TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: At least a portion of the alkaline agent is selected from sodium carbonate, sodium percarbonate and/or sodium hydroxide.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Method: The mixture is maintained at 40-200 degrees C at a pressure of 1.1-30 bar (abs). The alkaline agent is added in an amount sufficient to increase the pH of the biomass to more than 11.5 (preferably greater than or equal to 12, especially 12.5-14). The mixture is contacted with oxidizing agent selected from oxygen containing gases and oxygen. The biomass is pretreated with the alkaline agent and the oxidizing agent in the mixture until the pH of the mixture is less than 9 (preferably less than or equal to 8.5). The method involves recovering a material and using it for production of glycans or polyphenol derived substances. The material recovered comprises solid fraction and/or liquid fraction. The fractions are separated by e.g. filtration. The recovered fraction comprising solid matter, and/or liquid, is subjected to a further treatment step selected from mechanical treatments, chemical treatments and/or enzymatic treatments. The material is subjected to hydrolysis, fermentation, and/or oxidation, optionally in further combination with preceding or subsequent mechanical treatments. The method involves producing, from at least one of the recovered fractions, carbohydrates selected from polysaccharides and corresponding monosaccharides, disaccharides and oligosaccharides and nanoparticles and nanowhiskers. The method involves producing, from at least one of the recovered fractions, alcoholic or fenolic compounds, including lignin and alcoholic chemicals are produced. The material recovered from a preceding step is subjected to a second treatment for increasing the yield or concentration of carbohydrates, chemicals, lignin, or nanoparticles or nanofibers. The material is subjected to extended hydrolysis of the polysaccharides and oligosaccharides in order to increase the yield of monosaccharides. In the method there are produced monosaccharides, such as xylose and glucose and mannose and galactose, which are suitable for the production of ethanol or other chemicals by fermentation. The method involves recovering solid fraction comprising cellulosic material having reduced content of lignin and exhibiting a hydrolysability of at least 80 (preferably at least 85, especially at least 90)%, calculated from the maximum amount that can be obtained from carbohydrate composition of the starting material, using a standard test carried out by incubating the starting material with combination of cellulase mixture and beta -glucosidase at pH5, 45 degrees C for 24 hours. The solid fraction is further converted to monosaccharides for further processing. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.