Production of Reducing Sugars from Hydroxylated Mature Spear Grass (Heteropogon Contortus)

Abstract

Mature black Spear grass (Heteropogon contortus) was hydrolyzed using different concentrations of dilute sulphuric acid for the first time as lignocellulosic substrate for producing reducing sugars at different pH and retention time. The maximum total reducing sugar (TRS) from Spear grass hydrolysate (SGH) was 2.48g/L using 6% H₂SO₄ at 121^oC for 4h with higher amount of xylose than glucose and arabinose. BC yield was comparable to those from reported lignocellulosic hydrolysates. The result of the study proved that mature back spear grass, commonly known as tanglehead, which is less useful as fooder due to lower nutrient, clogs animal furs and, sticks to human walker’s clothes, can be hydrolyzed with little cost to produce fermentable sugars used as substrates for producing such biotechnological products as, biofuels, biogas, and bacterial cellulose.

Keywords: Reducing sugar, Spear grass hydrolysate, pH, Gluconacetobacter xylinus