Evaluación de la concentración de azúcares fermentables/etanol mediante hidrólisis acida a partir de la xanthosoma sagittifolium como fuente energética renovable en Sevilla Don Bosco – Ecuador

Abstract

The use of conventional fuels has increased pollution worldwide due to the great economic dependence of nations. However, the use of renewable energies is an alternative to face this problem. The main objective of the current research work was to evaluate the concentration of fermentable sugars by acid hydrolysis from Xanthosoma sagittifolium in order to obtain ethanol, as a source of renewable energy in Sevilla Don Bosco-Ecuador. The methodology applied had a quantitative and qualitative approach, being the tuber characterized by physicochemical methods. For the extraction of fermentable sugars, it used nine treatments and three replicates, the hydrolysis temperature varied (70, 80 and 90 °C), and the concentration of sulfuric acid (3, 6 and 10% v/v). Subsequently, the fermentation and distillation processes were used to obtain ethanol and made a comparison using the INEN 2478:2009 Anhydrous Ethanol standard. In the tuber determined: a moisture value of 60.40%, ash percentage of 0.34%, pH of 5.95, starch presented a gelatinization temperature of 55°C, amylose content of 18.81% and amylopectin of 81.19%, bulk density of 0.626 g/ml, taking into account the treatment with the highest concentration of fermentable sugars (17.07 Brix°) is t3C3. According to INEN 2478:2009, anhydrous ethanol yielded an alcohol content of 8.5%, electrical conductivity 55.8 and density of 0.08 g/ml at 20 °C. Under these results, the alcohol obtained is not suitable for a biofuel blend, however its conditions can be improved by fractional distillation; the yield found in the process of obtaining ethanol is 20.83 %, when compared with other methods of obtaining is low due to the type of hydrolysis applied to the raw material used.