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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1974 January; 27(1): 159-165
Copyright © 1974 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Cellulose Fermentation: Effect of Substrate Pretreatment on Microbial Growth

Western Regional Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, Berkeley, California 94710
Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803

ABSTRACT

The effects of chemical, physical, and enzymatic treatments of rice straw and sugarcane bagasse on the microbial digestibility of cellulose have been investigated. Treatment with 4% NaOH for 15 min at 100 C increased the digestibility of cellulose from 29.4 to 73%. Treatment with 5.2% NH₃ could increase digestibility to 57.0% Treatments with sulfuric acid and crude cellulase preparation solubilized cellulose but did not increase the digestibility. Grinding or high-pressure cooking of the substrate had little effect on increasing the digestibility of cellulosic substrates by the Cellulomonas species.

¹ Present address: Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore. 97331.