Increased digestibility of cedar by pretreatment with peracetic acid and steam explosion

A type of steam explosion method combined with chemical pretreatment was studied. Peracetic acid was an effective reagent to assist the steam explosion reaction and greatly improved the enzymatic saccharification of cedar compared with single steam explosion. The extent of saccharification was directly proportional to the amount of peracetic acid absorbed in the chips, and the function of peracetic acid was revealed as an acid catalyst and as a radical initiator in the steam explosion reaction.