Sequential Techniques for Aflatoxin Contaminated Ficus carica L. to Produce Bioethanol

Author(s)

Melih Soner Celiktas

Published: August 2015

ABSTRACT

Companies are obliged to claim and destroy aflotoxin contaminated figs accounting 1% of total exported figs in Turkey. The main objective of this work was to investigate the potential of aflatoxin contaminated Ficus carica L. to be utilized as a biofuel. Hydrothermal pretreatment followed by either acid or enzymatic hydrolyses were optimized. In hydrothermal pretreatment, 165.8 g kg-1 of reducing sugar was liberated at a solid to liquid ratio of 1:20, 100 °C and a treatment time of 90 min corresponding to 37.7% of total sugar available in dried fig samples, followed by acid and enzymatic hydrolyses liberating 253.8 g kg-1 and 120.3 g kg-1 reducing sugars, respectively. The highest ethanol concentration was 5986.83 mg/L by the fermentation process using the liquor obtained by hydrothermal treatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis which was 30.1% higher than the value obtained by consecutive hydrothermal and acid treatments, presenting an alternative for utilization of aflotoxin contaminated figs as a biofuel.

Citation: Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy

Volume: 9

Keywords: Acid and enzymatic hydrolysis / Aflatoxin / Bioethanol / Ficus Carica / Hydrotreatment

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1166/jbmb.2015.1540