Effect of ultrasonic pre-treatment on low temperature acid hydrolysis of oil palm empty fruit bunch

• Main Authors: Yunus, Robiah, Salleh, Shanti Faridah, Abdullah, Norhafizah, Awang Biak, Dayang Radiah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2010
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/14324/1/Effect%20of%20ultrasonic%20pre-treatment%20on%20low%20temperature%20acid%20hydrolysis%20of%20oil%20palm%20empty%20fruit%20bunch.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/14324/; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960852410012642#!
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

Various pre-treatment techniques change the physical and chemical structure of the lignocellulosic biomass and improve hydrolysis rates. The effect of ultrasonic pre-treatment on oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fibre prior to acid hydrolysis has been evaluated. The main objective of this study was to determine if ultrasonic pre-treatment could function as a pre-treatment method for the acid hydrolysis of OPEFB fibre at a low temperature and pressure. Hydrolysis at a low temperature was studied using 2% sulphuric acid; 1:25 solid liquid ratio and 100 °C operating temperature. A maximum xylose yield of 58% was achieved when the OPEFB fibre was ultrasonicated at 90% amplitude for 45 min. In the absence of ultrasonic pre-treatment only 22% of xylose was obtained. However, no substantial increase of xylose formation was observed for acid hydrolysis at higher temperatures of 120 and 140 °C on ultrasonicated OPEFB fibre. The samples were then analysed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to describe the morphological changes of the OPEFB fibre. The SEM observations show interesting morphological changes within the OPEFB fibre for different acid hydrolysis conditions.