scholarly journals Plants: biofactories for a sustainable future?

Author(s):  
Thomas Jenkins ◽  
Aurélie Bovi ◽  
Robert Edwards

Depletion of oil reserves and the associated effects on climate change have prompted a re-examination of the use of plant biomass as a sustainable source of organic carbon for the large-scale production of chemicals and materials. While initial emphasis has been placed on biofuel production from edible plant sugars, the drive to reduce the competition between crop usage for food and non-food applications has prompted massive research efforts to access the less digestible saccharides in cell walls (lignocellulosics). This in turn has prompted an examination of the use of other plant-derived metabolites for the production of chemicals spanning the high-value speciality sectors through to platform intermediates required for bulk production. The associated science of biorefining, whereby all plant biomass can be used efficiently to derive such chemicals, is now rapidly developing around the world. However, it is clear that the heterogeneity and distribution of organic carbon between valuable products and waste streams are suboptimal. As an alternative, we now propose the use of synthetic biology approaches to ‘re-construct’ plant feedstocks for optimal processing of biomass for non-food applications. Promising themes identified include re-engineering polysaccharides, deriving artificial organelles, and the reprogramming of plant signalling and secondary metabolism.

Author(s):  
BB Marvey

Large fluctuations in crude oil prices and the diminishing oil supply have left economies vulnerable to energy shortages thus placing an enormous pressure on nations around the world to seriously consider alternative renewable resources as feedstock in biofuel applications. Apart from energy security reasons, biofuels offer other advantages over their petroleum counterparts in that they contribute to the reduction in green- house gas emissions and to sustainable development. Just a few decades after discontinuing its large scale production of bioethanol for use as en- gine fuel, South Africa (SA) is again on its way to resuscitating its biofuel industry. Herein an overview is presented on South Africa’s oilseed and biofuel production, biofuels industrial strategy, industry readiness, chal- lenges in switching to biofuels and the strategies to overcome potential obstacles.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1218
Author(s):  
Imran Pancha ◽  
Kazuhiro Takaya ◽  
Kan Tanaka ◽  
Sousuke Imamura

Microalgae are considered one of the best resources for the production of biofuels and industrially important compounds. Various models have been developed to understand the fundamental mechanism underlying the accumulation of triacylglycerols (TAGs)/starch and to enhance its content in cells. Among various algae, the red alga Cyanidioschyzonmerolae has been considered an excellent model system to understand the fundamental mechanisms behind the accumulation of TAG/starch in the microalga, as it has a smaller genome size and various biotechnological methods are available for it. Furthermore, C. merolae can grow and survive under high temperature (40 °C) and low pH (2–3) conditions, where most other organisms would die, thus making it a choice alga for large-scale production. Investigations using this alga has revealed that the target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase is involved in the accumulation of carbon-reserved molecules, TAGs, and starch. Furthermore, detailed molecular mechanisms of the role of TOR in controlling the accumulation of TAGs and starch were uncovered via omics analyses. Based on these findings, genetic engineering of the key gene and proteins resulted in a drastic increment of the amount of TAGs and starch. In addition to these studies, other trials that attempted to achieve the TAG increment in C. merolae have been summarized in this article.


1993 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-131
Author(s):  
Naureen Talha

The literature on female labour in Third World countries has become quite extensive. India, being comparatively more advanced industrially, and in view of its size and population, presents a pictures of multiplicity of problems which face the female labour market. However, the author has also included Mexico in this analytical study. It is interesting to see the characteristics of developing industrialisation in two different societies: the Indian society, which is conservative, and the Mexican society, which is progressive. In the first chapter of the book, the author explains that he is not concerned with the process of industrialisation and female labour employed at different levels of work, but that he is interested in forms of production and women's employment in large-scale production, petty commodity production, marginal small production, and self-employment in the informal sector. It is only by analysis of these forms that the picture of females having a lower status is understood in its social and political setting.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 572-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ponnusamy Kannan ◽  
Samuel I.D. Presley ◽  
Pallikondaperumal Shanmugasundaram ◽  
Nagapillai Prakash ◽  
Deivanayagam Easwaramoorthy

Aim and Objective: Itopride is a prokinetic agent used for treating conditions like non-ulcer dyspepsia. Itopride is administered as its hydrochloride salt. Trimethobenzamide is used for treating nausea and vomiting and administered as its hydrochloride salt. The aim is to develop a novel and environmental friendly method for large-scale production of itopride and trimethobenzamide. Materials and Methods: Itopride and trimethobenzamide can be prepared from a common intermediate 4- (dimethylaminoethoxy) benzyl amine. The intermediate is prepared from one pot synthesis using Phyrdroxybenzaldehye and zinc dust and further reaction of the intermediate with substituted methoxy benzoic acid along with boric acid and PEG gives itopride and trimethobenzamide. Results: The intermediate 4-(dimethylaminoethoxy) benzylamine is prepared by treating p-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 2-dimethylaminoethyl chloride. The aldehyde formed is treated with hydroxylamine hydrochloride. The intermediate is confirmed by NMR and the purity is analysed by HPLC. Conclusion: Both itopride and trimethobenzamide were successfully synthesized by this method. The developed method is environmental friendly, economical for large-scale production with good yield and purity.


Marine Drugs ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 241
Author(s):  
Shaden A. M. Khalifa ◽  
Eslam S. Shedid ◽  
Essa M. Saied ◽  
Amir Reza Jassbi ◽  
Fatemeh H. Jamebozorgi ◽  
...  

Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic prokaryotic organisms which represent a significant source of novel, bioactive, secondary metabolites, and they are also considered an abundant source of bioactive compounds/drugs, such as dolastatin, cryptophycin 1, curacin toyocamycin, phytoalexin, cyanovirin-N and phycocyanin. Some of these compounds have displayed promising results in successful Phase I, II, III and IV clinical trials. Additionally, the cyanobacterial compounds applied to medical research have demonstrated an exciting future with great potential to be developed into new medicines. Most of these compounds have exhibited strong pharmacological activities, including neurotoxicity, cytotoxicity and antiviral activity against HCMV, HSV-1, HHV-6 and HIV-1, so these metabolites could be promising candidates for COVID-19 treatment. Therefore, the effective large-scale production of natural marine products through synthesis is important for resolving the existing issues associated with chemical isolation, including small yields, and may be necessary to better investigate their biological activities. Herein, we highlight the total synthesized and stereochemical determinations of the cyanobacterial bioactive compounds. Furthermore, this review primarily focuses on the biotechnological applications of cyanobacteria, including applications as cosmetics, food supplements, and the nanobiotechnological applications of cyanobacterial bioactive compounds in potential medicinal applications for various human diseases are discussed.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 1940
Author(s):  
Muhammad Usman Naseer ◽  
Ants Kallaste ◽  
Bilal Asad ◽  
Toomas Vaimann ◽  
Anton Rassõlkin

This paper presents current research trends and prospects of utilizing additive manufacturing (AM) techniques to manufacture electrical machines. Modern-day machine applications require extraordinary performance parameters such as high power-density, integrated functionalities, improved thermal, mechanical & electromagnetic properties. AM offers a higher degree of design flexibility to achieve these performance parameters, which is impossible to realize through conventional manufacturing techniques. AM has a lot to offer in every aspect of machine fabrication, such that from size/weight reduction to the realization of complex geometric designs. However, some practical limitations of existing AM techniques restrict their utilization in large scale production industry. The introduction of three-dimensional asymmetry in machine design is an aspect that can be exploited most with the prevalent level of research in AM. In order to take one step further towards the enablement of large-scale production of AM-built electrical machines, this paper also discusses some machine types which can best utilize existing developments in the field of AM.


Author(s):  
Yuting Luo ◽  
Zhiyuan Zhang ◽  
Fengning Yang ◽  
Jiong Li ◽  
Zhibo Liu ◽  
...  

Large-scale production of green hydrogen by electrochemical water splitting is considered as a promising technology to address critical energy challenges caused by the extensive use of fossil fuels. Although nonprecious...


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rozina Rashid ◽  
Muhammad Sohail

AbstractThe capacity of different Bacillus species to produce large amounts of extracellular enzymes and ability to ferment various substrates at a wide range of pH and temperature has placed them among the most promising hosts for the industrial production of many improved and novel products. The global interest in prebiotics, for example, xylooligosaccharides (XOs) is ever increasing, rousing the quest for various forms with expanded productivity. This article provides an overview of xylanase producing bacilli, with more emphasis on their capacity to be used in the production of the XOs, followed by the purification strategies, characteristics and application of XOs from bacilli. The large-scale production of XOs is carried out from a number of xylan-rich lignocellulosic materials by chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis followed by purification through chromatography, vacuum evaporation, solvent extraction or membrane separation methods. Utilization of XOs in the production of functional products as food ingredients brings well-being to individuals by improving defense system and eliminating pathogens. In addition to the effects related to health, a variety of other biological impacts have also been discussed.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 1706
Author(s):  
Zacharias Viskadourakis ◽  
Argiri Drymiskianaki ◽  
Vassilis M. Papadakis ◽  
Ioanna Ioannou ◽  
Theodora Kyratsi ◽  
...  

In the current study, polymer-based composites, consisting of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and Bismuth Antimony Telluride (BixSb2−xTe3), were produced using mechanical mixing and hot pressing. These composites were investigated regarding their electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient, with respect to Bi doping and BixSb2-xTe3 loading into the composite. Experimental results showed that their thermoelectric performance is comparable—or even superior, in some cases—to reported thermoelectric polymer composites that have been produced using other complex techniques. Consequently, mechanically mixed polymer-based thermoelectric materials could be an efficient method for low-cost and large-scale production of polymer composites for potential thermoelectric applications.


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