Microwave-assisted glucose production from bode (Styrax tonkinensis) woody biomass for bioethanol production

Microwave (MW)-assisted acid hydrolysis of lignocellulosic material derived from bode (Styrax tonkinensis) wood to glucose was performed to find effective uses for discarded chopsticks. The maximum amount of glucose produced by MW-assisted acid hydrolysis (from 1 g of untreated bode wood cellulose) was 0.48 g, and was obtained by heating at 200 °C for 1 min using 1.0% (w/w) sulfuric acid as catalyst. However, the maximum total glucose yield from both MW-assisted acid hydrolysis (0.16 g) and enzymatic hydrolysis of the treated residue (0.52 g) was 0.68 g, which was obtained at a microwave heating temperature of 180 °C for 5 min using 1.0% (w/w) sulfuric acid as catalyst. In conclusion, the results showed that microwave-assisted treatment at 200 °C using 1.0% (w/w) sulfuric acid as catalyst facilitated MW-assisted acid hydrolysis of bode wood cellulose and treatment at 180 °C served as pretreatment for enzymatic hydrolysis of the treated residue.