Hemp Waste Valorization Through Enzymatic Hydrolysis for Biofuels and Biochemicals Production

Enzymatic hydrolysis is an essential step in the lignocellulosic biomass treatment for the conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose into fermentable sugars. In the present study, a physical steam explosion (200°C) and chemical alkaline pre-hydrolysis (10% v/v) were applied to hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) biomass, to verify the effectiveness of different pretreatment processes, in order to increase enzymatic hydrolysis and the final sugar yield. The enzymatic degradations were carried out also utilizing extremophilic microorganisms, exploited as a source of (hemi)cellulases to be used as components of the enzymatic cocktail applied in the bioconversion into fermentable sugars for production of second generation ethanol and high value products. Alkaline pretreatment showed to be superior over the physical method with respect to the rate of enzymatic hydrolysis, with the obtainment of an hydrolysis yields of 90% xylose and 40% glucose, respectively.