From Trash to Treasure: The Prospect of Producing Bioethanol from Wastepaper through Pretreatment with Sulphuric Acid

Abstract

Bioethanol is a prospective alternative to nonrenewable energy sources and this study aimed to produce bioethanol from waste paper using a pretreatment technique. Freshly fermented palm wine was analyzed using standard microbiological techniques to identify the microorganisms used in the study. The pre-treatment process utilized sulphuric acid and sodium hydroxide at varying concentrations (5%, 10%, 25%, 40% and 50%). The substrates had glucose concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 0.9 ppm and the peak yield was recorded at 10% sulphuric acid pretreatment. Bioethanol was produced through fractional distillation and sugar fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The viability of bioethanol production using waste paper has been demonstrated as a sustainable method of waste management and a potential solution to energy shortages, particularly in developing countries.