Optimization of Sub-Critical Water Pretreatment for Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Sugarcane Bagasse☆

Abstract This work aimed to study and identify the optimum sub-critical water pretreatment conditions of sugarcane bagasse to increase the enzymatic digestibility of the cellulose fraction for subsequent bioethanol production. Sugarcane bagasse was pretreated with sub-critical water under several operating conditions; reaction temperature (126.36 °C to 193.64 °C), reaction time (3.18 min to 36.82 min), and bagasse/water ratio (1/4.64 to 1/11.36) in 600 mL autoclave reactor. These operating conditions were optimized by using central composite design (CCD) and response surface methodology (RSM). From the study, it was found that the optimum pretreatment condition for producing sugars was 169.66  ° C, 19.41 min, and 1/6.85 bagasse to water ratio.