Production of xylose-containing fermentation media by enzymatic post-hydrolysis of oligomers produced by corn cob autohydrolysis

Xylooligomer solutions from autohydrolysis of corn cobs were subjected to an enzymatic post-hydrolysis using commercial enzymes with xylanolytic activity. The effect of temperature and pH on the conversion of xylooligomers into xylose was assessed at low enzyme to substrate ratio. Further experiments to evaluate the influence of enzyme loading were carried out. Balanced mixtures of selected formulations were also used. The xylose solutions obtained by coupling autohydrolysis and enzymatic post-hydrolysis stages contained up to 24 g xylose/l, were free of sugar-dehydration products and, by selecting the enzyme dosage and activities, the acetic acid concentration could be reduced, thus improving their potential fermentability. Regardless of the endo- and exo-activity loadings, the maximum conversion achieved either with single or with mixed commercial formulations, was 80% of the theoretical. This fact suggests the existence of a remaining fraction of substituted xylooligomers accounting for 20% of the initial xylan. A close relationship between deacetylation and xylose generation was also observed.