NOVELTY - Characterizing enzyme and enzyme mixtures for the hydrolysis of lingo-cellulosic biomass involves: a) adding enzyme or enzyme mixture to several test vials creating a liquid fraction in the test vials; b) incubating simultaneously each test vial for a period of time sufficient to establish hydrolysis of substrate in each test vial of test vials at same pH and temperature, while, if necessary, providing at least enough agitation to keep substrate in suspension; c) quenching reaction; and d) analyzing optical absorbance of liquid fraction of at least one test vial.    USE - For characterizing enzyme and enzyme mixtures for the hydrolysis of lingo-cellulosic biomass (claimed); for assaying all of the activities that compose an enzyme or enzyme solution that could be used to convert ligno-cellulosic material into monomeric sugars; for the rapid evaluation of enzymes and enzyme mixtures for the hydrolysis of ligno-cellulosic biomass.    ADVANTAGE - The method for the assaying of enzymes and enzyme mixtures for the hydrolysis of lingo-cellulosic biomass is performed in a time efficient manner and at a low cost separately from the hydrolysis of the lingo-cellulosic biomass. The method defines the limited set of tests to be performed on each substrate for having a significant evaluation of the activities of the enzyme or enzyme mixture during the hydrolysis of a ligno-cellulosic biomass; reduces the time and the amount of substrates and reagents needed in each test; needs low cost analysis instruments for evaluating the enzyme or enzyme mixture for the hydrolysis of a ligno-cellulosic biomass; and defines rapid and inexpensive evaluation of an enzyme or enzyme mixture for the hydrolysis of a ligno-cellulosic biomass.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Characterizing enzyme and enzyme mixtures for the hydrolysis of lingo-cellulosic biomass involves: a) adding the enzyme or the enzyme mixture to several test vials creating a liquid fraction in the test vials, where there is at least one test vial containing a filter paper substrate, at least one test vial containing a CMC substrate, at least one test vial containing a salicin substrate, at least one test vial containing a Xylan substrate, at least one test vial containing an Avicell substrate, and at least one test vial containing at least one PNP-substrate selected from alpha -L-arabinofuranoside, beta -D-galactopyranoside, beta -D-glucuronide, alpha -D-glucopyranoside, beta -D-mannopyranoside, alpha -D-galactopyranoside; b) incubating simultaneously each test vial for a period of time sufficient to establish the hydrolysis of the substrate in each test vial of the test vials at the same pH and temperature, while, if necessary, providing at least enough agitation to keep the substrate in suspension; c) quenching the reaction; and d) analyzing the optical absorbance of the liquid fraction of at least one test vial of the several vials.