OPTIMISATION OF BIOETHANOL PRODUCTION FROM SOME PLANTS WASTE USING ACIDS PRETREATMENT

Abstract

The potentials of Saw dust, Rice husk and Groundnut shells were investigated for bioethanol production. The substrates were pretreated using 2 % , 4 % , 6 % and 8% solution of dilute H 2 SO 4 and HCl. The pretreated substrates were thermally treated at 105 0 C in order to detoxify them . The pretreated substrates obtained using different concentrations of acids were fermented using Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Yeast). The results show that Rice husk treated with 4% H 2 SO 4 (2.689%dryweight) has the highest result followed by the same sample treated with 2% H 2 SO 4 (2.423%drywieght) then followed by the Saw dust treated with 8% H 2 SO 4 (1.802%dryweight) in which the least result is observed with groundnut s hells treated with 8% H 2 SO 4 (0.862%dryweight). All these were observed to be significantly different as calculated and checked between individuals differences at 0.5% confidence limit using ANOVA. Also from the results, it is clear that the samples treated with sulphuric acid treatments were better at reserving the actual sugar (glucose) content. While samples treated with HCl has their sugar content reduced; as this shows the effect of thermal treatment and detoxification processes involved. Conclusively, individual substrates treated are said to be in different acid measures. Thus, saw dust is optimum at 8% H 2 SO 4 and 6% HCl while rice husk shows its optimum progress at 6% in both H 2 SO 4 and HCl. and ground nut shells are good at 4% H 2 SO 4 and 6% HCl acid treatments.