A Comparative Analysis of Acidic and Thermal Pretreatment Methods to Enhance Fermentable Sugar Yields from Bamboo Biomass for Bioethanol Production

Abstract Lignocellulosic biomass, particularly bamboo, has emerged as a promising renewable energy source for bioethanol production. However, the recalcitrant nature of bamboo's complex structure poses a challenge for efficient enzymatic hydrolysis. This study comparatively evaluated the impact of acidic and thermal pretreatment approaches on enhancing fermentable sugar yields from bamboo biomass. The results demonstrated that a maximum cellulose recovery of 76.48% was achieved with a 1.5% sulfuric acid concentration, 90°C temperature, and 70-minute treatment time. The pretreatment effectively increased cellulose content while decreasing hemicellulose and lignin fractions. Furthermore, the study elucidated the influence of acid concentration, temperature, and treatment duration on reducing sugar yields, highlighting the critical role of lignin removal for efficient hydrolysis. These findings provide valuable insights into optimizing bamboo biomass pretreatment for improved bioethanol production from this renewable and abundant lignocellulosic resource