Electrogenerated alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment of waste wheat straw to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis

Discovering low-cost and green pretreatments for efficient deconstruction of lignocellulosic biomass recalcitrance is receiving growing interests. Herein, a novel electrogenerated alkaline hydrogen peroxide (EAHP) pretreatment was first proposed to produce H2O2 and pretreat biomass concurrently in one pot. Results showed that the home-made electrode possess superior selectivity and stability. Under the optimal condition (30 mA·cm−2, 70 °C, 4 h), the novel pretreatment removed 76.3% of lignin while preserving cellulose, and the specific surface area and porosity of pretreated WS were greatly increased. The chemical and structural changes stimulated the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose and xylan reaching a maximum value of 83.7% and 90.8% respectively, which were significantly enhanced 4.1- and 5.3-fold compared to the original biomass. Overall, this work proposed a feasible biorefinery strategy for effective fractionation and utilization of lignocellulosic biomass.