Kinetic Modeling of the Acid Hydrolysis of Wood Sawdust

Wood sawdust can be used as raw material for xylose production that has not yet been studied. This xyose can be an economical starting raw material for the manufacture of various high value products, mainly xylitol. The goal of this work was to study kinetics of the acid hydrolysis of Meranti wood sawdust for the production of xylose. Batch hydrolysis experiments were accomplished with various concentrations of sulfuric acid and reaction time at 130 oC. Xylose and glucose concentrations in the resulting hemicellulosic hydrolysate were estimated. The kinetic parameters of mathematical models were found for predicting the concentration of xylose and glucose in the hydrolysate. The optimum conditions for xylose extraction obtained were 6% H2SO4 at 130 oC for 20 min, which yielded a hydrolysate containing 18.53 g/l xylose and 4.21 g/l glucose.