Phosphomolybdic acid and ferric iron as efficient electron mediators for coupling biomass pretreatment to produce bioethanol and electricity generation from wheat straw

Yi Ding; Bo Du; Xuebing Zhao; Junyong Zhu; Dehua Liu

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2016.12.109

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Phosphomolybdic acid and ferric iron as efficient electron mediators for coupling biomass pretreatment to produce bioethanol and electricity generation from wheat straw

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Yi Ding, Bo Du, Xuebing Zhao, Junyong Zhu, Dehua Liu

Year:

2017

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Forest Products Laboratory

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2016.12.109

Source:

Bioresource Technology. 228: 279-289

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Abstract

Phosphomolybdic acid (PMo₁₂) was used as an electron mediator and proton carrier to mediate biomass pretreatment for ethanol production and electricity generation from wheat straw. In the pretreatment, lignin was oxidized anaerobically by PMo₁₂ with solubilization of a fraction of hemicelluloses, and the PMo₁₂ was simultaneously reduced. In an external liquid flow cell, the reduced PMo₁₂ was re-oxidized with generation of electricity. The effects of several factors on pretreatment were investigated for optimizing the conditions. Enzymatic conversion of cellulose and xylan were about 80% and 45%, respectively, after pretreatment of wheat straw with 0.25 M PMo₁₂, at 95°C for 45 min. FeCl₃ was found to be an effective liquid mediator to transfer electrons to air, the terminal electron acceptor. By investigating the effects of various operation parameters and cell structural factors, the highest output power density of about 11 mW/cm^₂ was obtained for discharging of the reduced PMo₁₂.

Keywords

Lignocellulosic biomass, Pretreatment, Enzymatic hydrolysis, Direct lignin-to-electricity conversion, Phosphomolybdic acid, Electron mediator

Citation

Ding, Yi; Du, Bo; Zhao, Xuebing; Zhu, J.Y.; Liu, Dehua. 2017. Phosphomolybdic acid and ferric iron as efficient electron mediators for coupling biomass pretreatment to produce bioethanol and electricity generation from wheat straw. Bioresource Technology. 228: 279-289.