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Efficient bioconversion of sugarcane tops biomass into biofuel-ethanol using an optimized alkali-ionic liquid pretreatment approach

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Abstract

Sugarcane tops (SCT) may be an imperative lignocellulosic feedstock for production of renewable energy in view of ever-rising global energy demands. The current study presents the first ever report of combinative pretreatment of sugarcane tops biomass using ionic liquid (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride) and alkali (ammonium carbonate) for effective and enhanced saccharification. The enzymatic hydrolysis of combinatorially pretreated SCT biomass resulted in a significantly higher reducing sugar yield (172.34 mg/g biomass) as compared to that obtained after standalone IL (85.9 mg/g biomass) or alkali pretreatment (102.6 mg/g biomass). The saccharification enzymes (cellulase/xylanase) used for hydrolysis of pretreated SCT biomass were in-house produced from an IL-tolerant, newly isolated fungus Penicillium chrysogenum VS4. Optimization of process variables for combined pretreatment was accomplished based on design of experiments, and enhanced reducing sugar yield was obtained. The experimental design for ascertaining optimal level of process variables, i.e., biomass loading (5.33%, w/w), temperature (100 °C), and time (4.50 h) was validated. Optimization of the process parameters resulted in 25.27% increased reducing sugar yield (215.89 mg/g biomass) as compared to that under unoptimized process. Ultrastructural analysis of SCT biomass after combined pretreatment was investigated by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy which indicated that the biomass had undergone drastic alterations and substantial disintegration due to pretreatment. The current study highlights the potential of combinative pretreatment strategy for efficient conversion of SCT biomass. Such combined pretreatment approaches may be extended to other biomass feedstocks as well for developing successful biorefineries.

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All datasets used and analyzed in the current study are available from the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgments

BKB acknowledges the following: Institute of Advanced Study, Durham University, UK, for providing COFUND International Senior Research Fellowship for research stay at Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, UK., Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, UK, for providing Commonwealth Fellowship for research stay at Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK, and Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) for research stay at Ohio State University, USA. Authors thank the Director, School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu for necessary laboratory facilities, and SAIF, STIC, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kerala, India, for physicochemical analysis of samples.

Funding

Financial support in the form of Research Projects to Dr. Bijender Kumar Bajaj (BKB) from funding agencies such as Department of Science and Technology (DST), University Grants commission (UGC), and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is gratefully acknowledged. Mr. Vishal Sharma thankfully acknowledges Department of Science and Technology (Govt. of India) for providing Inspire fellowship for doctoral research. Ms. Parushi Nargotra acknowledges Rashtriya Uchchattar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) for providing Ph.D. research fellowship. Ms. Surbhi Sharma is thankful to University of Jammu for providing University research scholarship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu, India

    Vishal Sharma, Parushi Nargotra, Surbhi Sharma & Bijender Kumar Bajaj

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  1. Vishal Sharma
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Contributions

Dr. Bijender Kumar Bajaj (BKB) hypothesized and designed the research problem; Mr. Vishal Sharma (VS) and Ms. Parushi Nargotra (PN) designed and performed the experiments; PN, VS, and BKB analyzed and interpreted the data; Ms. Surbhi Sharma wrote the draft manuscript; BKB, PN, and VS corrected the MS; BKB submitted the MS. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Bijender Kumar Bajaj.

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Sharma, V., Nargotra, P., Sharma, S. et al. Efficient bioconversion of sugarcane tops biomass into biofuel-ethanol using an optimized alkali-ionic liquid pretreatment approach. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 13, 841–854 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-020-01123-z

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