An overview of biomass conversion: exploring new opportunities

Abstract

Recycling biomass is indispensable these days not only because fossil energy sources are gradually depleted, but also because pollution of the environment, caused by the increasing use of energy, must be reduced. This article intends to overview the results of plant biomass processing methods that are currently in use. Our aim was also to review published methods that are not currently in use. It is intended to explore the possibilities of new methods and enzymes to be used in biomass recycling. The results of this overview are perplexing in almost every area. Advances have been made in the pre-treatment of biomass and in the diversity and applications of the enzymes utilized. Based on molecular modeling, very little progress has been made in the modification of existing enzymes for altered function and adaptation for the environmental conditions during the processing of biomass. There are hardly any publications in which molecular modeling techniques are used to improve enzyme function and to adapt enzymes to various environmental conditions. Our view is that using modern computational, biochemical, and biotechnological methods would enable the purposeful design of enzymes that are more efficient and suitable for biomass processing.

Investigating the Impact of Polymer Length, Attachment Site, and Charge on Enzymatic Activity and Stability of Cellulase

“…To address this, biomass conversion to complement fossil fuels is a promising option as this technique is a renewable energy source with significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions. 7,8 Starch and cellulose are polymers of glucose and the most abundant biomolecules on earth. 9 Starch and cellulose can be hydrolyzed to glucose and then fermented to produce bioethanol.…”

Modeling of biopolymerases: a simple case study

“…Molecular modeling of enzymes (Dancs et al 2023). We compiled our study from these articles (Ecker & Fülöp, 2014;Fülöp & Ecker, 2020) to examine the prevalence of model-based modification of extracellular enzymes and the use of their rational design compared to traditional methods.…”

“…Together with the recently investigated and applied methods, we explored the latest possibilities and results of the utilization of plant structural biomass (Fülöp & Ecker 2020). Progress has been made in all areas, and this area shows continued development.…”

“…There are untapped and enormous possibilities for the production of modified enzymes that work more efficiently under the industrial conditions used to process biomass (Fülöp & Ecker 2020). By rationally modifying enzymes, the efficiency of biomass conversion, enzymes or processes can be significantly increased.…”

Recent Theoretical Insights into the Oxidative Degradation of Biopolymers and Plastics by Metalloenzymes

“…Biomass represents an abundant renewable resource that is precious for our compelling need to reduce fossil fuel depletion. Its valorization can lead to highly valuable chemicals, such as low-carbon biofuels, providing a carbon-neutral energy strategy that should mitigate the current massive accumulation of greenhouse gases [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. For instance, plants uptake carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to grow and produce their biomass.…”