ARS | Publication request: Evaluating the response of artificially lignified maize cell walls to pretreatments and enzymatic hydrolysis

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: November 30, 2010
Publication Date: June 8, 2011
Citation: Elumalai, S., Grabber, J.H., Ralph, J., Pan, X. 2011. Evaluating the response of artificially lignified maize cell walls to pretreatments and enzymatic hydrolysis. 16th International Symposium on Wood, Fiber and Pulping Industry, 8-10 June 2011, Tianjin, China. Abstract 535-V1.

Technical Abstract: Lignification was undoubtedly a crucial innovation for the structural development of large terrestrial plants; its malleability provides opportunities for engineering the composition and consequent properties of lignin. In the present study, microscale analysis methods were developed to evaluate the response of maize cell walls artificially lignified with coniferyl alcohol to pretreatment methods (dilute sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide) and enzymatic hydrolysis. Pretreatment parameters such as treatment temperature and chemical loading were conventionally optimized as well. It was found that pretreatment temperature greatly influenced the enzymatic digestibility of the lignified cell walls. The conditions of 100°C, 60 min and 2.5% w/w chemical loading were found to be appropriate and suitable for the pretreatment of artificially lignified cell walls.