Biofuels Bioproducts & Biorefining-Biofpr最新文献

The availability of biomass is strongly influenced by seasonality, which can affect the production of biofuels, biogas, and bio-based products in the downstream bioenergy supply chain. Rapeseed, maize silage, sugar beet, wheat, and grass from grassland are the most popular energy crops; they play a significant role in the German bioenergy strategy and are being discussed extensively in the current gas shortage context. Most models in the literature assume yearly temporal resolution for these energy crops, which can negatively impact the accuracy of results. This problem is increasingly relevant under weather conditions that are varying increasingly due to climate change; in this study we therefore employ the extended bioenergy optimization model (BENOPTex) to explore the impact of seasonality on the optimal deployment of biomass from energy crops in bioenergy production in the German heat, power, and transport sectors, which typically show high dependency on fossil fuels. First, we increased the model's temporal resolution using available datasets and documents. Next, the varying availability factors were embedded in the optimization model, considering the no-storage policy for energy crops in accordance with the just-in-time philosophy. Finally, the outcomes of the BENOPTex with annual resolution were contrasted with the results including the effects of seasonality, while considering various objective functions. We demonstrated a shift toward the consumption of woody biomass until 2045 due to its longer shelf life and improved storability. The energy demand stemming from summer leisure travel was also anticipated to exceed the bioenergy system's capacity. The insights provided here might be interesting for policymakers who design roadmaps for bioenergy development with a more resilient energy supply.

The enzyme market is growing constantly, and lipases, in their free and immobilized forms, constitute an important part of this market. This study aimed to analyze and discuss current market scenarios using data from the literature, focusing on lipases and the feasibility of their use in the immobilized form. It also compares the cost of biodiesel production using two commercial lipases: Eversa Transform 2.0 (free lipase) and Novozyme 435 (immobilized lipase). The results show that the European and North American enzyme markets are the most prominent worldwide, with Denmark and the USA as the major exporters and importers, respectively. Lipases can be used in a wide variety of fields, and immobilization brings many advantages to this enzyme class. Finally, we show the use of immobilized enzymes and lipases in biorefinery and food industries and carry out a comparative cost analysis to produce biodiesel using a free and immobilized lipase. We concluded that the enzyme market, in which lipases play an important role, is extensive, and that immobilized lipases seem to be excellent biocatalysts with feasible costs for industrial applications.

Digitally controlled reactors can optimize biological reactions and process control through a neural network system. This study reports on the design, fabrication, and automation of a laboratory-scale anaerobic reactor for the management of agrifood byproducts and bioenergy recovery. The process described here can digitally control the operational parameters, which is beneficial for stable methane production. The proposed process comprises the digital measurement of temperature, pH, humidity, biogas volume, and methane composition by integrating the data in a processor module. The proposed automated reactor can assist significantly in controlling and monitoring the anaerobic digestion process, providing decision making during waste management and bioenergy recovery. A case study is described with the application of automated reactors in a pilot-scale plant, operated with the flow of 8 m³ slaughterhouse wastewater per day and a biogas production of 10 m³ h⁻¹. The automated pilot-scale process presents many advantages, including a continuous mode of operation and a faster adaptation of the microorganisms to the substrate, improving biogas production.

Zeolite imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) were composited with NaY zeolite using two different approaches to the ship-in-bottle method. The two synthesized nanocatalysts showed that the ZIF-8 composite with NaY zeolite could stabilize their structure as catalysts in an acidic environment. The NaY@ZIF-8 nanocomposites that were prepared were investigated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), elemental mapping (MAP), thermogravimetric (TGA), temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia (NH₃-TPD), and inductively coupled plasma analyses. The synthesized composites were used as catalysts for the esterification reaction of acetic acid with four different alcohols and the transesterification reaction of animal fats, vegetable oils, and waste oils. The results show that the efficiency of the esterification reactions for the two catalytic composites was 98.5% and 94.3%, respectively, and 78.1% for the transesterification reaction.

The cover image is based on the Perspective Feasibility of wood as a renewable carbon feedstock for the production of chemicals in Europe by Wouter Arts et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/bbb.2575.

A report on the Pithecellobium dulce tree is provided in this review. The main characteristics of the tree, its chemical composition, traditional applications and future application in the bioenergy area are addressed. Pithecellobium dulce is a leguminous tree characterized by being fast growing, nitrogen fixing and largely available. In addition, it is distinguished by growing in different types of soils from acid to alkaline and with little water. This review could serve as a scientific basis to promote and carry out new research work focused on individual and comprehensive use for various bioenergetic processes, from the different parts that make up the P. dulce tree such as its leaves, pods, branches, flowers, fruit and seeds. Among the bioenergetic processes that could be developed are the production of bioethanol, biodiesel, biogas, heterogeneous catalysts, biochar, activated carbon and nanoparticles, among other applications.

Foam materials produced from biopolymers stand out as a more environmentally friendly insulation material solution. This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the development and optimization of chitosan-based foam materials using a Box–Behnken design. The foams were engineered using varying proportions of chitosan (0.5–3%), cellulose (0.5–3%), and zeolite (0.5–3%), targeting their application as thermal insulators. The physical and thermal properties of the foams that were produced were affected by the type and ratios of components, with density and thermal conductivity ranging from 0.0853 to 0.1915 g cm⁻³ and 0.0324 to 0.0921 W mK⁻¹, respectively. Higher chitosan content improved insulation properties and mechanical strength whereas zeolite increments increased density and thermal conductivity. Using statistical analysis through the Box–Behnken design, we optimized the foam formulations, achieving minimum thermal conductivity and maximum compression strength at an averaged density, suggesting a strong potential for environmental sustainability applications. The recommended optimal chitosan:cellulose:zeolite composition ratio of 3:3:0.88 provides a valuable insight for tailored foam material formulation. This study shows the relationships between the composition of a composite material and its resultant properties, optimizing its preparation for industrial applicability in an environmentally conscious way within the context of insulation and construction. This investigation contributes to the field of material science by highlighting the versatility and potential of biopolymers but also aligns with the increasing need for green building materials.

The high cost of cellulolytic enzyme complexes (CECs) has been a significant impediment to the commercial production of bioproducts from lignocellulose biomass. This study aimed to develop a cost-effective CEC derived from Penicillium ucsense (former Penicillium echinulatum), utilizing diverse forms of pretreated sugarcane bagasse as the primary carbon/inductor source. Among the different pretreatments used, the hydrothermal pretreatment followed by NaOH delignification (BHD) produced higher FPase and xylanase activities (4.5 FPU mL^–1 and 120 IU mL^–1) in bioreactor experiments at 20 g BHD L^–1 initial concentration. A batch-mode assay conducted across a range of initial carbon source (5 to 60 g L^–1) confirmed the highest FPase activity (4.0 to 5.0 FPU mL^–1 at 120 h), in the range of 20–40 g BHD L^–1. During these assays the agitation rate, controlled by dissolved O₂, tended to stabilize at lower levels, indicating substrate limitation. Conversely, higher initial carbon source concentrations led to an excess of glucose, likely triggering carbon catabolite repression and inhibiting cellulase production. This insight prompted the development of a controlled pulsed fed-batch strategy, resulting in FPase activity of 11 FPU mL^–1 at 220 h using 90 g L^–1 BHD controlled fed into the bioreactor. An enzymatic hydrolysis procedure using the generated CEC was also optimized using a central composite rotational design (CCRD). The optimized enzyme hydrolysis conditions achieved a reducing sugar concentration of 80.9 g L^–1 in 48 h using 170 g L^–1 of BHD as the substrate at a ratio of 15 FPU of enzyme substrate per g of BHD. A preliminary economic assessment demonstrated that, for a first- and second-generation (1G + 2G) ethanol biorefinery, the cost contribution of enzymes would be about US$0.2/L of biofuel. In conclusion, an efficient and highly productive procedure was developed successfully for the production of a CEC. It was particularly effective for the enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated sugarcane bagasse.

Organic by-product and waste streams generated from agriculture and food production are important future feedstocks for manufacturing chemicals, polymers, and other materials in a circular bioeconomy. These waste streams are currently underutilized and under-explored in the context of biomanufacturing though much funding and infrastructure have been made available for their use in energy generation. The natural ability of microorganisms to utilize compounds in organic wastes, coupled with advances in engineering biology that enable scientists to manipulate biological systems to produce chemicals, polymers, and materials, and improve upon those processes, present a promising technological approach to the utilization of these waste streams as feedstocks. However, the characteristics of waste streams make them challenging to incorporate into biomanufacturing processes. These challenges can be addressed with additional advances in engineering biology research and thoughtful approaches to process development. Research and process development around the use of existing, localized waste streams present distinct benefits and raise interesting considerations, and are important undertakings. These activities will be as complex as the waste streams targeted; as such, coordination of efforts across relevant agencies and organizations, and collaborations between researchers, waste generators, customers, and other stakeholders will be critical to their success. To make meaningful and rapid contributions towards utilization of organic wastes as biomanufacturing feedstocks we recommend: (1) The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) at the US Department of Agriculture should incorporate into existing programs the development of organic waste conversion into chemicals, polymers, and other materials using engineering biology and, if possible, establish new programs focused on this area; and (2) NIFA should oversee, coordinate, and publicize collaborative efforts that include federal agencies, state and regional agricultural research centers and cooperatives, and program-related infrastructure.