Optimization of alkali pretreatment from steam exploded barley husk to enhance glucose fraction using response surface methodology

Abstract

The optimum alkali pretreatment parameters (reaction time, reaction temperature and potassium hydroxide concentration) for facilitate the conversion into fermentable sugar (glucose) from steam exploded (severity log Ro 2.45) barley husk were determined using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on a factorial Central Composite Design (CCD). The prediction of the response was carried out by a second-order polynomial model and regression analysis revealed that more than 88% of the variation can be explained by the models. The optimum conditions for maximum cellulose content were determined to be 201 min reaction time, 124°C reaction temperature and 0.9% potassium hydroxide concentration. This data shows that the actual value obtained was similar to the predicted value calculated from the model. The pretreated barley husk using acid hydrolysis resulted in a glucose conversion of 94.6%. This research of steam explosion and alkali pretreatment was a promising method to improve cellulose-rich residue for lignocellulosic biomass.