Synergistic pretreatment with sodium sulfite and ethanolamine improves lignin removal and enzymatic hydrolysis of reed biomass

The efficient pretreatment of biomass to achieve high-value utilization is a critical challenge in advancing bioenergy applications. This study presents a synergistic pretreatment method using sodium sulfite and ethanolamine to enhance the conversion efficiency of reed biomass. This approach facilitates the direct utilization of lignin while significantly improving the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose fibers. At optimal pretreatment conditions (20 % sodium sulfite and 25 % ethanolamine; 170 °C; 40 min), the enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated reed achieved an efficiency of 81.68 % and a glucose yield of 77.52 %. Compared to single-agent pretreatment, the synergistic pretreatment with sodium sulfite and ethanolamine increased the reed lignin removal rate by 46.86 % and 60 %, respectively. Ethanolamine functions as a surfactant, enhancing the penetration of sodium sulfite and promoting lignin sulfonation, thereby improving biomass accessibility. This study demonstrates that the synergistic pretreatment method not only streamlines lignin separation but also significantly improves enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency, offering a promising pathway for advancing renewable bioenergy production and energy-efficient biomass utilization.