This work evaluates the in situ detoxification of inhibitory lignocellulosic broths by laccases to facilitate their fermentation by the xylose-consuming Saccharomyces cerevisiae F12. Treatment of wheat straw slurries with laccases prior to SSCF processes decreased the total phenolic content by 50-80%, reducing the lag phase and increasing the cell viability. After laccase treatment, a negative impact on enzymatic hydrolysis was observed. This effect, together with the low enzymatic hydrolysis yields when increasing consistency, resulted in a decrease in final ethanol yields. Furthermore, when using high substrate loading (20% DM (w/v)), high concentration of inhibitors prevailed in broths and the absence of an extra nitrogen source led to a total cell growth inhibition within the first 24 h in non-treated samples. This inhibition of growth at 20% DM (w/v) was overcome by laccase treatment with no addition of nitrogen, allowing S. cerevisiae F12 to produce more than 22 g/L of ethanol. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.