ALKALINE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE PRETREATMENT OF AÇAÍ SEEDS WASTE (ASW) FOR FERMENTABLE SUGARS AND ETHANOL PRODUCTION

The possibility of converting lignocellulosic waste into ethanol and sugars is commercial and environmentally interesting, since both are the basis for countless materials for chemical use. The objective of this work was to evaluate the pre-treatment with alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) of the açaí seeds for production of fermentable sugars and ethanol. A full factorial design 3(2-0) was carried out with the variables: pre-treatment temperature (25-60ºC) and concentration of alkaline hydrogen peroxide (4-10%). The pre-treated material was hydrolysed with 15 FPU/g of Celluclast 1.5 L from Trichoderma reesei and the released glucose levels were measured. The best pre-treatment condition (4% peroxide at 4% at 60°C for 60 min.) was used to produce enzymatic hydrolysates that were fermented in Erlenmeyer and reactor/fermenter, and the ethanol and glucose yields were analysed on HPLC. The highest glucose yield found was 5.95 g.L-1; and the maximum yields of ethanol in the fermentation were 2,41 g.L-1 in Erlenmeyer and 2,69 g.L-1 in the reactor/fermenter. The volumetric ethanol production rate were 0.10 and 0.11g.L-1.h-1.