DOI: https://doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.20721

Optimization and Kinetic Studies of Enzymatic Saccharification of Double-Stage Ozonolysis Pretreated Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch for Enhanced Sugar Production

1Chemical Reaction Engineering Group (CREG), Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

2Research Center for Electronics, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), KST Sama’un Samadikun, Jl. Sangkuriang, Bandung, 40135, Indonesia

3Centre of Lipid Engineering Applied Research (CLEAR), Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

4 Department of Bioprocess and Polymer Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Malaysia

5 UTM-MPRC Institute for Oil & Gas, Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

6 Energy Management Group, Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

7 Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Clermont auvergne INP, Institut Pascal, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France

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Received: 30 Apr 2026; Revised: 25 Jun 2026; Accepted: 26 Jun 2026; Available online: 4 Jul 2026; Published: 30 Oct 2026.
Editor(s): Istadi Istadi
Open Access Copyright (c) 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Abstract

Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB), an abundant lignocellulosic biomass in Malaysia, is a promising feedstock for producing Total Reducing Sugar (TRS), although its recalcitrant structure limits enzymatic conversion. This study proposes a novel double-stage ozonolysis pretreatment integrated with intermediate alkaline swelling to enhance cellulose accessibility and saccharification efficiency. Structural modifications were confirmed through compositional analysis, TGA, XRD, FTIR, and SEM. Enzymatic saccharification (ES) was optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on a Face-Centered Central Composite Design (FCCCD), evaluating reaction time, biomass loading, and temperature. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) indicated a significant model (R2 = 0.88), with optimal conditions of 44 h reaction time, 1.8 % w/v biomass loading, and 50 °C temperature, achieving a maximum TRS yield of 42.75%. The double-stage ozonolysis outperformed single-stage and alkaline pretreatments, yielding the highest cellulose enrichment (up to 79 wt%) and improved digestibility. Kinetic analysis revealed a substantial reduction in the Michaelis-Menten constant ( ) from 175.713 to 9.010 mg/mL, indicating enhanced enzyme–substrate affinity. These findings demonstrate a robust and efficient strategy for improving biomass-to-sugar conversion. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

Keywords: Oil palm empty fruit bunch; Biomass pretreatment; Ozonolysis; Optimization; Enzymatic saccharification; Total reducing sugar
Funding: (FRGS) I FRGS/1/2022/TK05/UTM/02/11; (MyTIGER) 2024 I Vot Number 1U072; (UTM) Matching grant I Vot Number 05M00; MTSF I Vot Number 4J754).

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Section: 3rd International Symposium of Reaction Engineering, Catalysis and Sustainable Energy 2025 (RECASE 2025)
Language : EN
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