Optimization of Chemical Pretreatment and Acid Saccharification for Conversion of Sugarcane Bagasse to Ethanol

The production potential of cellulosic ethanol from sugarcane bagasse was studied. Chemical pretreatments were carried out by shaking bagasse with 1, 2 and 3% H2O2 (pH 10, 11.5 and 13) for 24, 48 and 72 h with subsequent saccharification of pretreated bagasse with H2SO4 (0.8 and 1.0 M) for 50 min for optimization of process. Acid hydrolysates were fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae var ellipsoideus for ethanol production. Maximum weight loss in alkaline pretreatment (52.30%), amount of reducing sugars (520.84 mg/g) and ethanol produced (27.94 ml/100 g pretreated bagasse) were found in 2% H2O2 (pH 11.5, 48 h) pretreated bagasse saccharified with 0.8 M H2SO4 after fermentation for 72 h. Pretreatment followed by acid saccharification decreased the time interval for ethanol fermentation.