Short-time alkaline peroxide pretreatment for rapid pulping and efficient enzymatic hydrolysis of rice straw.

To improve utilization of agricultural residues in biorefineries, the effects of alkaline peroxide (AP) pretreatment on thermal degradation and enzymatic digestibility of rice straw were investigated. A high-cellulose (>70%) pulp with a width of a few micrometers was obtained by rapid (10min) treatment with AP, without prior heating or other treatment. Moreover, enzymatic hydrolysis of the pulp produced a high glucose yield (approximately 80%).

Preparation using pectinase and characterization of nanofibers from orange peel waste in juice factories.

Unlabelled: This study reports the preparation and characterization of nanofibers consisting mainly of cellulose microfibrils from orange peel (OP), which is a significant byproduct of orange juice production. Three treatments (boiling, alkaline, and pectinase) were investigated with and without subsequent grinding treatment. It was possible to prepare the cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) using these methods, except for the boiling treatment with grinding.

Comparison of the enzymatic digestibility of physically and chemically pretreated selected line of diploid-Miscanthus sinensis Shiozuka and triploid-M.×giganteus.

The diploid Miscanthus sinensis "Shiozuka" which was selected as a high-biomass producing line, and the triploid M. × giganteus (M×G) were treated by ball milling (physical treatment) and alkaline hydrogen peroxide treatment (AHP; chemical treatment), and their structural sugar compositions and enzymatic digestibility were compared. The structural sugar content of Shiozuka was moderate and lower than that of M×G.

Ethanol-based organosolv treatment with trace hydrochloric acid improves the enzymatic digestibility of Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) by exposing nanofibers on the surface.

The effects of adding trace acids in ethanol based organosolv treatment were investigated to increase the enzymatic digestibility of Japanese cypress. A high glucose yield (60%) in the enzymatic hydrolysis was obtained by treating the sample at 170 °C for 45 min in 50% ethanol liquor containing 0.4% hydrochloric acid.

High-coverage gene expression profiling analysis of the cellulase-producing fungus Acremonium cellulolyticus cultured using different carbon sources.

The gene expression of a cellulase-producing fungus, Acremonium cellulolyticus, was investigated after culturing with three different carbon sources: glycerol, lactose, and Solka-Floc powdered cellulose (SF). High-coverage gene expression profiling (HiCEP) analysis, a method requiring no prior sequence knowledge, was used to screen genes upregulated at the early stage of cellulase production. SF was used as a strong inducer of cellulase production, lactose was used as an inducer of the expression of cellulase genes at the early stage of the culture, and glycerol was used as a negative control.

Combination of hot compressed water treatment and wet disk milling for high sugar recovery yield in enzymatic hydrolysis of rice straw.

Rice straw has attracted significant interest in Japan as a potential raw material for biorefineries. Combination of hot-compressed water treatment (HCWT) and wet disk milling (WDM) was investigated to improve the enzymatic digestibility of rice straw and enhance sugar recovery yield. Rice straw, cut to <3 mm, was autoclaved at 121, 135, and 150 °C for 60 min, and subsequently treated by wet disk milling.

Production and characterization of cellulases and hemicellulases by Acremonium cellulolyticus using rice straw subjected to various pretreatments as the carbon source.

Cellulases and hemicellulases are key enzymes in the production of alternative fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass-an abundant renewable resource. Carbon source selection is an important factor in the production of cellulases and hemicellulases. Rice straw--a potential ethanol source--has recently gained considerable interest in Asian countries.

Dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl adsorbent obtained from enzymatic saccharification residue of lignocellulose.

In this study, the effective utilization of lignocellulose residue as an adsorbent was investigated. Japanese cypress wood flour subjected to hydrothermal pretreatment and ball-mill grinding was saccharified with an enzyme. The residual wood flour was carbonized and activated by physical and chemical activation to produce adsorbents for persistent organic pollutant removal.

A chimeric NST repressor has the potential to improve glucose productivity from plant cell walls.

Bioethanol might be produced more economically and with less ecological impact (with reduced exploitation of food crops) if we could increase the production of glucose from the cellulosic materials in plant cell walls. However, plant cell walls are relatively resistant to enzymatic and physicochemical hydrolysis and, therefore, it is necessary to develop methods for reducing such resistance. Changes in plant cell wall materials, by genetic engineering, that render them more easily hydrolyzable to glucose might be a valuable approach to this problem.

Wet disk milling pretreatment without sulfuric acid for enzymatic hydrolysis of rice straw.

Rice straw has recently attracted interest in Japan as a potential source of raw material for ethanol production. Wet disk milling, a continuous pretreatment to enhance the enzymatic digestibility of rice straw, was compared with conventional ball milling and hot-compressed water treatment. Pretreated rice straw was evaluated by enzymatic hydrolysis using Acremonium cellulase and characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy.

Acetylation of loofa (Luffa cylindrica) sponge as immobilization carrier for bioprocesses involving cellulase.

The feasibility of using loofa sponge for immobilization of cellulase-producing microorganisms was investigated by acetylating loofa sponge. Acetylation was achieved by autoclaving process of loofa sponge immersed in acetic anhydride at various temperatures for various times. The degree of acetylation, as inferred by the weight percentage gain (WPG), was enhanced by increasing both temperature and the duration of acetylation.