Effect and characterization of sodium lignosulfonate on alkali pretreatment for enhancing enzymatic saccharification of corn stover

A modified alkali pretreatment (MAP) process was established in both lab-scale and pilot-scale, based on the on-line production and utilization of lignosulfonate for improving enzymatic saccharification of corn stover. Sodium lignosulfonate (SLS) produced by directly sulfonating lignin in spent liquor separated from alkali pretreatment was reused in the next cycle of alkali pretreatment. The results showed that, by using 11   wt% NaOH, 2   wt% SLS and 0.1   wt% anthraquinone (AQ) in MAP, delignification rate and final total sugar yields could reach about 78% and 80% respectively, which were about 6% and 9% higher compared to the blank conventional NaOH pretreatment under the same conditions. In addition, sulfonation degree of SLS had linearly impact on the final total sugar yields.