Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.7
4.1
Journals
Fermentation
Special Issues
Microbial Processes for Biomass Conversion to Bioenergy
share announcement

Microbial Processes for Biomass Conversion to Bioenergy

A Special Issue of Fermentation (ISSN 2311-5637) belonging to the section "Industrial Fermentation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 1734

Editors

Prof. Dr. Júlio César Dos Santos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biotechnology, Engineering School of Lorena, University of São Paulo, Lorena 12602-810, SP, Brazil
Interests: biomass conversion; biofuels production; pretreatment of biomass; fermentation technology; industrial biotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ruly Terán Hilares

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Dpto. Académico de Farmacia, Bioquímica y Biotecnología, Universidad Católica de Santa María—UCSM, Arequipa, Peru
Interests: pretreatment; hydrodynamic cavitation; ethanol production; biopolymers; bioactive peptides; antioxidants for food; xylitol production

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The sustainable conversion of biomass into bioenergy is a key strategy to address global energy demands while reducing environmental impacts. Microorganisms play a central role in this process, driving the transformation of complex biomass components into valuable biofuels through metabolic pathways and enzymatic activities. This Special Issue aims to bring together recent advances in the understanding and application of microbial processes in the conversion of biomass sources—such as lignocellulosic materials, including agro-industrial and forest residues and by-products—into bioenergy. Topics of interest include microbial strain development, metabolic engineering, process optimization, pretreatment strategies, enzyme technology, and integrated biorefinery approaches. Contributions covering fundamental studies, novel bioprocesses, pilot-scale demonstrations, and techno-economic or life-cycle assessments are welcome. Both original research articles and comprehensive reviews are encouraged, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue to accelerate the transition toward a sustainable bio-based energy future.

Prof. Dr. Júlio César Dos Santos
Dr. Ruly Terán Hilares
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fermentation is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biomass conversion
  • bioenergy
  • biofuels
  • microbial biotechnology
  • lignocellulose
  • metabolic engineering
  • enzymatic hydrolysis
  • fermentation technology
  • biorefinery
  • sustainable energy

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

23 pages, 7706 KB  
Article
Evaluation of Monascus ruber Inoculum Preparation Strategies and Surfactant Supplementation to Enhance Biopigment Production in a Xylose-Based Medium Derived from Ethanol Biorefinery By-Products
by Willian de S. M. Reis, Gabriel L. de Arruda, Silvio S. da Silva, Arnaldo M. R. Prata and Júlio C. dos Santos
Fermentation 2026, 12(8), 387; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation12080387 - 17 Aug 2026
Viewed by 323
Abstract
Bioenergy biorefineries generate lignocellulosic by-products rich in fermentable sugars that can serve as renewable feedstocks for the production of high-value bioproducts, including microbial pigments with promising bioactive properties (antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer). Therefore, this study aimed to identify a suitable inoculum preparation strategy, [...] Read more.
Bioenergy biorefineries generate lignocellulosic by-products rich in fermentable sugars that can serve as renewable feedstocks for the production of high-value bioproducts, including microbial pigments with promising bioactive properties (antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer). Therefore, this study aimed to identify a suitable inoculum preparation strategy, to optimize the culture medium, and to evaluate biopigment production using xylose-based media derived from sugarcane bagasse hemicellulosic hydrolysate (SBHH). Different inoculation strategies were evaluated (cell suspension, whole mycelial discs, and fractionated mycelial discs) and supplementation with Tween 80 (TW80). The medium composition was optimized using a Box–Behnken design, with xylose, yeast extract, and TW80 as variables, and fermentations were then conducted under selected inoculum conditions in semi-defined media and SBHH. The mycelial disc inoculation strategy was selected due to its high biopigment production and lower operational complexity, yielding 8.99, 8.48, and 11.78 AU of yellow, orange, and red biopigments, respectively. The optimized culture composition consisted of 55.65 g/L of xylose, 4.18 g/L of yeast extract, and 15.38 g/L of Tween 80. The cultivation of M. ruber in SBHH resulted in 12.73, 10.75, and 14.56 AU of yellow, orange, and red biopigments, respectively. Thus, the strategy of inoculum preparation associated with non-ionic surfactant proved promising for application in bioenergy biorefineries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Processes for Biomass Conversion to Bioenergy)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

25 pages, 2886 KB  
Article
Isolation and Characterization of Resilient Thermotolerant Yeasts from Animal Manure for 2G Bioethanol Production from Sugarcane Bagasse Hydrolysate
by Akkapong Pochan, Sudarat Thanonkeo, Preekamol Klanrit, Mamoru Yamada, Huynh Xuan Phong and Pornthap Thanonkeo
Fermentation 2026, 12(6), 293; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation12060293 - 19 Jun 2026
Viewed by 806
Abstract
The economic viability of second-generation (2G) bioethanol production depends on the availability of robust, multistress-tolerant yeast strains capable of withstanding harsh industrial conditions. This study investigates animal manure as a novel ecological niche for discovering such strains, as microbes in these environments naturally [...] Read more.
The economic viability of second-generation (2G) bioethanol production depends on the availability of robust, multistress-tolerant yeast strains capable of withstanding harsh industrial conditions. This study investigates animal manure as a novel ecological niche for discovering such strains, as microbes in these environments naturally adapt to high organic loading and fluctuating temperatures. From eighty-six initial isolates, twenty-nine demonstrated superior xylose fermentation at 37 °C. Eight high-performing isolates (C2-1, B1-2, B1-6, B2-6, B2-8, G1-4, G1-5, and G2-4) exhibited exceptional tolerance to ethanol, high temperatures, and lignocellulosic-derived inhibitors (acetic acid, formic acid, furfural, and vanillic acid). Molecular identification classified isolate C2-1 as Pichia kudriavzevii and the remaining seven as Candida tropicalis. In synthetic media, C. tropicalis B2-8 produced up to 16.33 g/L of ethanol using xylose (60 g/L) as the sole carbon source. While the undetoxified, highly acidic sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate completely inhibited yeast growth, the industrial potential of these strains was successfully validated using the concentrated, undetoxified enzymatic hydrolysate derived from the acid-pretreated sugarcane bagasse solids, which contained 30.15 g/L glucose and 25.58 g/L xylose. P. kudriavzevii C2-1 achieved ethanol titers of 6.02 g/L and 5.71 g/L at 37 °C and 40 °C, respectively. The C. tropicalis strains outperformed P. kudriavzevii, yielding 6.12–6.35 g/L at 37 °C and maintaining 5.75–6.19 g/L at 40 °C. These findings underscore the potential of manure-derived yeasts as resilient biocatalysts. Although their fermentation yields remain relatively low and require further metabolic optimization, their ability to survive and ferment in this concentrated, undetoxified enzymatic hydrolysate at elevated temperatures makes them promising candidates for further development in high-temperature ethanol fermentation (HTEF), offering a potential pathway toward reducing cooling costs associated with 2G biorefineries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Processes for Biomass Conversion to Bioenergy)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop