Publication: Biphasic pretreatment excels over conventional sulfuric acid in pinewood biorefinery: An environmental analysis
Date
2024
Authors
Khounani Z.
Abdul Razak N.N.
Hosseinzadeh-Bandbafha H.
Madadi M.
Sun F.
Mohammadi P.
Mahlia T.M.I.
Aghbashlo M.
Tabatabaei M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Academic Press Inc.
Abstract
This study assesses the environmental impact of pine chip-based biorefinery processes, focusing on bioethanol, xylonic acid, and lignin production. A cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is employed, comparing a novel biphasic pretreatment method (p-toluenesulfonic acid (TsOH)/pentanol, Sc-1) with conventional sulfuric acid pretreatment (H2SO4, Sc-2). The analysis spans biomass handling, pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, yeast fermentation, and distillation. Sc-1 yielded an environmental impact of 1.45E+01 kPt, predominantly affecting human health (96.55%), followed by ecosystems (3.07%) and resources (0.38%). Bioethanol, xylonic acid, and lignin contributed 32.61%, 29.28%, and 38.11% to the total environmental burdens, respectively. Sc-2 resulted in an environmental burden of 1.64E+01 kPt, with a primary impact on human health (96.56%) and smaller roles for ecosystems (3.07%) and resources (0.38%). Bioethanol, xylonic acid, and lignin contributed differently at 22.59%, 12.5%, and 64.91%, respectively. Electricity generation was predominant in both scenarios, accounting for 99.05% of the environmental impact, primarily driven by its extensive usage in biomass handling and pretreatment processes. Sc-1 demonstrated a 13.05% lower environmental impact than Sc-2 due to decreased electricity consumption and increased bioethanol and xylonic acid outputs. This study highlights the pivotal role of pretreatment methods in wood-based biorefineries and underscores the urgency of sustainable alternatives like TsOH/pentanol. Additionally, adopting greener electricity generation, advanced technologies, and process optimization are crucial for reducing the environmental footprint of waste-based biorefineries while preserving valuable bioproduct production. ? 2024 Elsevier Inc.
Description
Keywords
Biofuels , Biomass , Biotechnology , Ecosystem , Humans , Hydrolysis , Lignin , Pentanols , Saccharomyces cerevisiae , Sulfuric Acids , biofuel , lignin , pentanol , sulfuric acid , biomass , biotechnology , ecosystem , human , hydrolysis , procedures , Saccharomyces cerevisiae