TY - JOUR

T1 - Harnessing the power of cellulolytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria for biovalorization of lignocellulosic biomass

AU - Harindintwali, Jean Damascene

AU - Wang, Fang

AU - Yang, Wenhua

AU - Zhou, Jianli

AU - Muhoza, Bertrand

AU - Mugabowindekwe, Maurice

AU - Yu, Xiaobin

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Elsevier B.V.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is produced in large quantities throughout the world every year and represents a major sink for photosynthetically fixed carbon. However, in some countries, lignocellulosic materials are viewed as agricultural by-products and are often burned to quickly prepare the land for the next cropping season. This environmentally unfriendly practice contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the loss of renewable carbon-based resources. When used properly, LCB can be an inexhaustible source of renewable energy, soil conditioners, and other sustainable materials. To this end, leveraging microbial power to unlock the multifunctional value of LCB is presented as one of the very promising pathways toward sustainable development. However, LCB, despite its high carbon content, has a low nitrogen concentration, which may limit its microbial degradation in environments with little or no additional nitrogen. Fortunately, some cellulolytic bacteria can produce bioavailable nitrogen through nitrogen fixation and play a key role in LCB digestion in wood-boring organisms. In this review, we discuss how cellulolytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria (CNFB) can enhance the conversion of LCB into various bioproducts (e.g., biofuels and soil conditioners). Based on the knowledge of the biotechnological potential of CNFB disseminated in this review, there are prospects for further research to biovalorize LCB towards a carbon-neutral circular economy.

AB - Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is produced in large quantities throughout the world every year and represents a major sink for photosynthetically fixed carbon. However, in some countries, lignocellulosic materials are viewed as agricultural by-products and are often burned to quickly prepare the land for the next cropping season. This environmentally unfriendly practice contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the loss of renewable carbon-based resources. When used properly, LCB can be an inexhaustible source of renewable energy, soil conditioners, and other sustainable materials. To this end, leveraging microbial power to unlock the multifunctional value of LCB is presented as one of the very promising pathways toward sustainable development. However, LCB, despite its high carbon content, has a low nitrogen concentration, which may limit its microbial degradation in environments with little or no additional nitrogen. Fortunately, some cellulolytic bacteria can produce bioavailable nitrogen through nitrogen fixation and play a key role in LCB digestion in wood-boring organisms. In this review, we discuss how cellulolytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria (CNFB) can enhance the conversion of LCB into various bioproducts (e.g., biofuels and soil conditioners). Based on the knowledge of the biotechnological potential of CNFB disseminated in this review, there are prospects for further research to biovalorize LCB towards a carbon-neutral circular economy.

KW - Bio-products

KW - Biovalorization

KW - Cellulolytic Nitrogen-fixing Bacteria

KW - Lignocellulosic biomass

KW - Sustainable Development

U2 - 10.1016/j.indcrop.2022.115235

DO - 10.1016/j.indcrop.2022.115235

M3 - Review

AN - SCOPUS:85133766085

VL - 186

JO - Industrial Crops and Products

JF - Industrial Crops and Products

SN - 0926-6690

M1 - 115235

ER -