structure of the lignocellulosic material, it is necessary to apply a series of
pretreatment methods to the material in question. These processes are physical,
chemical, physicochemical, and biological (Kumar and Sharma 2017).
Biofuels which are highly preferred compared to fossil fuels are obtained by using
organic substrates (sugar, starch, agricultural and animal wastes, etc.) in microbial
processes. Bioalcohol, biodiesel, and biogas production methods developed in this
context are very low cost (Amoozegar et al. 2019).
Some studies have revealed that the United States, Brazil, and various European
countries prefer plants consumed for food (sugarcane, corn, barley, and wheat) to
produce first-generation fuels (Lopes et al. 2016; Bhatia et al. 2017). However, the
use of preferred vegetable sources for nutrition in the production of first-generation
biofuel has triggered some nutritional problems (Mizik 2020). For this reason,
researchers have turned to second-generation biofuels produced with the use of the
entire plant as a raw material. The use of this renewable lignocellulosic biomass
makes the second-generation biofuels more advantageous. This is because, in
smaller agricultural lands, more plant materials can be obtained by using less
fertilizer and raw material can be obtained under more economical conditions
(Demirbas 2009; Bhatia et al. 2017). Environmental problems, energy-related
costs, and problems in food production and consumption are therefore reduced,
thanks to the use of these waste materials (Wang et al. 2018; Amoozegar et al. 2019).
As outlined in a study published in 2017, in the coming years the rise in fuels used
in transportation will increase the demand for biofuels by 55% compared to the
amount in 2004. The main approach to produce low-cost biofuels is to obtain fuel by
using lignocellulosic raw material, so that the costs stemming from substrate and
biofuel production process can be minimized (Srivastava et al. 2017).
9.2 Pretreatment of Biomass
The main purpose of pretreatment applications is to separate the biomass, to weaken
the bonds between cellulose fibrils by disrupting the crystalline structure of the
cellulose, to modify the lignin component in the lignocellulosic structure, to increase
enzyme accessibility to biomass by increasing the surface area of the lignocellulose
structure, and also to release different sugar molecules and get more efficiency from
lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) for bioethanol production (Mood et al. 2013; Singh
and Satapathy 2018).
The principal gains of the pretreatment are as follows (Singh and Satapathy
2018):
1. It facilitates attacking by enzymes
2. It avoids the formation of inhibitory compounds
3. It provides hemicellulose and cellulose recovery
4. Reduction in size and the cost of materials for construction of fermentation
reactors can be achieved
5. Pore size of the biomass can be increased.
9 Microbial and Bioinformatics Approach in Biofuel Production
261
pretreatment methods to the material in question. These processes are physical,
chemical, physicochemical, and biological (Kumar and Sharma 2017).
Biofuels which are highly preferred compared to fossil fuels are obtained by using
organic substrates (sugar, starch, agricultural and animal wastes, etc.) in microbial
processes. Bioalcohol, biodiesel, and biogas production methods developed in this
context are very low cost (Amoozegar et al. 2019).
Some studies have revealed that the United States, Brazil, and various European
countries prefer plants consumed for food (sugarcane, corn, barley, and wheat) to
produce first-generation fuels (Lopes et al. 2016; Bhatia et al. 2017). However, the
use of preferred vegetable sources for nutrition in the production of first-generation
biofuel has triggered some nutritional problems (Mizik 2020). For this reason,
researchers have turned to second-generation biofuels produced with the use of the
entire plant as a raw material. The use of this renewable lignocellulosic biomass
makes the second-generation biofuels more advantageous. This is because, in
smaller agricultural lands, more plant materials can be obtained by using less
fertilizer and raw material can be obtained under more economical conditions
(Demirbas 2009; Bhatia et al. 2017). Environmental problems, energy-related
costs, and problems in food production and consumption are therefore reduced,
thanks to the use of these waste materials (Wang et al. 2018; Amoozegar et al. 2019).
As outlined in a study published in 2017, in the coming years the rise in fuels used
in transportation will increase the demand for biofuels by 55% compared to the
amount in 2004. The main approach to produce low-cost biofuels is to obtain fuel by
using lignocellulosic raw material, so that the costs stemming from substrate and
biofuel production process can be minimized (Srivastava et al. 2017).
9.2 Pretreatment of Biomass
The main purpose of pretreatment applications is to separate the biomass, to weaken
the bonds between cellulose fibrils by disrupting the crystalline structure of the
cellulose, to modify the lignin component in the lignocellulosic structure, to increase
enzyme accessibility to biomass by increasing the surface area of the lignocellulose
structure, and also to release different sugar molecules and get more efficiency from
lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) for bioethanol production (Mood et al. 2013; Singh
and Satapathy 2018).
The principal gains of the pretreatment are as follows (Singh and Satapathy
2018):
1. It facilitates attacking by enzymes
2. It avoids the formation of inhibitory compounds
3. It provides hemicellulose and cellulose recovery
4. Reduction in size and the cost of materials for construction of fermentation
reactors can be achieved
5. Pore size of the biomass can be increased.
9 Microbial and Bioinformatics Approach in Biofuel Production
261