PRETREATMENT OF BAGASSE BY NONIONIC SURFACTANT FOR THE ENZYMATIC-HYDROLYSIS

Enzymatic hydrolysis of bagasse was accelerated by pretreatment with 3 .33% wt nonionic surfactant (Tween 20; polyoxyethylene sorbitan monola urate) at 170-190-degrees-C. The amount of the lignin remaining in the pretreated bagasse decreased by about 22-27% and the enzymatic hydrol ysis rate increased, because of an increase in the surface area of cel lulose accessible to enzyme, compared to those pretreated with water. This effect is based on the fact that surfactant makes hydrophobic deg radation products extractable to water. The pretreatment effect varied with the HLB (hydrophile-lipophile balance) values of surfactant. The hydrophilic surfactant having high HLB values was useful for the extr action of hydrophobic degradation products from lignin and hemicellulo se. In the pretreatment at 190-degrees-C, an addition of Tween 20 to t he UCT-solvent (binary solvent with water, having upper critical-tempe rature in the manual solubility curve) increased the effect of UCT-sol vent pretreatment. This is because the surfactant makes the separation of the degradation products easier.