BACKGROUND Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) is a surface sensitive mass spectrometry technique with potential strengths as a method for detecting enzymatic activity on solid materials. In particular, ToF-SIMS has been applied to detect the enzymatic degradation of woody lignocellulose. Proof-of-principle experiments previously demonstrated the detection of both lignin-d...

Grasses represent an abundant and widespread source of lignocellulosic biomass, which has yet to fulfil its potential as a feedstock for biorefining into renewable and sustainable biofuels and commodity chemicals. The inherent recalcitrance of lignocellulosic materials to deconstruction is the most crucial limitation for the commercial viability and economic feasibility of biomass biorefining. ...

In industrial hydrolysis processes the lignocellulose-degrading enzymes may have a potential application as an alternative to chemical treatments because they produce high specificity, mild reaction conditions, no toxic chemical hydrolysis inhibitors, and no loss of substrate due to chemical modifications. The amounts of reducing sugars released from the degradation of wheat straw by the action...

The aim of the research was to determine lipid metabolism indices and fatty acid profile in the blood serum of Ross 308 chickens (n = 48), fed a finisher mixture supplemented with 0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0% of lignocellulose. The feeding trial lasted from 21 to 42 d of the birds’ age. Blood samples were collected from each chicken at 42d of age from the pterygoid canal vein. In the blood serum the c...

Background In the pursuit of sources of energy, biofuel pellet is emerging as a promising resource because of its easy storage and transport, and lower pollution to the environment. The composition of biomass has important implication for energy conversion processing strategies. Current standard chemical methods for biomass composition are laborious, time-consuming, and unsuitable for high-thro...

Several underutilized grasses have excellent potential for use as bioenergy feedstock due to their lignocellulosic biomass. Genomic tools have enabled identification of lignocellulose biosynthesis genes in several sequenced plants. However, the non-availability of whole genome sequence of bioenergy grasses hinders the study on bioenergy genomics and their genomics-assisted crop improvement. Fox...

The increasing energy demand and the anticipated decline in crude oil production has led to an immense search for new energy sources. Plant cell walls contain lignocellulose that conserve great amounts of energy. These polysaccharides are of high importance for the search of renewable energy sources. Pretreatment of the cell wall is necessary in order to hydrolyse it to its component sugars. On...

  Aims of the Study: The aim of this study was to determine the amount of lignin degradation and biodegradation of organic matter and change of biomass under compost and vermicomposting of sewage sludge. Materials & Methods: Sawdust was added to sewage sludge at 1:3 weight bases to Carbon to Nitrogen ratio of 25:1 for composting or vermicomposting. Lignin and volatile solids were deter...

Pleurotus ostreatus is a white rot fungus that grows on lignocellulosic biomass by metabolizing the main constituents. Extracellular enzymes play a key role in this process. During the hydrolysis of lignocellulose, potentially toxic molecules are released from lignin, and the molecules are derived from hemicellulose or cellulose that trigger various responses in fungus, thereby influencing myce...

The kraft process is applied to wood chips for separation of lignin from the polysaccharides within lignocellulose for pulp that will produce a high quality paper. Black liquor is a pulping waste generated by the kraft process that has potential for downstream bioconversion. However, the recalcitrant nature of the lignocellulose resources, its chemical derivatives that constitute the majority o...