Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.8
3.9
Journals
Sustainability
Special Issues
Biorefinery for Sustainable Biochemicals Production: Process Design and Technological Advances
sustainability-logo
Submit to Sustainability Review for Sustainability Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Biorefinery for Sustainable Biochemicals Production: Process Design and Technological Advances

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2023) | Viewed by 25331

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Shashi Kant Bhatia

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Department of Biological Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Interests: biocatalysis and enzyme engineering; biofuel; biomaterial; biochemical engineering; antibiotics; metabolic engineering; glycosylation; bioencapsulation; mutagenesis; protein purification; molecular biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleague,

To fulfill the demands of an ever-increasing population and ensure sustainable development, the implementation of a bioeconomy based on renewable resources is necessary. Most chemicals are produced using fossil-fuel resources and both their depletion and subsequent waste generation are major challenges. A shift towards renewable resources for biochemical production (food, feed, chemicals, and materials) and bioenergy (biodiesel, bioelectricity, and biogas) can be a suitable alternative for a sustainable economy. A biorefinery is a clean and green technology analogous to petroleum-based refineries. Plants and microorganisms can be utilized for the production of a variety of biochemicals. Different types of biochemicals can be produced using direct extraction from plants, microbial fermentation, and a biotransformation approach. Although the advantages of the biorefinery are well known, biochemical production at the commercial level is still hindered by the unavailability of low-cost raw materials, the inability of microbes to utilize feedstocks efficiently, and low growth and productivity. Advances in molecular biology, fermentation technology, reactor designs, and downstream processing together have been able to overcome some challenges, but there is a long way to go.

Keeping in view the necessity of clean and green technology, the biorefinery is a suitable option and this Special Issue will cover the following, and related, topics:

  • The exploitation of natural resources (plants/microbes), mixed culture, and engineered biosystems for biochemical and bioenergy production.
  • Development of direct extraction methods from plant biomass.
  • Pretreatment and valorization of various biowastes into valuable biochemicals.
  • Biochemical production using microbial fermentation and biotransformation.
  • Development of efficient immobilization systems.
  • Implementation of molecular technology (metagenomics, metabolic engineering, and crisper gene editing) for strain development.
  • Improvement of reactor designs for improved productivity and recovery.
  • Process designs for upstream and downstream processes.

Dr. Shashi Kant Bhatia
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (10 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 765 KiB  
Editorial
Biorefinery for the Sustainable Biochemicals Production: Process Design and Technological Advances
by Shashi Kant Bhatia
Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 7973; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15107973 - 13 May 2023
Viewed by 905
Abstract
To fulfill the demands of an ever-increasing population and ensure sustainable development, the implementation of a bio-economy based on renewable resources is necessary [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biorefinery for Sustainable Biochemicals Production: Process Design and Technological Advances)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

15 pages, 1940 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Bioconversion of Methane to Biodiesel by Methylosarcina sp. LC-4
by Nivedita Sana, Dali Naidu Arnepalli and Chandraraj Krishnan
Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 505; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15010505 - 28 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1762
Abstract
The conversion of methane into liquid biofuels using methane-consuming bacteria, known as methanotrophs, contributes to sustainable development, as it mitigates the problem of climate change caused by greenhouse gases and aids in producing cleaner and renewable energy. In the present research, an efficient [...] Read more.
The conversion of methane into liquid biofuels using methane-consuming bacteria, known as methanotrophs, contributes to sustainable development, as it mitigates the problem of climate change caused by greenhouse gases and aids in producing cleaner and renewable energy. In the present research, an efficient methanotroph, Methylosarcina sp. LC-4, was studied as a prospective organism for biodiesel production using methane. The methane uptake rate by the organism was enhanced 1.6 times and 2.35 times by supplementing LC-4 with micronutrients, such as copper and tungstate, respectively. This unique ability of the isolated organism enables the deployment of methanotrophs-based processes in various industrial applications. A Plackett–Burman statistical (PBD) design was used to quantify the role of the micronutrients and other media components present in the nitrate minimal salt media (NMS) in biomass and fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) yields. Nitrate, phosphate, and tungstate had a positive effect, whereas copper, magnesium, and salinity had a negative effect. The modified NMS media, formulated according to the results from the PBD analysis, increased the FAME yield (mg/L) by 85.7%, with the FAME content of 13 ± 1% (w/w) among the highest reported in methanotrophs. The obtained FAME consisted majorly (~90%) of C14–C18 saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, making it suitable for use as biodiesel. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biorefinery for Sustainable Biochemicals Production: Process Design and Technological Advances)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 3995 KiB  
Article
A Comprehensive Metagenomic Analysis Framework Revealing Microbiome Profile and Potential for Hydrocarbon Degradation and Carbohydrate Metabolism in a Himalayan Artificial Lake
by Girija Kaushal, Monika Thakur, Amit Kumar Rai and Sudhir P. Singh
Sustainability 2022, 14(18), 11455; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su141811455 - 13 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1449
Abstract
The high-altitude lakes are ecological habitats accommodating a vast diversity of microbial populations. These microbes are efficient sources for a variety of enzymes. The objective of this study is to perform in-depth metagenomic profiling of an artificial lake ecosystem located in the Sikkim [...] Read more.
The high-altitude lakes are ecological habitats accommodating a vast diversity of microbial populations. These microbes are efficient sources for a variety of enzymes. The objective of this study is to perform in-depth metagenomic profiling of an artificial lake ecosystem located in the Sikkim Himalayan region, deciphering the hydrocarbon degradation potential of this site and mining biocatalysts of industrial importance. In the present study, metagenomic analysis of an artificial Himalayan lake, located in North Sikkim, India, was performed. A comprehensive taxonomic and functional profiling revealed gene mapped to pathways for degradation of hydrocarbons such as toluene, benzoate, ethylbenzene, etc. This site was rich in iron, and the metagenomic investigation revealed genomic signatures of the iron-reducing bacterium; Geothrix fermentans. The appraisal of the carbohydrate metabolic potential of this site divulged the predominance of β-galactosidase genes. The artificial lake metagenome was further compared to publicly available saline and freshwater lakes. At the taxonomic, as well as functional levels, it was found to be closer to freshwater lake metagenome, e.g., Medonta Lake, US, and freshwater Vanda Lake, Antarctica. The microbial community profiling and functional contribution of the artificial Himalayan lake would be beneficial for mining genes encoding various industrially relevant enzymes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biorefinery for Sustainable Biochemicals Production: Process Design and Technological Advances)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 4960 KiB  
Article
Cnicus benedictus Oil as a Raw Material for Biodiesel: Extraction Optimization and Biodiesel Yield
by Petronela Lina Matei, Cristina Busuioc, Niculina Ionescu, Anicuta Stoica-Guzun and Nicoleta-Aurelia Chira
Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13193; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132313193 - 29 Nov 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1939
Abstract
Cnicus benedictus fruits were used as raw material to extract oil, and the resulting oil was converted into biodiesel. Two extraction methods were tested: batch extraction, and ultrasound assisted extraction. Response surface methodology was considered for the optimization of the process efficiency. The [...] Read more.
Cnicus benedictus fruits were used as raw material to extract oil, and the resulting oil was converted into biodiesel. Two extraction methods were tested: batch extraction, and ultrasound assisted extraction. Response surface methodology was considered for the optimization of the process efficiency. The selected key independent variables were temperature, extraction time, and solid/liquid ratio for batch extraction and ultrasound intensity, temperature, and extraction time for the ultrasound assisted extraction, respectively. The optimal working conditions are different for the two extraction techniques, with respect to temperature, solid/liquid ratio, and extraction time, respectively, leading to higher extraction efficiency in the case of the ultrasound-assisted extraction. Cnicus benedictus oil obtained under the optimal extraction conditions was further esterified with methanol under acid catalysis to yield biodiesel. The biodiesel was characterized through 1H-NMR and the main fuel properties were determined. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biorefinery for Sustainable Biochemicals Production: Process Design and Technological Advances)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1868 KiB  
Article
Effects of Sludge Concentration and Disintegration/Solubilization Pretreatment Methods on Increasing Anaerobic Biodegradation Efficiency and Biogas Production
by Jeong-Yoon Ahn and Soon-Woong Chang
Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12887; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132212887 - 21 Nov 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1805
Abstract
It is urgent to determine suitable municipal sludge treatment solutions to simultaneously minimize the environmental negative impacts and achieve sustainable energy benefits. In this study, different sludge pretreatment techniques were applied and investigated to enhance the sludge solubility and, subsequently, facilitate the anaerobic [...] Read more.
It is urgent to determine suitable municipal sludge treatment solutions to simultaneously minimize the environmental negative impacts and achieve sustainable energy benefits. In this study, different sludge pretreatment techniques were applied and investigated to enhance the sludge solubility and, subsequently, facilitate the anaerobic biodegradation performance of the mixed sludge under different sludge concentrations and pretreatment techniques. The sludge characteristics before and after pretreatment and batch experiments of anaerobic digestion of sludge samples under different conditions were analyzed and discussed. The results showed that the mechanical pretreatment method, alone and in combination with low-temperature heat treatment, significantly improved the sludge solubility, with the highest solubility at 39.23%. The maximum biomethane yield achieved was 0.43 m3/kg after 10 d of anaerobic digestion of a 3% sludge sample subjected to mechanical and thermal pretreatment prior to anaerobic biodegradation. In comparison, it took more than 28 d to achieve the same biomethane production with the unpretreated sludge sample. Mechanical pretreatment and subsequent heat treatment showed a high ability to dissolve sludge and, subsequently, accelerate anaerobic digestion, thereby providing promising prospects for increasing the treatment capacity of existing and new sludge treatment plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biorefinery for Sustainable Biochemicals Production: Process Design and Technological Advances)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

21 pages, 1698 KiB  
Review
A Mini-Review on Syngas Fermentation to Bio-Alcohols: Current Status and Challenges
by Vishal Ahuja, Arvind Kumar Bhatt, Balasubramani Ravindran, Yung-Hun Yang and Shashi Kant Bhatia
Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3765; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15043765 - 18 Feb 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2545
Abstract
Biomass gasification produces syngas, mainly comprised of CO and H2 along with H2S, CO2, N2, and tar compounds. Inorganic carbon present in syngas as CO and CO2 can be utilized for the production of several value-added [...] Read more.
Biomass gasification produces syngas, mainly comprised of CO and H2 along with H2S, CO2, N2, and tar compounds. Inorganic carbon present in syngas as CO and CO2 can be utilized for the production of several value-added chemicals including ethanol, higher alcohols, fuels, and hydrogen. However, chemical sequestration operates at a high temperature of 300–500 °C and pressure of 3–5 MPa in the presence of heavy metal catalysts. Catalyst regeneration and the maintenance of high temperature and pressure increased the cost of operation. Microorganisms like algae and bacteria including Acetobacterium and Clostridium also have the potential to sequester carbon from the gas phase. Research has emphasized the production of microbial metabolites with a high market value from syngas. However, scale-up and commercialization of technology have some obstacles like inefficient mass transfer, microbial contamination, inconsistency in syngas composition, and requirement for a clean-up process. The current review summarizes the recent advances in syngas production and utilization with special consideration of alcohol and energy-related products along with challenges for scale-up. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biorefinery for Sustainable Biochemicals Production: Process Design and Technological Advances)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 1047 KiB  
Review
Thermophilic Anaerobic Digestion: An Advancement towards Enhanced Biogas Production from Lignocellulosic Biomass
by Richa Singh, Meenu Hans, Sachin Kumar and Yogender Kumar Yadav
Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 1859; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15031859 - 18 Jan 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2574
Abstract
Thermophilic anaerobic digestion (TAD) technology has been adopted worldwide mainly due to it being a pathogen-free process in addition to the enhanced biogas yield and short hydraulic retention time (HRT). Taking the high metabolic rate of the thermophilic microbial community with highly efficient [...] Read more.
Thermophilic anaerobic digestion (TAD) technology has been adopted worldwide mainly due to it being a pathogen-free process in addition to the enhanced biogas yield and short hydraulic retention time (HRT). Taking the high metabolic rate of the thermophilic microbial community with highly efficient enzymatic systems into consideration, thermophiles are being widely explored as efficient inocula for lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) degradation and improved biomethane production. The advantages of TAD over mesophilic anaerobic digestion (MAD), including improved kinetics, efficient degradation of organic matter, and economic and environmental sustainability, make it one of the best strategies to be operated at moderately high temperatures. This review sheds light on the relevant role of thermophilic microorganisms as inocula in the anaerobic digestion of organic matter and factors affecting the overall process stability at high temperatures. Further, the discussion explains the strategies for enhancing the efficiency of thermophilic anaerobic digestion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biorefinery for Sustainable Biochemicals Production: Process Design and Technological Advances)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

30 pages, 4485 KiB  
Review
Recent Development in Physical, Chemical, Biological and Hybrid Biogas Upgradation Techniques
by Apoorva Upadhyay, Andrey A. Kovalev, Elena A. Zhuravleva, Dmitriy A. Kovalev, Yuriy V. Litti, Shyam Kumar Masakapalli, Nidhi Pareek and Vivekanand Vivekanand
Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 476; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15010476 - 27 Dec 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2832
Abstract
Energy driven technologies and enhanced per-capita waste production have led to the establishment of novel technologies to simultaneously produce fuels as well as treat the wastes. Anaerobic digestion is cost-effective and sustainable process to produce biogas. Biogas is a mixture of CO2 [...] Read more.
Energy driven technologies and enhanced per-capita waste production have led to the establishment of novel technologies to simultaneously produce fuels as well as treat the wastes. Anaerobic digestion is cost-effective and sustainable process to produce biogas. Biogas is a mixture of CO2, CH4, H2S, is an eco-friendly and inexpensive renewable biofuel. This mixture of gases restricts biogas utilization in vehicular fuel, CHPs, therefore, biogas upgradation becomes a necessary step. Conventional upgradation technologies for example water scrubbing, physical adsorption, chemical adsorption, amine scrubbing, etc. are cost intensive and require high maintenance. Novel technologies like biological methods of biogas upgradation are being investigated and new improvements are made in the conventional methods. This review aims to give a close insight about various technologies of upgradation including, pressure swing, amine scrubbing, membrane separation, cryogenic separation, biological methods, etc., along with the major challenges and limitations. The study also intends to provide an overview about the future perspective and scope of these technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biorefinery for Sustainable Biochemicals Production: Process Design and Technological Advances)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

31 pages, 46436 KiB  
Review
Microalgae Biomass and Lipids as Feedstock for Biofuels: Sustainable Biotechnology Strategies
by Swathi Somaiyan Babu, Rashmi Gondi, Godvin Sharmila Vincent, Godwin Christopher JohnSamuel and Rajesh Banu Jeyakumar
Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 15070; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su142215070 - 14 Nov 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2945
Abstract
Microalgae exhibit remarkable potential as a feedstock for biofuel production compared with other sources, owing to their high areal productivity, low environmental effect, and negligible influence on food security. However, the primary obstacle to the commercialization of algae-based biofuels is the high economic [...] Read more.
Microalgae exhibit remarkable potential as a feedstock for biofuel production compared with other sources, owing to their high areal productivity, low environmental effect, and negligible influence on food security. However, the primary obstacle to the commercialization of algae-based biofuels is the high economic cost due to the low-yield lipid content in the microalgae biomass. Maximizing biomass and lipid production is crucial to improve the economic viability of microalgae for biofuels. Identifying appropriate algal strains, particularly from indigenous environments, and developing those ‘platform strains’ using mutagenesis and genetic-engineering techniques is preferable. The provided discussion of conventional methods to increase microalgae’s biomass and lipid productivity mostly entailed adjusting environmental (such as temperature, light, and salinity) and nutritional (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) parameters. This review illustrated a comprehensive overview of biotechnological approaches and the recent strategies to enhance the lipid productivity of microalgae. The research also emphasized the need to streamline engineering strategies with the aid of recent advancements in DNA-manipulation techniques to hinder the existing biological intricacies in lipogenesis. This review also discussed the current economic and commercialization of this algal biorefinery along with the drawbacks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biorefinery for Sustainable Biochemicals Production: Process Design and Technological Advances)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 2068 KiB  
Review
Itaconic Acid and Its Applications for Textile, Pharma and Agro-Industrial Purposes
by Nisha Devi, Shubhangi Singh, Shivakumar Manickam, Natália Cruz-Martins, Vinod Kumar, Rachna Verma and Dinesh Kumar
Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 13777; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su142113777 - 24 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5189
Abstract
Itaconic acid (IA) is a well-known bio-based monounsaturated organic acid (C5H6O4), with a white color and crystalline structure. It is widely used in the agro-based, plastics, textile, paint and pharmaceutical sectors, owing to its flexible structure, due [...] Read more.
Itaconic acid (IA) is a well-known bio-based monounsaturated organic acid (C5H6O4), with a white color and crystalline structure. It is widely used in the agro-based, plastics, textile, paint and pharmaceutical sectors, owing to its flexible structure, due to the presence of functional groups with covalent double bonds. IA is an alternative to the petrochemicals acrylic and methacrylic acids. Commercial manufacturing of IA using Aspergillus terreus is more economically effective and feasible, and the Department of Energy (DOE) of the United States added IA under the “top 12” organic chemicals in 2004. This review provides an overview on the synthesis of IA and improvement of its yield by mutagenesis and metabolic engineering of Aspergillus and other fungal strains, along with its wide applications for food, pharmaceutical and textile purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biorefinery for Sustainable Biochemicals Production: Process Design and Technological Advances)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-10
Back to TopTop