Synthesis and application of a novel selective detoxification agent to enhance cellulosic ethanol production

Environmental pollution and energy crises have accelerated the development of rice straw-based cellulosic ethanol. However, ferulic acid (FA) which predominantly acts as a fermentation inhibitor produced by alkaline pretreatment processes of rice straw feedstock may substantially compromise bioethanol production efficiency. In this study, a novel molecularly imprinted adsorbent (AEPA₂₅₀@MIPs) was synthesized using enzymatic hydrolysis residue as a matrix to selectively separate FA. Density Functional Theory (DFT) identified 2-MEA as the optimal functional monomer. AEPA₂₅₀@MIPs exhibited excellent selective adsorption performance, with a distribution coefficient (K_d) exceeding 2.67 in competitive adsorption experiments, representing a significant improvement compared to conventional adsorbents. In simulated fermentation systems, AEPA₂₅₀@MIPs achieves a 16.6% enhancement in ethanol production yield. Microporous diffusion, hydrogen bonding, and π-π interactions were identified as key mechanisms for selective adsorption. Compared to previous studies, AEPA₂₅₀@MIPs achieved higher selectivity and reduced glucose loss. This work provides a promising solution to enhance alkaline hydrolysate detoxification and improves the efficiency of bioethanol production.