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HMF production from fructose, glucose, and cellulose using a solid acidic biochar derived from cassava rhizome (CR) was investigated. The catalyst was prepared by CR carbonization (400–700 °C). The obtained biochar was then grafted with various acid types i.e., sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4), p -toluenesulfonic acid (TsOH), and ferric chloride (FeCl 3). Life cycle assessment (LCA) and cost analysis of the produced HMF was conducted. [Display omitted] • H 2 SO 4 , TsOH, and FeCl 3 grafted biochar were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal. • H 2 SO 4 , TsOH, and FeCl 3 grafted biochar improved HMF synthesis efficiencies. • Life cycle assessment (LCA) of the produced HMF was first time report. • The H 2 SO 4 grafted catalyst possessed outstanding potential for HMF production. • HMF production using the TsOH grafted catalyst has a lower environmental impact. In this study, HMF was successfully synthesized from a range of cellulosic sugars, utilizing sustainable acidic biochar derived from cassava rhizome (CR). Various acid precursors such as sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4), p -toluenesulfonic acid (TsOH), and ferric chloride (FeCl 3) were chosen. Acids grafted biochar were carried out through a facile hydrothermal method. HMF production was performed at 175 °C for 0.5 h using 10 % of the acidic biochar catalyst in water to isopropanol (i-PrOH) mixture ratio of 1:4. The maximum HMF yields of fructose (53.29 wt%), glucose (2.94 wt%), and cellulose (0.38 wt%) could be achieved over 600-H 2 SO 4 , 700-FeCl 3 , and 400-H 2 SO 4 catalysts, respectively. Moreover, the recyclability of the acidic biochar catalysts could distinguish more than five times without significant loss of activity. Remarkably, the life cycle assessment (LCA) and cost analysis of the HMF production process indicated that the future sustainable industrial production of HMF could be realized involving the 600-TsOH catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platform chemicals composed of 2-6 carbons derived from fossil resources are used as important precursors for making a variety of chemicals and materials, including solvents, fuels, polymers, pharmaceuticals, perfumes, and foods. Due to concerns regarding our environment and the limited nature of fossil resources, however, increasing interest has focused on the development of sustainable technologies for producing these platform chemicals from renewable resources. The techniques and strategies for developing microbial strains for chemicals production have advanced rapidly, and it is becoming feasible to develop microbes for producing additional types of chemicals, including non-natural molecules. In this study, we review the current status of the bio-based production of major C2-C6 platform chemicals, focusing on the microbial production of platform chemicals that have been used for the production of chemical intermediates, building block compounds, and polymers. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012; 109: 2437-2459. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biosynthesis of liquid fuels and biomass-based building block chemicals from microorganisms have been regarded as a competitive alternative route to traditional. Zymomonas mobilis possesses a number of desirable characteristics for its special Entner-Doudoroff pathway, which makes it an ideal platform for both metabolic engineering and commercial-scale production of desirable bio-products as the same as Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae based on consideration of future biomass biorefinery. Z. mobilis has been studied extensively on both fundamental and applied level, which will provide a basis for industrial biotechnology in the future. Furthermore, metabolic engineering of Z. mobilis for enhancing bio-ethanol production from biomass resources has been significantly promoted by different methods (i.e. mutagenesis, adaptive laboratory evolution, specific gene knock-out, and metabolic engineering). In addition, the feasibility of representative metabolites, i.e. sorbitol, bionic acid, levan, succinic acid, isobutanol, and isobutanol produced by Z. mobilis and the strategies for strain improvements are also discussed or highlighted in this paper. Moreover, this review will present some guidelines for future developments in the bio-based chemical production using Z. mobilis as a novel industrial platform for future biofineries.