Generation of electricity from FeCl3 pretreatment of rice straw using a fuel cell system

► We observed that a great deal of ferric iron was reduced to ferrous iron during FeCl3 pretreatment of rice straw. ► FeCl3 acts not only as an oxidant to oxidize both xylose and lignin but also as a catalyst to hydrolyze hemicellulose. ► Ferrous iron could be completely removed from liquid hydrolysate while generating electricity using a fuel cell system. ► The optimal conditions for the fuel cell performance were a pH of 7.0 and ferrous iron concentration of above 0.008 M.