Quantification of morphochemical changes during in situ enzymatic hydrolysis of individual biomass particles based on autofluorescence imaging.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass is an established method for producing biofuels. Lignocellulosic biomass such as corn stover is very inhomogeneous material with big variation on conversion rates between individual particles therefore leading to variable recalcitrance results. In this study, we used noninvasive optical microscopy techniques, such as two-photon microscopy and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, to visualize and analyze morphological and chemical changes of individual corn stover particles pretreated with sulfuric acid during hydrolysis.

Biomass Pretreatment and Enzymatic Hydrolysis Dynamics Analysis Based on Particle Size Imaging.

Parameters such as pretreatment method, enzyme type and concentration, determine the conversion efficiency of biomass' cellulose and hemicellulose to glucose and mainly xylose in biomass-based fuel production. Chemical quantification of these processes offers no information on the effect of enzymatic hydrolysis (EH) on particle morphology. We report on the development of a microscopy method for imaging pretreated biomass particles at different EH stages.

Study on decomposition products of norbixin during bleaching with hydrogen peroxide and a peroxidase by means of UPLC-UV and mass spectrometry.

The decomposition products of norbixin, a component of the natural colouring agent annatto, have been studied under bleaching conditions in water and in a whey matrix. In water, several unsaturated aldehydes and ketones of carboxylic acids were identified with UPLC-UV/MS and high resolution mass spectrometry techniques. Based on these products a reaction scheme for the decomposition of norbixin is proposed.