Biomass as Renewable Raw Material to Obtain Bioproducts of High-Tech Value

Valentin I. Popa, Irina Volf

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9780444637741
• eBook ISBN: 9780444637970
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Chemical & Biochemical Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Biomass as Renewable Raw Material to Obtain Bioproducts of High-tech Value examines the use of biomass as a raw material, including terrestrial and aquatic sources to obtain extracts (e.g. polyphenols), biofuels, and/or intermediates (furfural, levulinates) through chemical and biochemical processes. The book also covers the production of natural polymers using biomass and the biosynthetic process, cellulose modified by biochemical and chemical methods, and other biochemicals that can be used in the synthesis of various pharmaceuticals.Featuring case studies, discussions of sustainability, and nanomedical, biomedical, and pharmaceutical applications, Biomass as Renewable Raw Material to Obtain Bioproducts of High-tech Value is a crucial resource for biotechnologists, biochemical engineers, biochemists, microbiologists, and research students in these areas, as well as entrepreneurs, policy makers, stakeholders, and politicians.- Reviews biomass resources and compounds with bioactive properties- Describes chemical and biochemical processes for creating biofuels from biomass- Outlines production of polysaccharides and cellulose derivatives- Features applications in the fields of medicine and pharmacy

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Biomass for Fuels and Biomaterials

Valentin I. Popa “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iaşi, Iaşi, Romania

Abstract

One of the great challenges to our society is to find a sustainable way to obtain biobased products from renewable resources. Currently, a significant emphasis has been on the developmental biorefinery concept and maximizing the exploitation of biomass into value-added products. Biorefinery is supposed to develop new methods enabling fractionation of biomass into extractives, hemicelluloses, cellulose and lignin in their native form, and further, to upgrade these fractions into chemicals and materials. Biomass sources for supplying biorefineries can be derived from: (1) forestry and wood processing wastes; (2) agricultural and food processing residues; (3) municipal wastes; and (4) dedicated crops (terrestrial and aquatic). By using complex processing of biomass technologies it is possible, as a function of raw material and its composition, to separate a large spectrum of marketable products. From this point of view, different raw materials (biomass) containing chemically and reactive constituents can be used for production of chemical compounds, composite material, fibers, products, fuels, or energy.

Keywords

Biofuels; Biomass; Bioproducts; Biorefining; Raw materials; Resources

Chapter Outline

1. 1.1 Introduction
2. 1.2 Resources
   1. 1.2.1 Evaluation of Resources
      1. 1.2.1.1 Forestry and Wood Processing Wastes
   2. 1.2.2 Logging Residues
   3. 1.2.3 Saw-Milling
   4. 1.2.4 Plywood Production
   5. 1.2.5 Particle Board Production
   6. 1.2.6 Pulp Industry
      1. 1.2.6.1 Agricultural and Food Processing Residues
      2. 1.2.6.2 Municipal Wastes
      3. 1.2.6.3 Dedicated Crops (Terrestrial and Aquatic)
3. 1.3 Biorefining as a Possibility to Obtain Bioproducts
   1. 1.3.1 Chemical Composition of Biomass
   2. 1.3.2 Biomass Valorization Using the Biorefinery Concept
   3. 1.3.3 Chemicals From Biomass
4. 1.4 Categories of Bioproducts
5. 1.5 Concluding Remarks
6. References

1.1. Introduction

In the top 25 major questions concerning science over the next quarter of 21st century, the following question is in 24th place: “What could replace cheap oil—and when?” (Donald and Colin, 2005). At present, less than 10% of the chemicals and raw materials offered by the chemical industry are generated from biomass. At the European level, it was proposed that 20% of the overall energy consumption by 2020 should covered by renewable energy sources and that 10% of the road transport should run on biofuels (Renewable energy, 2014).

In this context, it seems that biomass will play an important part, and in this chapter we will demonstrate that biomass could represent a valuable solution to solve the problem of energy and raw materials for the chemical industry and others. At the same time, a new philosophy could lead to the new opportunities to assure an increasing compatibility between biomass processing and environmental protection according to the concept of green chemistry. Having in mind that in 2030, 90% of energy consumption will be based on fossil resources, the use of biomass for energy can be one way to reduce the ever-increasing emissions of carbon dioxide, one of the main gases responsible for global warming and climate changing.

The term biomass is defined as any organic matter that is available on a renewable basis, including dedicated energy crops and tree, agricultural food and feed crop residues, aquatic plants, wood and wood residues, animal wastes, and other materials (Kamm et al., 2006).

Biomass is seen as carbon neutral or carbon negative, yet none of the approaches: corn to ethanol, cellulosics to ethanol, and biomass to biocrude oil either through fermentation or thermochemical routes, is presently seen as competitive with petroleum. Thus there is subsidy being proved by various Governments as an interim measure to boost the economic efficiency of biomass conversion.

Biomass for energy uses and chemical production presents the following important advantages:

1. • It is mainly an indigenous source and therefore reduces dependency on energy imports and increase security supply;
2. • Like other renewables, it has an enormous potential for job creation predominantly in agriculture and forestry and in small- and medium-sized enterprises;
3. • Technologies for renewable energy carriers of European industry offer promising business opportunities, because world energy consumption is expected to grow;
4. • In many industries biomass is a by-product of industrial processes, so its utilization solves both a waste and energy problems.

Moral responsibility for future generation forces the industrial nations to aspire to sustainability. In the long term, sustainability cannot rely on finite resources and biomass as renewable raw material could correspond to this concept. There are some possibilities to obtain energy and chemicals from biomass using thermochemical, biochemical, and chemical ways. The option for one of them depends on the accessibility of raw material and the efficiency calculated as a function of its characteristics (humidity content, chemical composition, and applied technology). Some applications refer to the utilization of wastes resulted in industry by direct combustion of them or in the mixture with fossil fuels in the cogeneration of energy. Biofuels can be obtained by methanization of different wastes resulted from industry. In this case an important role is played by the composition of wastes and microorganisms used for fermentation.

It is important to mention that the application of biotechnological processes which are environmentally friendly allow us to obtain valuable products and their utilization in bioremediation. Different aspects are developed in this field, such as: immobilization of bacteria, utilization of biomass or compost resulted from it to remove some toxic metal ions.

Very interesting are the aspects concerning cultivation of plants (terrestrial and aquatic) having capacity to synthesize compounds with biological properties for phytotherapy.

Biomass or byproducts resulted from industry could represent valuable resource to obtain different chemicals, and composites. Therefore, biomass production and its use bring additional environmental and social benefits. Correctly managed biomass is a sustainable fuel that can deliver a significant reduction in net carbon emissions when compared with fossil fuels. Biomass fuels generate lower levels of such atmospheric pollutants as sulfur dioxide that contributes to “acid rains.” At the same time, by renewable capacity, biomass could provide an important resource for compounds which can be used in a closed cycle due to their compatibility with the environment. The possibility to include biomass among other solutions to solve the crisis of energy and raw materials is sustained by huge accessible volume which is estimated to be of 1.7–2.0 × 10¹¹ tons year⁻¹ at world level; however, only 6 × 10⁹ tons are currently used for food and nonfood applications. Food applications are by far most important (96.5%–97%). The remainder is used in nonfood applications, for example as a feedstock for the chemical industry. At present, less than 10% of the chemicals and raw materials offered by the chemical industry were generated out of biomass. According to OECD by 2030, 30% of all chemical products will be biobased. The question is posed: Is The Chemical Company is destined to become The Bio-Chemical Company (Zoeblin, 2001; Popa, 2008)?

The number of products, both energy and materials, which can be derived from biomass is potentially very large. However, in reality, products will be limited by three important factors:

• 1. The amount and type of feedstock available. As the feedstock provides the raw material for the production of biobased materials, chemicals, and fuels, the availability of feedstock and its price has a crucial influence on what can be produced.
• 2. Market demand. While the number of products which can be derived from biomass are numerous, the market for biobased products varies; from bulk energy and chemicals to speciality chemicals which may only be needed in a few tons of product. A key decision is therefore determining the products for which there is demand. In turn, for some products this is highly dependent upon policy decisions, for example, for biofuels; for others it depends on consumer demand for “green” products and for others the commercial demand for specialized molecules from the chemical industry.
• 3. The investment and production decisions taken on the ground. There is a wide gap between the products that can, in theory, be produced from biomass, and what is or will be produced in reality. This, in turn, depends upon two factors: the maturity of the technology and its economic viability.

1.2. Resources

All sorts of biomass are suitable for sustainable energy: industrial and public wastes, organic household, and agricultural residues; garden and road-side chippings, clean residues of all sorts of wood and from forests; energy crops (energy plantations, e.g., poplar and willow, oilseed crops, latex bearing plants, Asclepias syriaca, a.s.o.). At present on a worldwide basis: 55% of all wood consumed is for fuel, 30% for paper and 15% for solid wood products. From an environmental perspective wood is preferable to fossil fuels for energy, to agricultural fibers for paper, and to steel or plastics for material applications. We must take into account there is a huge potential to increase world wood growth through use biotechnology and modern silvicultural practices.

1.2.1. Evaluation of Resources

In the evaluation of resources the following aspects have to be considered: evaluation of the removable biomass (green weight dried basis); energy content, energy potential; cost of biomass production at the forest road sides and biomass user gate (including harvesting, skidding, comminution of biomass, transportation); “zero-yield transport distances”—in which the total energy content of the crops equals total use of energy—the following maximum distances are mentioned: 600 km by truck, 2000 km by train and 10,000 km by ship; policies must be coherent, integrated, and coordinated; innovation in plant and industrial biotechnology should be supported; policies should support development of the whole supply chain; a communication strategy is essential; pilot projects have a role to play; measurable sustainability indicators should be developed.

Biofuels are more sustainable and environmentally friendly because of the reiterative cycles of burning, followed by carbon fixation by plants, followed by burning of biofuels. Biorenewables are sustainable means of providing the essential products needed for society.

Biorefineries and production of bioproducts in developing countries could readily deliver social and economic benefits through the production of biofuels and energy for local use, integrated with bioproducts for export. These productive activities, based on market-led innovations, developing technology, and innovation, would provide access to new and growing markets. Poverty reduction through the revitalization of the agro-industrial sector would be the tangible outcome of the production of feed stocks and the development of bioproducts in developing countries.

The main topics approached at present in the field of biomass are connected with: sustainability and land use, biomass recalcitrance, development of new or improved biomass sources, better enzymatic and microbial catalysts, advances in the development of hydrocarbons and algae-based biofuels, progress in biorefinery deployment and infrastructure, and recent improvement in pretreatment, fractionation, and related separations technologies; an industry for the production of clean, renewable biofuels from agricultural and forest feedstocks has begun to emerge; the biotechnology can be used to convert the plant biomass, residues, and wastes in biofuels and biochemicals rather than food and feed.

Our studies (Simionescu et al.,1987) lead us to the conclusion that phytomass could represent a convenient resource of chemical compounds and energy, if the processing of raw materials, have in view their different sources and different chemical composition. This technology allows us to separate each compound as a function of acce...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• List of Contributors
• Preface
• 1. Biomass for Fuels and Biomaterials
• 2. Microalgae as Renewable Raw Material for Bioproducts: Identification and Biochemical Composition of Microalgae From a Raceway Pond in The Netherlands
• 3. Macroalgae Biomass as Sorbent for Metal Ions
• 4. Integrated Processing of Biomass Resources for Fine Chemical Obtaining: Polyphenols
• 5. Assessing the Sustainability of Biomass Use for Energy Production: Methodology for Involving Stakeholders in Decision Making
• 6. Biodiesel, a Green Fuel Obtained Through Enzymatic Catalysis
• 7. Catalytic Approaches to the Production of Furfural and Levulinates From Lignocelluloses
• 8. Biomass-Derived Polyhydroxyalkanoates: Biomedical Applications
• 9. Biochemical Modification of Lignocellulosic Biomass
• 10. Chemically Modified Polysaccharides With Applications in Nanomedicine
• 11. Cellulose-Based Hydrogels for Medical/Pharmaceutical Applications
• 12. Thermoresponsive Supramolecular Hydrogels Comprising Diblock Methylcellulose Derivatives
• Index