Adsorption characteristics of cellulase and β-glucosidase on Avicel, pretreated sugarcane bagasse, and lignin

Although adsorption is an essential step in the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials, literature reports controversial results in relation to the adsorption of the cellulolitic enzymes on different biomasses/pretreatments, which makes difficult the description of this phenomenon in hydrolysis mathematical models. In this work, the adsorption of these enzymes on Avicel and sugarcane bagasse pretreated by the hydrothermal bagasse (HB) and organosolv bagasse (OB) methods was evaluated. The results have shown no significant adsorption of β-glucosidase on Avicel or HB. Increasing solids concentration from 5% (w/v) to 10% (w/v) had no impact on the adsorption of cellulase on the different biomasses if stirring rates were high enough (>100 rpm for Avicel and >150 rpm for HB and OB). Adsorption equilibrium time was low for Avicel (10 Min) when compared with the lignocellulosic materials (120 Min). Adsorption isotherms determined at 4 and 50 °C have shown that for Avicel there was a decrease in the maximum adsorption capacity (Emax) with the temperature increase, whereas for HB increasing temperature increased Emax . Also, Emax increased with the content of lignin in the material. Adsorption studies of cellulase on lignin left after enzymatic digestion of HB show lower but significant adsorption capacity (Emax = 11.92 ± 0.76 mg/g).