Maximization of C5 sugars from wheat bran over heterogeneous catalysts

Abstract

The production of C5 sugars from wheat bran has been optimized in a two-step process consisting of a hydrothermal fractionation of AX and their subsequent hydrolysis using RuCl3/Al-MCM-48. From the fractionation step, almost 80% of the AX were solubilized into the aqueous phase. After the hydrolysis process, a high hydrolysis yield of xylo- and arabino- oligosaccharides into xylose (94%) and arabinose (96%), respectively, has been achieved. Ru+3, as a moderate Lewis acid, has demonstrated to be active in the fractionation and hydrolysis processes of the hemicellulosic part of wheat bran.