Biorefining

The petrochemical industry typically works on a build-up approach where the base oil feedstock is fractionated, and complex materials are built up from simpler ones, producing a wide array of materials in the process, for a range of market outlets. The future exploitation of plant materials is seen in a somewhat similar fashion, although in contrast to the petrochemical industry, there will typically be an initial breaking up of more complex materials into simpler building blocks that can then be utilised and built on with the support of chemical, biochemical and catalytic processes, to produce more complex products synonymous with those produced by today s petrochemical industry. This whole crop approach to industrial use of plant-derived material is typically termed biorefining (see Chapter 1). 

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We have mentioned the advantages of biotechnologies in Chapter 1 however, in terms of biorefining the following advantages can be emphasized ... 

Setti, L. Farinelli, P. Di Martino, S., et al., Developments in Destructive and Non-Destructive Pathways for Selective Desulfurizations in Oil-Biorefining Processes. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 1999. 52(1) pp. 111-117. 

Enchira Biotechnology, EBC, which was headquartered near Houston, TX, used to be the largest biotechnological platform devoted to the development of biorefining processes. EBC acquired Energy Biosystems in June 2000 and continued the R D activities on BDS during the last years. This company applied directed evolution methods to accelerate development and commercialization of gene-based products for the industrial... 

The University of Osaka is the holder of two patents regarding the least studied biorefining processes, demetallization, and bioconversion. The metals are removed from the fossil fuel, under mild conditions (room temperature and atmospheric pressure) by the microbial oxidation action and a UV-photochemical reaction [166], The bioconversion refers to conversion of high molecular weight alkanes by the action of B. thermoleovorans B23 and B. thermoleovorans H41 strains to lower molecular weight molecules [167],... 

The Chapter 5 provides an integrated list of companies and research organizations involved in petroleum biorefining research. The background of each company and its efforts leading to its patent portfolio in this area are discussed. We have tried to include all known companies that have participated to date in this area however, the list is not strictly exhaustive. 

In addition, biorefining based on bio-oils needs new robust catalysts that are not yet available. In the long term, solar energy should be used directly to produce... 

Averous, L. and Halley, P.J., Biocomposites Based on Plasticized Starch, Biofuels, Bioprod. Biorefin., 3, 329 (2009)... 

There is a very high amount of literature published on this topic, but industrial applications are scarce. Biorefining in petrochemistiy (Setti, Lanzarini Pifferi, 1997) appears to be an interesting new development, but still with a lot of practical problems to be solved. The immobihzation method in biotransformations in organic media is mostly... 

A major issue for biomass as a raw material for industrial product manufacture is variability. Questions of standardisation and specifications will therefore need to be addressed as new biofuels, biomaterials and bioproducts are introduced onto the market. Another major challenge associated with the use of biomass is yield. One approach to improve/modify the properties and/or yield of biomass is to use selective breeding and genetic engineering to develop plant strains that produce greater amounts of desirable feedstocks, chemicals or even compounds that the plant does not naturally produce (Fernando et al., 2006). This essentially transfers part of the biorefining to the plant (see Chapter 2 for some example of oils with modified fatty acid content). 

The above is followed by an overview of the assessment of the potential for future exploitation of plants for chemical feedstocks through developments in biotechnology and biorefining. 

Prospects Arising from Developments in Plant Biotechnology and Biorefining... 

Figure 4.2 Generic biorefining schemes for chemical production from saccharides...

Du, C., Lin, S., Koutinas, A., Wang, R. and Webb, C. 2007b. Succinic Acid Production from Wheat Using a Biorefining Strategy.Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., DOI 10.1007/s00253-007-1113-7... 

Clark JH, Deswarte FEI, Farmer TJ. The integration of green chemistry into future biorefineries. Biofuels Bioprod Biorefin. 2009 3(l) 72-90. 

Lange JP. Lignocellulose conversion an introduction to chemistry, process and economics. Biofuels Bioprod Biorefin. 2007 1(1) 39 48. 

Ramirez expects that biorefining will bring new insights into refining, new chemistry, and new processes that are more energy efficient and emphasize of product quality. In the end collaboration will lead to greener solutions for refining. 

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