Microbial delignification and hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass to enhance biofuel production: an overview and future prospect

Bahiru Tsegaye,Chandrajit Balomajumder,Partha Roy

doi:10.1186/s42269-019-0094-x

Bahiru Tsegaye, Chandrajit Balomajumder + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1186/s42269-019-0094-x

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Abstract

BackgroundThe depletion of fossil fuel and its huge environmental problem are currently a concern for a scientific community in the area of energy engineering. This opened research opportunities for searching alternate renewable energy sources especially biofuel production from lignocellulose biomass resources. The main objective of this paper is to review the delignification and hydrolysis capabilities of microorganisms (bacteria and fungi).ResultsCurrently, different types of lignocellulose biomass pretreatment technologies are available. All of the technologies are either in lab scale or in pilot scale. Among the pretreatment technologies, biological pretreatments attract many attentions because of their eco-friendly advantages, performed at a mild temperature and do not produce inhibitory compounds during the pretreatment process. Industrial-scale biofuel production using biological delignification and hydrolysis process is still at lab scale, and intensive research works are required. The cost of biofuel production from lignocellulose biomass is currently expensive.ConclusionSearching for the best microbial strains having efficient lignin-degrading and polysaccharide-hydrolyzing capabilities is vital to realize industrial-scale biofuel production from lignocellulose biomass. Process optimization along with genetic engineering of microorganisms is seen as a potential for biofuel production from lignocellulose biomass.

Highlights

IntroductionIn our today’s world, fossil fuel (petroleum, natural gas, and coal) is one of the major sources of energy
In our today’s world, fossil fuel is one of the major sources of energy
Climate changes caused by the use of fossil fuels and its limited availability and sustainability are driving for searching a sustainable supply of energy

Summary

Introduction

In our today’s world, fossil fuel (petroleum, natural gas, and coal) is one of the major sources of energy. According to the US Department of Energy, Tsegaye et al Bulletin of the National Research Centre (2019) 43:51 blending ethanol with a gasoline can reduce 25–30% emission of CO2 (US Department of Energy 2017) To meet this demand, the industrial-scale production of ethanol from renewable biomass sources (lignocellulose) is required, since they are environmentally sound and economically viable (Hui et al 2010). The depletion of fossil fuel and its huge environmental problem are currently a concern for a scientific community in the area of energy engineering. This opened research opportunities for searching alternate renewable energy sources especially biofuel production from lignocellulose biomass resources. The main objective of this paper is to review the delignification and hydrolysis capabilities of microorganisms (bacteria and fungi)

Objectives

Results

Conclusion