Caracterização de resíduos agroindustriais para a produção de Etanol de segunda geração

Abstract

The production of ethanol from renewable sources, derived from lignocellulosic materials, from biomass, is already a reality, as there is a great concern about the large dumping of waste into the environment. These residues directly affect global warming, which is an effect resulting from the practice of disposing of these materials unusable in the environment. Thus, it is necessary to develop researches with the objective of minimizing environmental problems. These biomasses present the three main compounds: lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose, and lignin is not of interest in fermentation, but plays a very important role behind all biomass chemistry, cellulose and hemicellulose when hydrolysates can to provide fermentable monosaccharides producing the second generation ethanol. This study attempted to analyze the viability of three biomasses for the production of cellulosic ethanol, such as rice bran, sugarcane bagasse and corn husk meal. Determination of granulometry, moisture, ash, total solids, water activity, ethereal extract, proteins, total extractives, soluble and insoluble lignin, holocellulose, cellulose, hemicellulose, and total carbohydrates were made. Results showed that the three biomasses studied showed a great potential in application for energy cogeneration due to their low ash content, which was 7.99% for rice bran, 2.7% for sugarcane bagasse, and 3.47% for corn husk meal. The results also showed the application for bio-conversion and bioethanol production, due to the presence of polysaccharides, 38.33% cellulose, 19.73% hemicellulose for rice bran, 27.09% cellulose, 5.61% hemicellulose for sugarcane bagasse, and 55.75% cellulose, 12.93% hemicellulose for corn husk meal.