Application of Organosolv Pretreatment on Pennisetum Purpureum for Lignin Removal and Cellulose Recovery

Pennisetum Purpureum or Napier Grass, a native to African grass happened to be one of the most promising candidates for bioethanol production. However, literature studies on the organosolv pretreatment process for P. Purpureum were relatively rare. Therefore, in this research, organosolv pretreatment on P. Purpureum was studied and compared with different types of solvent (1-pentanol and ethylene glycol) and homogeneous catalysts (sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid) in order to provide the feasibility study and filling the current research gap. The chemical composition of P. Purpureum was found to comprise of 21.50% lignin, 54.67% alpha cellulose and 23.83% of beta cellulose and hemicellulose. The substantial composition of cellulose and hemicellulose in P. Purpureum proved its promising potential as a raw material for bioethanol production. Ethylene glycol with concentration of 50.0 v/v% with addition of 2.0 v/v% of sodium hydroxide had proven to be the most effective organosolv pretreatment combination in removal of lignin (83.4%). In terms of lignocellulosic component recovery, this pretreatment solvent achieved up to 70.10% alpha cellulose recovery and 97.90% beta cellulose and hemicellulose recovery.