4. Conclusion
The sono-assisted alkaline pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse was optimized for the release of fermentable sugars(mostly glucose) by enzymatic hydrolysis using low enzyme loadings of Cellic®CTec3 (Novozymes). Enzyme hydrolysates derived from the best sono-assisted alkali-washed substrate were readilyfermented by an industrial strain of S. cerevisiae (Thermossac Dry),yielding fermentation efficiencies higher than those obtained fromsteam-exploded and alkali-washed steam-exploded cane bagasse.Considering the capital cost involved in steam explosion, thesono-assisted alkali washing of cane bagasse emerges as a simpler,more efficient and more sustainable method for the production ofcellulosic ethanol from cane bagasse, particularly if the fermentation of the C5 stream coming from its high hemicellulose contentis also taken into account.