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Processes
Special Issues
Platform Chemicals and Novel Materials from Biomass
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Platform Chemicals and Novel Materials from Biomass

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Biological Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2025) | Viewed by 6528

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Miguel Ladero Galán

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
FQPIMA Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: glycerol; biodiesel; valorization; catalysts; carbonates; ketals; monomers; ethers; esters; lactic acid; hydrogen; acrolein; acrilonitrile; acrylic acid; glycidol; diols; refining; oxidation; dehydration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Juan M. Bolivar

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Co-Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Interests: heterogeneous biocatalysts; enzyme stabilization; flow microreactor; process intensification
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The growing need for material and energy resources is coupled with increasingly complex access to traditional fossil resources—oil, gas and coal—for geopolitical, economic and technological reasons. In this scenario, the possibility arises of developing new processes and products based on existing knowledge to transform the aforementioned fossil resources, applying such knowledge to a type of material and energy resource that is renewable by its very nature: biomass. Emerging processes, resources, reaction intermediates and final products based on biomass are building the so-called biorefineries. The ultimate aim of this development is to first supplement and then replace fuels, solvents, chemicals and materials now produced from fossil resources.

The current situation of global economic growth, with a significant number of extraordinarily populated emerging countries, coupled with environmental degradation and the finite nature of mineral and fossil resources, may find a solution, at least partially, in the use of resources created by living beings through photosynthesis and a wide range of metabolic transformations: biomass. At the same time, the knowledge acquired during the 20th century in the transformation of fossil and biomass resources (food, paper and cellulose) is the cognitive basis for the creation of the biorefinery concept and the underlying technologies. This Special Issue focuses on the final, transformative part of these biomass resources into chemicals and materials that are to supplement, first and foremost, and ultimately replace those coming from fossil resources. This transformation is based on heat-driven and catalytic/biocatalytic processes.

Prof. Dr. Miguel Ladero Galán
Dr. Juan M. Bolivar
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes 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 2400 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.

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2963 KiB  
Article
Competitive Adsorption of Pb2+ from Aqueous Solutions by Multi-Source Lignocellulose-Derived Hydrothermal Humic Acid
by Changzhi Song, Junhao Liu, Libo Zhang, Jianing Wang and Xinqian Shu
Processes 2025, 13(1), 155; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13010155 - 8 Jan 2025
Viewed by 596
Abstract
This study explores the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass from softwood, hardwood, and grasses into humic acid via a mild hydrothermal process and its application in Pb2+ adsorption. The investigation focused on adsorption isotherms, kinetics, thermodynamics, and the intraparticle diffusion model to evaluate [...] Read more.
This study explores the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass from softwood, hardwood, and grasses into humic acid via a mild hydrothermal process and its application in Pb2+ adsorption. The investigation focused on adsorption isotherms, kinetics, thermodynamics, and the intraparticle diffusion model to evaluate the adsorption performance of humic acids from different sources. The results indicate that the humic acid of broad-leaved wood (Eucalyptus-HA) possesses the optimal adsorption capacity and removal efficiency of Pb2+. When the initial concentration of Pb2+ is 100 mg/L, the adsorption capacity and removal efficiency of Eucalyptus-HA reach 49.75 mg/g and 25.57%, respectively, which are far higher than the adsorption capacity (26.82 mg/g) and removal efficiency (13.71%) of commercial humic acid (Commercial-HA). The pore structure of humic acid plays a critical role in its Pb2+ adsorption capacity. High Pb2+ concentrations and a low pH negatively impact adsorption efficiency, and instability in the humic acid pore structure affects reproducibility. Adsorption isotherm fitting showed that Pb2+ adsorption conforms most closely to the Langmuir model. While commercial humic acid exhibited faster adsorption rates, its capacity was constrained by thermodynamic limitations and lower specific surface areas. The intraparticle diffusion model revealed that Pb2+ diffusion proceeded more efficiently in hydrothermal humic acids than in commercial ones due to lower diffusion resistance. This study highlights the potential of feedstock source regulation to enhance humic acid’s heavy metal adsorption capabilities, expanding its application across various fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Platform Chemicals and Novel Materials from Biomass)
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12 pages, 2976 KiB  
Article
Improved Sugar Recovery from Mandarin Peel under Optimal Enzymatic Hydrolysis Conditions and Application to Bioethanol Production
by Hyerim Son, Jeongho Lee and Hah Young Yoo
Processes 2024, 12(9), 1960; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12091960 - 12 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1015
Abstract
Mandarin peel (MP) has gained attention as a feedstock for flavonoid recovery via the extraction process based on the biorefinery concept, but residues remain after the extraction. Toward an integrated biorefinery concept, this study aimed to valorize extracted MP (eMP) by using it [...] Read more.
Mandarin peel (MP) has gained attention as a feedstock for flavonoid recovery via the extraction process based on the biorefinery concept, but residues remain after the extraction. Toward an integrated biorefinery concept, this study aimed to valorize extracted MP (eMP) by using it in bioethanol production. For efficient fermentable sugar production, the effect of enzymatic hydrolysis conditions on sugar conversion from eMP was investigated, and the results showed that combining cellulase and cellobiase resulted in a higher enzymatic glucose conversion (78.2%) than the use of the individual enzymes (37.5% and 45.6%). Pectinase played an essential role in enhancing enzymatic arabinose conversion, and the optimal conditions were determined to be pH 4 and 90 units of the three enzymes. Under optimal conditions, the sugar yield was 199 g glucose and 47 g arabinose/kg eMP, and the hydrolysate was used in bioethanol fermentation. The results showed that the bioethanol production was 3.78 g/L (73.9% yield), similar to the control medium (3.79 g/L; 74.2% yield), although the cell growth of the yeast was slightly delayed in the eMP hydrolysate medium. This study highlights the potential of eMP as a low-cost feedstock for sugar and bioethanol production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Platform Chemicals and Novel Materials from Biomass)
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18 pages, 3020 KiB  
Article
Pine Nutshells and Their Biochars as Sources of Chemicals, Fuels, Activated Carbons, and Electrode Materials
by Umut Șen, João F. G. Rodrigues, Daiana Almeida, Ângela Fernandes, Margarida Gonçalves, Marta Martins, Diogo M. F. Santos and Helena Pereira
Processes 2024, 12(8), 1603; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12081603 - 31 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1795
Abstract
Pine nutshells (PNSs) are lignocellulosic waste materials with limited use in domestic heating. However, a biorefinery approach may be applied to fractionate PNSs and produce chemicals, materials, and improved solid fuels. In this study, we fractionated PNSs and produced antioxidant extracts, lignins, polysaccharides, [...] Read more.
Pine nutshells (PNSs) are lignocellulosic waste materials with limited use in domestic heating. However, a biorefinery approach may be applied to fractionate PNSs and produce chemicals, materials, and improved solid fuels. In this study, we fractionated PNSs and produced antioxidant extracts, lignins, polysaccharides, chars, and activated carbons and analyzed their potential applications. Pyrolytic kinetic modeling as an alternative method to chemical fractionation was also tested. The results showed that the PNS contains low amounts of extracts with weak thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) antioxidant properties, while its lignin content is remarkable (50.5%). Pyrolytic kinetic modeling was comparable to wet chemical analysis for estimating lignin yield. Moderate-temperature pyrolysis of the PNS resulted in a 23% char yield. The PNS chars showed improved fuel characteristics, retained 36% water, and leached 151 mg/L potassium into the water. The steam activation of PNS biochars at 750 °C resulted in oxygen-enriched activated carbons with specific surface areas up to 467 m2/g. The overall results indicate promising biochar applications of the PNS for soil amendment and supercapacitor uses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Platform Chemicals and Novel Materials from Biomass)
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11 pages, 294 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Bioactive Properties of Hydroethanolic Cork Extracts of Quercus cerris and Quercus suber
by Umut Sen, Daiana Almeida, Tayse F. F. da Silveira, Tânia S. P. Pires, Mikel Añibarro-Ortega, Filipa Mandim, Lillian Barros, Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira, Helena Pereira and Ângela Fernandes
Processes 2024, 12(8), 1579; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12081579 - 28 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1213
Abstract
The bioactive properties of underutilized corks such as Quercus cerris cork and planted Quercus suber cork in the Eastern Mediterranean are not well-known but are crucial in developing lignocellulosic biorefineries. To assess their biological potential, hydroethanolic cork extracts of Quercus cerris and Quercus [...] Read more.
The bioactive properties of underutilized corks such as Quercus cerris cork and planted Quercus suber cork in the Eastern Mediterranean are not well-known but are crucial in developing lignocellulosic biorefineries. To assess their biological potential, hydroethanolic cork extracts of Quercus cerris and Quercus suber were analyzed for phenolic composition, antioxidant, antiproliferative, antimicrobial activities, and hepatoxicity, as well as NO-production inhibition. Here, we show that a mild hydroethanolic extraction of Q. cerris and Q. suber corks yielded 3% phenolic extracts. The phenolic composition was similar in both cork extracts, with phenolic acids and ellagitannins as the primary compounds. The bioactivity of hydroethanolic cork extracts from Q. cerris surpassed that of Q. suber and showed effectiveness against all cancer cell lines tested. This first comprehensive study on the bioactivities of different corks involves detailed characterizations of phenolic compounds of cork extracts using UPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn, evaluations of the antioxidant properties with TBARS and OxHLIA methods, evaluation of antiproliferative activity against gastric (AGS), lung (NCI-H460), colon (CaCo2), and breast cancer (MCF7) cell lines, as well as evaluations of hepatotoxicity and NO-production inhibition. The findings from this study will help bolster the potential of using underutilized cork-rich barks as a valuable resource in bark-based biorefineries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Platform Chemicals and Novel Materials from Biomass)
17 pages, 4718 KiB  
Article
Rice Bran Valorization through the Fabrication of Nanofibrous Membranes by Electrospinning
by María Alonso-González, Manuel Felix and Alberto Romero
Processes 2024, 12(6), 1204; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12061204 - 12 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1178
Abstract
The high production rate of fossil-based plastics, coupled with their accumulation and low degradability, is causing severe environmental problems. As a result, there is a growing interest in the use of renewable and natural sources in the polymer industry. Specifically, rice bran is [...] Read more.
The high production rate of fossil-based plastics, coupled with their accumulation and low degradability, is causing severe environmental problems. As a result, there is a growing interest in the use of renewable and natural sources in the polymer industry. Specifically, rice bran is a highly abundant by-product of the agro-food industry, with variable amounts of protein and starch within its composition, which are usually employed for bioplastic development. This study aims to valorize rice bran through the production of nanofiber membranes processed via electrospinning. Due to its low solubility, the co-electrospinning processing of rice bran with potato starch, known for its ability to form nanofibers through this technique, was chosen. Several fiber membranes were fabricated with modifications in solution conditions and electrospinning parameters to analyze their effects on the synthesized fiber morphology. This analysis involved obtaining micrographs of the fibers through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fiber diameter analysis. Potato starch membranes were initially investigated, and once optimal electrospinning conditions were identified, the co-electrospinning of rice bran and potato starch was conducted. Attempts were made to correlate the physical properties of the solutions, such as conductivity and density, with the characteristics of the resulting electrospun fibers. The results presented in this study demonstrate the potential valorization of a rice by-product for the development of bio-based nanofibrous membranes. This not only offers a solution to combat current plastic waste accumulation but also opens up a wide range of applications from filtration to biomedical devices (i.e., in tissue engineering). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Platform Chemicals and Novel Materials from Biomass)
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