Lignocellulose for ethanol production: A review of issues relating to bagasse as a source material

Abstract

Fossil fuels reservoirs have been declared to serve mankind’s needs more for a very limited time period. This notion has already initiated scientific search for alternatives. Amongst renewable resources for emerging biotechnological strategies to produce high energy-less volume fuels, cellulose is the most abundantly synthesized but stable carbohydrate of the biosphere. Cellulose has earlier been taken into account for chemical/biological saccahrification and subsequent biological conversion of the monomeric sugars to ethanol. The stable nature of the substrate and some of the monomeric products’ fermentation difficulties have been the major hardles. But because of its ubiquitous nature and being the most abundantly available renewable resource, research on the utilization of cellulose for obtaining the biofuel has continued and has been representing by diverse fields. Following the recognition of different bacteria and yeasts and various kinetics of the process involved in its saccahrification, the substrate is increasingly being worked out by different laboratories. Biotechnological endeavors are in fact reshaping the economics of different countries. Production of high grade sweeteners with low caloric values by the contemporary biotechnological processes is likely to influence the conventional sucrose production negatively. The raw material for sugar industry would be available for other products such as ethanol. At present, cellulosic waste of such industries for example, sugarcane bagasse, may be targeted for sacharification and ethanologenesis. Various aspects regarding the nature of the cellulosic substrate and its potential for obtaining the biofuel are covered in this review.

Key words: Biofuel, cellulose and ethanol, xylose fermentation, environmental rehabilitation.