Sugarcane bagasse (SCB) was ozone pretreated and detoxified by water washing, applying a L-9(3)(4) orthogonal array (OA) design of experiments to study the effect of pretreatment parameters (moisture content, ozone concentration, ozone/oxygen flow and particle size) on the generation of inhibitory compounds and on the composition of hydrolysates of ozonated-washed samples. Ozone concentration resulted the highest influence process parameter on delignification and sugar release after washing; while, for inhibitory compound formation, moisture content also had an important role. Ozone expended in pretreatment related directly with sugar release and inhibitory compound formation. Washing detoxification was effective, providing non-inhibitory hydrolysates. Maximum glucose and xylose release yields obtained were 84% and 67%, respectively, for ozonated-washed SCB. Sugar concentration resulted in the decisive factor for biofuels yields. Ethanol production achieved an 88% yield by Pichia stipitis, whereas Clostridium acetobutylicum produced 0.072 g(BUTANOL)/g(SUGAR) and 0.188 g(ABE)/g(SUGAR), and, Clostridium beijerinckii 0.165 g(BUTANOL)/g(SUGAR) and 0.257 g(ABE)/g(SUGAR). (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.