The comparison of obtaining fermentable sugars from cellulose by enzymatic hydrolysis and fast pyrolysis

Sugars are one of intermediates in the biological and chemical conversion of biomass. The objective of this study was to make comparison of obtaining fermentable sugars by enzymatic hydrolysis and fast pyrolysis of ball milling pretreated cellulose. After ball milling pretreatment for 0-18 h, with the accumulation of alkali and alkali earth metals (from 50.8 to 276.4 ppm) and decrease of the crystalline structure (from 89.8% to 10.1%), the hydrolysis yields increased from 23.6% to 56.0% in enzymatic saccharification, while the yields of levoglucosan diminished from 61.5% to 45.6% gradually in fast pyrolysis. Both enzymatic saccharification and fast pyrolysis had unique attractive features and unfavorable limitations. The present research provided a concept for considering choices among the technologies and feedstocks currently available.