Development of an integrated and environmental-friendly saccharification process for enhanced ethanol yield from lignocellulose

The objective is to develop an integrated and environment-friendly process to enhance ethanol yield from lignocellulose. In order to hydrolyse the cellulosic portion of the substrate, two issues need to be mainly addressed. One, lignin dissolution with cleavage of ether linkage between lignin and cellulose molecule so as to produce a cellulose-rich residue. Second, hydrolysis of crystalline cellulose by means of effective cellulase enzyme system. Through this process, it has been envisaged that ethanol production would be enhanced from 25% to more than 80% conversion efficiency.