Enhancement of Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Lignocellulosic Wastes by Microwave Pretreatment Under Atmospheric Pressure

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Abstract
A technique to improve enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic wastes by microwave pretreatment under atmospheric pressure was developed. Ground rice straw or sugar cane bagasse immersed in a glycerine medium with small amounts of water, was treated with 240 W of microwave irradiation for 10 min at atmospheric pressure. A temperature of about 200°C could be reached in this medium without high pressure build up. More than twice the amount of reducing sugars was produced from enzyme saccharification utilizing the microwave pretreatment, compared with no pretreatment. The microwave pretreatment which achieves high temperatures at atmospheric pressure provides some advantages over a steam explosion process which requires high pressure and a subsequent sudden pressure drop.