Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cellulosic Wastes to Glucose

This report summarizes a study performed by the U.S. Army Natick Development Center in the 1970s of the feasibility and advantages of using enzymes to hydrolyze cellulose waste to glucose as an alternative to using acid in this process, which was designed to reduce the amount of disposable solid waste by recycling it for other uses. The degree of enzymatic conversion of waste cellulosic materials depends upon both the source and the history of the waste cellulosics. For example, within 48 hours, conversion of pure cotton cellulose was only 10 whereas some of the waste cellulosic material such as pulped documents was as high as 80 conversion to glucose syrups. Suggestions as to the appropriate level of enzyme loading and the operational conditions needed for both the fermentation to produce the enzymes and the conditions required for adequate hydrolysis of the cellulosic materials are provided. The technology of producing the fungal enzymes and the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic wastes was demonstrated at the pilot plant level.