The Influence of Selected Physico-Chemical Pretreatment Methods on Chemical Composition and Enzymatic Hydrolysis Yield of Poplar Wood and Corn Stover

In the paper, three different physico-chemical pretreatment methods in relation to bioethanol production were compared.The wood of fast-growing poplar species (Populus deltoides x maximowiczii and Populus trichocarpa Torr.& A. Gray ex Hook) and corn stover were used as a feedstock.The chemical composition and enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency of the biomass before and after pretreatments were compared.On the basis of the results, it was concluded that the applied pretreatments changed the chemical composition of the raw materials.In the case of the acid and LHW (liquid hot water pretreatment) methods, up to 93.7% of hemicelluloses (especially pentosans) were removed.From among the selected pretreatment methods, the LHW and alkaline methods occurred to be the most interesting.Nevertheless, from the bioethanol production point of view, the LHW process of Populus deltoides x maximowiczii wood was the best because after enzymatic hydrolysis, high amounts of glucose (up to 600.9 mg/g pretreated biomass) and minor amounts of xylose (up to 37.9 mg/g pretreated biomass) were produced.Moreover, based on the chemical composition and sugar profile analysis, it was proved that the Populus trichocarpa wood also has a high potential for bioethanol production.