Biorefinery that utilizes renewable biomass for production of fuels, chemicals and bio-materials has become more and more important in chemical industry. Recently, steam explosion technology, acid and alkali treatment are the main biorefinery treatment technologies. Meanwhile, low temperature plasma technology has attracted extensive attention in biomass refining process due to its unique chemical activity and high energy. We systemically summarize the research progress of low temperature plasma technology for pretreatment, sugar platflow, selective modification, liquefaction and gasification in biomass refinery. Moreover, the mechanism of low temperature plasma in biorefinery and its further development were also discussed.
Biomass ; Biotechnology ; methods ; Biotransformation ; Chemical Industry ; Cold Temperature ; Plasma Gases

The gelatinization process of the starch is replaced by unpolluted steam-pretreatment on the base of the Radix Puerariae rich in fiber and isoflavones. The production of ethanol and isoflavones by simultaneous saccharification and solid state fermentation (SSF) of steam-pretreatment Radix Puerariae is presented. The optimal technological conditions were obtained: Radix Puerariae being steam-pretreated at a saturated vapor pressure of 0.8 MPa for 3.5 min, glucoamylase(65 u/g), cellulase(1.5 u/g), 0.1%(NH4)2SO4, 0.1%KH2PO4 and activated yeasts being added in, and fermentation at 35-37 degrees C for 60 h. Under these conditions, the yield of ethanol and isoflavones from 100 g Radix Pureriae (dry basis) were 27.47 g and 4.43 g, respectively, the starch utilization rate was 95%. In comparison with the traditional fermentation technology, the simultaneous saccharification and SSF of steam-pretreatment Radix Puerariae is clean and energy-saving. It provides new way of the production of ethanol from the non-food starch material, and worthwhile to be explored and implemented in industry.
Cellulase ; metabolism ; Ethanol ; metabolism ; Fermentation ; physiology ; Glucan 1,4-alpha-Glucosidase ; metabolism ; Isoflavones ; biosynthesis ; Pueraria ; metabolism ; Steam ; Yeasts ; metabolism