Hydrolysis

Hydrolysis describes the cleavage of a chemical compound through the reaction with water. Thereby, a hydrogen atom (H) is added to one part of the split chain, while the remaining hydroxyl group of the water (OH) is added to the other. Hydrolysis is the first step of anaerobic digestion in which insoluble complex molecules such as carbohydrates and fats are broken down to short sugars, fatty acids and amino acids.