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Microbial Pretreatment to Improve the Densificationof Canola and Barley Straw

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  2016 ASABE Annual International Meeting  162455623.(doi:10.13031/aim.20162455623)
Authors:   Chhavi Rathi, Majid Soleimani, Lope Tabil, Tim Dumonceaux
Keywords:   biomass, lignocellulose, densification, biological treatment, fuel.

ABSTRACT

Lignocellulosic biomass densification, a physical approach for solid biofuel improvement and pretreatment method for biochemical conversion of biomass, has been considered as a key component in biomass logistics. In this study, microbial pretreatment of biomass using two species of white-rot fungi was investigated to improve quality attributes of the densified biomass. A wild type fungus (52J, ATCC 96186) and a cellobiose dehydrogenase-deficient mutant (M4D) were used in solid state fermentation for the pretreatment of canola and barley straw. Pretreated biomass were ground and densified into pellets and the quality properties including tensile strength, density, and specific energy of densification were determined. The results indicated that biomass source and pretreatment had significant impacts on the quality properties. The tensile strength and density of the pelletized straw improved as a result of microbial pretreatment by over 100% and 6%, respectively, regardless of biomass source. However, the specific energy of densification showed an interaction with the source of biomass.

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