Experimental and kinetic modelling studies on the acid-catalysed hydrolysis of the water hyacinth plant to levulinic acid

• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2008.02.045
• Publication Date: 2008-04-16T13:41:46Z
• Authors: B. Girisuta; B. Danon; R. Manurung; L.P.B.M. Janssen; H.J. Heeres
• Keywords: Levulinic acid; Hyacinth

A comprehensive experimental and modelling study on the acid-catalysed hydrolysis of the water hyacinth plant (Eichhornia crassipes) to optimise the yield of levulinic acid (LA) is reported (T=150-175 degrees CH2SO4 = 0.1-1M, water hyacinth intake=1-5wt%). At high acid concentrations (>0.5M), LA was the major organic acid whereas at low acid concentrations (<0.1M) and high initial intakes of water hyacinth, the formation of propionic acid instead of LA was favoured. The highest yield of LA was 53mol% (35wt%) based on the amount of C6-sugars in the water hyacinth (T=175 degrees CH2SO4 =1M , water hyacinth intake=1wt%). The LA yield as a function of the process conditions was modelled using a kinetic model originally developed for the acid-catalysed hydrolysis of cellulose and good agreement between the experimental and modelled data was obtained.