Sustainable transportation biofuels may require considerable changes in land use to meet mandated targets. Understanding the possible impact of di erent policies on land use and greenhouse gas emissions has typically proceeded by exploring either ecosystem or economic modelling. Here we integrate such models to assess the potential for the US Renewable Fuel Standard to reduce greenhouse gas emi...

In this research scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Eastern beech (Fagus orientelis L.), oak (Quercus petraea L.) samples have been covered with polyurethane, acrylic, cellulosic varnish. In order to determine the physical changes which occurred on varnish layers caused by steam and wet heat, the samples were exposed to TS 4982 EN 12721 wet heat and TS EN 438-2 steam. According the results, the...

BACKGROUND Heavy usage of gasoline, burgeoning fuel prices, and environmental issues have paved the way for the exploration of cellulosic ethanol. Cellulosic ethanol production technologies are emerging and require continued technological advancements. One of the most challenging issues is the pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass for the desired sugars yields after enzymatic hydrolysis. We h...

A nascent cellulosic ethanol industry is struggling to become cost-competitive against corn ethanol and gasoline. Millions of dollars are spent on nitrogen supplements to make up for the low nitrogen content of the cellulosic feedstock. Here we show for the first time to our knowledge that the ethanol-producing bacterium, Zymomonas mobilis, can use N2 gas in lieu of traditional nitrogen supplem...

The information presented in this publication represents current research findings on the production of glucose and xylose from straw and subsequent direct fermentation of both sugars to ethanol. Agricultural straw was subjected to thermal or alkali pulping prior to enzymatic saccharification. When wheat straw (WS) was treated at 170 degrees C for 30-60 min at a water-to-solids ratio of 7:1, th...

Experiments were conducted to study the effects of reaction conditions on the hydrolysis of miscanthus dissolved in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Emim][Cl]) catalyzed by H2SO4. It was determined that while there is a small co-inhibition effect associated with the simultaneous hydrolysis of the cellulosic and hemicellulosic portions of miscanthus, the largest rate decreases were observe...

Microorganisms such as fungi can fragment carbon compounds by hydrolytic enzymes. The filamentous fungus, Aspergillus niger is now mostly considered because of its ubiquitous nature, non-fastidious nutritional requirements and it classified generally safe. This study was aimed at the production cellulosic enzymes A. degradation materials these Standard methods were employed in soil samples coll...

Renewable fuel production, particularly grain-based ethanol, is expanding rapidly in the USA. Although subsidized grain-based ethanol may provide a competitively priced transportation fuel, concerns exist about potential environmental impacts. This contribution focuses on potential water quality implications of expanded grain-based ethanol production and potential impacts of perennial-grass-bas...