Joseph Zeaiter
The American University of Beirut, Beirut
Title: Conversion of olive stones and dates pits to fermentable sugars using ammonia and dilute acids
Biography
Biography: Joseph Zeaiter
Abstract
The use of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste has received considerable attention as a sustainable feedstock that can replace fossil fuels for the production of renewable energy. Therefore, municipal waste in the form of date pits and olive stones was investigated as a potential feedstock for fermentable sugars production. Treatment of the biomass by ammonia was investigated in order to convert lignin into fermentable sugars. Further hydrolysis by dilute phosphoric acid was carried out in an Autoclave Parr Reactor where reactor temperature (135 to 200° C) and acid concentration (2.5 to 10% (w/w)) were examined. Analysis of the decomposition rate of hemicellulose biomass was undertaken using HPLC of the reaction products. Initial results indicate no hydrolysis of hemicellulose by ammonia and only lignin was broken down. Acid hydrolysis lead to the breakdown of biomass into Xylose where the maximum concentration was obtained at 135° C, 120 min reaction time and at 2.5 (wt) % H3PO4, 150° C and 60 min reaction time. For glucose, an average yield of 26% was obtained at 2.5 (wt) % H3PO4, 200° C and 30 min. Furfural and 5-Hydroxymethlyfurfural (HMF) formation was clearly affected by reaction temperature where the higher the temperature the higher the formation rate. The produced sugars can be used as a source for fermentation to produce bioethanol.