Hydrothermal pretreatment of woody biomass and potential value-added applications of the resulting autohydrolysates

Abstract

Economic feasibility of wood-based biorefinery depends on the development of efficient, environmentally acceptable, robust, and low-cost pretreatment technologies for the production of high-value products. Hydrothermal pretreatment successfully meets these needs because it is environmentally friendly and cost-efficient. Not only does this pretreatment effectively reduce the recalcitrance of wood to further conversion, it also provides suitable byproduct streams for the production of a broad palette of value-added products. High-value coproducts have been recognized as essential to the success of the multiproduct wood-based biorefinery. In this review, the chemistry of hydrothermal pretreatment is discussed in the context of each of the major wood constituents. This is followed by an overview of the various value-added coproducts that can be produced from the “waste” streams of hydrothermal pretreatment including materials, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and commodity chemicals. Finally, valuable products that can be extracted by hydrothermal treatment from underutilized bark and knotwood are discussed. With this report, our aim is to motivate researchers and industry professionals to pursue innovative approaches toward a diversified portfolio of wood biorefinery products, thus advancing the bioeconomy.

Citation

Corbett, D.; Nagardeolekar, A.; Dongre, P.; Bujanovic, B. 2024. Hydrothermal pretreatment of woody biomass and potential value-added applications of the resulting autohydrolysates. General Technical Report FPL-GTR-304. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. 38 p. https://doi.org/10.2737/FPL-GTR-304