A renewable chemistry linked to the Brazilian biofuel production

Sílvio Vaz

doi:10.1186/s40538-014-0013-1

Abstract

The transition from the current dependence on non-renewable raw materials to biomass as an oil substitute has become a strategic challenge to the twenty-first century. Chemicals have the highest potential to add value on a vegetable biomass chain because of the importance of conventional chemical industry and fine chemical chemistry for different sectors of economy, highlighting compounds that may be used as building blocks, intermediates of synthesis and specialties. This review deals with the economic potential of residual biomass from biodiesel and bioethanol industries as a source of raw material to support the production of renewable chemicals. The focus is on illustrating the perspectives and challenges for the development of a Brazilian renewable chemical industry, considering that Brazil is one of the largest global producers of agro-industrial biomass for several purposes, especially for biofuels.

Highlights

Biorefining and green chemistry are two concepts that focus on sustainable utilization of biomass creating value chains similar to those derived from the petroleum derivatives
This article aimed to show the economic potential of the biofuel residues as a raw material for a Brazilian renewable chemistry, following the application of biorefinery and green chemistry concepts
A considerable economic potential is attributed to the development of high value molecules, which become synthetic building blocks, or intermediate specialty chemicals

Summary

Introduction

Biorefining and green chemistry are two concepts that focus on sustainable utilization of biomass creating value chains similar to those derived from the petroleum derivatives. Brazilian scenario for a renewable chemistry Chemical processes for biomass conversion in Brazil are mainly related to ethanol derivatives production, sucrochemistry, and oleochemistry. Brazil produces 38.2 million tons of sugar (saccharose), 23.2 thousand m3 of ethanol (anhydrous and hydrated) [16], and 7.1 million tons of soybean oil [23] Part of this production is used in the chemical industry to obtain fine chemicals, polymers, and specialties [47,48]. Thermal processing of biomass were the basis of the Brazilian economic growth for nearly 500 years because the energy was, firstly, obtained from combustion and, second, the related charcoal was used by the metallurgic industries as a reducing agent for metals in furnaces to produce alloys Both of these uses caused large devastation of the native forests.

Conclusions

The Bioeconomy to 2030

Findings

47. Green chemistry in Brazil