The influence of temperature (150-190 degrees C), time (0-20 mm), liquid/solid ratio (6-8) and sulfuric acid concentration (0.1-0.5%), on the hydrolysis of palm empty fruit bunches (EFBs) was studied and the liquid and solid fractions were analyzed. Polynomial models were found to reproduce the experimental results with errors less than 15% in most of the cases (except for xylose concentration). Operating conditions of 190 degrees C for 15 min at a liquid/solid ratio of 6 and a sulfuric acid concentration of 0.1% resulted in the production of 3.12, 4.0, 2.35 and 2.28 g/L of glucose, xylose, arabinose and acetic acid, respectively, starting with 1000 g of EFBs. The yield was 67.96%. Soda-anthraquinone, ethanol and ethanolamine pulping of the solid fraction provided pulps with brightness values (63.24%, 28.78%, 48.76%), but with poor resistance properties (6.57-8.54 Nm/g for tensile index, 0.38-0.44 k N/g for burst index and 0.96-1.02 mN m(2)/g for tear index). Therefore it is advisable to use the pulps for speciality papers or for bioethanol-production. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.