA 76002844 | |
| Centrifuge (Mega Star 3.0) | VWR | 521-1751 | |
| Reagents | |||
| Ethanol absolute | VWR | 20820.464 | |
| Triethylamine | Sigma-Aldrich | T0886 | |
| Sulfuric acid 5 mol/L (10 N) AVS TITRINORM volumetric solution Safe-break bottle 2.5 L | VWR | 191665V | |
| Purified water (15 MΩ ressitance) | Elga | CENTRA R200 | |
| Lignocellulosic biomass | |||
| Miscanthus X gigantheus | |||
| Pinus sylvestris |
References
- Lewis, N. S., Nocera, D. G. Powering the planet: chemical challenges in solar energy utilization. Proc.Natl.Acad.Sci.U.S.A. 103 (43), 15729-15735 (2006).
- Dincer, I. Renewable energy and sustainable development: a crucial review. Renewa....
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