A novel green biomass fractionation technology: hydrotropic pretreatment

Hydrotropic technology has been introduced as a novel fractionation technology for lignin separation and the enhancement of enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. Hydrotropic technology is appropriate for the treatment of biomass, especially hardwood and nonwood feedstock. Additionally, sulfur-free hydrotropic lignin can be simply recovered by adding water to the spent solution, and hydrotrope agents are recyclable. The distribution of lignin and carbohydrates on the fiber surface completely changes after hydrotropic treatment and improves the enzymatic degradation of cellulose in comparison with alkaline, ionic liquid, and hydrothermal pretreatments. The environmentally friendly advantages of hydrotropic technology allow applications for the fractionation of chemical components from lignocellulosic biomass and supply high-grade feedstock for the development of bio-based chemicals and materials.