Synergistic approach to enhance delignification and enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency in poplar sawdust via integrated application of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate and alkaline pretreatment

This study introduced a pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis approach for poplar sawdust (PS), integrating sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), with the objective of maximizing biomass sugar outcomes. When synergistically applied with NaOH pretreatment, SDBS substantially enhanced the structural disintegration of PS. Under optimized conditions (10 % NaOH and 20 g/L SDBS), lignin and xylan removal achieved a rate of 97.8 % and 100.0 %, while glucan concentration soared to 93.0 %. The evaluations of cellulose accessibility, hydrophobic characteristics, crystallinity index, and surface morphology corroborated the highly effective separation of lignocellulosic constituents, thereby creating ideal substrate conditions for subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis. During the enzymatic hydrolysis phase, SDBS further augmented hydrolytic efficiency through its surfactant capabilities, culminating in a hydrolysis efficiency of 94.9 %. In-depth investigations revealed that SDBS mitigated the non-productive binding of lignin through electrostatic repulsion while simultaneously enhancing the conformational stability of enzyme molecules, ultimately resulting in a substantial enhancement of cellulase activity. This research revealed that SDBS greatly facilitated the fractionation of biomass constituents and significantly enhanced the efficiency of hydrolysis reactions, offering a promising and innovative pathway for biomass conversion.