Microbial pretreatment of biomass: potential for reducing severity of thermochemical biomass pretreatment

Typical pretreatment requires high-energy (steam and electricity) and corrosion-resistant, high-pressure reactors. A review of the literature suggests that fungal pretreatment could potentially lower the severity requirements of acid, temperature and time. These reductions in severity are also expec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied biochemistry and biotechnology 2003, Vol.105 -108 (1-3), p.27-41
Main Authors: Keller, Fred A, Hamilton, Jenny E, Nguyen, Quang A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal Feed - microbiology
Animals
Biomass
Bioreactors
Biotechnology - instrumentation
Biotechnology - methods
Cellulose
Corn
Crop residues
Enzymes
Enzymes - metabolism
Fungi
Fungi - physiology
Hydrolysis
Phanerochaete chrysosporium
Poaceae - microbiology
Pressure
Stover
Studies
Zea mays - chemistry
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Summary:Typical pretreatment requires high-energy (steam and electricity) and corrosion-resistant, high-pressure reactors. A review of the literature suggests that fungal pretreatment could potentially lower the severity requirements of acid, temperature and time. These reductions in severity are also expected to result in less biomass degradation and consequently lower inhibitor concentrations compared to conventional thermochemical pretreatment. Furthermore, potential advantages of fungal pretreatment of agricultural residues, such as corn stover, are suggested by its effectiveness in improving the cellulose digestibility of many types of forage fiber and agricultural wastes. Our preliminary tests show a three- to five-fold improvement in enzymatic cellulose digestibility of corn stover after pretreatment with Cyathus stercoreus; and a ten- to 100-fold reduction in shear force needed to obtain the same shear rate of 3.2 to 7 rev/s, respectively, after pretreatment with Phanerochaete chrysosporium.
ISSN:0273-2289
0273-2289
1559-0291
DOI:10.1385/abab:105:1-3:27