Biomass of a common weed, Parthenium hysterophorus, was used for the first time as a source for the production of bioethanol.
Effects of pretreatment of the biomass with each of the three acids and two alkalis under two temperature regimen followed by detoxification of inhibitors and treatment with ten different concentrations of cellulase enzyme were studied.
Maximum yield of reducing sugars obtained under optimal pretreatment conditions was 615 mg/g biomass.
0.24–0.27 g of ethanol/gram of plant biomass was achieved.