adba9b10_nversion_and_Biomass_to_Energy__Explanation
[Term] Hydrolysis [Explanation] 
A chemical or biological process in which water is added to other molecules (the conditions are wide ranging and many molecules can be hydrolyzed). Hydrolysis is a pretreatment or preliminary step in fermentation processes that ultimately yield biogas or ethanol. For cellulose and hemicellulose, a variety of hydrolysis methods can be used to break down the long chain polymer into simple glucose molecules. Efficiencies of hydrolysis vary among methods and feedstocks.
Glossary: Conversion and Biomass-to-Energy
Explanation