Process development for biological production of butanol from Eastern redcedar

Abstract Eastern redcedar is an invasive softwood species in Oklahoma and across grasslands in the Central Plains of the United States and potential feedstock for butanol production. Butanol has higher energy content than ethanol and can be upgraded to jet and diesel fuels. The objective of this study was to develop a process for production of butanol from redcedar. Results showed that Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 and Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 did not grow in fermentation medium with citrate buffer. However, both strains grew in the medium with acetate buffer, resulting in 3–4 g/L greater butanol than without acetate. Detoxification of redcedar hydrolyzate was required to increase butanol concentration from 1 to 13 g/L. Hydrolyzate was detoxified by activated carbon to remove inhibitors. Fermentations in detoxified redcedar hydrolyzate reached 13 g/L butanol and 19 g/L total ABE, comparable to glucose control. This shows the potential for redcedar use in butanol production.