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Microwave irradiation-assisted ionic liquid or deep eutectic solvent pretreatment for effective bioconversion of sugarcane bagasse to bioethanol

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Abstract

Ionic liquids (ILs), and deep eutectic solvents (DESs), the eco-friendly solubilizing agents for processing of lignocellulosic feedstock, facilitate effective delignification and enhanced carbohydrates accessibility to hydrolytic enzymes for proficient bioconversion. Furthermore, the efficacy of these solvents may be increased by combinative application of microwave irradiation. In the present report, a novel and intensified strategy were developed for sugarcane bagasse (SCB) biomass pretreatment by using combined application of microwave irradiation and IL (1-butyl-3 methylimidazolium chloride, [Bmim]Cl) or DES (choline chloride, ChCl)/glycerol). The in-house enzyme preparation developed from Aspergillus assiutensis VS34 was employed for the saccharification of the pretreated SCB. The maximum sugar was released by combined microwave-[Bmim]Cl + PEG-8000 pretreatment (327.76 ± 1.8 mg/g biomass) followed by microwave + [Bmim]Cl (308.1 ± 2.4 mg/g biomass), and microwave-choline chloride/glycerol (297.36 ± 2.4 mg/g biomass) after 7 min of microwave irradiation. The analysis of combinatorially pretreated biomass by physicochemical techniques such as 1H NMR, FT-IR, XRD, and SEM showed that combined pretreatment induced severe biomass structural deformities, which facilitated the enzymatic hydrolysis and hence, improved the yield of reducing sugars. Fermentation of the sugar hydrolysate yielded an ethanol content of 146.96 ± 1.9 mg/g biomass (bioconversion efficiency, 44.39%). The results of the current study substantiate the effectiveness of microwave-aided combinatorial pretreatment approach with DESs/ILs for an efficient biomass conversion. Comprehensive physicochemical analysis of suitably pretreated SCB biomass may help unraveling the underlying functional processes of combinatorial pretreatment, and for developing biomass specific designer pretreatments for efficient conversion.

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Acknowledgements

Dr. Bijender Kumar Bajaj gratefully acknowledges the Institute of Advanced Study, Durham University, UK, for providing COFUND International Senior Research Fellowship for a research stay at the Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, UK, and the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, UK, for providing Commonwealth Fellowship for a research stay at the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK, and Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) for a research stay at the Ohio State University, USA. Financial support in the form of Research Projects to Dr. Bijender Kumar Bajaj (B.K.B.) from funding agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology (DST), University Grants Commission (UGC) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is gratefully acknowledged. Mr. Vishal Sharma highly acknowledges Department of Science and Technology (Govt. of India) for providing Inspire Fellowship to carry out Ph.D. research work. Ms. Parushi Nargotra thankfully acknowledges Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) for providing research fellowship grants. Authors thank the Director, School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu, for providing laboratory facilities.

Funding

Dr. Bijender Kumar Bajaj (BKB) gratefully acknowledges financial support in the form of research projects from funding organisations including the Department of Science and Technology (DST), University Grants Commission (UGC), and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu, 180006, India

    Vishal Sharma, Parushi Nargotra, Surbhi Sharma, Diksha Sawhney, Surbhi Vaid, Ridhika Bangotra & Bijender Kumar Bajaj

  2. Department of Botany, University of Jammu, Jammu, India

    Harish Chander Dutt

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  1. Vishal Sharma
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  2. Parushi Nargotra
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  3. Surbhi Sharma
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Correspondence to Bijender Kumar Bajaj.

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Sharma, V., Nargotra, P., Sharma, S. et al. Microwave irradiation-assisted ionic liquid or deep eutectic solvent pretreatment for effective bioconversion of sugarcane bagasse to bioethanol. Energ. Ecol. Environ. 8, 141–156 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40974-022-00267-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40974-022-00267-0

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