Simultaneous production of furfural, lignin and cellulose-rich residue from Eucalyptus urophylla × E. grandis by ChCl/1,2-propanediol/MIBK biphasic system pretreatment

Int J Biol Macromol. 2024 Aug;275(Pt 1):133522. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133522. Epub 2024 Jun 28.

Abstract

A facile biphasic system composed of choline chloride (ChCl)-based deep eutectic solvent (DES) and methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) was developed to realize the furfural production, lignin separation and preparation of fermentable glucose from Eucalyptus in one-pot. Results showed that the ChCl/1,2-propanediol/MIBK system owned the best property to convert hemicelluloses into furfural. Under the optimal conditions (MRChCl:1,2-propanediol = 1:2, raw materials:DES:MIBK ratio = 1:4:8 g/g/mL, 0.075 mol/L AlCl3·6H2O, 140 °C, and 90 min), the furfural yield and glucose yield reached 65.0 and 92.2 %, respectively. Meanwhile, the lignin with low molecular weight (1250-1930 g/mol), low polydispersity (DM = 1.25-1.53) and high purity (only 0.08-2.59 % carbohydrate content) was regenerated from the biphasic system. With the increase of pretreatment temperature, the β-O-4, β-β and β-5 linkages in the regenerated lignin were gradually broken, and the content of phenolic hydroxyl groups increased, but the content of aliphatic hydroxyl groups decreased. This research provides a new strategy for the comprehensive utilization of lignocellulose in biorefinery process.

Keywords: Biorefinery; Biphasic system; Enzymatic hydrolysis; Furfural; Lignin.

MeSH terms

  • Cellulose* / chemistry
  • Choline / chemistry
  • Eucalyptus* / chemistry
  • Eucalyptus* / metabolism
  • Fermentation
  • Furaldehyde* / analogs & derivatives
  • Furaldehyde* / chemistry
  • Furaldehyde* / metabolism
  • Glucose / chemistry
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Lignin* / chemistry
  • Methyl n-Butyl Ketone / chemistry
  • Methyl n-Butyl Ketone / metabolism
  • Propylene Glycol / chemistry
  • Solvents / chemistry

Substances

  • Lignin
  • Furaldehyde
  • Cellulose
  • Methyl n-Butyl Ketone
  • methyl isobutyl ketone
  • Choline
  • Propylene Glycol
  • Glucose
  • Solvents