Mohamed Mosaad Abo El-Gheit

MSc. Student, Applied Microbiology, SCU,

Ismailia, Egypt
mhmd.aboelgheit@gmail.com
Contents:
Biofuel
Types of Biofuel
1st and 2nd generation of Bioethanol
Lignocellulosic Biomass in Egypt
Composition of Lignocellulose
Pretreatment of Lignocellulose
Microbial Enzymatic Hydrolysis
Bioprocessing of Biomass
Cellulosic Activities in Actinomycetes
Microbial Consortia
Biofuel:
Energy from newly-growing plant
sources
CO2-neutral
alternative source of energy to the
current traditional sources e.g. gasoline
CO2 Neutral?
1st Generation of Bioethanol
BRAZIL
sugarcane
(sucrose)
Sugars ethanol
extract ferment

USA
(starch)
Sugars ethanol
Hydrolyze ferment
(enzymes)

Cosgrove; 2005
Types of Biofuel
Solid animal wastes and agricultural residues can be
used as sources of energy by direct burning (primitive way)
Direct burning
Organic wastes Heat energy

Liquid Bioethanol C2H5OH ( fermentation of

sugar)
Biodiesel (by saturation of vegetable
oils)

Gas e.g. methane and biogas derived from organic

wastes by anaerobic digestion
2nd Generation of Bioethanol

Cosgrove; 2006
Lignocellulosic Biomass
Agricultural Residues:

Source: Quantitative appraisal of biomass resource and their

energy potential in Egypt; 2013
Lignocellulosic Biomass:
Energy crops: plants which grow at low cost, to make
biofuel.

Composition of Lignocellulose
Cellulose Cellulose (6 carbon sugars)
Hemicelluloses
Lignin

Lignin (phenols)

Hemicellulose Extractives
Ash
(both 5 and 6 carbon sugars)
(need modified microbe to
convert to ethanol) Chapple, 2006; Ladisch, 1979, 2006
Pretreatment
break down the
shield formed by
lignin and
hemicellulose
Open the fiber
structure
reduce the degree
of polymerization
of cellulose.
Source: Overview of biomass pretreatment
for cellulosic ethanol production; 2009
 Pretreatment has been viewed as one of the most
expensive processing steps within the conversion of
biomass to fermentable sugar
Pretreatment methods maybe: physical, chemical or
biological
Biological:
Adv. : no chemicals, no energy requirements, mild
environmental conditions
Disadv.: slow, the activity of the microorganisms maybe
not specific to lignin only!
Pretreated Lignocellulose
What is Pretreated Biomass?
increased surface area,
solubilization of cellulose,
redistribution of cellulose and lignin
Cellulose 35-50%
Hemicellulose 20- 35%
Lignin 5-30%

Microbial cellulose utilization fundamental and biotechnology; 2002

Enzymatic Treatment
Pretreated Pentoses and
Lignocellulose Enzymatic hexoses + lignin and
Hydrolysis lignin degradation

cellulose glucose
hemicellulose glucose + xylose+ other
C5 and C6 sugars

Microbial cellulose utilization fundamental and biotechnology; 2002

Microbial Enzyme system:
Substrate cellulose + hemicellulose
Enzymes:
endoglucanases: cut at random internal sites
along the cellulose/hemicellulose chain
exoglucanases: act at reducing and nonreducing
ends
beta-glucosidase: break betaglucoside bond to
form glucose
Enzyme system
Endogluconase
Cellulose Oligosaccharides (<10)

Exoglucanase

Cellobiose
+ glucose
Beta-glucosidase
glucose

Microbial cellulose utilization fundamental and biotechnology; 2002

Lignocellulosic Activities of
Actinomycetes
According to Lynd et al (2002) there is a considerable
concentration of cellulytic capabilities among
Actinomyceltales.
Actinomycetes are well known for their ability to
decompose complex molecules, particularly
lignocellulose components
Micromonospora spp and Strptomyces spp are well
known for their decomposition ability on Biomass
Actinomycetes and cellulytic
activities
Speices Growth Temp
M. chalcea mesophilic
S. roseflavus mesophilic
S. reticuli Mesophilic
Thermobifidia fusca Thermophilic
Kibdelosporanguim Philippinenses mesophilic

Most of actinomycete species can be isolated from both soil and

water.
Bioprocessing of cellulosic Biomass
Steps (mediated events):
1) Cellulase production biomass
2) Hydrolysis of
cellulose/hemicellulose
3) Fermentation of cellulose
hydrolysis products e.g.
glucose
4) Fermentation of
hemicellulose hydrolysis fuel
products other than
glucose e.g. xylose
Microbial cellulose utilization fundamental and biotechnology; 2002
Bioprocessing of cellulosic Biomass
SHF: Separated
Hydrolysis and
Fermentation

SSF: Simultaneous
Saccharification and
Fermentation

SSCF: Simultaneous
Saccharification and
Cofementation

CBP: Consolidate
Bioprocessing
This diagram shows the capability of consolidation or separation of
mediate events (steps) of bioprocessing of Biomass
Source: Microbial cellulose utilization fundamental and biotechnology; 2002
Consolidated Bioprocessing CBP
In which all bioprocessing steps are combined together
as one process
Biomass processing technology has exhibited a trend
toward increasing consolidation over time
Advantages Efficiency + Economically effective
CBP organisms:
Single organism
Community of organisms( symbiotic consortium)
(which is more efficient???)
Symbiotic Consortium
A community of organisms
i.e 2 or more organisms living in association
Symbiosis may be : mutualism, commensalism, o
antagonism
Types:
Natural consortuim Genetically

Engineered consortuim
Recombined natural capabilities
i.e. ecological approaches
Natural Consortium
The main problem doesnt accumulate high levels
of biofuel why?
Biofuel molecules are molecules of energy
Biofuels represents an a pportunity for a new consortia
member (organism) to exploit
Natural consortia tend to thermodynamically free
energy of molecules till the lowest level
Be overcome by engineering consortia
Models of microbial interactions in
a consortuim (dual culture)
Sequential utilization
2 oranisms M1 and M2
The fuel molecule (F1) is
considered a waste product of
M1. However, it is degraded by
M2 as source of energy e.g.
commensalism
No accumlation of fuel
molecules
Co-utilization
M1 & M2 are competing to
utilize the substrate , producing
fuel molecules
Competitive symbiosis i.e.
controlled by inhibitors
/activatiors
Fuel considered waste product
of both organsims
There is accumulation of fuel
Substrate transformation
M1 acts on substrate converting
it to a form that can be utilized
by M2
e.g. pretreatment of
lignocellulosic material
mutualsim
Product transformation
M1 produces fuel products as
waste product
M2 act on fuel to convert it into
an alternative fuel
Look like sequential utilization.
However, the fuel molecules are
converted to alternative fuel ,
not completely utilized