Chapter 7
Integral Management of Lignocellulosic
Biomass by Biorefining
Sergio de Jesús Romero-Gómez
Abstract The constant rise in oil prices, along with the projected end to the
world’s oil reserves, forces to find a substitute feedstock for fuel and chemical
commodities production. Lignocellulosic biomass is the material that can substitute oil at least partially as it can be produced in high quantities in a sustainable
way as a by-product of many agricultural and industrial processes, contains precursors of many chemicals, and can even be converted into fuel by relatively easy
processes. Biorefineries are industrial facilities that can transform feedstock into
fine chemicals of biofuels. This work reviews the existing advances, especially in
the ability to process lignocellulosic material in a fast and economically sustainable manner, and what is necessary to do in several fields to make sustainable
biorefining a reality.
Contents
7.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 236
7.2 Lignocellulosic Biomass and Degradation .................................................................... 237
7.3 Lignocellulose Degrading Organisms............................................................................ 238
7.4 Pretreatment of Lignocellulose Material ....................................................................... 239
7.4.1 Physical Pretreatments........................................................................................ 239
7.4.2 Chemical Treatment ........................................................................................... 239
7.4.3 Solvents ............................................................................................................... 240
7.4.4 Biological Delignification .................................................................................. 240
7.5 Solid-State Fermentation ................................................................................................ 241
7.6 Improving Systems ......................................................................................................... 242
7.6.1 Co-Cultivation..................................................................................................... 242
7.6.2 Mutagenesis......................................................................................................... 242
7.6.3 Molecular Biology .............................................................................................. 243
7.7 Biorefineries.................................................................................................................... 244
S. de J. Romero-Gómez (&)
UAQ-UMBA-FCQ, Campus Aeropuerto, Ejido Bolaños S/N, QRO, Mexico
e-mail: Ser69rom@gmail.com
R. Guevara-Gonzalez and I. Torres-Pacheco (eds.), Biosystems Engineering:
Biofactories for Food Production in the Century XXI, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-03880-3_7,
Ó Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
235
Integral Management of Lignocellulosic
Biomass by Biorefining
Sergio de Jesús Romero-Gómez
Abstract The constant rise in oil prices, along with the projected end to the
world’s oil reserves, forces to find a substitute feedstock for fuel and chemical
commodities production. Lignocellulosic biomass is the material that can substitute oil at least partially as it can be produced in high quantities in a sustainable
way as a by-product of many agricultural and industrial processes, contains precursors of many chemicals, and can even be converted into fuel by relatively easy
processes. Biorefineries are industrial facilities that can transform feedstock into
fine chemicals of biofuels. This work reviews the existing advances, especially in
the ability to process lignocellulosic material in a fast and economically sustainable manner, and what is necessary to do in several fields to make sustainable
biorefining a reality.
Contents
7.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 236
7.2 Lignocellulosic Biomass and Degradation .................................................................... 237
7.3 Lignocellulose Degrading Organisms............................................................................ 238
7.4 Pretreatment of Lignocellulose Material ....................................................................... 239
7.4.1 Physical Pretreatments........................................................................................ 239
7.4.2 Chemical Treatment ........................................................................................... 239
7.4.3 Solvents ............................................................................................................... 240
7.4.4 Biological Delignification .................................................................................. 240
7.5 Solid-State Fermentation ................................................................................................ 241
7.6 Improving Systems ......................................................................................................... 242
7.6.1 Co-Cultivation..................................................................................................... 242
7.6.2 Mutagenesis......................................................................................................... 242
7.6.3 Molecular Biology .............................................................................................. 243
7.7 Biorefineries.................................................................................................................... 244
S. de J. Romero-Gómez (&)
UAQ-UMBA-FCQ, Campus Aeropuerto, Ejido Bolaños S/N, QRO, Mexico
e-mail: Ser69rom@gmail.com
R. Guevara-Gonzalez and I. Torres-Pacheco (eds.), Biosystems Engineering:
Biofactories for Food Production in the Century XXI, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-03880-3_7,
Ó Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
235