Production and Characterization of Second Generation Ethanol from Potato Peel (Solanum tuberosum) using Raman Spectroscopy Murilo Antunes Alves Lucindo, Nicole de Lima Bleckwedel, Vitor da Silva Rosa

Resumo

 Among the many barriers to commercialization of lignocellulosic ethanol production, e.g. potato peels, the lack of ways of monitoring and characterizing can be cited. Non invasive techniques, such as IR and Raman Spectroscopy, are ways of enabling such control. The aim of this study was to produce second generation ethanol from English potato peels (Solanum tuberosum) and identify its composition through Raman Spectroscopy. The hydrolysis was followed by neutralization, fermentation with Saccharomyces Cerevisiae and distillation. Subsequently, a comparison was made with anhydrous ethanol and Raman spectroscopy's sample. Both showed spectral features referred to alcohol, with peaks at 438 and 1051 cm^-1 assigned to Anhydrous Ethanol and peaks at 440 and 1046 cm^-1 assigned to Second Generation Ethanol from Potato Peel. However, the sample produced from Second Generation Ethanol exhibits a distinct peak attributed to the presence of water. It is concluded that the production of second generation ethanol from potato peel is feasible and Raman spectroscopy is a good way of characterizing.