ABSTRACT
Microwave-assisted methanolysis was performed to fractionate a mixture of fatty acid methyl-esters from the cuticles of various wild plants and agricultural wastes. A combination of hydrothermal pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis effectively removed hemicellulose and cellulose to afford plant cuticles concentrated in residual materials. The subsequent methanolysis treatment afforded bio-oil from plant cuticles in â¼10% yield with a maximum higher heating value (HHV) of 32 MJ kg-1 from bagasse. The proposed cascading treatments allow the total use of herbaceous soft biomass by utilizing hemicellulose and cellulose fractions as well as plant cuticles to produce bio-oils with high HHVs.
ABSTRACT
Microwave-assisted hydrothermal extraction was applied for production of sulfated polysaccharides from Ulva spp. and Monostroma latissimum. The maximum ulvan yields attained 40.4±3.2% (Ulva meridionalis) and 36.5±3.1% (Ulva ohnoi) within 4min of come-up time and 10min of extraction time at 160°C, respectively. The rhamnan sulfate yield from M. latissimum further attained 53.1±7.2% at 140°C. The sulfated polysaccharides were easily recovered from the extract by simple ethanol precipitation. In addition, molecular weights and viscosity of the extracted polysaccharides could be controlled by varying the extraction temperature. Dielectric measurement revealed that ionic conduction was the important parameter that affect the microwave susceptibility of algae-water mixture. The sulfated polysaccharides extracts are expected as potential feedstock for medical and food applications.
Subject(s)
Chlorophyta/chemistry , Deoxy Sugars/analysis , Mannans/analysis , Microwaves , Polysaccharides/analysis , Ulva/chemistry , ViscosityABSTRACT
This study investigated the effects of ionic conduction of electrolytes under microwave field to facilitate hydrothermal hydrolysis of corn starch and crystalline cellulose (Avicel), typical model biomass substrates. Addition of 0.1M NaCl was effective to improve reducing sugar yield by 1.61-fold at unit energy (kJ) level. Although Avicel cellulose was highly recalcitrant to hydrothermal hydrolysis, addition of 0.1M MgCl2 improved reducing sugar yield by 6.94-fold at unit energy (kJ). Dielectric measurement of the mixture of corn starch/water/electrolyte revealed that ionic conduction of electrolytes were strongly involved in facilitating hydrothermal hydrolysis of polysaccharides.
Subject(s)
Cellulose/chemistry , Microwaves , Starch/chemistry , Water/chemistry , Zea mays/chemistry , Crystallization , Electric Conductivity , Hot Temperature , Hydrolysis , Ions , Sodium Chloride/chemistryABSTRACT
Polyoxometalate (POM) clusters were utilized as recyclable acid catalysts and microwave-absorbing agents for the microwave-assisted hydrolysis of corn starch and crystalline cellulose. Phosphotungstic (PW) and silicotungstic (SiW) acids showed high hydrolyzing activity, while phosphomolybdic acid (PMo) showed lower glucose stability. The PW catalyst could be recycled by ether extraction at least 4 times without changing its catalytic activity. The addition of PW could reduce the energy demand required for running the hydrolysis by 17-23%. The dielectric property of the aqueous PW solution was important for increasing the microwave-absorption capability of the reaction system and reducing the energy consumption.
Subject(s)
Microwaves , Polysaccharides/metabolism , Tungsten Compounds/pharmacology , Absorption , Cellulose/metabolism , Crystallization , Electric Conductivity , Heating , Hydrolysis/drug effects , Phosphotungstic Acid/pharmacology , Recycling , Solutions , Starch/metabolism , Temperature , Water/pharmacology , Zea mays/chemistryABSTRACT
The stabilities of five neutral monosaccharides (glucose, galactose, mannose, arabinose, and xylose) were kinetically compared after the molecules were submitted to microwave heating (internal heating) and induction heating (external heating) under completely identical thermal histories by employing PID (proportional, integral, and derivative) temperature controlled ovens and homogeneous mixing. By heating in water at 200°C, the rate constants for the decomposition reactions varied from 2.13×10(-4) to 3.87×10(-4)s(-1) for microwave heating; however, the values increased by 1.1- to 1.5-fold for induction heating. Similarly, in a dilute (0.8%) sulfuric acid solution, the decomposition rate constants varied from 0.61×10(-3) to 2.00×10(-3)s(-1) for microwave heating; however, the values increased by 1.5- to 2.2-fold for induction heating. The results show that microwave heating imparts greater stability to neutral monosaccharides than does induction heating. The undesirable decomposition of monosaccharides at the surface boundary of reactor walls may have increased the probability of monosaccharide decomposition during induction heating.
Subject(s)
Hot Temperature , Microwaves , Monosaccharides/chemistry , Heating , KineticsABSTRACT
Microwave irradiation was compared with induction heating for hydrothermal hydrolysis of cellobiose. Microwave heating improved glucose selectivity and resulted in a pH of the hydrolyzates that was ⩽0.57 units lower than those from conventional heating, which suggests that fewer side-reactions occurred. Halide salts of alkali and alkali earth metals improved microwave-assisted hydrothermal saccharification of cellobiose at lower reaction severity by around 0.3 of logR(0). NaCl addition of ⩾10mM reduced the required microwave output to 58.6-66.2% as compared to conventional microwave-hydrothermal hydrolysis without halide salts. Kinetic analyses revealed that the addition of salt increased the hydrolysis rate by increasing the frequency factor of the reaction. The results showed that microwave irradiation in the presence of microwave-absorbing salts is effective for hydrothermal hydrolysis of carbohydrates.
