Influence of Different Pretreatments on the Structure and Hydrolysis Behavior of Bamboo: A Comparative Study

In the present study, three pretreatments of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), and glycerin were employed with bamboo fibers at two different temperatures of 117 °C and 135 °C, respectively. The chemical composition and structural characterization of the pretreated bamboo fibers were comparatively studied using spectroscopic and wet chemistry methods. Furthermore, the comparative hydrolysis behaviors of pretreated bamboo were studied due to the synergistic interaction between cellulases and xylanase. The NaOH treatment increased the holocellulose contents to 87.4%, and the mean diameter of the cellulose fibers decreased from 50 ± 5 µm (raw fiber bundles) to 5 ± 2 µm. The lignin content and the degree of cellulose polymerization both decreased, while the crystallinity index of cellulose and thermostability increased. The hydrolysis yields of NaOH pretreated bamboo at 135 °C increased from 84.2% to 98.1% after a supplement of 0.5 cellulose to 1 mg protein/g dry xylan. The NaOH pretreatment achieved optimal enzymatic digestibility, particularly at higher temperatures as indicated by the results.