Removal of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural in sugar hydrolysate by wood charcoal treatment

The main aim of this study was to investigate the potential of wood charcoal on removing furan compounds (5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), furfural) known as fermentation inhibitors in sugar hydrolysates obtained from supercritical water treatment of lignocellulosic biomass. For this aim, model hydrolysate was prepared, and removal rates of sugars or furan compounds depending on wood charcoal concentration and treatment time were calculated and analyzed in comparison with the case of activated carbon. 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, or 12% (w/v) of wood charcoal or activated carbon was loaded into the model hydrolysate, containing glucose, xylose, 5-HMF, and furfural, and treatment was conducted for 1, 3, 6, 12, or 24 h. After treatment, removal rates of 5-HMF and furfural gradually increased as wood charcoal concentration or treatment time increased, and over 95% of 5-HMF and furfural were removed at 8% of wood charcoal concentration and 3 h of treatment time, while the loss of sugars (< 2%) was hardly observed. On the other hand, in the case of activated carbon treatment, removal rates of 5-HMF and furfural were over 95% at mild condition (activated carbon concentration: 8%, treatment time: 1 h), but over 10% of glucose and xylose were removed. Therefore, considering sugar production and further process applied sugar, the wood charcoal treatment of sugar hydrolysate was more effective for removing furan compounds and maintaining the sugar yield.