Progress in Bioconversion of Lignocellulosic Materials for Fuel Ethanol

Lignocellulosic material can be utilized to produce ethanol, a promising alternative energy source for the limited crude oil. There are mainly two process involved in the conversion: hydrolysis of cellulose to produce reducing sugars, and fermentation of the sugars to ethanol. The main challenges are the low yield and high cost of hydrolysis process based on current technologies. Pretreatment of lignocellulosic material to remove lignin and hemicelluloses, optimization of the cellulase enzymes, and simutineous saccharification and fermentation can significantly enhance the hydrolysis of cellulose.