Intensification of oak sawdust enzymatic hydrolysis by chemical or hydrothermal pretreatment

The activities of cellulases and xylanase were determined in laboratory cultures of Aspergillus terreus F-413 performed on natural and chemically or hydrothermally pretreated oak sawdust. The best stimulation effects were obtained in the cultures containing sawdust treated with dioxane, sodium hydroxide, or phosphoric acid. Moreover, the sawdust pretreatment distinctly affected its enzymatic hydrolysis, especially when the preparation of hydrolase complex was isolated from the culture of A. terreus F-413 growing on the modified sawdust as a sole carbon source. The highest saccharification effect was observed when the sawdust was treated with dioxane, sodium hydroxide, or phosphoric acid. Glucose was the main product of sawdust decomposition found in the hydrolyzates.