EFFECT OF PRETREATMENT OF POPLAR WOOD UPON ENZYMATIC SACCHARIFICATION

The wood of young poplar grown in short rotation coppices was used as a substrate for enzymatic saccharification. Several pretreatments of the wood, both physical and chemical, including delignification were applied to enhance the polysaccharide conversion into fermentable sugars. Comparing the yields obtained on a delignified material and on alkali treated material pointed out that lignin is not the major obstacle to saccharification. on the other hand, the swelling and dissolution effect of the potent cellulose solvent, N-methyl morpholine N-oxide, on wood brought about a nearly quantitative sugar recovery. This shows the importance of the ultrastructural organization of the plant cell wall over its enzymatic hydrolysis.