The potential of microbial processes for lignocellulosic biomass conversion to ethanol: a review

摘要

BACKGROUNDThis paper assesses the feasibility of a single- or multi-stage process entirely based on microbial cultures, with no or minimal non-biological pretreatment and with no external enzyme addition, for the conversion of lignocellulosic materials into ethanol. The process considered involves three distinct microbial processes, which can possibly combined in one single reaction stage: (a) lignin hydrolysis; (b) cellulose and hemicelluloses hydrolysis; and (c) glucose fermentation to ethanol. This paper critically reviews the literature on the three microbial processes and compares the rates of microbial processes with those of the alternative physico-chemical pretreatment processes.