Biomass utilization and production of biofuels from carbon neutral materials

Overexpression of arginase gene CAR1 renders yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae acetic acid tolerance

Acetic acid is a common inhibitor present in lignocellulose hydrolysate, which inhibits the ethanol production by yeast strains. Therefore, the cellulosic ethanol industry requires yeast strains that can tolerate acetic acid stress. Here we demonstrate that overexpressing a yeast native arginase-encoding gene, CAR1, renders Saccharomyces cerevisiae acetic acid tolerance. Specifically, ethanol yield increased by 27.3% in the CAR1-overexpressing strain compared to the control strain under 5.0 g/L acetic acid stress. The global intracellular amino acid level and compositions were further analyzed, and we found that CAR1 overexpression reduced the total amino acid content in response to acetic acid stress. Moreover, the CAR1 overexpressing strain showed increased ATP level and improved cell membrane integrity. Notably, we demonstrated that the effect of CAR1 overexpression was independent of the spermidine and proline metabolism, which indicates novel mechanisms for enhancing yeast stress tolerance. Our studies also suggest that CAR1 is a novel genetic element to be used in synthetic biology of yeast for efficient production of fuel ethanol.

NH3 line broadening coefficients and intensities measurement and impurities determination in emerging applications: CCUS, Biomethane and H2

A mid-infrared quantum cascade laser (Mid-IR QCL) coupled with a Single Pass Cell and a Multi Pass Cell, was utilized to measure ammonia (NH3) absorption spectroscopic parameters and determine NH3 impurities toward three emerging applications. We for the first time measured the pressure broadening coefficients perturbed by Air, O2, N2, He, CO2, CH4, and H2 and the line intensities of six NH3 transition lines near 1084.6 cm-1. The measured NH3-He, NH3-Air, and NH3-CO2 broadening coefficients align with HITRAN database, while NH3-H2 coefficients exhibit a maximum discrepancy of 46 %. Deviations between the measured line intensities and HITRAN database are minimal. Nevertheless, the uncertainties of line intensities have been significantly reduced from 20 % in HITRAN to below 3 %. The newly measured line parameters are utilized to address NH3 impurity requirements outlined in CCUS (ISO 27913:2016), Biomethane (EN 16723:2016), and H2 (ISO 14687:2019) standards. Based on the concept of optical gas standard (OGS), the NH3 impurity detection requirements in all three standards have been fulfilled with an uncertainty of 1.35 %. The precision of the NH3-OGS is 800 part per trillion (ppt) with an integration time of 100 s. The repeatability of the NH3-OGS is 130 ppt for a continuous measurement time of 48 min. Notably, the NH3-OGS effectively addresses the highly nonlinear adsorption-desorption dynamics, underscoring the potential of OGS as a calibration-free and SI-traceable metrological gas analysis instrument.

Modelling and techno-economic assessment of possible pathways from sewage sludge to green energy in India

Efficient domestic wastewater management is essential for mitigating the impact of wastewater on human health and the environment. Wastewater management with conventional technologies generates sewage sludge. The present study considered a modelling approach to evaluate various processing pathways to produce energy from the sewage sludge. Anaerobic digestion, gasification, pyrolysis, and hydrothermal liquefaction are analysed in terms of their energy generation potentials with the Aspen Plus software. A techno-economic assessment is performed to assess the economic viability of each pathway. It reveals that gasification appears as the most promising method to produce electricity, with 0.76 kWh/kgdrysludge, followed by anaerobic digestion (0.53 kWh/kgdrysludge), pyrolysis (0.34 kWh/kgdrysludge), and hydrothermal liquefaction (0.13 kWh/kgdrysludge). In contrast, the techno-economic analysis underscores the viability of anaerobic digestion with levelized cost of electricity as 0.02 $/kWh followed by gasification (0.11 $/kWh), pyrolysis (0.14 $/kWh), and hydrothermal liquefaction (2.21 $/kWh). At the same time, if the products or electricity from the processing unit is sold, equivalent results prevail. The present study is a comprehensive assessment of sludge management for researchers and policymakers. The result of the study can also assist policymakers and industry stakeholders in deciding on alternative options for energy recovery and revenue generation from sewage sludge.

Identification of suitable catalyst among HZSM-5, HY and γ-Al2O3 to obtain upgraded pyrolysis oil with augmented liquid oil yield

This study examines catalytic ability of various zeolite materials in converting discarded tire pyrolyzed oil by employing a moderate sized pyrolysis plant of a 10 L working volume. The study revealed that the yield of liquid fractions using γ-Al2O3 was greater than that of HZSM-5 and HY, while the yield of condensates were limited in the absence of catalyst. The tire waste pyrolysis oil catalytcially enhanced by alumina catalyst analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy exhibited the stretching bands corresponding to aromatic and non-aromatic compounds. The GC MS analysis revealed that the cyclic unsaturated fragment percentages in liquids were decreased by the catalysts to 53.9% with HY, 59.0% with γ-Al2O3, and 62.2% with HZSM-5, which in turn was converted into aromatic chemicals. Nitrogen adsorption desorption analysis revealed that γ-Al2O3 has an enhanced surface area of 635 m2/g which improved its catalytic performance. The cracked liquid oil had viscosity (10.36 cSt), values of pour and flash temperatures of -2.2 °C and 41 °C respectively, analogous to petroleum diesel. The upgraded pyrolysis oil (10%) is blended with gasoline (90%), and emission analysis was performed. Moreover, liquid oil needs post treatment (refining) for its use as energy source in transportation application. The novelty of this research is in its comparative analysis of multiple catalysts under controlled conditions using a small pilot-scale pyrolysis reactor, which provides insights into optimizing the pyrolysis process for industrial applications.

Bottom-Up Synthesized Glucan Materials: Opportunities from Applied Biocatalysis

Linear d-glucans are natural polysaccharides of simple chemical structure. They are comprised of d-glucosyl units linked by a single type of glycosidic bond. Noncovalent interactions within, and between, the d-glucan chains give rise to a broad variety of macromolecular nanostructures that can assemble into crystalline-organized materials of tunable morphology. Structure design and functionalization of d-glucans for diverse material applications largely relies on top-down processing and chemical derivatization of naturally derived starting materials. The top-down approach encounters critical limitations in efficiency, selectivity, and flexibility. Bottom-up approaches of d-glucan synthesis offer different, and often more precise, ways of polymer structure control and provide means of functional diversification widely inaccessible to top-down routes of polysaccharide material processing. Here the natural and engineered enzymes (glycosyltransferases, glycoside hydrolases and phosphorylases, glycosynthases) for d-glucan polymerization are described and the use of applied biocatalysis for the bottom-up assembly of specific d-glucan structures is shown. Advanced material applications of the resulting polymeric products are further shown and their important role in the development of sustainable macromolecular materials in a bio-based circular economy is discussed.

Ni-FeOx synergy induced by metal-support interaction on Ni-impregnated incineration bottom ash for effective tar reforming

The incineration bottom ash (IBA) was impregnated with nickel to catalyze toluene (tar surrogate) steam reforming. A toluene conversion of >80 % was achieved at 800℃ without activity decay in a 100-h test for 15 %Ni/IBA. An activation stage was observed for Ni/IBA catalysts in the initial 50 ∼ 400 min under different reaction conditions. A series of experiments and characterizations were performed to explore the possible mechanisms for the activation. It was found that the iron species in IBA gradually migrated to the catalyst surface and formed a Ni-FeOx complex owing to the metal-support interaction. The synergy of Ni-FeOx played an important role in improving the activity of Ni/IBA due to the enhanced lattice oxygen activity. Additionally, Ni/IBA catalysts showed a much lower coke deposition rate than Ni/Al2O3 (1.12 vs. 3.45 mg-C/gcat∙h) because of the variable states of FeOx and the abundant basic sites caused by the alkali and alkaline earth metals contained in IBA.

Biowaste to bioenergy nexus: Fostering sustainability and circular economy

Existing fossil-based commercial products present a significant threat to the depletion of global natural resources and the conservation of the natural environment. Also, the ongoing generation of waste is giving rise to challenges in waste management. Conventional practices for the management of waste, for instance, incineration and landfilling, emit gases that contribute to global warming. Additionally, the need for energy is escalating rapidly due to the growing populace and industrialization. To address this escalating desire in a sustainable manner, access to clean and renewable sources of energy is imperative for long-term development of mankind. These interrelated challenges can be effectively tackled through the scientific application of biowaste-to-bioenergy technologies. The current article states an overview of the strategies and current status of these technologies, including anaerobic digestion, transesterification, photobiological hydrogen production, and alcoholic fermentation which are utilized to convert diverse biowastes such as agricultural and forest residues, animal waste, and municipal waste into bioenergy forms like bioelectricity, biodiesel, bio alcohol, and biogas. The successful implementation of these technologies requires the collaborative efforts of government, stakeholders, researchers, and scientists to enhance their practicability and widespread adoption.

A critical review on plastic waste life cycle assessment and management: Challenges, research gaps, and future perspectives

The global production and consumption of plastics, as well as their deposition in the environment, are experiencing exponential growth. In addition, mismanaged plastic waste (PW) losses into drainage channels are a growing source of microplastic (MP) pollution concern. However, the complete understanding of their environmental implications throughout their life cycle is yet to be fully understood. Determining the potential extent to which MPs contribute to overall ecotoxicity is possible through the monitoring of PW release and MP removal during remediation. Life cycle assessments (LCAs) have been extensively utilized in many comparative analyses, such as comparing petroleum-based plastics with biomass and single-use plastics with multi-use alternatives. These assessments typically yield unexpected or paradoxical results. Nevertheless, there is still a paucity of reliable data and tools for conducting LCAs on plastics. On the other hand, the release and impact of MP have so far not been considered in LCA studies. This is due to the absence of inventory-related data regarding MP releases and the characterization factors necessary to quantify the effects of MP. Therefore, this review paper conducts a comprehensive literature review in order to assess the current state of knowledge and data regarding the environmental impacts that occur throughout the life cycle of plastics, along with strategies for plastic management through LCA.

Treatment of industrial wastewaters by algae-bacterial consortium with Bio-H2 production: Recent updates, challenges and future prospects

Currently, scarcity/security of clean water and energy resources are the most serious problems worldwide. Industries use large volume of ground water and a variety of chemicals to manufacture the products and discharge large volume of wastewater into environment, which causes severe impacts on environment and public health. Fossil fuels are considered as major energy resources for electricity and transportation sectors, which release large amount of CO2 and micro/macro pollutants, leading to cause the global warming and public health hazards. Therefore, algae-bacterial consortium (A-BC) may be eco-friendly, cost-effective and sustainable alternative way to treat the industrial wastewaters (IWWs) with Bio-H2 production. A-BC has potential to reduce the global warming and eutrophication. It also protects environment and public health as it converts toxic IWWs into non or less toxic (biomass). It also reduces 94%, 90% and 50% input costs of nutrients, freshwater and energy, respectively during IWWs treatment and Bio-H2 production. Most importantly, it produce sustainable alternative (Bio-H2) to replace use of fossil fuels and fill the world's energy demand in eco-friendly manner. Thus, this review paper provides a detailed knowledge on industrial wastewaters, their pollutants and toxic effects on water/soil/plant/humans and animals. It also provides an overview on A-BC, IWWs treatment, Bio-H2 production, fermentation process and its enhancement methods. Further, various molecular and analytical techniques are also discussed to characterize the A-BC structure, interactions, metabolites and Bio-H2 yield. The significance of A-BC, recent update, challenges and future prospects are also discussed.

Biosynthesis of l-histidine from marine biomass-derived galactans in metabolically engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum

l-Histidine plays significant roles in the food and pharmaceutical industries, and its demand has been steadily increasing recently. As demand for l-histidine continues, the development of eco-friendly processes is required. To pursue this goal, D-galactose, a primary component of red algae, was employed as a carbon source for synthesizing l-histidine. To harness this marine biomass, κ-carrageenan was preferentially hydrolyzed to obtain D-galactose using κ-carrageenase (CgkA) and iduronate-2-sulfatase (IdsA3). Subsequently, l-histidine production was enhanced by modifying precursor pathways in Corynebacterium glutamicum. The resulting strain, TDPH6 exhibited a remarkable 2.15-fold increase in l-histidine production compared to TDP. Furthermore, a galactose utilization system was introduced and named TDPH6G2. During fermentation, this strain efficiently consumed 100 % of the D-galactose and synthesized 0.395 g/L of l-histidine. In conclusion, this study presents a sustainable approach to L-histidine synthesis by introducing a galactose utilization system into C. glutamicum.

Structural Characteristics-Reactivity Relationships for Catalytic Depolymerization of Lignin into Aromatic Compounds: A Review

Developing renewable biomass resources is an urgent task to reduce climate change. Lignin, the only renewable aromatic feedstock present in nature, has attracted considerable global interest in its transformation and utilization. However, the complexity of lignin's structure, uncertain linkages, stability of side chain connection, and inevitable recondensation of reaction fragments make lignin depolymerization into biofuels or platform chemicals a daunting challenge. Therefore, understanding the structural characteristics and reactivity relationships is crucial for achieving high-value utilization of lignin. In this review, we summarize the key achievements in the field of lignin conversion with a focus on the effects of the β-O-4 content, S/G ratio, lignin sources, and an "ideal" lignin-catechyl lignin. We discuss how these characteristics influence the formation of lignin monomer products and provide an outlook on the future direction of lignin depolymerization.

Hydrolysis of regenerated cellulose from ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvent over sulfonated carbon catalysts

The efficient hydrolysis of cellulose into its monomer unit such as glucose or valuable cello-oligosaccharides is the critical step for the cost-effective production of biofuels and biochemicals. However, the current cellulose hydrolysis process involves high energy-demanding pretreatment (e.g., ball-milling) and long reaction times (>24 h). Herein, we investigated the feasibility of the dissolution/regeneration (DR) of cellulose in ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvent (DES) as an alternative to ball-milling pretreatment for the effective hydrolysis of cellulose. Because chlorine-based solvents were reported to be the most active for cellulose pretreatment, [EMIM]Cl and [DMIM]DMP were selected as the IL molecules, and choline chloride-lactic acid and choline chloride-imidazole were selected as the DES molecules. The level of the crystallinity reduction of the regenerated cellulose were analyzed using XRD and SEM measurements. The hydrolysis kinetics of the regenerated cellulose from ILs and DES were examined at 150 °C using sulfonated carbon catalysts and compared with those of the ball-milled cellulose. Overall, the cellulose pretreatment using the ILs and the DES had superior kinetics for cellulose hydrolysis to the conventional ball milling treatment, suggesting a possibility to replace the current high energy-demanding ball-milling process with the energy-saving DR process. In addition, the utilization of supercritical carbon dioxide-induced carbonic acid as an in situ acid catalyst for the enhanced hydrolysis of cellulose was presented for the first time.

Food and fruit waste valorisation for pectin recovery: Recent process technologies and future prospects

Pectin possesses a dual property of resistance and flexibility and thus has diverse commercial value which has generated research interest on this versatile biopolymer. Formulated products using pectin could be useful in food, pharma, foam, plasticiser and paper substitute industries. Pectin is structurally tailor-made for greater bioactivity and diverse applications. Sustainable biorefinery leaves greener footprints while producing high-value bioproducts like pectin. The essential oils and polyphenols obtained as byproducts from a pectin-based biorefinery are useful in cosmetics, toiletries and fragrance industries. Pectin can be extracted from organic sources following eco-friendly strategies, and the extraction techniques, structural alterations and the applications are continually being upgraded and standardized. Pectin has great applications in diverse areas, and its green synthesis is a welcome development. In future, growing industrial application of pectin is anticipated as research orients on biopolymers, biotechnologies and renewable source-based processes. As the world is gradually adopting greener strategies in sync with the global sustainable development goal, active involvement of policy makers and public participation are prime. Governance and policy framing are essential in the transition of the world economy towards circularity since green circular bioeconomy is ill-understood among the public in general and within the administrative circles in particular. Concerted efforts by researchers, investors, innovators, and policy and decision makers to integrate biorefinery technologies as loops within loop of biological structures and bioprocesses is suggested. The review focusses on generation of the different nature of food wastes including fruits and vegetables with cauterization of their components. It discusses the innovative extraction and biotransformation approaches for these waste conversions into value-added products at cost-effective and eco-friendly way. This article compiles numerous effective and efficient and green way pectin extraction techniques with their advantages with varying success in an integrated manner.

The transformations of cellulose after concentrated sulfuric acid treatment and its impact on the enzymatic saccharification

BACKGROUND

The dense structure of cellulose lowers its reactivity and hinders its applications. Concentrated sulfuric acid is an ideal solvent to dissolve cellulose and thus has been used widely to treat cellulose. However, the changes of cellulose after reaction with concentrated sulfuric acid at near-limit S/L ratio and its effect on enzymatic saccharification still need further investigation.

RESULTS

In this study, the interactions between cellulose (Avicel) and 72% sulfuric acid at very low acid loading conditions of 1:2 to 1:3 (S/L ratio) were studied for the enhanced production of glucose. The Avicel gradually transformed from cellulose I structure to cellulose II structure during the sulfuric acid treatment. Other physicochemical characteristics of Avicel also changed dramatically, such as the degree of polymerization, particle size, crystallinity index, and surface morphology. After acid treatment, both the yield and productivity of glucose from cellulose increased significantly under a very low enzyme loading of 5 FPU/g-cellulose. The glucose yields for raw cellulose and acid-treated (30 min) were 57% and 85%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Low loadings of concentrated sulfuric acid were proven to be effective to break the recalcitrance of cellulose for enzymatic saccharification. A positive correlation between cellulose CrI and glucose yield was found for concentrated sulfuric acid-treated cellulose, which was opposite to previous reports. Cellulose II content was found to be an important factor that affects the conversion of cellulose to glucose.

Effective hydrolysis for waste plant biomass impacts sustainable fuel and reduced air pollution generation: A comprehensive review

Among various natural biowastes availability in the environment, agricultural residues showed great impacts. It is due to huge availability and cheap carbon source, creating big challenges for their utility and systematic reduction. Objective of this review is to address the waste biomass availability and huge quantities issues and also put effort to minimize this nutrient load via biotransforming into value-added products. Different wastes (organic/inorganic) generation with their negative issues are due to numbers of developmental and social activities, reported. Currently, various efforts are found for these wastes minimization via generation of different types of value-added products (biogas, bioH₂, alcoholic fuel, organic acids and others products) and these wastes in municipal cities are also reported with production of advanced biofuels as promising outcomes. For hydrolysis of complex organic resources including lignocellulosic biomasses, physicochemical, structural or compositional changes are needed that aid in conversion into sugar and organic compounds such as biofuels. So, efficient and effective pretreatment processes selection (physical, biological, chemical or combined one) is critical to achieve these hydrolysis goals and resultant cellulose or hemicellulose components can be accessible by biological catalysis. These can achieve final hydrolysis and fermentative or monomer sugars. And later, synthesis of fuels or value-added products during microbial fermentation or biotransformation processes can be achieved. This review discusses pretreatment techniques for improved hydrolysis for fermentative sugar with emphasis on reduced quantities of toxic compounds (furfural compound) in hydrolyzed biomasses. Minimum deterioration fuel economy also reported with production of different bioproducts including biofuels. Additionally, impacts of toxic products and gasses emission are also discussed with their minimization.

Current trends in the pretreatment of microalgal biomass for efficient and enhanced bioenergy production

Biofuels from microalgal biomass is among some of the promising sustainable energy technologies that can significantly replace the dependence on fossil fuels worldwide due to potentiality to lower CO₂ emissions. Nevertheless, the extraction of biomolecules for biofuel generation is inhibited by the rigidity of the cellular structure of microalgal biomass. Various pretreatment strategies have been evaluated for their efficacy in microalgal cell wall disruption to enhance microalgal bioenergy production. However, the efficiency of the pretreatment methods depend on the particular species being treated due to the inherent variability of the composition of the cell wall. This paper reviews pretreatment strategies (mainly novel physical, chemical and physicochemical) employed in bioenergy generation from microalgal biomass, address existing constraints and provides prospects for economic and industrial-scale production. The authors have also discussed the different pretreatment methods used for biodiesel, bioethanol, and biohydrogen production.

Purification and enzymatic properties of a new thermostable endoglucanase from Aspergillus oryzae HML366

Aspergillus oryzae HML366 is a newly screened cellulase-producing strain. The endoglucanase HML ED1 from A. oryzae HML366 was quickly purified by a two-step method that combines ammonium sulfate precipitation and strong anion exchange column. SDS-PAGE electrophoresis indicated that the molecular weight of the enzyme was 68 kDa. The optimum temperature of the purified endoglucanase was 60 ℃ and the enzyme activity was stable below 70 ℃. The optimum pH was 6.5, and the enzyme activity was stable at pH between 4.5 and 9.0. The analysis indicated that additional Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Zn²⁺ reduced the catalytic ability of enzyme to the substrate, but Mn²⁺ enhanced its catalytic ability to the substrate.The Km and Vmax of the purified endoglucanase were 8.75 mg/mL and 60.24 μmol/min·mg, respectively. In this study, we report for the first time that A. oryzae HML366 can produce a heat-resistant and wide pH tolerant endoglucanase HML ED1, which has potential industrial application value in bioethanol, paper, food, textile, detergent, and pharmaceutical industries.

Lignocellulolytic Biocatalysts: The Main Players Involved in Multiple Biotechnological Processes for Biomass Valorization

Human population growth, industrialization, and globalization have caused several pressures on the planet's natural resources, culminating in the severe climate and environmental crisis which we are facing. Aiming to remedy and mitigate the impact of human activities on the environment, the use of lignocellulolytic enzymes for biofuel production, food, bioremediation, and other various industries, is presented as a more sustainable alternative. These enzymes are characterized as a group of enzymes capable of breaking down lignocellulosic biomass into its different monomer units, making it accessible for bioconversion into various products and applications in the most diverse industries. Among all the organisms that produce lignocellulolytic enzymes, microorganisms are seen as the primary sources for obtaining them. Therefore, this review proposes to discuss the fundamental aspects of the enzymes forming lignocellulolytic systems and the main microorganisms used to obtain them. In addition, different possible industrial applications for these enzymes will be discussed, as well as information about their production modes and considerations about recent advances and future perspectives in research in pursuit of expanding lignocellulolytic enzyme uses at an industrial scale.

Progress of Molecular Display Technology Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals

In the long history of microorganism use, yeasts have been developed as hosts for producing biologically active compounds or for conventional fermentation. Since the introduction of genetic engineering, recombinant proteins have been designed and produced using yeast or bacterial cells. Yeasts have the unique property of expressing genes derived from both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is one of the well-studied yeasts in genetic engineering. Recently, molecular display technology, which involves a protein-producing system on the yeast cell surface, has been established. Using this technology, designed proteins can be displayed on the cell surface, and novel abilities are endowed to the host yeast strain. This review summarizes various molecular yeast display technologies and their principles and applications. Moreover, S. cerevisiae laboratory strains generated using molecular display technology for sustainable development are described. Each application of a molecular displayed yeast cell is also associated with the corresponding Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

The effect of China's leading officials' accountability audit of natural resources policy on provincial agricultural carbon intensities: the mediating role of technological progress

China is one of the largest agricultural countries in the world. In the context of China's efforts to achieve dual carbon goals (carbon peak and carbon neutral), the need for carbon emissions reductions in the agricultural sector cannot be ignored. This study collected 2007 to 2018 data from 30 Chinese provinces and used a difference in differences (DID) model to investigate the relationships between China's leading officials' accountability audit of natural resources policy (LOAANR), agricultural technological progress, and agricultural carbon emissions intensities (CEI). A common trend test, placebo test, PSM-DID, and other test methods were used to verify the reliability of the results. The results show that (1) compared with the non-pilot areas, the policy implementation could significantly reduce CEI; (2) the LOAANR was able to stimulate patented technological progress (ATI) and mechanical technological progress (AMT), but different types of technological progress had different mediation effect sizes; and (3) the policy effects shows obvious regional heterogeneity, manifesting as west > east > central; and the policy effects were more obvious in the non-major grain-producing areas, but had no inhibition effects on the CEI in the major grain-producing areas; compared with low intensity market-based environmental regulation (MER) regions, high-intensity MER regions have stronger LOAANR emission reduction effects. Based on the study findings, policy suggestions are given to reduce agricultural carbon emissions and promote higher quality agricultural development.

Carbon credit reduction: A techno-economic analysis of "drop-in" fuel production

The current study elucidates the fundamentals of technical, financial, and environmental viability of the processes used for sustainable "drop-in" fuel generation. At present, the price of producing "drop-in" fuels is around two times as costly (5-6 USD/gallon) as the cost of fossil fuels (3 USD/gallon), especially when using second-generation feedstocks. Hence, this necessitates a comprehensive techno-economic understanding of the current technologies with respect to "drop-in"-fuel. This entitles technical-economic viability, and environmental sustainability to make the processes involved commercially viable. In this context, the present review addresses unique contrasts among the various processes involved in "drop-in" fuel production. Furthermore, principles and process flow of techno-economic analysis as well as environmental implications in terms of reduced carbon footprint and carbon credit are elucidated to discuss fundamentals of techno-economic analysis in terms of capital and operational expenditure, revenue, simulation, cash flow analysis, mass and energy balances with respect to evidence-based practices. Case specific techno-economic studies with current developments in this field of research with emphasis on software tools viz., Aspen Plus, Aspen HYSIS, Aspen Plus Economic Analyser (APEC) Aspen Icarus Process Evaluator (AIPE) are also highlighted. The study also emphasis on the carbon foot print of biofuels and its carbon credits (Carbon Offset Credits (COCs) and Carbon Reduction Credits (CRCs)) by leveraging a deep technical and robust business-oriented insights about the techno-economic analysis (TEA) exclusively for the biofuel production.

Effect of CaO and hydrothermal carbonization conditions on the fuel characteristics of rice husk hydrochars

The effects of hydrothermal temperature and catalyst concentration on the basic elements and combustion characteristics and kinetic parameters of hydrochars were investigated using ultimate analyzer and thermogravimetric method with rice husk as the research object and CaO as the additives. The results showed that: (1) the fixed carbon content of hydrochars gradually increased with the increase of hydrothermal temperature, whereas the volatile content gradually decreased. When CaO was added, the changes of fixed carbon and volatile fraction gradually decreased with the increase of hydrothermal temperature, and H/C atomic ratio increased to different degrees, which had a certain inhibitory effect on the degree of hydrothermal carbonization of rice husk. (2) The peak of the volatile fraction combustion section of hydrochars combustion derivative thermogravimetric curve was higher than that of the fixed carbon combustion section. CaO concentration has less effect on the volatile combustion section, and the combustion peak of the fixed carbon section is significantly reduced. (3) When the heating rate of the combustion test is accelerated, the ignition and burnout temperatures of the sample increase and the overall combustion curve shifts to the high temperature region. (4) The comprehensive combustion index S_N decreases with the increase in hydrothermal temperature. When the hydrothermal temperature is certain, the CaO concentration causes the S_N to increase and then decrease, which finally reduces the combustion performance of hydrochars. (5) The activation energy of the fixed carbon combustion section of hydrochars is lower than that of the volatile combustion section, and the activation energy of both volatile and fixed carbon combustion sections gradually decreases after adding CaO. The primary reaction kinetic model was used to describe the combustion kinetics of hydrochars, and the correlation coefficients (R²) were all above 0.92, and the results were reliable.

Challenges and opportunities of lignocellulosic biomass gasification in the path of circular bioeconomy

The energy deficiency issues and intense environmental pollution have exacted the production of biofuels which are both renewable and sustainable and can be used to displace fossil fuels. The raw material for manufacturing second-generation biofuels is lignocellulosic biomass (LCB), which is widely available. LCB bioprocessing to produce high-value bio-based products has been the subject of attention. Biomass gasification is a powerful technology to achieve sustainable development goals, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and reduce environmental concerns. This paper, will provide an overview of the LCB structures and the gasification process. Also, consistent with the concept of "circular bio-economy", this study focuses on the role of LCB gasification in the environmental impacts, and how gasification can be effective in the pathway of circular bio-economy. The current challenges to gasification and biorefinery and future perspectives are also presented.

Synthesis of novel Fe0-Fe3O4/CeO2/C composite cathode for efficient heterogeneous electro-Fenton degradation of ceftriaxone sodium

Fe⁰-Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and cerium dioxide hollow spheres as efficient heterogeneous electro-Fenton reagents were rationally designed to be embedded in porous carbon derived from skimmed cotton for the electrocatalytic degradation of ceftriaxone sodium. Skimmed cotton porous carbon material has a hollow tubular structure, and cerium dioxide is dispersed on the surface of the carbon material in a hollow sphere structure of uniform size. Fe⁰-Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were wrapped in irregular particle shapes on the surface of cerium dioxide hollow spheres, and the remaining part was laid flat on the surface of porous carbon material. The as-synthesized Fe⁰-Fe₃O₄/CeO₂/C showed excellent degradation efficiency of 95.59 % for ceftriaxone sodium within 120 mins and obtained a COD removal rate of 95.21 % at 240 mins. The zero-valent iron as a reducing agent effectively accelerated the Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ cycle, allowing the composites to exhibit higher catalytic activity and further reducing the possibility of secondary contamination. Moreover, the existence of cerium dioxide further promoted the redox cycle of Ce⁴⁺/Ce³⁺ and accelerated the electron transfer in the interface of the catalyst. The synergistic effect of iron and cerium greatly facilitated the production of hydroxyl radicals and increased the yield of hydroxyl radicals in the reaction system.

Innovative price-setting approaches to high-value products: A pricing method for agribusiness farmers

Despite being determined by global market prices, the majority of Thai farmers have never become innovative price setters. Not many Thai farmers considered a pricing approach that would maximize the value of their agricultural products. To this end, this study provides empirical evidence regarding the impact of marketing-based variables on pricing. This study aims to identify marketing-based determinants involved in innovative, dynamic price settings for value-added agricultural products. We consider two approaches to innovative pricing - segmented (tiered) pricing and peak-load pricing - to see if there is a possibility for such pricing. A sample of 840 agribusiness farmers was collected from different regions of Thailand. Using multigroup structural invariance analysis, the sample was grouped into four types of farmers: rice, sugarcane, maize, and cassava, to see if there were any differences between them in each of the proposed pricing propensities. Our study finds that cassava farmers tend to pay significant attention to market focus, customer and product differentiation, brand orientation, and segment-based mass customization. Other groups of farmers, like rice and sugarcane, tend to set segmented (tiered) pricing as a result of brand orientation and mass customization. As for peak load pricing, market demand and seasonality are significant factors that can be found among four crops. No matter how prices are set on the global market, this study suggests that agribusiness farmers should think about marketing-related factors to stand out from their competitors.

Potato peel waste biorefinery for the sustainable production of biofuels, bioplastics, and biosorbents

Potato is the fourth most abundant crop harvested annually worldwide. Potato peel waste (PPW) is the main waste stream of potato-processing industries which is generated in large quantities and is a threat to the environment globally. However, owing to its compositional characteristics, availability, and zero cost, PPW is a renewable resource for the production of high-value bioproducts. Hence, this study provides a state-of-the-art overview of advancements in PPW valorization through biological and thermochemical conversions. PPW has a high potential for biofuel and biochemical generation through detoxification, pretreatment, hydrolysis, and fermentation. Moreover, many other valuable chemicals, including bio-oil, biochar, and biosorbents, can be produced via thermochemical conversions. However, several challenges are associated with the biological and thermochemical processing of PPW. The insights provided in this review pave the way toward a PPW-based biorefinery development, providing sustainable alternatives to fossil-based products and mitigating environmental concerns.

Enhancing for Bagasse Enzymolysis via Intercrystalline Swelling of Cellulose Combined with Hydrolysis and Oxidation

To overcome the biological barriers formed by the lignin–carbohydrate complex for releasing fermentable sugars from cellulose by enzymolysis is both imperative and challenging. In this study, a strategy of intergranular swelling of cellulose combined with hydrolysis and oxidation was demonstrated. Pretreatment of the bagasse was evaluated by one bath treatment with phosphoric acid and hydrogen peroxide. The chemical composition, specific surface area (SSA), and pore size of bagasse before and after pretreatment were investigated, while the experiments on the adsorption equilibrium of cellulose to cellulase and reagent reuse were also performed. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were employed for microscopic morphology observations and glucose analysis, respectively. The results showed that pretreated bagasse was deconstructed into cellulose with a nanofibril network, most of the hemicellulose (~100%) and lignin (~98%) were removed, and the SSA and void were enlarged 11- and 5-fold, respectively. This simple, mild preprocessing method enhanced cellulose accessibility and reduced the biological barrier of the noncellulose component to improve the subsequent enzymolysis with a high glucose recovery (98.60%).

Bacterial species metabolic interaction network for deciphering the lignocellulolytic system in fungal cultivating termite gut microbiota

Fungus-cultivating termite Odontotermes badius developed a mutualistic association with Termitomyces fungi for the plant material decomposition and providing a food source for the host survival. The mutualistic relationship sifted the microbiome composition of the termite gut and Termitomyces fungal comb. Symbiotic bacterial communities in the O. badius gut and fungal comb have been studied extensively to identify abundant bacteria and their lignocellulose degradation capabilities. Despite several metagenomic studies, the species-wide metabolic interaction pattern of bacterial communities in termite gut and fungal comb remains unclear. The bacterial species metabolic interaction network (BSMIN) has been constructed with 230 bacteria identified from the O. badius gut and fungal comb microbiota. The network portrayed the metabolic map of the entire microbiota and highlighted several inter-species biochemical interactions like cross-feeding, metabolic interdependency, and competition. Further, the reconstruction and analysis of the bacterial influence network (BIN) quantified the positive and negative pairwise influences in the termite gut and fungal comb microbial communities. Several key macromolecule degraders and fermentative microbial entities have been identified by analyzing the BIN. The mechanistic interplay between these influential microbial groups and the crucial glycoside hydrolases (GH) enzymes produced by the macromolecule degraders execute the community-wide functionality of lignocellulose degradation and subsequent fermentation. The metabolic interaction pattern between the nine influential microbial species has been determined by considering them growing in a synthetic microbial community. Competition (30%), parasitism (47%), and mutualism (17%) were predicted to be the major mode of metabolic interaction in this synthetic microbial community. Further, the antagonistic metabolic effect was found to be very high in the metabolic-deprived condition, which may disrupt the community functionality. Thus, metabolic interactions of the crucial bacterial species and their GH enzyme cocktail identified from the O. badius gut and fungal comb microbiota may provide essential knowledge for developing a synthetic microcosm with efficient lignocellulolytic machinery.

Sustainable adsorbents for the removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewater: A review

Over the previous three decades, the worldwide use of pharmaceuticals has surged by more than 2.5 times. Although being considered essential to save many lives, pharmaceuticals have also emerged as a large source of complex environmental contaminants in recent decades. Consequently, the pharmaceuticals and their breakdown products are ending up into the water bodies thus progressively contaminating them and the surrounding environments. Based on recent studies concentrations in water sources are typically >0.1 μg/l and the concentration in treated water is typically >0.05 μg/l. These pharma drugs are removed from aquatic systems by processes such as oxidation, Ultraviolet degradation, reverse osmosis and nano-filtration. However, hazardous sludge creation, incomplete removal, expensive capital and operating costs, and the need for professional operating and maintenance personnel have all limited the economic sustainability of these systems. As a result, the presence of pharmaceuticals in water necessitates even more advanced technologies of purification to harvest clean water, yet present approaches are constrained by their high costs, low reusability, and disposal issues. Here, we review sustainable adsorbents for the removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewater. In this comprehensive review, an evaluation of water contamination caused by pharmaceutical compounds is discussed. An overview of current research on the employment of sustainable adsorbents for the removal of the major pharmaceuticals prevalent in water sources. Numerous aspects of high adsorption efficiencies of these pharmaceutical compounds with such sustainable adsorbents were observed; however, other factors, such as adsorbent regeneration and cost evaluation, must be taken into account in order to assess the true applicability of adsorbents.

Catalytic production and application of bio-renewable butyl butyrate as jet fuel blend- A review

Butyl butyrate (BB) derived from bio-renewable resources is the most promising jet fuel blend. This review highlights essential properties of jet fuel, including calorific value, kinematic viscosity, freezing point, flash point, auto-ignition temperature, and density to compare with different bio-renewable chemicals, which are compatible to be blended with the jet fuel. A detailed discussion follows on the importance of intermediate formation, reaction mechanism, and catalyst properties that are critical towards the production of bio-renewable resource-derived BB. BB is primarily produced via the esterification of butyric acid (BA) in butanol (BuOH) with or without using a catalyst. The corresponding reactions are carried out in both homogeneous and heterogeneous phases, provided it has acidic properties. Thus, a wide range of acidic catalysts such as [HSO₃-pmim] HSO₄ ionic liquids, heteropolyacid, methanesulfonic acid, Dowex 50 Wx8-400 resins, and sulfonated char causes up to 98%, 97.9%, 93.2%, 95.3%, and 90% of BB yield, respectively are critically reviewed. Moreover, reaction mechanism, product, and by-product formation that primarily dictate the BB yield and selectivity have been comprehensively reviewed. In addition, catalytic and mechanistic insights on BB production from other bio-renewable resources such as butyric anhydride, butyraldehyde, dibutyl ether, and methanol have been discussed in this review.

Review on microbial fuel cells applications, developments and costs

The microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology has attracted significant attention in the last years due to its potential to recover energy in a wastewater treatment. The idea of using an MFC in industry is very attractive as the organic wastes can be converted into energy, reducing the waste disposal costs and the energy needs while increasing the company profit. However, taking aside these promising prospects, the attempts to apply MFCs in large-scale have not been succeeded so far since their lower performance and high costs remains challenging. This review intends to present the main applications of the MFC systems and its developments, particularly the advances on configuration and operating conditions. The diagnostic techniques used to evaluate the MFC performance as well as the different modeling approaches are described. Towards the introduction of the MFC in the market, a cost analysis is also included. The development of low-cost materials and more efficient systems, with high higher power outputs and durability, are crucial towards the application of MFCs in industrial/large scale. This work is a helpful tool for discovering new operation and design regimes.

Carbon Emission Calculation and Influencing Factor Analysis Based on Industrial Big Data in the “Double Carbon” Era

The arrival of the “double carbon” era indicates that industrial carbon reduction with high energy consumption and high carbon emission is imperative. From the perspective of carbon emission driving factors, industrial carbon emission is decomposed into five influencing factors: energy intensity, energy structure, industrial structure, economic efficiency, and employee scale. Taking the data of 41 subindustries of industrial industry in Liaoning Province from 2010 to 2019 as the research sample, the carbon emission is calculated. The LMDI model is used to analyze and point out the difference in the driving contribution of carbon emissions of each subindustry. The results show that the total carbon emission of Liaoning province gradually decreases, decreases for the first time in 2014, and gradually turns from flat to upward. Economic efficiency is the only and most important reason to drive the increase of industrial carbon emissions in Liaoning Province, and energy efficiency is the primary factor to curb carbon emissions. High carbon industries play a significant role in promoting the increase of carbon emissions, while the medium and low carbon industries have a better effect on restraining carbon emissions. It provides reference and theoretical basis for the government to adjust the industrial structure, control industrial overcapacity, and realize the “double carbon” goal as soon as possible. It is of great significance for the country to optimize energy layout, ensure energy security, and implement the new energy strategy.

Biomass hydrothermal conversion under CO2 atmosphere: A way to improve the regulation of hydrothermal products

In this study, batched hydrothermal experiments on corn stalk were conducted at 240-330 °C under CO₂ or inert (N₂) atmosphere. The distribution and characteristics of gaseous, solid, and liquid products were analyzed in detail to comprehensively investigate the effects of CO₂ on the hydrothermal conversion of biomass, especially on the cellulose and lignin in biomass. The results demonstrate that compared with N₂, CO₂ slightly increased the liquid and gas yields and significantly improved the control effect of temperature on bio-oil components. Under CO₂ atmosphere, bio-oil achieved effective enrichment of ketones and phenols at 240 °C and 300 °C, respectively, and their highest relative contents reached 44.8% and 62.0%, respectively. In addition, the hydrochar obtained under CO₂ atmosphere showed higher crystallinity, which is conducive to its subsequent utilization. This study explored the feasibility of introducing CO₂ into the biomass hydrothermal process to realize the high-value utilization of biomass waste and the reuse of CO₂.

Production and utilization of pyrolysis oil from solidplastic wastes: A review on pyrolysis process and influence of reactors design

This paper reviews the new progress, challenges and barriers on production of pyrolysis oil from the plastic waste. Among the different processes thermal and catalytic are the potential methods to produce oil. Since the global plastic production increased over years the accumulation of plastic waste increases. Thus, converting the waste plastics into useful energy is very essential to avoid the environmental concerns. Initially the thermal pyrolysis process and its advantage on production of pyrolysis oil were discussed. During the thermal decomposition the waste plastic had been converted into the products such as gas, crude oil and solid residues. Secondly, the catalytic process and its recent trends were discussed. In addition, the factors affecting the catalytic pyrolysis process had been evaluated. Furthermore, the optimized concentration of catalyst subjected to the higher yield of fuel with low hydrocarbon content was found. The pyrolysis oil produced from the catalytic process has higher heating values, lower density and lower viscosity compared to thermal process. In addition, the application of pyrolysis oil on the diesel engines had been discussed. The effects of pyrolysis oil on combustion and emission characteristics were observed. This review summarizes the potential advantages and barriers of both thermal and catalytic process. Further, the optimized solutions and applications of pyrolysis oil are suggested for sustainability of the process. Besides the introduction of the pyrolysis oil were viable without making major modification to the existing engine design.

Environmental management of industrial decarbonization with focus on chemical sectors: A review

A considerable portion of fossil CO₂ emissions comes from the energy sector for production of heat and electricity. The industrial sector has the second order in emission in which the main parts are released from energy-intensive industries, namely metallurgy, building materials, chemicals, and manufacturing. The decarbonization of industrial wastes contemplates the classic decarbonization through optimization of conventional processes as well as utilization of renewable energy and resources. The upgrading of existing processes and integration of the methodologies with a focus on efficiency improvement and reduction of energy consumption and the environment is the main focus of this review. The implementation of renewable energy and feedstocks, green electrification, energy conversion methodologies, carbon capture, and utilization, and storage are also covered. The main objectives of this review are towards chemical industries by introducing the potential technology enhancement at different subsectors. For this purpose, state-of-the-art roadmaps and pathways from the literature findings are presented. Both common and innovative renewable attempts are needed to reach out both short- and long-term deep decarbonization targets. Even though all of the innovative solutions are not economically viable at the industrial scale, they play a crucial role during and after the energy transition interval.

Integrated biorefinery processes for conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to value added materials: Paving a path towards circular economy

Lignocellulosic biomass is an effective and sustainable alternative for petroleum-derived fuels and chemicals to produce biofuels and bio-based products. Despite the high availability, the degradation of biomass is a substantial challenge. Hence, it is necessary to integrate several unit processes such as biochemical, thermochemical, physical, and catalytic conversion to produce wide range of bio-based products. Integrating these processes enhances the yield, reduces the reaction time, and can be cost-effective. Process integration could significantly lead to various outcomes which guides towards the circular economy. This review addresses integration of several biorefinery processes for the production of multifaceted products. In addition, modern and sustainable biorefinery technologies are discussed to pave the path towards circular economy through the closed-loop approach.

Comparative study on air gasification of plastic waste and conventional biomass based on coupling of AHP/TOPSIS multi-criteria decision analysis

A broad range of conventional biomass and plastic waste types was considered and their air gasification process was modeled using a Gibbs free energy minimization coupled with Lagrange multiplier approach. The comparison between the performances of biomass and plastic waste gasification is the main issue of this study. Another important novelty and contribution of this study is analytical hierarchy process/technique for order performance by similarity to the ideal solution coupled method that is employed in gasification of conventional biomass and plastic waste, to prioritize the considered criteria and to select the best feedstock for gasification. Hydrogen production was linearly reduced in the case of conventional biomass with an in increase in the equivalence ratio; however, there was an optimum equivalence ratio to achieve the highest hydrogen production in plastic waste gasification. Plastic waste had a higher low heating value compared to conventional biomass. However, carbon monoxide and nitrogen production from conventional biomass was smaller than from plastic waste. Ten types of feedstock, comprising six types of conventional biomass and four types of plastic waste, were selected as alternatives. The multi-criteria decision analysis coupled method revealed that waste polypropylene and polyethylene were the best alternatives.

Potential application of carbohydrate biomass in hydrometallurgy: one-pot reduction of metal oxides/salts under mild hydrothermal conditions

Carbohydrate biomass can be employed as a reductant for metallic material preparation due to it possessing diverse reducing functional groups. The reported studies focused on reduction of metal ions in acidic solution with the aid of biomass. However, we found alkali hydrothermal conditions are favorable to metal compound reduction, even direct conversion of metal oxides to metals. Based on our previous research on direct reduction of CuO and NiO into the corresponding metals, herein, conversion of other metal oxides (Fe₂O₃, MnO₂, Co₃O₄, PbO₂) with glucose was investigated to illustrate the universal applicability of direct reduction of metal oxides with carbohydrates under alkali hydrothermal conditions. Furthermore, metal salt reduction by carbohydrates was studied and the reduction performance of glucose and cellulose with and without alkali was compared. The results showed an alkaline hydrothermal environment is more conducive to metal reduction. Unlike the complete reduction of CuO and NiO, oxides of Fe(iii), Mn(iv), Co(iii) and Pb(iv) can only be partially reduced under the experimental conditions. Not only carbohydrates but also decomposed intermediates can reduce metal oxides or salts. In addition, due to the formation of stable complexes between the anions of salts and the decomposition products of carbohydrates, the reduction effects of various copper salts are significantly different. This study may provide an alternative approach to metal preparation in hydrometallurgy.

Carbohydrate biomass can be employed as a reductant for metallic material preparation due to it possessing diverse reducing functional groups.

Recent Progress and Future Prospects on All-Organic Polymer Dielectrics for Energy Storage Capacitors

With the development of advanced electronic devices and electric power systems, polymer-based dielectric film capacitors with high energy storage capability have become particularly important. Compared with polymer nanocomposites with widespread attention, all-organic polymers are fundamental and have been proven to be more effective choices in the process of scalable, continuous, and large-scale industrial production, leading to many dielectric and energy storage applications. In the past decade, efforts have intensified in this field with great progress in newly discovered dielectric polymers, fundamental production technologies, and extension toward emerging computational strategies. This review summarizes the recent progress in the field of energy storage based on conventional as well as heat-resistant all-organic polymer materials with the focus on strategies to enhance the dielectric properties and energy storage performances. The key parameters of all-organic polymers, such as dielectric constant, dielectric loss, breakdown strength, energy density, and charge-discharge efficiency, have been thoroughly studied. In addition, the applications of computer-aided calculation including density functional theory, machine learning, and materials genome in rational design and performance prediction of polymer dielectrics are reviewed in detail. Based on a comprehensive understanding of recent developments, guidelines and prospects for the future development of all-organic polymer materials with dielectric and energy storage applications are proposed.

Co-Hydrothermal Liquefaction of algal and lignocellulosic biomass: Status and perspectives

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) effectively converts biomass to biofuels, thereby limiting the endless reliance on petroleum products derived from fossil fuels. However, the conversion is based on individual feedstock in the HTL process. In order to, further boost the conversion, HTL can be done by blending various feedstock, mainly algal and lignocellulosic biomass. Bibliometric analysis was carried out, and it was observed that there have been very few studies on Co-Hydrothermal Liquefaction (Co-HTL). There still exist several crucial gaps in process optimization when co-reactants are used due to their synergistic effects. The reaction kinetics and mechanism, catalyst screening and by-products application require further studies. Therefore, R&D is necessary to optimize the process to completely utilize the complementarity of the feedstocks under study resulting in better quality of products which require minor/ no upgradation steps.

Production of Gloeophyllum trabeum Endoglucanase Cel12A in Nicotiana benthamiana for Cellulose Degradation

Lignocellulosic biomass from plants has been used as a biofuel source and the potent acidic endoglucanase GtCel12A has been isolated from Gloeophyllum trabeum, a filamentous fungus. In this study, we established a plant-based platform for the production of active GtCel12A fused to family 3 cellulose-binding module (CBM3). We used the signal sequence of binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP) and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention signal for the accumulation of the produced GtCel12A in the ER. To achieve enhanced enzyme expression, we incorporated the M-domain of the human receptor-type tyrosine-protein phosphatase C into the construct. In addition, to enable the removal of N-terminal domains that are not necessary after protein expression, we further incorporated the cleavage site of Brachypodium distachyon small ubiquitin-like modifier. The GtCel12A-CBM3 fusion protein produced in the leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana exhibited not only high solubility but also efficient endoglucanase activity on the carboxymethyl cellulose substrate as determined by 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid assay. The endoglucanase activity of GtCel12A-CBM3 was maintained even when immobilized on microcrystalline cellulose beads. Taken together, these results indicate that GtCel12A endoglucanase produced in plants might be used to provide monomeric sugars from lignocellulosic biomass for bioethanol production.