EUBCE 2025 - Isabela ZAMBELLO - Characterization of Sugarcane Bagasse Solubilization and Utilization Using Consolidated Bioprocessing at High Solid Loadings

Characterization of Sugarcane Bagasse Solubilization and Utilization Using Consolidated Bioprocessing at High Solid Loadings

Short Introductive summary

In Brazil, sugarcane juice is primarily used for ethanol production, creating a surplus of bagasse. This study investigates using sugarcane bagasse (SCB) in consolidated bioprocessing (CBP), a method that combines enzyme production, lignocellulose solubilization, and fermentation, removing the need for external enzymes or pretreatment steps. CBP offers potential cost and energy savings comparing to conventional methods. To be economically feasible must perform under high solids loadings. Here we used cocultures of Clostridium thermocellum and Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum to characterize carbohydrate solubilization and utilization at high SCB loadings. Results show that increasing solids loadings reduce fractional solubilization, and around 10% of solubilized carbohydrates remain unused by the end of fermentation. This reduced solubilization at high loadings appears reversible, suggesting residual soluble carbohydrates (RSC) may play a role in the process. The study highlights SCB as a promising feedstock for bioproducts production via CBP and also calls for further research on RSC's impact on solubilization and utilization.

I. Zambello, Unicamp, Campinas, BRAZIL
J.P. Borsoni, Unicamp, Campinas, BRAZIL
E. Holwerda, Dartmouth College, Hanover, USA
L. Lynd, Dartmouth College, Hanover, USA