A study looked at using a gentle alkaline treatment on aspen wood chips before making paper, to extract hemicelluloses for biofuels. This process recovered 40-50 kg of hemicellulose per ton of chips, without needing expensive equipment. The resulting pulp had similar quality to regular pulp, but with a slightly higher cellulose/hemicellulose ratio. The pre-extraction allowed for shorter cooking times and less chemicals, and the pulp had improved brightness and shive content. Although the hemicellulose yield was low, the pulp properties and yield were maintained at a high level. The extracted hemicellulose was easier to concentrate compared to other methods.