a, Soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) release and the degree of sludge disintegration (%). b, Soluble proteins and polysaccharides release, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) generation. c, Fluorescence matrix profiles and fluorescence response (Pi,n) percentages of fermentation liquor at the end of 1-day pretreatment with different PI dosages. Asterisks (∗) indicate the significant differences with control (one-way ANOVA). ∗P < 0.05, significant; ∗∗P < 0.01, highly significant.