THE EFFECT OF ACID PRETREATMENT ON CASSAVA PEELS AND SAWDUST AS FEEDSTOCK FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIOETHANOL

This study investigated the effect of process parameters, temperature, hydrolysis time, and acid concentration in the pretreatment of cassava peels and sawdust on sugar yield. The pretreatment steps were performed using the Box Behnken full factorial of a central composite design (CCD) in a response methodology (RSM) with DESIGN EXPERT. Dilute acid was applied in the pretreatment process to enhance the generation of fermentable sugar yields by the DNS method. Forty six (46) experimental runs were carried out at parameters range of; temperature (30 – 100°C), HCl concentration (1 – 5%w/w), and time (15 – 90 mins). The concentration of the reducing sugar produced for each was used to study the effect of variation of process parameters. The results reveal that temperature, time and acid concentration significantly affected sugar yield. The optimum amount of the reducing sugar yield 6327.77 mg/L was obtained at 5/5g, 65°C, 52.5min, 3%w/w.