Extraction of lignin from biomass for biofuel production

Abstract

With the increasing population on planet Earth, the demand for the production of fuel and energy is increasing day by day. Second-generation biofuels are much more efficient as compared to first-generation biofuels as they use agricultural residues and waste products as biomass for the generation of biofuel. These biofuels need huge energy, time, cost, and potential for pretreatment processes. As the biomass is mainly composed of cellulose, lignin, and hemicelluloses, it needs to be treated for removal and extraction of hemicelluloses and lignin, respectively. Biofuel generation is dependent on the quality of biomass used. Different input biomasses for secondary fuel generation include wheat straw, barley straw, sugarcane bagasse, rapeseed residues, switchgrass, and lignocellulosic waste products. This chapter discusses second-generation biofuels, extraction methods of lignin from biomass, and advantages and limitations of lignin extraction from biomass. As soon as the oil refineries are replaced by biorefineries, societies will be benefitedby switching from hydrocarbon feedstocks to renewable carbohydrates as a source of energy and biofuels. Finally, the chapter intends to look forward into the future research on biotechnological fuel development.