Hazelnut shells are important agricultural waste in Turkey for potential ethanol production. We investigated a kinetic model for sulfuric acid hydrolysis of hazelnut shell. Hydrolysis reaction was performed within the range 100-120 degrees C at 0.3-0.5 M acid concentrations with the 1/7 solid to liquid ratio. First order reaction model was assumed and reaction rate constants were found as a function of temperature and sulfuric acid concentration. Reaction rates for the generation of reducing sugar from hemicellulose and for the formation of furfural from reducing sugar were found to be dependent on both temperature and acid concentration. The proposed model was found to be most suitable for 0.4 M sulfuric acid concentration. (c) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.