Microbial conversion, lignocellulosic biomass

In direct microbial conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into ethanol that could simplify the ethanol production process from these materials and reduce ethanol production costs, Clostridium thermocellum, a thermoanaerobe was used for enzyme production, hydrolysis and glucose fermentation (755). Cofermentation with C thermosaccharolyticum simultaneously converted the hemicellulosic sugars to ethanol. However, the formations of by-products such as acetic acid and low ethanol tolerance are some drawbacks of the process. Neurospora crassa produces extracellular cellulase and xylanase and has the ability to ferment cellulose to ethanol 139). 

Zhao (2005) described the possibility of SCO production from lignocellulose hydrolysates, the biomass-to-biodiesel three-step plan lignocellulose biomass depolymerization into fermentable sugars, their conversion into microbial lipids by oleaginous microorganisms, and the chemical transformation of their lipids into biodiesel. 

Ghosh P, Singh A. Physicochemical and biological treatments for enzymatic/microbial conversion of lignocellulosic biomass. Adv Appl Microbiol 1993 39 295-333. 

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