Evaluation of the potential for ethanol production from waste of paper production

Abstract

The need to expand the supply of raw materials for the production of bioethanol, without pressing the acreage for food production, has directed research in the quest for the use of alternative sources. Ethanol can be obtained by various forms of biomass by fermentation or synthesis processes involving relatively simple or advanced technologies. In seeking to develop new methodological technologies, the use of rice bran, emerges as a viable and cost effective alternative in various segments. Samples of rice bran of different cities of the state of Tocantins were used as a source of cellulose for obtaining paper. The evaluation of the effluent generated in the cellulose pulping process shows a potential application for the production of bioethanol this due to the quantity of starch present. The effluent samples were hydrolyzed enzymatically pulping and showed a percentage of reducing sugars (AR) Average of 10.8%. The sample that showed the highest RS content reached 12.8%. From these values ​​of AR, we could estimate the theoretical percentage of ethanol that could be obtained, which corresponds to 78.8 L/ton bran tapped. This demonstrates the great potential for use of this waste especially when compared to other starch sources used in ethanol production. Besides the constant environmental concerns combined with minimization of impacts due to generation and disposal of waste justifies the use of effluent from pulping of rice bran for bioethanol production.