The aim of the research was to soften rice husk by hydrothermal and alkaline pretreatments. Temperature was applied at 121 °C for three time periods (15, 30 and 45 minutes) and with NaOH in three concentrations (0,5, 1 and 1,5 %), it was stirred at 120 rpm for one hour, to adjust to pH 4,8; 20 % HCl was added, and 30 FPU of the enzyme β-glucosidase was added and stirred at 120 rpm at 50 °C for 144 hours. The application of 121 °C for 45 minutes achieved a 34,62 ± 0,79 % partial hydrolysis of cellulose to cellobiose and 18,14 ± 0,09 % total hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose and in the hydrolysates where it was pretreated with sodium hydroxide at 1,5 %, 8,39 ± 0,79 % cellobiose and 46,64 ± 0,30 % glucose were reached. The application of hydrothermal pretreatment favors the partial hydrolysis of cellulose to cellobiose.

The aim of the research was to soften rice husk by hydrothermal and alkaline pretreatments. Temperature was applied at 121 °C for three time periods (15, 30 and 45 minutes) and with NaOH in three concentrations (0,5, 1 and 1,5 %), it was stirred at 120 rpm for one hour, to adjust to pH 4,8; 20 % HCl was added, and 30 FPU of the enzyme β-glucosidase was added and stirred at 120 rpm at 50 °C for 144 hours. The application of 121 °C for 45 minutes achieved a 34,62 ± 0,79 % partial hydrolysis of cellulose to cellobiose and 18,14 ± 0,09 % total hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose and in the hydrolysates where it was pretreated with sodium hydroxide at 1,5 %, 8,39 ± 0,79 % cellobiose and 46,64 ± 0,30 % glucose were reached. The application of hydrothermal pretreatment favors the partial hydrolysis of cellulose to cellobiose.