초록
<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>One of the major challenges in biofuels production from lignocellulosic biomass is the generation of high glucose titers from cellulose in the enzymatic hydrolysis stage of pretreated biomass to guarantee a cost-effective process. Therefore, the enzymatic saccharification on cellulose at high solid loading is an alternative. In this work, the agave bagasse was hydrothermally pretreated and optimized at 194 °C/30 min, obtaining a pretreated solid rich in cellulose content (>46.46%), and subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis at high solid levels. A horizontal bioreactor was designed for enzyme saccharification at high solid loadings [25% (w/v)]. The bioreactor improved mixing efficiency, with cellulose conversions up to 98% (195.6 g/L at 72 h). Moreover, mathematical modeling of cellulase deactivation demonstrated that cellulases lose most of their initial activity in the first hours of the reaction. Also, cellulose was characterized by X-ray diffraction, and the pretreated solids were visualized using scanning electron microscopy.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> HT produces a cellulose rich solid with high susceptibility to enzymatic attack. </LI> <LI> EH efficiency is negatively affected by solid loading increase. </LI> <LI> Cellulases undergo rapid activity lose during the first hours of saccharification. </LI> <LI> Horizontal bioreactors improve glucose production at high solid loadings. </LI> </UL> </P>