The over-use of fossil fuels has proven to have a detrimental effect on not only the environment, but also on the health of individuals. Such reliance on fossil fuels will only continue to destroy ecosystems and pose even greater health risks to nearby communities. Thus it is imperative to research renewable and clean second-generation energy sources that, when applied in a large scale, would put an end to such harmful practices. While first-generation starch-based biofuels are a step in the right direction, we seek to understand how non-food portions of plants (lignocellulose) can be broken down and used for fuel (second-generation biofuels). This study focuses on the quantification of lignocellulose degradation into its constituent sugars using different combinations of enzymes. Enzymes show much promise in creating alternative energy pathways which would allow for favorable organic waste degradation, leading to the production of sugars and phenolic precursors used for fuel production. Through the use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), this study focuses on analyzing wood samples treated with different enzyme concentrations while also observing the effects of grain size on the quality of detection. Along with reproducibility, the sampling depth and surface sensitivity vs analysis of the bulk samples were a differentiating factor in determining the most accurate and efficient method for analysis of the enzymatic degradation of wood. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to aid data analysis.

DRIFTS, ATR and transmission FTIR sampling techniques for quantitative measurements on lignocellulose

252nd National Meeting (2016)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.