Pretreatment of corn stover using aqueous quaternary ammonium salt solutions for improved enzymatic saccharification

Acidified aqueous solutions of different quaternary ammonium salts were tested for pretreating corn stover compared to control solutions, including single acidic solution and acidified NaCl and NH₄Cl solutions. The results revealed that quaternary ammonium salt solutions were more effective in delignification and cellulose saccharification than the control solutions. The chemical structure of these salts significantly influenced the pretreatment efficacy. Notably, benzyltrimethylammonium chloride (BTMAC), a cost-effective option, exhibited remarkable capabilities. It achieved approximately 90% xylan removal, 86% lignin removal, and a 48-h enzymatic glucose yield of up to 93%. The BTMAC solution proved to be recycled for at least four runs while maintaining satisfactory performance. This work contributes valuable insights into the promising potential of standalone QAS solutions, offering a viable and cost-effective option for biomass pretreatment.