초록
<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P> <I>Sesbania grandiflora</I> (L.) Pers. is one of the fast growing tree legumes having the efficiency to produce around 50tha<SUP>−1</SUP> above ground dry matters in a year. In this study, biomass of 2years old <I>S. grandiflora</I> was selected for the chemical composition, pretreatments and enzymatic hydrolysis studies. The stem biomass with a wood density of 3.89±0.01gmcm<SUP>−3</SUP> contains about 38% cellulose, 12% hemicellulose and 28% lignin. Enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated biomass revealed that phosphoric acid (H<SUB>3</SUB>PO<SUB>4</SUB>) pretreated samples even at lower cellulase loadings [1 Filter Paper Units (FPU)], could efficiently convert about 86% glucose, while, even at higher cellulase loadings (60FPU) alkali pretreated biomass could convert only about 58% glucose. The effectiveness of phosphoric acid pretreatment was also supported by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> <I>Sesbania grandiflora</I>, a high biomass producing tree was brought into fuel line. </LI> <LI> Two pretreatment processes using sodium hydroxide and phosphoric acid were adopted. </LI> <LI> Effect of time, temperature and NaOH concentration was compared in alkali pretreatment. </LI> <LI> Phosphoric acid pretreatment found to release more glucose at low cellulase loadings. </LI> </UL> </P>