The successful utilization of lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for fuels and chemicals necessitates storage for 2-6 months. It is correspondingly important to understand the impact of storage parameters - moisture concentration, temperature and duration - on biomass quality.
As aerobic storage is the most viable large-scale solution, aerobic storage experiments were carried out with three projected bioenergy feedstocks - sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) bagasse, corn (Zea mays) stover and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). Stored samples of each were examined for dry matter loss and composition change to develop a material balance around carbohydrates and lignin.
A mean dry matter loss of 24% was observed at 8 weeks in sweet sorghum stored at high moisture content (26% w/w). Soluble sugars predominated the dry matter loss in high-moisture sorghum, causing an increase in the mass fraction of lignin in the biomass. In comparison, low-moisture (12% w/w) samples showed negligible loss. High-moisture sorghum dried from 26% to 20% in 8 weeks, and further to 8% in 24 weeks.
To control moisture loss in subsequent experiments, switchgrass and corn stover were wetted to specific water activities (aw) and stored under equivalent controlled humidities.
Switchgrass stored at water activities of 0.65-0.85 showed no dry matter loss, irrespective of storage temperature or duration. Switchgrass stored at a water activity of 0.99 (~33% w/w moisture) showed significant dry matter loss at temperatures of 20 and 35 °C, although substantial sample-to-sample variation was observed at 20 °C compared to 35 °C. At 8 and 16 weeks, switchgrass stored at 0.99 aw and 35 °C lost 7% dry matter on average. Corn stover was stored under similar conditions (35 °C, 0.97 aw) for 8 weeks. The stored samples showed 10% dry matter loss on average. The dry matter losses predominantly consisted of cellulose and hemicellulose, resulting in the mass fraction of lignin increasing in switchgrass from 26.6% to 27.0% in 8 weeks and 28.8% in 16 weeks, and in stover from 23% to 25% in 8 weeks.
","abstract_html":"<p>The successful utilization of lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for fuels and chemicals necessitates storage for 2-6 months. It is correspondingly important to understand the impact of storage parameters - moisture concentration, temperature and duration - on biomass quality.</p> <p>As aerobic storage is the most viable large-scale solution, aerobic storage experiments were carried out with three projected bioenergy feedstocks - sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) bagasse, corn (Zea mays) stover and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). Stored samples of each were examined for dry matter loss and composition change to develop a material balance around carbohydrates and lignin.</p> <p>A mean dry matter loss of 24% was observed at 8 weeks in sweet sorghum stored at high moisture content (26% w/w). Soluble sugars predominated the dry matter loss in high-moisture sorghum, causing an increase in the mass fraction of lignin in the biomass. In comparison, low-moisture (12% w/w) samples showed negligible loss. High-moisture sorghum dried from 26% to 20% in 8 weeks, and further to 8% in 24 weeks.</p> <p>To control moisture loss in subsequent experiments, switchgrass and corn stover were wetted to specific water activities (aw) and stored under equivalent controlled humidities.</p> <p>Switchgrass stored at water activities of 0.65-0.85 showed no dry matter loss, irrespective of storage temperature or duration. Switchgrass stored at a water activity of 0.99 (~33% w/w moisture) showed significant dry matter loss at temperatures of 20 and 35 °C, although substantial sample-to-sample variation was observed at 20 °C compared to 35 °C. At 8 and 16 weeks, switchgrass stored at 0.99 aw and 35 °C lost 7% dry matter on average. Corn stover was stored under similar conditions (35 °C, 0.97 aw) for 8 weeks. The stored samples showed 10% dry matter loss on average. The dry matter losses predominantly consisted of cellulose and hemicellulose, resulting in the mass fraction of lignin increasing in switchgrass from 26.6% to 27.0% in 8 weeks and 28.8% in 16 weeks, and in stover from 23% to 25% in 8 weeks.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Athmanathan, Arun"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Agricultural and Biological Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Nathan S. Mosier","Michael R. Ladisch","Dennis R. Buckmaster","Keith D. Johnson"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-10-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2013-10-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:53:02Z","subjects":["cellulose digestibility","corn stover","dry matter","lignin","liquid hot-water pretreatment","switchgrass","Biochemistry","Chemical Engineering","Oil, Gas, and Energy"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations/202","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Nathan S. Mosier","Michael R. Ladisch","Dennis R. Buckmaster","Keith D. Johnson"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Athmanathan, Arun"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Agricultural and Biological Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["cellulose digestibility","corn stover","dry matter","lignin","liquid hot-water pretreatment","switchgrass","Biochemistry","Chemical Engineering","Oil, Gas, and Energy"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations/202"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The successful utilization of lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for fuels and chemicals necessitates storage for 2-6 months. It is correspondingly important to understand the impact of storage parameters - moisture concentration, temperature and duration - on biomass quality.
As aerobic storage is the most viable large-scale solution, aerobic storage experiments were carried out with three projected bioenergy feedstocks - sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) bagasse, corn (Zea mays) stover and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). Stored samples of each were examined for dry matter loss and composition change to develop a material balance around carbohydrates and lignin.
A mean dry matter loss of 24% was observed at 8 weeks in sweet sorghum stored at high moisture content (26% w/w). Soluble sugars predominated the dry matter loss in high-moisture sorghum, causing an increase in the mass fraction of lignin in the biomass. In comparison, low-moisture (12% w/w) samples showed negligible loss. High-moisture sorghum dried from 26% to 20% in 8 weeks, and further to 8% in 24 weeks.
To control moisture loss in subsequent experiments, switchgrass and corn stover were wetted to specific water activities (aw) and stored under equivalent controlled humidities.
Switchgrass stored at water activities of 0.65-0.85 showed no dry matter loss, irrespective of storage temperature or duration. Switchgrass stored at a water activity of 0.99 (~33% w/w moisture) showed significant dry matter loss at temperatures of 20 and 35 °C, although substantial sample-to-sample variation was observed at 20 °C compared to 35 °C. At 8 and 16 weeks, switchgrass stored at 0.99 aw and 35 °C lost 7% dry matter on average. Corn stover was stored under similar conditions (35 °C, 0.97 aw) for 8 weeks. The stored samples showed 10% dry matter loss on average. The dry matter losses predominantly consisted of cellulose and hemicellulose, resulting in the mass fraction of lignin increasing in switchgrass from 26.6% to 27.0% in 8 weeks and 28.8% in 16 weeks, and in stover from 23% to 25% in 8 weeks.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["An Analysis Of The Impact Of Storage Temperature, Moisture Content & Duration Upon The Chemical Components & Bioprocessing Of Lignocellulosic Biomass"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Nathan S. Mosier","Michael R. Ladisch","Dennis R. Buckmaster","Keith D. Johnson"],"dc:creator":["Athmanathan, Arun"],"dc:description.abstract":["The successful utilization of lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for fuels and chemicals necessitates storage for 2-6 months. It is correspondingly important to understand the impact of storage parameters - moisture concentration, temperature and duration - on biomass quality.
As aerobic storage is the most viable large-scale solution, aerobic storage experiments were carried out with three projected bioenergy feedstocks - sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) bagasse, corn (Zea mays) stover and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). Stored samples of each were examined for dry matter loss and composition change to develop a material balance around carbohydrates and lignin.
A mean dry matter loss of 24% was observed at 8 weeks in sweet sorghum stored at high moisture content (26% w/w). Soluble sugars predominated the dry matter loss in high-moisture sorghum, causing an increase in the mass fraction of lignin in the biomass. In comparison, low-moisture (12% w/w) samples showed negligible loss. High-moisture sorghum dried from 26% to 20% in 8 weeks, and further to 8% in 24 weeks.
To control moisture loss in subsequent experiments, switchgrass and corn stover were wetted to specific water activities (aw) and stored under equivalent controlled humidities.
Switchgrass stored at water activities of 0.65-0.85 showed no dry matter loss, irrespective of storage temperature or duration. Switchgrass stored at a water activity of 0.99 (~33% w/w moisture) showed significant dry matter loss at temperatures of 20 and 35 °C, although substantial sample-to-sample variation was observed at 20 °C compared to 35 °C. At 8 and 16 weeks, switchgrass stored at 0.99 aw and 35 °C lost 7% dry matter on average. Corn stover was stored under similar conditions (35 °C, 0.97 aw) for 8 weeks. The stored samples showed 10% dry matter loss on average. The dry matter losses predominantly consisted of cellulose and hemicellulose, resulting in the mass fraction of lignin increasing in switchgrass from 26.6% to 27.0% in 8 weeks and 28.8% in 16 weeks, and in stover from 23% to 25% in 8 weeks.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations/202"],"dc:subject":["cellulose digestibility","corn stover","dry matter","lignin","liquid hot-water pretreatment","switchgrass","Biochemistry","Chemical Engineering","Oil, Gas, and Energy"],"dc:title":["An Analysis Of The Impact Of Storage Temperature, Moisture Content & Duration Upon The Chemical Components & Bioprocessing Of Lignocellulosic Biomass"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Agricultural and Biological Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:53:02Z"}