Aims: In solid state fermentation (SSF), estimation of biomass is difficult as fungal mycelium penetrates deep and remains attached to the solid substrate particles. This study examines and evaluates a new technique based on colour changes of fermented substrates during SSF as an indicator for fungal growth. Methodology and Results: SSF refers to microbial fermentation, which takes place in the absence or near absence of free water, thus being close to the natural environment in which the selected microorganisms, especially fungi, are naturally adapted. Although many promising methods are available, the evaluation of microbial growth in SSF may sometimes become difficult, impractical, and inaccurate. Essentially, this remains another critical issue for monitoring growth. In this study, measurements of colour changes of fermented substrates during SSF are used as indicators for growth and this technique has a potential to be used to quantify growth of microbes. For the growth of Aspergillus awamori and A. oryzae on wheat bran, soybean hulls, and rapeseed meal, it was confirmed that colour changes were directly proportional to the fungal growth. This new approach is an important complementation to the existing techniques, especially for basic studies. The advantages of this method are its ease of use, fast, non-destructive, cheap, and requires no special and expensive reagents. The key finding is that the colorimetric technique demonstrated in this study provides good means to estimate growth than that obtained by visual observation or spores counting.
Biomass ; Fermentation

Lignin valorization for fuels and value-added products is essential to enhance the profitability and sustainability of biorefineries. Due to the complex and heterogeneous structure of lignin, technical barriers hinder the implementation of economic lignin utilization. Here, we summarize the major challenges facing lignin valorization processes. Different pretreatment methods, especially emerging combinatorial pretreatment approaches for isolating and tailoring lignin are introduced. To overcome the heterogeneity of lignin structure and improve lignin processability, advances in fractionation approaches including organosolv extraction, membrane technology, and gradient precipitation are analyzed and presented. Furthermore, progress in lignin valorization by thermochemical and biological conversion coupling with pretreatment and fractionation are systematically reviewed. Finally, we discuss advanced strategies and perspectives for future research involving biomass pretreatment, lignin fractionation and conversion processes.
Biomass ; Lignin

Biomass is the most abundant organic macromolecules in nature, which is expected to achieve the brilliant of biorefinery equivalent to petroleum refining. However, it is considered as the future industry to human due to the complicated composition and transformation processes. The traditional lignocellulose bio-refining thoughts ignored the functional requirements of products, but spent a lot of energies to destruct macromolecule into small molecules, and then converted the small molecules into different products, which was high energy consumption and low atom economy. How to realize the biorefinery of lignocellulose is the key point and difficulty to achieve the biomass industry. An ideal biorefinery of lignocellulose should as far as possibly to obtain the maximum yield of each component, to maintain the integrity of the molecule, to optimize the utilization of raw materials and finally to realize the maximum value. Therefore, it requires the raw materials refining of lignocellosic biomass should be based on the relationship of structure, process transformation and related product characteristics. This special issue reports the latest advances in the fields of raw material refinery, refining technologies, conversion technologies of component.
Biomass ; Biotransformation ; Lignin ; chemistry

Micro- and mini-bioreactors are characterized by their miniature working volume and comprehensive monitoring of process data, e.g., biomass, pH, dissolved oxygen, and fluorescence that are on par with conventional bench-top systems. The technical advancements of micro- and mini-bioreactors are supported by single-use material and micro-manufacturing, non-invasive optical sensors, automation such as industrial robotics and the integration of design of experiment software with data acquisition and process control. Owing to the miniature scales, micro-bioreactors typically feature lower turbulence intensity and energy dissipation rate, resulting in different mass transfer, mixing and shear conditions as compared to industrial scale equipment. Mini-bioreactors, nevertheless, are closer to large vessels. Micro- and mini-bioreactors are used mostly in screening and process development nowadays, owing to their combined high throughput and richness of data. They are also the hardware that will enable "precision medicine" in the near future.
Biomass ; Bioreactors ; Oxygen

OBJECTIVETo study the biomass structure of Epimedium acuminatum Franch in the different ecological environments for the development and protection.

METHODThrough the scientific investigation in four typical habitats, the sampling spots were set up, the functional modules' biomass structure and relationship of E. acuminatum were researched.

RESULTThe average of rhizome, as the largest biomass, and the average total biomass had the same pattern: the open areas of forest edge > shrub lumber > shrub-weed > stream drains. The ratio of the functional modules' biomass had different rates under different habitat conditions. By analyzing and combining investigation, the aerial part of E. acuminatum in the shrub-weed were comparative advantage, and the roots of nutrient accumulation of E. acuminatum in the open areas of forest edge were the highest efficient. Under different ecological condition, the distribution of water metabolism was different strategies.

CONCLUSIONIn the open areas of forest edge, E. acuminatum growing well, followed by shrub-weed. These two habitats are the ideal ecological environments while the rhizome or the whole plant used as medicine, but also the protection of E. acuminatum.

With the rapid development of modern biotechnology, fermentation process is increasingly important in industrial production. To guarantee the stability of products, fermentation process should be elaborately monitored and controlled. Biomass is an important parameter for on-line monitoring in bioprocesses because biomass can reflect cell growth in a bioreactor directly. In-situ microscope, a non-invasive and image-analysis based technology, can real-time monitor cells in biological process. This review summarizes the development and application of in-situ microscopy in biomass monitoring.
Biomass ; Bioreactors ; Biotechnology ; Fermentation ; Microscopy

OBJECTIVEDiscuss the trade-off between vegetative growth and reproductive growth.

METHODVegetative modules and reproductive modules by large sampling were separated and quantitative charecters of organs and pattern of reproductive allocation were analysed of reproductive allocation were analysed.

RESULTThe phenotype plasticity of quantitative charecters were significant. Reproductive biomass was increasing at different stages. The mass of reproductive investment increased significantly with increasing individual size, the opposite of reproductive allocation. There were all significant positive correlations between the seeds weight and height, total biomass, vegetative biomass, reproductive biomass, fruit numbers, fruit weight.

CONCLUSIONThe significance of phenotype plasticity is the cause of multiple elements. In the process of transferring from vegetative growth to reproductive growth, there was a trade-off between organs. Under individual growth and reproductive strategy, the variation of biomass was allocated coordinately.

OBJECTIVETo study the dynamic accumulation of the effective components and biomass of Coptis chinensis, so to provide the experimental date of optimal harvest time for C. chinensis in Hongya county.

METHODThe samples of three to five years were gathered from the same field and time. The biomass was analyzed by weighed. The jatrorrhizine, columbamine, epiberberine, coptisine, palmatine and berberine in C. chinensis were analyzed by HPLC.

RESULTWith the increasing of years of growth, the rootstalk biomass of C. chinensis was increasing continuously. The biomass growth of four-year-old C. chinensis was the fastest in the year. From September to October was the fastest season of the growth of rootstalk. The dynamic accumulation in rootstalk C. chinensis had regularity in the certain extend. The contents of six alkaloids and all alkaloids in 4-year-old C. chinensis were more than that in 3-years-old and 5-year-old. The contents of six alkaloids were mostly highest in August. From July to December, there is no significant difference in the contents of columbamine, epiberberine, coptisine, palmatine, berberine and all alkaloids in 4-years-old C. chinensis.

CONCLUSIONAccording to the biomass and the accumulation pattern of the effective components in the C. chinensis, the optimal harvest time is from September to October of 4-year-old C. chinensis.

Bio-based materials are new materials or chemicals with renewable biomass as raw materials such as grain, legume, straw, bamboo and wood powder. This class of materials includes bio-based polymer, biobased fiber, glycotechnology products, biobased rubber and plastics produced by biomass thermoplastic processing and basic biobased chemicals, for instance, bio-alcohols, organic acids, alkanes, and alkenes, obtained by bio-synthesis, bio-processing and bio-refinery. Owing to its environmental friendly and resource conservation, bio-based materials are becoming a new dominant industry taking the lead in the world scientific and technological innovation and economic development. An overview of bio-based materials development is reported in this special issue, and the industrial status and research progress of the following aspects, including biobased fiber, polyhydroxyalkanoates, biodegradable mulching film, bio-based polyamide, protein based biomedical materials, bio-based polyurethane, and modification and processing of poly(lactic acid), are introduced.
Biomass ; Biotechnology ; Organic Chemicals ; Plastics ; Polymers ; Rubber

Microalgae have been identified as promising candidates for biorefinery of value-added molecules. The valuable products from microalgae include polyunsaturated fatty acids and pigments, clean and sustainable energy (e.g. biodiesel). Nevertheless, high cost for microalgae biomass harvesting has restricted the industrial application of microalgae. Flocculation, compared with other microalgae harvesting methods, has distinguished itself as a promising method with low cost and easy operation. Here, we reviewed the methods of microalgae harvesting using flocculation, including chemical flocculation, physical flocculation and biological flocculation, and the progress and prospect in bio-flocculation are especially focused. Harvesting microalgae via bio-flocculation, especially using bio-flocculant and microalgal strains that is self-flocculated, is one of the eco-friendly, cost-effective and efficient microalgae harvesting methods.
Biofuels ; Biomass ; Flocculation ; Microalgae ; growth & development