Optimization of Microwave-assisted Alkali Pretreatment and Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Banana Pseudostem

Microwave-assisted alkali pretreatment of banana pseudostem for the production of bioethanol was studied. Pretreatment of banana pseudostem was performed based on Box-Behnken experimental design. Alkali concentration, temperature, and time of pretreatment were considered as independent variables and concentration of reducing sugars was considered as response variable. Enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated banana pseudostem was done at constant cellulase enzyme loading and yield of reducing sugars with respect to time was observed. It was found that when banana pseudostem was pretreated by 8% NaOH ratio at 90 degrees C for 8 min, the yield of reducing sugars reached 84% by enzymatic hydrolysis of 110 h with cellulase enzyme loading of 30 FPU/g of solid.