Utilization of waste cellulose. IV. Comparative study of the reactivity of different substrates in the enzymatic hydrolysis with trichoderma viride

Different cellulosic substrates are compared. Cellulose II (grinded Cellophane®) was demonstrated to be a very reactive substrate without any other pretreatment. Indeed, Cellophane®, even coated one side with PVDC or nitrocellulose, can be hydrolyzed to a very high yield of glucose in a reasonable time. Suspensions with an initial high content of substrate can be used. Different pretreatment (ball milling, γ-irradiation, and Fe²⁺/H₂O₂) were found to modify the reactivity of cellulose I. The pretreatments which result in the chemical transformation of the glucose units of the initial cellulosic substrate are shown to inhibit the enzymatic hydrolysis.