Organosolv-pulping III

Formic acid pretreatment onPinus radiata D. Don was studied in order to improve the cellulose hydrolysis by commercial cellulase. The formic acid treatment effectively removed the lignin. A low substitution (formylation) and a crystallinity decrease of the cellulose in the pulp were observed. As consequence of these parameter changes, owing to the formic acid pretreatment on sawdust, a higher saccharification value was observed. The degree of saccharification increased when the degree of substitution (measured by titration) decreased and the portion of amorphous cellulose (measured via an X-ray technique) increased.Trichoderma reesei cellulase hydrolyzed the untreated and pretreated Pinus sawdust with formic acid in 25% and 56% of saccharification, respectively.