초록
<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>The production of tequila in Mexico generates a large amount of agave bagasse per year. However, this biomass can be considered as a potential source for biofuel production. In this study, it is described how the hydrothermal pretreatment was scaled in a bench scale, considering the severity index as a strategy. The best condition was at 180 °C in isothermal regime for 20 min with 65.87% of cellulose content and high concentration of xylooligosaccharides (15.31 g/L). This condition was scaled up (using severity factor: [log<I>R</I> <SUB>0</SUB>] = 4.11), in order to obtain a rich pretreated solid in cellulose to perform the enzymatic hydrolysis, obtaining saccharification yields of 98.5 and 99.5% at high-solids loading (10 and 15%, respectively). The pre-saccharification and fermentation strategy was used in the bioethanol production at 10 and 15% of total pretreated solids, obtaining 38.39 and 55.02 g/L of ethanol concentration, corresponding to 90.84% and 87.56% of ethanol yield, respectively.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Hydrothermal pretreatment in different regimens was applied on agave bagasse. </LI> <LI> Severity index [logR0] was used as strategy of scale-up. </LI> <LI> Enzymatic susceptibility was performed for the agave bagasse pretreated solids. </LI> <LI> Enzymatic hydrolysis with 10% and 15% of pretreated solids was performed. </LI> <LI> PSSF strategy at high-solids loading was applied to the agave bagasse treated. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>