Pretreatment is an important stage in the production of ethanol
from biomass. Different pretreatments lead to materials with different
characteristics, which influence the enzymatic hydrolysis
and fermentation steps. The appropriate choice of a pretreatment
can be determinant for the process economical and technical viability
and should be made considering aspects of the whole process
[1], including the energy input and output and the environmental
impact [2]. Thus, in the last years many researchers have been
trying to develop a cost-effective technology that leads to maximum
fermentable sugars recovery, with minimum inhibitors production
and energy input, low demand of post-pretreatment
processes and low costs for reactors, water and chemicals [3].