Biological utilization of bagasse, a lignocellulose waste

Abstract

The technology to produce ethanol and single cell protein from sugarcane bagasse has been developed. Hydrolysis of the hemicelluloses by dilute sulphuric acid produces a solution of xylose and other sugars and embrittles the cellulose/lignin residue to enable attritor milling to be an effective, low energy consuming pretreatment for the enzymic hydrolysis of the cellulose. Very high activity cellulase has been produced with high productivity at pilot plant scale. Processes have been developed for the production of single cell protein from the hemicelluloses and cellulose hydrolysates and the production of ethanol from the the cellulose by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation and from the hemicelluloses hydroly-sate by direct fermentation. The economic viability in South Africa of industrial processes based on these technologies was assessed by an independent consultant