Intensification of cellulose enzymatic hydrolysis by microwave pretreatment

Abstract

A significant representative of the third generation of raw materials is waste containing hemicellulose. Agriculture and the food industry generate a great deal of this type of waste, which has many potential opportunities for processing. Our research group investigated the pre-treatments for the enzymatic saccharification of the cellulose content of the two fractions of corn cob meal. Microwave energy communication was performed in both acidic and alkaline media. It was found that the pH of the medium influences the amount of reducing sugars, but to an almost equal extent. The yield is also significantly dependent on the starting material and the concentration of the suspension.