Title: Economical Bioconversion of Lignocellulosic Materials to Value-Added Products
Abstract: In serious consideration of the worldwide economic and environmental issues associated with the extensive use of the fuels, scientists across the world are in search of a suitable alternative to the fast depleting fossil fuel resources. To expand the range of natural resources, researchers have been re-directing their interests in biomass based bio-fuels, which can be obtained from lignocellulosic waste materials. Because of its renewable nature and most abundant availability now it has attracted considerable attention as an alternate feed stock and energy source. The lignin component should be utilized as a feedstock for value-added green chemistry product which currently seems to be the only logical alternative for sustainable development. An economical bioconversion of these materials to value-added products is a potential barrier between the current industrial demand and utilization of lignocellulosic biomass fermentation. In current pre-treatment scenario ligninolytic enzymes could provide an effective and significant alternative means for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into the products of interest, i.e. liquid bio-fuels. During the last several years considerable improvement in many processes related to lignocellulose biotechnology has appeared and triggered in-depth studies of lignocellulosic materials, ligninolytic microorganisms and their enzymes.