An integrated detoxification process with electrodialysis and adsorption from the hemicellulose hydrolysates of yellow poplars

•Integrated detoxification process with ED and adsorption was performed.•Integrated detoxification process efficiently removed fermentation inhibitors.•Fermentation performance increased due to high fermentation inhibitor removal.•Acetic acid showed high removal efficiency and transport rate in ED process. An integrated detoxification process with electrodialysis (ED) followed by adsorption was performed to remove fermentation inhibitors from hemicellulose hydrolysates. The hydrolysates were prepared by oxalic acid pretreatment of yellow poplars at different temperatures. Of fermentation inhibitors, acetic acid showed high removal efficiency of about 90% and high transport rate during the ED process without membrane fouling. The integration of the detoxification processes increased up to the ethanol yield of 0.33g/g sugar, the ethanol production of about 9g/L, and the productivity of 0.12g/Lh, while the fermentation of non-detoxified hydrolysates did not produce bioethanol. The influence of inhibitor concentration on the fermentability showed that HMF had the highest inhibition effect. The results clearly showed that an integrated detoxification process with ED followed by adsorption removed fermentation inhibitors with high efficiency and increased the fermentability of the oxalic acid pretreated hemicellulose hydrolysates.