A comprehensive review on the framework to valorise lignocellulosic biomass as biorefinery feedstocks.

Vu, HP; Nguyen, LN; Vu, MT; Johir, MAH; McLaughlan, R; Nghiem, LD

A comprehensive review on the framework to valorise lignocellulosic biomass as biorefinery feedstocks.

Vu, HP Nguyen, LN Vu, MT Johir, MAH McLaughlan, R

Nghiem, LD

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Publisher:: ELSEVIER
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: The Science of the total environment, 2020, 743, pp. 140630
Issue Date:: 2020-11

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Vu, HP
dc.contributor.author	Nguyen, LN
dc.contributor.author	Vu, MT
dc.contributor.author	Johir, MAH
dc.contributor.author	McLaughlan, R https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9796-0988
dc.contributor.author	Nghiem, LD
dc.date.accessioned	2021-04-25T22:55:46Z
dc.date.available	2020-06-28
dc.date.available	2021-04-25T22:55:46Z
dc.date.issued	2020-11
dc.identifier.citation	The Science of the total environment, 2020, 743, pp. 140630
dc.identifier.issn	0048-9697
dc.identifier.issn	1879-1026
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/148343
dc.description.abstract	An effective pretreatment is the first step to enhance the digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass - a source of renewable, eco-friendly and energy-dense materials - for biofuel and biochemical productions. This review aims to provide a comprehensive assessment on the advantages and disadvantages of lignocellulosic pretreatment techniques, which have been studied at the lab-, pilot- and full-scale levels. Biological pretreatment is environmentally friendly but time consuming (i.e. 15-40 days). Chemical pretreatment is effective in breaking down lignocellulose and increasing sugar yield (e.g. 4 to 10-fold improvement) but entails chemical cost and expensive reactors. Whereas the combination of physical and chemical (i.e. physicochemical) pretreatment is energy intensive (e.g. energy production can only compensate 80% of the input energy) despite offering good process efficiency (i.e. > 100% increase in product yield). Demonstrations of pretreatment techniques (e.g. acid, alkaline, and hydrothermal) in pilot-scale have reported 50-80% hemicellulose solubilisation and enhanced sugar yields. The feasibility of these pilot and full-scale plants has been supported by government subsidies to encourage biofuel consumption (e.g. tax credits and mandates). Due to the variability in their mechanisms and characteristics, no superior pretreatment has been identified. The main challenge lies in the capability to achieve a positive energy balance and great economic viability with minimal environmental impacts i.e. the energy or product output significantly surpasses the energy and monetary input. Enhancement of the current pretreatment techno-economic efficiency (e.g. higher product yield, chemical recycling, and by-products conversion to increase environmental sustainability) and the integration of pretreatment methods to effectively treat a range of biomass will be the steppingstone for commercial lignocellulosic biorefineries.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	ELSEVIER
dc.relation.ispartof	The Science of the total environment
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140630
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences
dc.subject.mesh	Lignin
dc.subject.mesh	Biomass
dc.subject.mesh	Biofuels
dc.subject.mesh	Sugars
dc.subject.mesh	Biofuels
dc.subject.mesh	Biomass
dc.subject.mesh	Lignin
dc.subject.mesh	Sugars
dc.title	A comprehensive review on the framework to valorise lignocellulosic biomass as biorefinery feedstocks.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	743
utslib.location.activity	Netherlands
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CTWW - Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater Treatment
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
utslib.copyright.embargo	2022-11-01T00:00:00+1000Z
dc.date.updated	2021-04-25T22:55:45Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	743

Abstract:

An effective pretreatment is the first step to enhance the digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass - a source of renewable, eco-friendly and energy-dense materials - for biofuel and biochemical productions. This review aims to provide a comprehensive assessment on the advantages and disadvantages of lignocellulosic pretreatment techniques, which have been studied at the lab-, pilot- and full-scale levels. Biological pretreatment is environmentally friendly but time consuming (i.e. 15-40 days). Chemical pretreatment is effective in breaking down lignocellulose and increasing sugar yield (e.g. 4 to 10-fold improvement) but entails chemical cost and expensive reactors. Whereas the combination of physical and chemical (i.e. physicochemical) pretreatment is energy intensive (e.g. energy production can only compensate 80% of the input energy) despite offering good process efficiency (i.e. > 100% increase in product yield). Demonstrations of pretreatment techniques (e.g. acid, alkaline, and hydrothermal) in pilot-scale have reported 50-80% hemicellulose solubilisation and enhanced sugar yields. The feasibility of these pilot and full-scale plants has been supported by government subsidies to encourage biofuel consumption (e.g. tax credits and mandates). Due to the variability in their mechanisms and characteristics, no superior pretreatment has been identified. The main challenge lies in the capability to achieve a positive energy balance and great economic viability with minimal environmental impacts i.e. the energy or product output significantly surpasses the energy and monetary input. Enhancement of the current pretreatment techno-economic efficiency (e.g. higher product yield, chemical recycling, and by-products conversion to increase environmental sustainability) and the integration of pretreatment methods to effectively treat a range of biomass will be the steppingstone for commercial lignocellulosic biorefineries.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/148343