Effect of surfactants on cellulose hydrolysis

✍ Scribed by Steve S. Helle; Sheldon J. B. Duff; David G. Cooper

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 648 KB
• Volume: 42
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0006-3592
• DOI: 10.1002/bit.260420509

✦ Synopsis

The effect of surfactants on the heterogeneous enzymatic hydrolysis of Sigmacell 100 cellulose and of steam-exploded wood was studied. Certain biosurfactants (sophorolipid, rhamnolipid, bacitracin) and Tween 80 increased the rate of hydrolysis of Sigmacell 100, as measured by the amount of reducing sugar produced, by as much as seven times. The hydrolysis of steamexploded wood was increased by 67% in the presence of sophorolipid. At the same time, sophorolipid was found to decrease the amount of enzyme adsorbed onto the cellulose at equilibrium. Sophorolipid had the greatest effect on cellulose hydrolysis when it was present from the beginning of the experiment and when the enzyme/cellulose ratio was low.