SONGKLANAKARIN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Volume 41, No. 01, Month JANUARY, Year 2019, Pages 237 - 245

Optimization of soluble sugar production from pineapple peel by microwave-assisted water pretreatment

Sininart Chongkhong and Chakrit Tongurai

Abstract Download PDF

The purpose of this study was to assess the potential of pineapple peel as a feedstock for fermentable sugar production. Soluble sugar production from pineapple peel was conducted in a process involving microwave-assisted water pretreatment without a catalyst in an apparatus set which prevented any loss of liquid or corrosion from vapor and reduced energy consumption. The pretreatment variables consisting of biomass loading (100-160 g/L) , microwave power ( 90-900 watts) and irradiation time (5-20 minutes) were investigated by response surface methodology. The maximal total sugar yield in the liquid fraction after the pretreatment was 80.2% (80.2 g total sugars per 100 g dried peel) obtained using 100 g/L biomass loading at 900 watts for 9 minutes. Under these conditions, the glucose yield was 7.8% . This process offers an alternative approach to the cost-effective production of fermentable sugars from biomass-waste products, using less reagent and low energy in a self-reliant technology.

Keywords

pineapple peel, microwave-assisted water pretreatment, thermal treatment, fermentable sugars, soluble sugars

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