Enzymatic saccharification of dilute acid pretreated eucalyptus chips for fermentable sugar production.

Dilute sulfuric acid was used to pretreat eucalyptus chips prior to enzymatic hydrolysis. After both pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis processes. Attention is paid to sugar recovery. The maximum total sugars yield (combined xylose and glucose, 47.69g/100g raw material, representing 82% of total sugars in the eucalyptus biomass) was obtained at 160°C, 0.75% acid concentration and 10min residence time, which is consider to be the best reasonable conditions for the dilute acid pretreatment of eucalyptus, corresponding concentrations of acetic acid, HMF, and furfural in the prehydrolysate were about 2.01g/L, 0.13g/L and 1.37g/L, respectively. Under this optimal pretreatment condition, the acid-insoluble lignin recovery in the insoluble solid resulting from enzymatic hydrolysis, was 22.7g/100g raw material, representing 80% of acid-insoluble lignin in the eucalyptus biomass.