Conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to nanocellulose: structure and chemical process

Pretreatment of Miscanthus with biomass-degrading bacteria for increasing delignification and enzymatic hydrolysability

Biomass recalcitrance is still a main challenge for the production of biofuels and high-value products. Here, an alternative Miscanthus pretreatment method by using lignin-degrading bacteria was developed. Six efficient Miscanthus-degrading bacteria were first cultured to produce laccase by using 0.5% Miscanthus biomass as carbon source. After 1-5 days of incubation, the maximum laccase activities induced by Miscanthus in the six strains were ranged from 103 to 8091 U l-1 . Then, the crude enzymes were directly diluted by equal volumes of citrate buffer and added Miscanthus biomass to a solid concentration at 4% (w/v). The results showed that all bacterial pretreatments significantly decreased the lignin content, especially in the presence of two laccase mediators (ABTS and HBT). The lignin removal directly correlated with increases in total sugar and glucose yields after enzymatic hydrolysis. When ABTS was used as a mediator, the best lignin-degrading bacteria (Pseudomonas sp. AS1) can remove up to 50.1% lignin of Miscanthus by obtaining 2.2-fold glucose yield, compared with that of untreated biomass. Therefore, this study provided an effective Miscanthus pretreatment method by using lignin-degrading bacteria, which may be potentially used in improving enzymatic hydrolysability of biomass.

Statistical prediction of interactions between low concentrations of inhibitors on yeast cells responses added to the SD-medium at low pH values

BACKGROUND

In the present work, the main inhibitors of the yeast cells (vanillin, furfural, formic, and levulinic acid) were generated by pretreatments or hydrolysis (sulfuric acid or enzymes) to convert reducing sugars into ethanol. Inhibitors were added at increasing concentrations to the SD-medium containing yeast extract while negative effects on yeast cells were observed. Statistical analyses were applied to predict and interpret results related to biomass production.

RESULTS

Inhibitors affected productivities and yields of biomass and ethanol when added to SD-medium. Based on the 2³ full-central-composite design, "predicted" and "observed" values of ethanol and biomass were obtained in presence of the major inhibitors, which were acetic acid, formic acid, and levulinic acids. Increases in biomass and ethanol production are described in the Response surface graphs (RSM graphs) that resulted from multiple interactions between inhibitors. Positive interactions between the inhibitors occurred at low concentrations and pH values. The results were experimentally validated.

CONCLUSIONS

Statistical analysis is an extremely useful tool for predicting data during process monitoring, while re-adjustments of conditions can be performed, whenever necessary. In addition, the development of new strains of yeast with high tolerance to biomass inhibitors will have a major impact on the production of second-generation ethanol. Increases in fermentation activity of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a mixture containing low concentrations of inhibitors were observed.

Production of nanocellulose by enzymatic hydrolysis: Trends and challenges

There is a great interest in increasing the levels of production of nanocellulose, either by adjusting production systems or by improving the raw material. Despite all the advantages and applications, nanocellulose still has a high cost compared to common fibers and to reverse this scenario the development of new, cheaper, and more efficient means of production is required. The market trend is to have an increase in the mass production of nanocellulose; there is a great expectation of world trade. In this sense, research in this sector is on the rise, because once the cost is not an obstacle to production, this material will have more and more market. Production of the cellulose fibers is determinant for the production of nanocellulose by a hydrolyzing agent with a reasonable yield. This work presents several aspects of this new material, mainly addressing the enzymatic pathway, presenting the hydrolysis conditions such as pH, biomass concentration, enzymatic loading, temperature, and time. Also, the commonly used characterization methods are presented, as well as aspects of the nanocellulose production market.

Influence of Nanocellulose Additive on the Film Properties of Native Rice Starch-based Edible Films for Food Packaging

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Starch-based edible films, which are transparent, odourless, biodegradable, tasteless, and semi-permeable to gases and food additives, have attracted the attention of the research community as the alternative food packaging materials to synthetic plastics. However, they pose poor water resistance and mechanical strength that should be improved for food packaging application. Few relevant patents to the topic have been reviewed and cited.

METHODS

Inclusion of nanoadditives in starch films can not only improve their mechanical and barrier properties but also can act as antimicrobial agent, oxygen scavenger, and biosensor. The present investigation is focussed on the effects of nanocellulose extracted from banana pseudostems on the film properties of rice starch-based edible films. Nanocellulose was extracted from dried banana pseudostems through isolation of cellulose and acid hydrolysis. Rice starch-based edible films were prepared through solution casting by adding nanocellulose of varying concentrations (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% & 10%).

RESULTS

The film properties, such as Water Vapour Permeability (WVP), mechanical strength (tensile strength, Young's modulus and percentage of elongation), film solubility in water and film colour, were determined. The test results were discussed and the effects of nanocellulose additives were studied.

CONCLUSION

From the results, it was clear that the addition of nanocellulose had improved the film properties, making the rice starch-based edible films a promising choice for food packaging applications.

Nanocellulose, a Versatile Green Platform: From Biosources to Materials and Their Applications

With increasing environmental and ecological concerns due to the use of petroleum-based chemicals and products, the synthesis of fine chemicals and functional materials from natural resources is of great public value. Nanocellulose may prove to be one of the most promising green materials of modern times due to its intrinsic properties, renewability, and abundance. In this review, we present nanocellulose-based materials from sourcing, synthesis, and surface modification of nanocellulose, to materials formation and applications. Nanocellulose can be sourced from biomass, plants, or bacteria, relying on fairly simple, scalable, and efficient isolation techniques. Mechanical, chemical, and enzymatic treatments, or a combination of these, can be used to extract nanocellulose from natural sources. The properties of nanocellulose are dependent on the source, the isolation technique, and potential subsequent surface transformations. Nanocellulose surface modification techniques are typically used to introduce either charged or hydrophobic moieties, and include amidation, esterification, etherification, silylation, polymerization, urethanization, sulfonation, and phosphorylation. Nanocellulose has excellent strength, high Young's modulus, biocompatibility, and tunable self-assembly, thixotropic, and photonic properties, which are essential for the applications of this material. Nanocellulose participates in the fabrication of a large range of nanomaterials and nanocomposites, including those based on polymers, metals, metal oxides, and carbon. In particular, nanocellulose complements organic-based materials, where it imparts its mechanical properties to the composite. Nanocellulose is a promising material whenever material strength, flexibility, and/or specific nanostructuration are required. Applications include functional paper, optoelectronics, and antibacterial coatings, packaging, mechanically reinforced polymer composites, tissue scaffolds, drug delivery, biosensors, energy storage, catalysis, environmental remediation, and electrochemically controlled separation. Phosphorylated nanocellulose is a particularly interesting material, spanning a surprising set of applications in various dimensions including bone scaffolds, adsorbents, and flame retardants and as a support for the heterogenization of homogeneous catalysts.

Improving enzymatic digestibility of wheat straw pretreated by a cellulase-free xylanase-secreting Pseudomonas boreopolis G22 with simultaneous production of bioflocculants

BACKGROUND

Xylan removal by bacterial pretreatments has been confirmed to increase the digestibility of biomass. Here, an effective xylan removal technique has been developed to enhance the digestibility of wheat straw and simultaneously produce bioflocculants by a cellulase-free xylanase-secreting strain, Pseudomonas boreopolis G22.

RESULTS

The results indicated that P. boreopolis G22 is an alkaliphilic strain which can secrete abundant amounts of xylanase. This xylanase had activity levels of 2.67-1.75 U mL^-1 after an incubation period of 5-25 days. The xylanase showed peak activity levels at pH 8.6, and retained more than 85% relative activity in the pH range of 7.2-9.8. After 15 days of cultivation, the hemicellulose contents of the wheat straw were significantly decreased by 32.5%, while its cellulose contents were increased by 27.3%, compared to that of the control. The maximum reducing sugars released from the 15-day-pretreated wheat straw were 1.8-fold higher than that of the untreated wheat straw, under optimal enzymatic hydrolysis conditions. In addition, a maximum bioflocculant yield of 2.08 g L^-1 was extracted from the fermentation broth after 15 days of incubation. The aforementioned bioflocculants could be used to efficiently decolorize a dye solution.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that the cellulase-free xylanase-secreting P. boreopolis G22 may be a potential strain for wheat straw pretreatments. The strain G22 does not only enhance the enzymatic digestibility of wheat straw, but also simultaneously produces a number of bioflocculants that can be used for various industrial applications.

Enhancing the Nutritive Value of Corn Whole Stillage for Pigs via Pretreatment and Predigestion

Corn DDGS is poorly digested by pigs. Pretreatment or predigestion of whole stillage (WS; slurry material from which DDGS is derived) can potentially improve corn DDGS digestibility. Thus, a study was conducted to determine the effects of pretreating WS with heat (160 °C and 70 psi for 20 min) alone or in combination with citric acid (10 g/L; CA), sulfuric acid (90 mM; H₂SO₄), or ammonia (1%), without or with subsequent multienzymatic hydrolysis for 24 h, on porcine digestibility. Dried untreated, heat-pretreated, CA-pretreated, H₂SO₄-pretreated, and ammonia-pretreated WS contained 23, 21, 12 19, and 18% total nonstarch polysaccharides, respectively. Pretreatment increased in vitro digestibility of dry matter of WS by ∼11 (CA) to ∼15% units (ammonia). Multienzyme hydrolysis increased in vitro digestibility of dry matter of WS by ∼6 (ammonia-treated WS) to ∼18% units (untreated WS). Thus, pretreatment or predigestion can improve the digestibility of WS and hence the resulting DDGS.

Recent progress in homogeneous Lewis acid catalysts for the transformation of hemicellulose and cellulose into valuable chemicals, fuels, and nanocellulose

The evolution from petroleum-based products to the bio-based era by using renewable resources is one of the main research challenges in the coming years. Lignocellulosic biomass, consisting of inedible plant material, has emerged as a potential alternative for the production of biofuels, biochemicals, and nanocellulose-based advanced materials. The lignocellulosic biomass, which consists mainly of carbohydrate-based polysaccharides (hemicellulose and cellulose), is a green intermediate for the synthesis of bio-based products. In recent years, the re-engineering of biomass into a variety of commodity chemicals and liquid fuels by using Lewis acid catalysts has attracted much attention. Much research has been focused on developing new chemical strategies for the valorization of different biomass components. Homogeneous Lewis acid catalysts seem to be one of the most promising catalysts due to their astonishing features such as being less corrosive to equipment and being friendlier to the environment, as well as having the ability to disrupt the bonding system effectively and having high selectivity. Thus, these catalysts have emerged as important tools for the highly selective transformation of biomass components into valuable chemicals and fuels. This review provides an insightful overview of the most important recent developments in homogeneous Lewis acid catalysis toward the production and upgrading of biomass. The chemical valorization of the main components of lignocellulosic biomass (hemicellulose and cellulose), the reaction conditions, and process mechanisms are reviewed.

Impact of Alkaline H₂O₂ Pretreatment on Methane Generation Potential of Greenhouse Crop Waste under Anaerobic Conditions

This paper intended to explore the effect of alkaline H₂O₂ pretreatment on the biodegradability and the methane generation potential of greenhouse crop waste. A multi-variable experimental design was implemented. In this approach, initial solid content (3⁻7%), reaction time (6⁻24 h), H₂O₂ concentration (1⁻3%), and reaction temperature (50⁻100 °C) were varied in different combinations to determine the impact of alkaline H₂O₂ pretreatment. The results indicated that the alkaline H₂O₂ pretreatment induced a significant increase in the range of 200⁻800% in chemical oxygen demand (COD) leakage into the soluble phase, and boosted the methane generation potential from 174 mLCH₄/g of volatile solid (VS) to a much higher bracket of 250⁻350 mLCH₄/gVS. Similarly, the lignocellulosic structure of the material was broken down and hydrolyzed by H₂O₂ dosing, which increased the rate of volatile matter utilization from 31% to 50⁻70% depending on selected conditions. Alkaline H₂O₂ pretreatment was optimized to determine optimal conditions for the enhancement of methane generation assuming a cost-driven approach. Optimal alkaline H₂O₂ pretreatment conditions were found as a reaction temperature of 50 °C, 7% initial solid content, 1% H₂O₂ concentration, and a reaction time of six h. Under these conditions, the biochemical methane potential (BMP) test yielded as 309 mLCH₄/gVS. The enhancement of methane production was calculated as 77.6% compared to raw greenhouse crop wastes.

A State-of-the-Art Review on Soil Reinforcement Technology Using Natural Plant Fiber Materials: Past Findings, Present Trends and Future Directions

Incorporating sustainable materials into geotechnical applications increases day by day due to the consideration of impacts on healthy geo-environment and future generations. The environmental issues associated with conventional synthetic materials such as cement, plastic-composites, steel and ashes necessitate alternative approaches in geotechnical engineering. Recently, natural fiber materials in place of synthetic material have gained momentum as an emulating soil-reinforcement technique in sustainable geotechnics. However, the natural fibers are innately different from such synthetic material whereas behavior of fiber-reinforced soil is influenced not only by physical-mechanical properties but also by biochemical properties. In the present review, the applicability of natural plant fibers as oriented distributed fiber-reinforced soil (ODFS) and randomly distributed fiber-reinforced soil (RDFS) are extensively discussed and emphasized the inspiration of RDFS based on the emerging trend. Review also attempts to explore the importance of biochemical composition of natural-fibers on the performance in subsoil reinforced conditions. The treatment methods which enhances the behavior and lifetime of fibers, are also presented. While outlining the current potential of fiber reinforcement technology, some key research gaps have been highlighted at their importance. Finally, the review briefly documents the future direction of the fiber reinforcement technology by associating bio-mediated technological line.

Bio-based synthesis of silver nanoparticles from orange waste: effects of distinct biomolecule coatings on size, morphology, and antimicrobial activity

Purpose

Despite the numerous reports on biological syntheses of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), little is known about the composition of their capping agents, protein corona of plant extract-mediated synthesis, and their influence on the properties of AgNPs. Here, orange (Citrus sinensis) waste was utilized as a source of an extract for AgNP synthesis (the protein corona composition of which was elucidated), and also as a starting material for hesperidin and nanocellulose extraction, which were used for bio-based AgNP synthesis. A comparison of the results using the two methods of synthesis is presented.

Methods

AgNPs were synthesized using orange (C. sinensis) peel extract (Or-AgNPs) in a biological route, and using hesperidin (Hsd-AgNPs) and nanocellulose (extracted from oranges) in a green chemical route. Characterization of nanoparticles was carried out using zeta potential and hydrodynamic size measurements, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Elucidation of proteins from protein corona was performed via ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer experiments. Antimicrobial activity was assessed via minimum inhibitory concentration assays against Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac), the bacterium that causes citric canker in oranges.

Results

Or-AgNPs were not completely uniform in morphology, having a size of 48.1±20.5 nm and a zeta potential of −19.0±0.4 mV. Stabilization was performed mainly by three proteins, which were identified by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) experiments. Hsd-AgNPs were smaller (25.4±12.5 nm) and had uniform morphology. Nanocellulose provided a strong steric and electrostatic (−28.2±1.0 mV) stabilization to the nanoparticles. Both AgNPs presented roughly the same activity against Xac, with the minimum inhibitory concentration range between 22 and 24 μg mL⁻¹.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that different capping biomolecules on AgNPs had an influence on morphology, size, and stability of AgNPs, the antibacterial activity against Xac was not sensitive to this parameter. Moreover, three proteins from the protein corona of Or-AgNPs were identified.

Hydrolytic pre-treatment methods for enhanced biobutanol production from agro-industrial wastes

Brewery industry liquid waste (BLW), brewery spent grain (BSG), apple pomace solid wastes (APS), apple pomace ultrafiltration sludge (APUS) and starch industry wastewater (SIW) have been considered as substrates to produce biobutanol. Efficiency of hydrolysis techniques tested to produce fermentable sugars depended on nature of agro-industrial wastes and process conditions. Acid-catalysed hydrolysis of BLW and BSG gave a total reducing sugar yield of 0.433 g/g and 0.468 g/g respectively. Reducing sugar yield from microwave assisted hydrothermal method was 0.404 g/g from APS and 0.631 g/g from APUS, and, 0.359 g/g from microwave assisted acid-catalysed SIW dry mass. Parameter optimization (time, pH and substrate concentration) for acid-catalysed BLW hydrolysate utilization using central composite model technique produced 307.9 g/kg glucose with generation of inhibitors (5-hydroxymethyl furfural (20 g/kg), furfural (1.6 g/kg), levulinic acid (9.3 g/kg) and total phenolic compound (0.567 g/kg)). 10.62 g/L of acetone-butanol-ethanol was produced by subsequent clostridial fermentation of the substrate.

Preparation and Characterization of Resorbable Bacterial Cellulose Membranes Treated by Electron Beam Irradiation for Guided Bone Regeneration

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is an excellent biomaterial with many medical applications. In this study, resorbable BC membranes were prepared for guided bone regeneration (GBR) using an irradiation technique for applications in the dental field. Electron beam irradiation (EI) increases biodegradation by severing the glucose bonds of BC. BC membranes irradiated at 100 kGy or 300 kGy were used to determine optimal electron beam doses. Electron beam irradiated BC membranes (EI-BCMs) were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and using wet tensile strength measurements. In addition, in vitro cell studies were conducted in order to confirm the cytocompatibility of EI-BCMs. Cell viabilities of NIH3T3 cells on 100k and 300k EI-BCMs (100 kGy and 300 kGy irradiated BC membranes) were significantly greater than on NI-BCMs after 3 and 7 days (p < 0.05). Bone regeneration by EI-BCMs and their biodegradabilities were also evaluated using in vivo rat calvarial defect models for 4 and 8 weeks. Histometric results showed 100k EI-BCMs exhibited significantly larger new bone area (NBA; %) than 300k EI-BCMs at 8 weeks after implantation (p < 0.05). Mechanical, chemical, and biological analyses showed EI-BCMs effectively interacted with cells and promoted bone regeneration.

The Multi Domain Caldicellulosiruptor bescii CelA Cellulase Excels at the Hydrolysis of Crystalline Cellulose

The crystalline nature of cellulose microfibrils is one of the key factors influencing biomass recalcitrance which is a key technical and economic barrier to overcome to make cellulosic biofuels a commercial reality. To date, all known fungal enzymes tested have great difficulty degrading highly crystalline cellulosic substrates. We have demonstrated that the CelA cellulase from Caldicellulosiruptor bescii degrades highly crystalline cellulose as well as low crystallinity substrates making it the only known cellulase to function well on highly crystalline cellulose. Unlike the secretomes of cellulolytic fungi, which typically comprise multiple, single catalytic domain enzymes for biomass degradation, some bacterial systems employ an alternative strategy that utilizes multi-catalytic domain cellulases. Additionally, CelA is extremely thermostable and highly active at elevated temperatures, unlike commercial fungal cellulases. Furthermore we have determined that the factors negatively affecting digestion of lignocellulosic materials by C. bescii enzyme cocktails containing CelA appear to be significantly different from the performance barriers affecting fungal cellulases. Here, we explore the activity and degradation mechanism of CelA on a variety of pretreated substrates to better understand how the different bulk components of biomass, such as xylan and lignin, impact its performance.

Isolation and Characterization of Cellulose Nanocrystals from Oil Palm Mesocarp Fiber

The aim was to explore the utilization of oil palm mesocarp fiber (OPMF) as a source for the production of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC). OPMF was first treated with alkali and then bleached before the production of CNC by acid hydrolysis (H₂SO₄). The produced materials were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a transmission electron microscope (TEM). It was proven that acid hydrolysis can increase the crystallinity of bleached OPMF and reduce the dimension of cellulose to nano scale. Changes in the peaks of the FTIR spectrum at 2852 (C-H stretching), 1732 (C=O stretching) and 1234 cm^-1 (C-O stretching) indicated that the alkali treatment completely removed hemicelluloses and lignin from the fiber surface. This can be seen from the thermogram obtained from the TGA characterization. Morphological characterization clearly showed the formation of rod-shaped CNCs. The promising results prove that OPMF is a valuable source for the production of CNC.

Construction of bioengineered yeast platform for direct bioethanol production from alginate and mannitol

Brown macroalgae are a sustainable and promising source for bioethanol production because they are abundant in ocean ecosystems and contain negligible quantities of lignin. Brown macroalgae contain cellulose, hemicellulose, mannitol, laminarin, and alginate as major carbohydrates. Among these carbohydrates, brown macroalgae are characterized by high levels of alginate and mannitol. The direct bioconversion of alginate and mannitol into ethanol requires extensive bioengineering of assimilation processes in the standard industrial microbe Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we constructed an alginate-assimilating S. cerevisiae recombinant strain by genome integration and overexpression of the genes encoding endo- and exo-type alginate lyases, DEH (4-deoxy-L-erythro-5-hexoseulose uronic acid) transporter, and components of the DEH metabolic pathway. Furthermore, the mannitol-metabolizing capacity of S. cerevisiae was enhanced by prolonged culture in a medium containing mannitol as the sole carbon source. When the constructed strain AM1 was anaerobically cultivated in a fermentation medium containing 6% (w/v) total sugars (approximately 1:2 ratio of alginate/mannitol), it directly produced ethanol from alginate and mannitol, giving 8.8 g/L ethanol and yields of up to 32% of the maximum theoretical yield from consumed sugars. These results indicate that all major carbohydrates of brown macroalgae can be directly converted into bioethanol by S. cerevisiae. This strain and system could provide a platform for the complete utilization of brown macroalgae.

A Simple Approach to Prepare Carboxycellulose Nanofibers from Untreated Biomass

A simple approach was developed to prepare carboxycellulose nanofibers directly from untreated biomass using nitric acid or nitric acid-sodium nitrite mixtures. Experiments indicated that this approach greatly reduced the need for multichemicals, and offered significant benefits in lowering the consumption of water and electric energy, when compared with conventional multiple-step processes at bench scale (e.g., TEMPO oxidation). Additionally, the effluent produced by this approach could be efficaciously neutralized using base to produce nitrogen-rich salts as fertilizers. TEM measurements of resulting nanofibers from different biomasses, possessed dimensions in the range of 190-370 and 4-5 nm, having PDI = 0.29-0.38. These nanofibers exhibited lower crystallinity than untreated jute fibers as determined by TEM diffraction, WAXD and ¹³C CPMAS NMR (e.g., WAXD crystallinity index was ∼35% for nanofibers vs 62% for jute). Nanofibers with low crystallinity were found to be effective for removal of heavy metal ions for drinking water purification.

Carboxymethyl cellulose production from sugarcane bagasse with steam explosion pulping: Experimental, modeling, and optimization

The sugarcane bagasse was used for producing carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and obtaining high-molecular-mass hemicellulose as co-product. To this end, the steam explosion process was employed. It was found that the optimum operating conditions are the temperature of 187.15°C, NaOH/bagasse ratio of 39% (w/w), and retention time (RT) of 10min. Next, the obtained cellulose in the optimized condition was extracted and purified, and it was subsequently converted to CMC according to Williamson etherification technique. This paper also employed response surface methodology (RSM) to model effective factors against a degree of substitution (DS). Based on it, the optimum values of independent variables are the NaOH concentration of 28.4%, MCA mass of 1.14gram, temperature of 57.85°C, and reaction time of 4.01h which the CMC had the DS of 1.085, the yield of 181.302%, purity of 71.6%, and crystallinity of 30.1% with low viscosity. Samples comparatively studied by FT-IR, TGA and XRD.

Characterization of a thermophilic cellulase from Geobacillus sp. HTA426, an efficient cellulase-producer on alkali pretreated of lignocellulosic biomass

A themophilic cellulase-producing bacterium was isolated from a hot spring district and identified as Geobacillus sp. HTA426. The cellulase enzyme produced by the Geobacillus sp. HTA426 was purified through ammonium sulfate precipitation and ion exchange chromatography, with the recovery yield and fold purification of 10.14% and 5.12, respectively. The purified cellulase has a molecular weight of 40 kDa. The optimum temperature and pH for carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) activity of the purified cellulase were 60°C and pH 7.0, respectively. The enzyme was also stable over a wide temperature range of 50°C to 70°C after 5 h of incubation. Moreover, the strain HTA426 was able to grow and produce cellulase on alkali-treated sugarcane bagasse, rice straw and water hyacinth as carbon sources. Enzymatic hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse, which was regarded as the most effective carbon source for cellulase production (CMCase activity = 103.67 U/mL), followed by rice straw (74.70 U/mL) and water hyacinth (51.10 U/mL). This strain producing an efficient thermostable cellulose is a potential candidate for developing a more efficient and cost-effective process for converting lignocellulosic biomass into biofuel and other industrial process.

Biotechnological route for sustainable succinate production utilizing oil palm frond and kenaf as potential carbon sources

Due to the world's dwindling energy supplies, greater thrust has been placed on the utilization of renewable resources for global succinate production. Exploration of such biotechnological route could be seen as an act of counterbalance to the continued fossil fuel dominance. Malaysia being a tropical country stands out among many other nations for its plenty of resources in the form of lignocellulosic biomass. To date, oil palm frond (OPF) contributes to the largest fraction of agricultural residues in Malaysia, while kenaf, a newly introduced fiber crop with relatively high growth rate, holds great potential for developing sustainable succinate production, apart from OPF. Utilization of non-food, inexhaustible, and low-cost derived biomass in the form of OPF and kenaf for bio-based succinate production remains largely untapped. Owing to the richness of carbohydrates in OPF and kenaf, bio-succinate commercialization using these sources appears as an attractive proposition for future sustainable developments. The aim of this paper was to review some research efforts in developing a biorefinery system based on OPF and kenaf as processing inputs. It presents the importance of the current progress in bio-succinate commercialization, in addition to describing the potential use of different succinate production hosts and various pretreatments-saccharifications under development for OPF and kenaf. Evaluations on the feasibility of OPF and kenaf as fermentation substrates are also discussed.

Cellulose Nanofibrils from Nonderivatizing Urea-Based Deep Eutectic Solvent Pretreatments

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are a fairly new class of green solvents applied in various fields. This study investigates urea-based DES systems as novel pretreatments for cellulose nanofibril production. In the experiments, deep eutectic systems having urea and ammonium thiocyanate or guanidine hydrochloride as a second component were formed at 100 °C and then applied to disintegrate wood-derived cellulose fibers. The DES-pretreated fibers were nanofibrillated into three different levels of mechanical treatments with a microfluidizer, and their properties were analyzed. Moreover, nanofibril films were fabricated by solvent casting method. Both DES systems were able to loosen and swell the cellulose fiber structure as indicated by the increase in the lateral dimension of the fibers. Nonpretreated birch cellulose fibers had difficulties in mechanical nanofibrillation as clogging of the chamber occurred often. However, cellulose nanofibrils with widths ranging from 13.0 to 19.3 nm were successfully fabricated from DES-pretreated fibers with both systems. Translucent nanofibril films generated from DES-pretreated cellulose nanofibrils had good thermal stability and mechanical properties, with tensile strengths of approximately 135-189 MPa and elastic modulus of 6.4-7.7 GPa. Consequently, both urea-based DESs showed a high potential as environmentally friendly solvents in the manufacture of cellulose nanofibrils.

Direct conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose to fermentable sugars by a microbially-driven Fenton reaction

The aim of this work was to develop a microbially-driven Fenton reaction that fragments cellulose and hemicellulose, degrades cellodextrins and xylodextrins, and produces short-chain oligosaccharides and monomeric sugars in a single bioreactor. The lignocellulose degradation system operates at neutral pH and does not require addition of conventional lignocellulose-degrading enzymes, thus avoiding problems associated with enzyme accessibility and specificity. The ability to produce useful bioproducts was demonstrated by production of the bioplastic polyhydroxybutyrate with the xylan degradation products as starting substrate.

Characterization and biotechnological application of recombinant xylanases from Aspergillus nidulans

Two xylanases from Aspergillus nidulans, XlnB and XlnC, were expressed in Pichia pastoris, purified and characterized. XlnB and XlnC achieved maximal activities at 60°C and pH 7.5 and at 50°C and pH 6.0, respectively. XlnB showed to be very thermostable by maintaining 50% of its original activity after 49h incubated at 50°C. XlnB had its highest activity against wheat arabinoxylan while XlnC had the best activity against beechwood xylan. Both enzymes were completely inhibited by SDS and HgCl2. Xylotriose at 1mg/ml also totally inibited XlnB activity. TLC analysis showed that the main product of beechwood xylan hydrolysis by XlnB and XlnC was xylotetraose. An additive effect was shown between XlnB and XlnC and the xylanases of two tested commercial cocktails. Sugarcane bagasse saccharification results showed that these two commercial enzymatic cocktails were able to release more glucose and xylose after supplementation with XlnB and XlnC.

Kinetic parameters of red pepper waste as biomass to solid biofuel

This work aimed to study the kinetic of thermal degradation of red pepper waste as solid biofuel to bioenergy production. The thermal degradation experiments were conducted at three heating rates, 5°C/min, 7.5°C/min and 10°C/min in a thermogravimetric analyzer and oxidative atmosphere. The kinetic analysis was carried out applying the isoconversional model of Ozawa-Flynn-Wall. The activation energy was considerate low and varied 29.49-147.25k J/mol. The enthalpies revealed the energy difference between the reagent and the activated complex agreed with activation energies, the values of the pre-exponential factor indicated empirical first order reactions, Gibbs free energy varied from 71.77 kJ/mol to 207.03 kJ/mol and the changes of entropies had negative values, indicating that the degree of disorder of products formed through bond dissociations was lower than initial reactants. The calorific value was 19.5 MJ/kg, considered a relevant result for bioenergy production.

An evaluation of dilute acid and ammonia fiber explosion pretreatment for cellulosic ethanol production

The challenge associated with cellulosic ethanol production is maximizing sugar yield at low cost. Current research is being focused to develop a pretreatment method to overcome biomass recalcitrance in an efficient way. This review is focused on two major pretreatments: dilute acid (DA) and ammonia fiber explosion (AFEX) pretreatment of corn stover and how these pretreatment cause morphological and chemical changes to corn stover in order to overcome the biomass recalcitrance. This review highlights the key differences of these two pretreatments based on compositional analysis, cellulose and its crystallinity, morphological changes, structural changes to lignin, enzymatic reactivity and enzyme adsorption onto pretreated solids and finally cellulosic ethanol production from the hydrolysate of DA and AFEX treated corn stover. Each stage of the process, AFEX pretreated corn stover was superior to DA treated corn stover.