Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is the most abundantly available bioresource amounting to about a global yield of up to 1. 3 billion tons per year. The hydrolysis of LCB results in the release of various reducing sugars which are highly valued in the production of biofuels such as bioethanol and biogas, various organic acids, phenols, and aldehydes. The majority of LCB is composed of biological polymers such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, which are strongly associated with each other by covalent and hydrogen bonds thus forming a highly recalcitrant structure. The presence of lignin renders the bio-polymeric structure highly resistant to solubilization thereby inhibiting the hydrolysis of cellulose and hemicellulose which presents a significant challenge for the isolation of the respective bio-polymeric components. This has led to extensive research in the development of various pretreatment techniques utilizing various physical, chemical, physicochemical, and biological approaches which are specifically tailored toward the source biomaterial and its application. The objective of this review is to discuss the various pretreatment strategies currently in use and provide an overview of their utilization for the isolation of high-value bio-polymeric components. The article further discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the various pretreatment methodologies as well as addresses the role of various key factors that are likely to have a significant impact on the pretreatment and digestibility of LCB.

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A note on versions:The version presented here may differ from the published version or from the version of record. If you wish to cite this item you are advised to consult the publisher's version. Please see the repository url above for details on accessing the published version and note that access may require a subscription. alternative P fertilizer is already demonstrated at laboratory scale from range of waste streams of farm, municipal and industrial origin, with reasonably high orthophosphate recovery efficiency (~90%). However, apart from a few commercial extraction units using municipal sludge and urine, large scale struvite recovery is not widely adopted for many of these sources. Moreover, need of some research interventions that are restricting its profitable recovery are also highlighted by earlier studies. To increase recovery efficiency *Manuscript Click here to download Manuscript: Manuscript_struvite.docx Click here to view linked References from identified potential sources in terms of cost and energy input, research focuses on some new aspects of the process such as prospects of alternative recyclable magnesium sources, different seed materials and their related issues, which are analyzed in this review.Prospects of nitrogen conservation through struvite recovery and fertilizer value of struvite considering its properties, comparative performance with conventional fertilizer and interaction with soil and plant growth are also critically reviewed.

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Global population growth requires intensification of agriculture, for which a sustainable supply of phosphorus (P) is essential. Since natural P reserves are diminishing, recovering P from wastes and residues is an increasingly attractive prospect, particularly as technical and economic potential in the area is growing. In addition to providing phosphorus for agricultural use, stripping P from waste residues and effluents lessens their nutrient loading prior to disposal. This paper critically reviews published methods for P recovery from waste streams (municipal, farm and industrial) with emphasis on struvite (MgNH 4 PO 4 6H 2 O) crystallization, including pretreatments to maximize recovery. Based on compositional parameters of a range of wastes, a Feedstock Suitability Index (FSI) was developed as a guide to inform *Manuscript Click here to view linked References researchers and operators of the relative potential for struivite production from each waste.