Kinetic studies on insoluble cellulose-cellulase system

Membrane Bioreactors: A Promising Approach to Enhanced Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cellulose

The depletion of fossil fuel resources and the negative impact of their use on the climate have resulted in the need for alternative sources of clean, sustainable energy. One available alternative, bioethanol, is a potential substitute for, or additive to, petroleum-derived gasoline. In the lignocellulose-to-bioethanol process, the cellulose hydrolysis step represents a major hurdle that hinders commercialization. To achieve economical production of bioethanol from lignocellulosic materials, the rate and yield of the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose, which is preferred over other chemically catalyzed processes, must be enhanced. To achieve this, product inhibition and enzyme loss, which are two major challenges, must be overcome. The implementation of membranes, which can permeate molecules selectively based on their size, offers a solution to this problem. Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) can enhance enzymatic hydrolysis yields and lower costs by retaining enzymes for repeated usage while permeating the products. This paper presents a critical discussion of the use of MBRs as a promising approach to the enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic materials. Various MBR configurations and factors that affect their performance are presented.

Analysis of the Long Time Behavior of Enzymatic Cellulose Hydrolysis Kinetics

Enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass to produce sugars that can be converted to fuels and other valuable chemicals, is viewed as the prime technology for utilization of this renewable resource. To accelerate technology development, models are needed that are able to accurately predict the hydrolysis rate so that reactors can be tailored to the multitude of processing conditions and substrates that can be used. Of particular interest is the ability to predict the long time conversion in the hydrolysis reaction which dictates the maximum possible sugar concentration. It is our aim in this article to develop a simple model which is able to predict the long-term conversion of cellulose to soluble sugars. Drawing on the analogy from the theory of reactions in continuous mixtures, it is shown that analysis of the long time kinetics of hydrolysis by examining the behavior of the “lump” of the reacting material results in a simple expression which is capable of predicting the kinetics. Many features of actual enzyme systems can be included in the development of the hydrolysis model, such as the large size of the enzyme molecules, adsorption onto substrate, inhibition by different factors (solvent, glucose etc.), but, when the analysis is carried out to calculate the total sugar concentration, it is shown that the equations reduce to a simple expression. Analysis of this model is given with comparison to other models and experimental data available in the literature. In addition to predicting the long-term kinetics, it is shown that the model does a surprising job of predicting the initial hydrolysis rates as well.

Aqueous Ionic Liquids and Deep Eutectic Solvents for Cellulosic Biomass Pretreatment and Saccharification

Ionic liquids (ILs) have proven effective solvents for pretreating lignocellulose, leading to the fast saccharification of cellulose and hemicellulose. However, the high current cost of most ILs remains a major barrier to commercializing this recent approach at a practical scale. As a strategic detour, aqueous solutions of ILs are also being explored as less costly alternatives to neat ILs for cellulose pretreatment. However, limited studies on a few select IL systems are known and there remains no systematic survey of various ILs, eluding an in-depth understanding of pretreatment mechanisms afforded by aqueous IL systems. As a step toward filling this gap, this study presents results for Avicel cellulose pretreatment by neat and aqueous solutions (1.0 and 2.0 M) of 20 different ILs and three deep eutectic solvents, correlating enzymatic hydrolysis rates of pretreated cellulose with various IL properties such as hydrogen-bond basicity, polarity, Hofmeister ranking, and hydrophobicity. The pretreatment efficiencies of neat ILs may be loosely correlated to the hydrogen-bond basicity of the constituent anion and IL polarity; however, the pretreatment efficacies for aqueous ILs are more complicated and cannot be simply related to any single IL property. Several aqueous IL systems have been identified as effective alternatives to neat ILs in lignocellulose pretreatment. In particular, this study reveals that aqueous solutions of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium methanesulfonate ([BMIM][MeSO3]) are effective for pretreating switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), resulting in fast saccharification of both cellulose and hemicellulose. An integrated analysis afforded by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and cellulase adsorption isotherm of lignocellulose samples is further used to deliver a more complete view of the structural changes attending aqueous IL pretreatment.

Fungal cellulase/xylanase production and corresponding hydrolysis using pretreated corn stover as substrates

Three pretreated corn stover (ammonia fiber expansion, dilute acid, and dilute alkali) were used as carbon source to culture Trichoderma reesei Rut C-30 for cellulase and xylanase production. The results indicated that the cultures on ammonia fiber expansion and alkali pretreated corn stover had better enzyme production than the acid pretreated ones. The consequent enzymatic hydrolysis was performed applying fungal enzymes on pretreated corn stover samples. Tukey's statistical comparisons exhibited that there were significant differences on enzymatic hydrolysis among different combination of fungal enzymes and pretreated corn stover. The higher sugar yields were achieved by the enzymatic hydrolysis of dilute alkali pretreated corn stover.

Kinetics of the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose

Enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose for sugar production offers advantages of higher conversion, minimal by-product formation, low energy requirements, and mild operating conditions over other chemical conversions. The development of a kinetic model, based on observable, macroscopic properties of the overall system, is helpful in design and economic evaluation of processes for sugar conversion and ethanol production. A kinetic model is presented, incorporating enzyme adsorption, product inhibition, and considers a multiple enzyme and substrate system. This model was capable of simulating saccharification of a lignocellulosic material, rice straw, at high substrate (up to 333 g/L) and enzyme concentrations (up to 9.2 FPU/mL) that are common to proposed process designs.

Adsorption of cellulase from Trichoderma viride on cellulose

The adsorption of cellulase from Trichoderma viride (Meicelase CEP) on the surface of pure cellulose was studied. The adsorption was found to obey apparently the Langmuir isotherm. From the data concering the effects of temperature and the crystallinity of cellulose on the Langmuir adsorption parameters, the characteristics of the adsorption of the individual cellulase components, namely CMCase (endoglucanase) and Avicelase (exoglucanase), were discussed. While beta-glucosidase also adsorbed on the surface of cellulose at 5 degrees C, it did not at 50 degrees C.

Modeling microbial dynamics in heterogeneous environments: growth on soil carbon sources

We have developed a new kinetic model to study how microbial dynamics are affected by the heterogeneity in the physical structure of the environment and by different strategies for hydrolysis of polymeric carbon. The hybrid model represented the dynamics of substrates and enzymes using a continuum representation and the dynamics of the cells were modeled individually. Individual-based biological model allowed us to explicitly simulate microbial diversity, and to model cell physiology as regulated via optimal allocation of cellular resources to enzyme synthesis, control of growth rate by protein synthesis capacity, and shifts to dormancy. This model was developed to study how microbial community functioning is influenced by local environmental conditions in heterogeneous media such as soil and by the functional attributes of individual microbes. Microbial community dynamics were simulated at two spatial scales: micro-pores that resemble 6-20-μm size portions of the soil physical structure and in 111-μm size soil aggregates with a random pore structure. Different strategies for acquisition of carbon from polymeric cellulose were investigated. Bacteria that express membrane-associated hydrolase had different growth and survival dynamics in soil pores than bacteria that release extracellular hydrolases. The kinetic differences suggested different functional niches for these two microbe types in cellulose utilization. Our model predicted an emergent behavior in which co-existence of membrane-associated hydrolase and extracellular hydrolases releasing organisms led to higher cellulose utilization efficiency and reduced stochasticity. Our analysis indicated that their co-existence mutually benefits these organisms, where basal cellulose degradation activity by membrane-associated hydrolase-expressing cells shortened the soluble hydrolase buildup time and, when enzyme buildup allowed for cellulose degradation to be fast enough to sustain exponential growth, all the organisms in the community shared the soluble carbon product and grew together. Although pore geometry affected the kinetics of cellulose degradation, the patterns observed for the bacterial community dynamics in the 6-20 μm-sized micro-pores were relevant to the dynamics in the more complex 111-μm-sized porous soil aggregates, implying that micro-scale studies can be useful approximations to aggregate scale studies when local effects on microbial dynamics are studied. As shown with examples in this study, various functional niches of the bacterial communities can be investigated using complex predictive mathematical models where the role of key environmental aspects such as the heterogeneous three-dimensional structure, functional niches of the community members, and environmental biochemical processes are directly connected to microbial metabolism and maintenance in an integrated model.

Cellulose hydrolysis by cellobiohydrolase Cel7A shows mixed hyperbolic product inhibition

In order to establish which are the contribution of linear (total), hyperbolic (partial) or parabolic inhibitions by cellobiose, and also a special case of substrate inhibition, the kinetics of cellobiohydrolase Cel7A obtained from Trichoderma reesei was investigated. Values of kinetic parameters were estimated employing integrated forms of Michaelis-Menten equations through the use of non-linear regression, and criteria for selecting inhibition models are discussed. With cellobiose added at the beginning of the reaction, it was found that cellulose hydrolysis follows a kinetic model, which takes into account a mixed hyperbolic inhibition, by cellobiose with the following parameter values: K (m) 5.0 mM, K (ic) 0.029 mM, K (iu) 1.1 mM, k (cat) 3.6 h(-1) and k (cat') 0.2 h(-1). Cellulose hydrolysis without initial cellobiose added also follows the same inhibition model with similar values (4.7, 0.029 and 1.5 mM and 3.2 and 0.2 h(-1), respectively). According to Akaike information criterion, more complex models that take into account substrate and parabolic inhibitions do not increase the modulation performance of cellulose hydrolysis.

Practical screening of purified cellobiohydrolases and endoglucanases with α-cellulose and specification of hydrodynamics

BACKGROUND

It is important to generate biofuels and society must be weaned from its dependency on fossil fuels. In order to produce biofuels, lignocellulose is pretreated and the resulting cellulose is hydrolyzed by cellulases such as cellobiohydrolases (CBH) and endoglucanases (EG). Until now, the biofuel industry has usually applied impractical celluloses to screen for cellulases capable of degrading naturally occurring, insoluble cellulose. This study investigates how these cellulases adsorb and hydrolyze insoluble α-cellulose - considered to be a more practical substrate which mimics the alkaline-pretreated biomass used in biorefineries. Moreover, this study investigates how hydrodynamics affects cellulase adsorption and activity onto α-cellulose.

RESULTS

First, the cellulases CBH I, CBH II, EG I and EG II were purified from Trichoderma reesei and CBH I and EG I were utilized in order to study and model the adsorption isotherms (Langmuir) and kinetics (pseudo-first-order). Second, the adsorption kinetics and cellulase activities were studied under different hydrodynamic conditions, including liquid mixing and particle suspension. Third, in order to compare α-cellulose with three typically used celluloses, the exact cellulase activities towards all four substrates were measured.It was found that, using α-cellulose, the adsorption models fitted to the experimental data and yielded parameters comparable to those for filter paper. Moreover, it was determined that higher shaking frequencies clearly improved the adsorption of cellulases onto α-cellulose and thus bolstered their activity. Complete suspension of α-cellulose particles was the optimal operating condition in order to ensure efficient cellulase adsorption and activity. Finally, all four purified cellulases displayed comparable activities only on insoluble α-cellulose.

CONCLUSIONS

α-Cellulose is an excellent substrate to screen for CBHs and EGs. This current investigation shows in detail, for the first time, the adsorption of purified cellulases onto α-cellulose, the effect of hydrodynamics on cellulase adsorption and the correlation between the adsorption and the activity of cellulases at different hydrodynamic conditions. Complete suspension of the substrate has to be ensured in order to optimize the cellulase attack. In the future, screenings should be conducted with α-cellulose so that proper cellulases are selected to best hydrolyze the real alkaline-pretreated biomass used in biorefineries.

Adsorption of Clostridium thermocellum cellulases onto pretreated mixed hardwood, avicel, and lignin

Adsorption of Avicel-hydrolyzing activity was examined with respect to: mixed hardwood flour pretreated with 1% sulfuric acid for 9 s at 220 degrees C (PTW220), lignin prepared from PTW220 by either acid or enzymatic hydrolysis, and Avicel. Experiments were conducted at 60 degrees C for all materials, and also at 25 degrees C for PTW220. Based on transient adsorption results and reaction rates, times were selected at which to characterize adsorption at 60 degrees C as follows: PTW220, 1 min; lignin, 30 min; and Avicel, 45 min. Similar results were obtained for adsorption of cellulase activity to PTW220 at 25 and 60 degrees C, and for lignin prepared by enzymatic and acid hydrolysis. For all materials, adsorption was described well by a Langmuir equation, although the reversibility of adsorption was not investigated. Langmuir affinity constants (L/g) were: PTW220, 109; lignin, 17.9; Avicel, 4.3; cellulose from PTW220, > or =187. Langmuir capacity constants were 760 for PTW220 and 42 for Avicel; the cellulase binding capacity of lignin appeared to be very high under the conditions examined, and could not be determined. At low and moderate cellulase loadings at least, the majority of cellulase activity adsorbed to PTW220 is bound to the cellulosic component. The results indicate that PTW220, and its cellulose component in particular, differ radically from Avicel with respect to adsorption. Avicel-hydrolyzing activity and CMC-hydrolyzing activities were found to bind to Avicel with a constant ratio of essentially one, consistent with adsorption of a multi-activity complex.

Comparison of mechanistic models in the initial rate enzymatic hydrolysis of AFEX-treated wheat straw

BACKGROUND

Different mechanistic models have been used in the literature to describe the enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated biomass. Although these different models have been applied to different substrates, most of these mechanistic models fit into two- and three-parameter mechanistic models. The purpose of this study is to compare the models and determine the activation energy and the enthalpy of adsorption of Trichoderma reesei enzymes on ammonia fibre explosion (AFEX)-treated wheat straw. Experimental enzymatic hydrolysis data from AFEX-treated wheat straw were modelled with two- and three-parameter mechanistic models from the literature. In order to discriminate between the models, initial rate data at 49 degrees C were subjected to statistical analysis (analysis of variance and scatter plots).

RESULTS

For three-parameter models, the HCH-1 model best fitted the experimental data; for two-parameter models Michaelis-Menten (M-M) best fitted the experimental data. All the three-parameter models fitted the data better than the two-parameter models. The best three models at 49 degrees C (HCH-1, Huang and M-M) were compared using initial rate data at three temperatures (35 degrees , 42 degrees and 49 degrees C). The HCH-1 model provided the best fit based on the F values, the scatter plot and the residual sum of squares. Also, its kinetic parameters were linear in Arrhenius/van't Hoff's plots, unlike the other models. The activation energy (Ea) is 47.6 kJ/mol and the enthalpy change of adsorption (DeltaH) is -118 kJ/mol for T. reesei enzymes on AFEX-treated wheat straw.

CONCLUSION

Among the two-parameter models, Michaelis-Menten model provided the best fit compared to models proposed by Humphrey and Wald. For the three-parameter models, HCH-1 provided the best fit because the model includes a fractional coverage parameter (varphi) which accounts for the number of reactive sites covered by the enzymes.

Sorption of Talaromyces emersonii cellulase on cellulosic substrates

The sorption characteristics of the cellulase system of Talaromyces emersonii on various cellulosic substrates were examined. Analysis of reaction mixture supernatants by electrophoresis and enzyme assay showed that all components of the cellulase system were rapidly adsorbed by cellulose and then gradually returned to the liquid phase as the hydrolysis of the substrate progressed. The extent of adsorption in the rapid phase was influenced by pH, temperature, the nature of the substrate, and its concentration.

Modeling Intrinsic Kinetics of Enzymatic Cellulose Hydrolysis

A multistep approach was taken to investigate the intrinsic kinetics of the cellulase enzyme complex as observed with hydrolysis of noncrystalline cellulose (NCC). In the first stage, published initial rate mechanistic models were built and critically evaluated for their performance in predicting time-course kinetics, using the data obtained from enzymatic hydrolysis experiments performed on two substrates: NCC and alpha-cellulose. In the second stage, assessment of the effect of reaction intermediates and products on intrinsic kinetics of enzymatic hydrolysis was performed using NCC hydrolysis experiments, isolating external factors such as mass transfer effects, physical properties of substrate, etc. In the final stage, a comprehensive intrinsic kinetics mechanism was proposed. From batch experiments using NCC, the time-course data on cellulose, cello-oligosaccharides (COS), cellobiose, and glucose were taken and used to estimate the parameters in the kinetic model. The model predictions of NCC, COS, cellobiose, and glucose profiles show a good agreement with experimental data generated from hydrolysis of different initial compositions of substrate (NCC supplemented with COS, cellobiose, and glucose). Finally, sensitivity analysis was performed on each model parameter; this analysis provides some insights into the yield of glucose in the enzymatic hydrolysis. The proposed intrinsic kinetic model parametrized for dilute cellulose systems forms a basis for modeling the complex enzymatic kinetics of cellulose hydrolysis in the presence of limiting factors offered by substrate and enzyme characteristics.

High-throughput microplate technique for enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass

Several factors will influence the viability of a biochemical platform for manufacturing lignocellulosic based fuels and chemicals, for example, genetically engineering energy crops, reducing pre-treatment severity, and minimizing enzyme loading. Past research on biomass conversion has focused largely on acid based pre-treatment technologies that fractionate lignin and hemicellulose from cellulose. However, for alkaline based (e.g., AFEX) and other lower severity pre-treatments it becomes critical to co-hydrolyze cellulose and hemicellulose using an optimized enzyme cocktail. Lignocellulosics are appropriate substrates to assess hydrolytic activity of enzyme mixtures compared to conventional unrealistic substrates (e.g., filter paper, chromogenic, and fluorigenic compounds) for studying synergistic hydrolysis. However, there are few, if any, high-throughput lignocellulosic digestibility analytical platforms for optimizing biomass conversion. The 96-well Biomass Conversion Research Lab (BCRL) microplate method is a high-throughput assay to study digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass as a function of biomass composition, pre-treatment severity, and enzyme composition. The most suitable method for delivering milled biomass to the microplate was through multi-pipetting slurry suspensions. A rapid bio-enzymatic, spectrophotometric assay was used to determine fermentable sugars. The entire procedure was automated using a robotic pipetting workstation. Several parameters that affect hydrolysis in the microplate were studied and optimized (i.e., particle size reduction, slurry solids concentration, glucan loading, mass transfer issues, and time period for hydrolysis). The microplate method was optimized for crystalline cellulose (Avicel) and ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) pre-treated corn stover.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of lime-pretreated corn stover and investigation of the HCH-1 Model: inhibition pattern, degree of inhibition, validity of simplified HCH-1 Model

The inhibition pattern was identified for a reaction system composed of Trichoderma reesei cellulase enzyme complex and lime-pretreated corn stover. Also, the glucose inhibition effect was quantified for the aforementioned reaction system over a range of enzyme loadings and substrate concentrations. Lastly, the range of substrate concentrations and enzyme loadings were identified in which the linear form of the simplified HCH-1 Model is valid. The HCH-1 Model is a modified Michaelis-Menton Model with non-competitive inhibition and the fraction of insoluble substrate available to bind with enzyme. With a high enzyme loading, the HCH-1 Model can be integrated and simplified in such a way that sugar conversion is linearly proportional to the logarithm of enzyme loading. A wide range of enzyme loadings (0.25-50 FPU/g dry biomass) and substrate concentrations (10-100g/L) were investigated. All experiments were conducted with an excess cellobiase loading to ensure the experimental results were not influenced by cellobiose inhibition. A non-competitive inhibition pattern was identified for the corn stover-cellulase reaction system, thereby validating the assumptions of the HCH-1 Model. At a substrate concentration of 10 g/L, glucose inhibition parameters of 0.986 and 0.979 were measured for enzyme loadings of 2 FPU/g dry biomass and 50 FPU/g dry biomass, respectively. At 5 FPU/g dry biomass, glucose inhibition parameters of 0.985 and 0.853 were measured for substrate concentrations of 10 and 100g/L, respectively. The linear form of the HCH-1 Model predicted biomass digestibility for lime-pretreated corn stover over an enzyme loading range of 0.25-50 FPU/g dry biomass and substrate concentration range of 10-100g/L.

A model describing the effect of enzymatic degradation on drug release from collagen minirods

A drug delivery system, named minirod, containing insoluble non-cross-linked collagen was prepared to investigate the release of model drug compounds. To characterise the complete drug release process properly, a mathematical model was developed. Previously, a mathematical model describing water penetration, matrix swelling and drug release by diffusion from dense collagen matrices has been introduced and tested. However, enzymatic matrix degradation influences the drug release as well. Based on experimental data, a model was developed which describes drug release by collagenolytic matrix degradation based on enzyme diffusion, adsorption and cleavage. Data for swelling, collagen degradation and FITC dextran release from insoluble equine collagen type I minirods were collected. Sorption studies demonstrated a tight sorption of collagenase on collagen surfaces that follows a Freundlich sorption isotherm and results in a degradation constant of 3.8x10(-5) mol/l for the minirods. The diffusion coefficients of FITC dextran 20 and 70 (3x10(-3) and 2.4x10(-3) cm2/h) in water were analyzed by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). Using these data, the mathematical model was verified by two-dimensional simulations. The numerical results agreed well with the measurements.

Kinetic analysis of enzymatic hydrolysis of crystalline cellulose by cellobiohydrolase using an amperometric biosensor

An amperometric biosensor for the detection of cellobiose has been introduced to study the kinetics of enzymatic hydrolysis of crystalline cellulose by cellobiohydrolase. By use of a sensor in which pyrroloquinoline quinone-dependent glucose dehydrogenase was immobilized on the surface of electrode, direct and continuous observation of the hydrolysis can be achieved even in a thick cellulose suspension. The steady-state rate of the hydrolysis increased with increasing concentrations of the enzyme to approach a saturation value and was proportional to the amount of the substrate. The experimental results can be explained well by the rate equations derived from a three-step mechanism consisting of the adsorption of the free enzyme onto the surface of the substrate, the reaction of the adsorbed enzyme with the substrate, and the liberation of the product. The catalytic constant of the adsorbed enzyme was determined to be 0.044+/-0.011s(-1).

Kinetics of the surface hydrolysis of raw starch by glucoamylase

The hydrolysis of raw starch catalyzed by glucoamylase has been studied with starch granules of different sizes by use of an amperometric glucose sensor by which the direct and continuous observation of the concentration of glucose can be achieved even in a thick raw starch suspension. The initial rate of the enzymatic hydrolysis in the raw starch suspension increased with increasing concentration of the enzyme to approach a saturation value and was proportional to the amount of substrate. Also, the rate was proportional to the specific surface area of the substrate. The experimental results can be explained well by the rate equations derived from a three-step mechanism, which consists of adsorption of the free enzyme onto the surface of the substrate, reaction of the adsorbed enzyme with the substrate, and liberation of the product.

Toward an aggregated understanding of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose: noncomplexed cellulase systems

Information pertaining to enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose by noncomplexed cellulase enzyme systems is reviewed with a particular emphasis on development of aggregated understanding incorporating substrate features in addition to concentration and multiple cellulase components. Topics considered include properties of cellulose, adsorption, cellulose hydrolysis, and quantitative models. A classification scheme is proposed for quantitative models for enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose based on the number of solubilizing activities and substrate state variables included. We suggest that it is timely to revisit and reinvigorate functional modeling of cellulose hydrolysis, and that this would be highly beneficial if not necessary in order to bring to bear the large volume of information available on cellulase components on the primary applications that motivate interest in the subject.

Effect of potential binding site overlap to binding of cellulase to cellulose: a two-dimensional simulation

A computer simulation model for the binding of ligands to a totally anisotropic surface (infinite two-dimensional square lattice) with overlapping binding sites has been developed. The validity of the simulation has been proven by comparison with cases where the correct results are known. The simulation of kinetics shows that when the lattice is close to saturation, the true equilibrium state is reached extremely slowly due to a lot of rearranging of the ligands on the lattice. Based on these findings, the terms 'apparent saturation' and 'apparent maximum coverage' have been introduced and defined. The largest discrepancies between 'apparent maximum coverage' and the theoretically predicted value were observed for ligands of large size and/or irregular shape. As an example, the model has been applied to describe the binding of cellobiohydrolase-I core to Avicel. A formula for calculation of the intrinsic binding constant, maximal binding capacity and specific surface of cellulose from real binding data has been derived.

Mass transport parameters of aspen wood chip beds via stimulus-response tracer techniques

A stimulus-response tracer technique has been used to characterize packed beds of untreated, as well as acid prehydrolyzed, and enzymatically hydrolyzed aspen wood chips. Glucose was used as the tracer. Bulk liquid phase dispersion, interphase mass transfer, and intraparticle diffusion coefficients were determined for these materials as well as effective porosities and tortuosities. The untreated and prehydrolyzed aspen wood chips were found to have effective coid fractions of ca. 0.8, while the enzymatically hydrolyzed wood chips exhibited a void fraction of 0.37. Intraparticle diffusion was approximately twice as rapid in the prehydrolyzed and enzymatically hydrolyzed wood chips as in the untreated wood chips. Also, under the current experimental conditions, intraparticle diffusional transport resistance accounted for roughly half of the total tracer pulse dispersion. It is demonstrated that stimulus-response tracer techniques can be useful and convenient probes for beds of lignocellulosic, or other conversion and/or treatment.