Biological valorization strategies for converting lignin into fuels and chemicals

Zhu Chen and Caixia Wan

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2017, vol. 73, issue C, 610-621

Abstract: Lignin is a complex phenylpropanoid biopolymer conferring mechanical strength to plant cell walls. Biorefineries, along with pulp and paper industry, generate large quantities of lignin. Lignin valorization is an essential process for an advanced, sustainable, and economical biomass-based industry. However, converting lignin into value-added products remains a challenge due to its heterogeneity and irregular structure. Many wild microorganisms have evolved complex metabolic and enzyme systems for lignin degradation and conversion. Great efforts have been made to explore their potentials for lignin valorization. This paper reviews the recent development in biological conversion of lignin into value-added products. It also covers potential catabolic pathways, exploration of new lignin degradation systems, and lignin consolidated bioprocessing (Lignin CBP).

Keywords: Lignin; Biomass; Biological conversion; Biofuels; Bioproducts (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032117301715
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:rensus:v:73:y:2017:i:c:p:610-621

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... 600126/bibliographic

DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2017.01.166

Access Statistics for this article

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews is currently edited by L. Kazmerski

More articles in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().