Valorization of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Biofuel: A Systematic Review

Lignocellulosic biomass, derived from plant materials, represents a renewable alternative to fossil fuels and plays a crucial role in advancing environmental sustainability. This systematic review investigates recent developments in the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into biofuels, with a foc...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mbuyu Germain Ntunka, Siphesihle Mangena Khumalo, Thobeka Pearl Makhathini, Sphesihle Mtsweni, Marc Mulamba Tshibangu, Joseph Kapuku Bwapwa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:ChemEngineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2305-7084/9/3/58
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849433977653297152
author Mbuyu Germain Ntunka
Siphesihle Mangena Khumalo
Thobeka Pearl Makhathini
Sphesihle Mtsweni
Marc Mulamba Tshibangu
Joseph Kapuku Bwapwa
author_facet Mbuyu Germain Ntunka
Siphesihle Mangena Khumalo
Thobeka Pearl Makhathini
Sphesihle Mtsweni
Marc Mulamba Tshibangu
Joseph Kapuku Bwapwa
author_sort Mbuyu Germain Ntunka
collection DOAJ
description Lignocellulosic biomass, derived from plant materials, represents a renewable alternative to fossil fuels and plays a crucial role in advancing environmental sustainability. This systematic review investigates recent developments in the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into biofuels, with a focus on pre-treatment technologies that enhance enzymatic hydrolysis, a critical step in efficient biofuel production. This review addresses two primary questions: (1) What are the most effective pre-treatment methods for enhancing enzymatic hydrolysis in lignocellulosic biomass conversion? (2) How do these pre-treatment methods compare in terms of efficiency, environmental impact, and economic feasibility? Consequently, studies were selected based on inclusion criteria that focus on research investigating these pre-treatment methods and their comparative performance. A structured search of original studies was applied across databases such as Crossref, Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, and Semantic Scholar, resulting in the inclusion of 17 peer-reviewed articles published between 2019 and 2024. The findings highlight effective pre-treatment methods that significantly improve enzymatic accessibility and bioethanol yields. However, ongoing challenges such as feedstock variability, process efficiency, and cost-effectiveness remain. These results highlight the need for further research and development to optimize conversion technologies and identify new areas for exploration.
format Article
id doaj-art-42f74a1a4e5e42f883d5c25343363d4e
institution Kabale University
issn 2305-7084
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series ChemEngineering
spelling doaj-art-42f74a1a4e5e42f883d5c25343363d4e2025-08-20T03:26:51ZengMDPI AGChemEngineering2305-70842025-05-01935810.3390/chemengineering9030058Valorization of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Biofuel: A Systematic ReviewMbuyu Germain Ntunka0Siphesihle Mangena Khumalo1Thobeka Pearl Makhathini2Sphesihle Mtsweni3Marc Mulamba Tshibangu4Joseph Kapuku Bwapwa5Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & The Built Environment, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4000, South AfricaDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & The Built Environment, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4000, South AfricaDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Jacobs, Durban 4026, South AfricaDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Jacobs, Durban 4026, South AfricaDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Jacobs, Durban 4026, South AfricaDepartment of Civil Engineering, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Jacobs, Durban 4026, South AfricaLignocellulosic biomass, derived from plant materials, represents a renewable alternative to fossil fuels and plays a crucial role in advancing environmental sustainability. This systematic review investigates recent developments in the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into biofuels, with a focus on pre-treatment technologies that enhance enzymatic hydrolysis, a critical step in efficient biofuel production. This review addresses two primary questions: (1) What are the most effective pre-treatment methods for enhancing enzymatic hydrolysis in lignocellulosic biomass conversion? (2) How do these pre-treatment methods compare in terms of efficiency, environmental impact, and economic feasibility? Consequently, studies were selected based on inclusion criteria that focus on research investigating these pre-treatment methods and their comparative performance. A structured search of original studies was applied across databases such as Crossref, Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, and Semantic Scholar, resulting in the inclusion of 17 peer-reviewed articles published between 2019 and 2024. The findings highlight effective pre-treatment methods that significantly improve enzymatic accessibility and bioethanol yields. However, ongoing challenges such as feedstock variability, process efficiency, and cost-effectiveness remain. These results highlight the need for further research and development to optimize conversion technologies and identify new areas for exploration.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-7084/9/3/58pre-treatmentvalorizationlignocellulosic biomassenzymatic hydrolysisbiofuelbio-conversion
spellingShingle Mbuyu Germain Ntunka
Siphesihle Mangena Khumalo
Thobeka Pearl Makhathini
Sphesihle Mtsweni
Marc Mulamba Tshibangu
Joseph Kapuku Bwapwa
Valorization of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Biofuel: A Systematic Review
ChemEngineering
pre-treatment
valorization
lignocellulosic biomass
enzymatic hydrolysis
biofuel
bio-conversion
title Valorization of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Biofuel: A Systematic Review
title_full Valorization of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Biofuel: A Systematic Review
title_fullStr Valorization of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Biofuel: A Systematic Review
title_full_unstemmed Valorization of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Biofuel: A Systematic Review
title_short Valorization of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Biofuel: A Systematic Review
title_sort valorization of lignocellulosic biomass to biofuel a systematic review
topic pre-treatment
valorization
lignocellulosic biomass
enzymatic hydrolysis
biofuel
bio-conversion
url https://www.mdpi.com/2305-7084/9/3/58
work_keys_str_mv AT mbuyugermainntunka valorizationoflignocellulosicbiomasstobiofuelasystematicreview
AT siphesihlemangenakhumalo valorizationoflignocellulosicbiomasstobiofuelasystematicreview
AT thobekapearlmakhathini valorizationoflignocellulosicbiomasstobiofuelasystematicreview
AT sphesihlemtsweni valorizationoflignocellulosicbiomasstobiofuelasystematicreview
AT marcmulambatshibangu valorizationoflignocellulosicbiomasstobiofuelasystematicreview
AT josephkapukubwapwa valorizationoflignocellulosicbiomasstobiofuelasystematicreview