Lignocellulosic residues are composed by three main components: cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Cellulose and hemicellulose are polyssacharydes composed by units of sugar molecules [4]. Sugarcane bagasse is composed of around 50% cellulose, 25% hemicellulose and 25% lignin. It has been proposed that because of its low ash content (around 2-3%), this product offers numerous advantages in comparison to other crop residues (such as rice straw and wheat straw) when used for bio-processessing purposes. Additionally, in comparison to other agricultural residues, bagasse is considered a richer solar energy reservoir due to its higher yields on mass/area of cultivation (about 80 t/ha in comparison to about 1, 2, and 20 t/ha for wheat, other grasses and trees, respectively) [5].

1.1. Cellulose

Cellulose is composed of microfibrils formed by glucose molecules linked by p-1,4, being each glucose molecule reversed in relation to each other. The union of microfibrils form a linear and semicrystalline structure. The linearity of the structure enables a strong bond between the microfibrils. The crystallinity confers resistance to hydrolysis due to absence of water in the structure and the strong bond between the glucose chains prevents hydrolases act on the links p -1,4 [1].

1.2. Hemicellulose

Hemicellulose is a polysaccharide made of polymers formed by units of xylose, arabinose, galactose, manose and other sugars, that present crosslinking with glycans. Hemicellulose can bind to cellulose microfibrils by hydrogen bonds, forming a protection that prevents the contact between microfibrils to each other and yielding a cohesive network. Xyloglucan is the major hemicellulose in many primary cell walls. Nevertheless, in secondary cell wall, which predominate in the plant biomass, the hemicelluloses are typically more xylans and arabino-xylans. Typically, hemicellulose comprises between 20 to 50% of the lignocellulose polysaccharides, and therefore contributes significantly to the production of liquid biofuels

[1] . Sugarcane bagasse contain approximately 25-30% hemicelluloses [13,14].