Evaluation of chemical pretreatment for enzymatic solubilization of rice straw

Summary Rice straw was treated with NaOH, peracetic acid (PA), and sodium chlorite (NaClO₂). Quantitative changes in the composition of the treated straw, crystallinity of the treated straw and extracted cellulose, and susceptibility of the treated straw to Trichoderma reesei cellulase were studied. The alkali treatment resulted in a remarkable decrease in hemicellulose as well as lignin. Consequently, the recovery of residual straw after NaOH treatment was lowest among the three chemical reagents evaluated. The treatment with PA or NaCIO₂ resulted in a slight loss in hemicellulose and cellulose in the straw. The three chemical treatments caused little or no breakdown of the crystalline structure of cellulose in the straw. The treated straw was solubilized with the culture filtrate of T. reesei. The degree of enzymatic solubilization relative to the amount of residual straw was 69% after treatment with 0.25 N NaOH, 42% after treatment with 20% PA, and 50% after treatments with NaClO₂ (twice). The degree of enzymatic solubilization relative to the amount of the untreated straw, however, was 30% after treatment with 0.25 N NaOH, 32% after treatment with 20% PA, and 37% after treatments with NaClO₂ (twice).