Abstract:
Biorefineries typically use dry feedstock due to technical and logistic issues, but in unique cases where climatic conditions are unfavorable and where the biomass has to be processed without a holding time, wet processing might be advantageous. The present study evaluated the possibility of using the fresh (non-dried) mixed biomass harvested from Phumdis; which are floating vegetation unique to Loktak lake in Manipur, India, for bioethanol production. Pretreatment with dilute alkali (1.5% at 120 °C for 60 min) resulted in 36% lignin removal and an enhancement of cellulose content to 48% from 37%, and enzymatic hydrolysis released 25 g/L glucose. Fermentation of the hydrolysates was highly efficient at 95%, attained in 36 h and 80% in just 12 h. The new wet processing strategy could help in value addition of mixed phumdi biomass.
