Kinetic Study of Dilute Acid Hydrolysis of Cowpea Seed Husk for Production of Glucose

Acid hydrolysis of Cowpea seed husk was carried out using sulphuric acid with the concentrations of 0.1 M and 0.5 M at a reaction time of 10 to 90 minutes and temperatures of 130ºC to 170ºC. The substrates were characterised using proximate analysis. The effects of process parameters that were studied on glucose yield were; time, temperature, substrate concentration, and acid concentration. The experimental data obtained for glucose yield were fitted into the Saeman’s model and Two –fraction models. The result obtained from the proximate analysis shows that cowpea seed husk has a cellulose content of 31.7%, hemicelluloses of 26.7% and lignin 6.1%. The maximum glucose yield of 27.1% was obtained at temperature of 150ºC, a reaction time of 50 minutes, 0.02 g/ml substrate concentration, and 0.5 M acid concentration. The two-fraction model gave a better fit of the experimental data over saeman’s model. From the study it is concluded that cowpea seed husk can be a good source for glucose production.