Biomimetic Hydrolysis of Water Hyacinth Cellulose to Glucose
Abstract
. Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), an aquatic plant notorious for its disruptive impact on aquatic ecosystems, contains significant amounts of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, protein, and ash. Despite its reputation as an aquatic weed, this plant shows promise for valorization through efficient biomass utilization technologies. Fractionation of its lignocellulosic components into lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose is critical for enabling their selective processing and conversion into valuable products. Among these, cellulose hydrolysis plays a pivotal role, converting cellulose into glucose, a fundamental building block for biofuels and other bioproducts. Common hydrolysis methods, which typically rely on acids or enzymes, face numerous technical challenges, including inefficiencies and environmental concerns. This study explores an innovative approach by developing a biomimetic hydrolysis process, inspired by enzymatic systems, for cellulose derived from water hyacinth. Piperazinium dihydrogen sulfate [H2-Pip]2+(HSO4−)2 was employed as the catalyst, with manganese (Mn) as co-catalyst. Experiments were conducted at three temperatures (50°C, 76.5°C, and 85°C) and at different catalyst concentrations (0.122 M and 0.244 M), with glucose concentration measured after 1, 3, and 5 hours of reaction. Results demonstrated a degree of cellulose hydrolysis of 0.40% per 1°C increase in the absence of Mn, which increased to 0.53% with Mn at 50°C. Furthermore, higher temperatures consistently yielded greater hydrolysis efficiency and glucose production. Doubling the catalyst concentration resulted in 1.3 and 1.75-fold increases in glucose yield at 50°C and 85°C, respectively, and longer reaction times further increased overall yield. These findings highlight the potential of biomimetic hydrolysis as an effective strategy for converting water hyacinth cellulose into glucose, offering an environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional hydrolysis methods.
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