18 research outputs found
Decade-scale coastal bluff retreat from LiDAR data: Lake Erie coast of NW Pennsylvania, USA
Groundwater flux as a determinant of coastal-zone upland loss: a case study from the Pennsylvania coast of Lake Erie, USA
Sedimentary infilling of bedrock-controlled palaeo-embayments off Cape Trafalgar, Strait of Gibraltar (Gulf of Cadiz)
Inaccuracy introduced by LiDAR-generated cross sections and its impact on 1D hydrodynamic simulations
Geochemical processes in the saltwater–freshwater transition zone: comparing results of a sand tank experiment with field data
Utilization of coconut meal, a waste product of milk processing, as a novel substrate for biodiesel and bioethanol production
Giant Clams and Rising CO2: Light May Ameliorate Effects of Ocean Acidification on a Solar-Powered Animal
Analytical methods for lignocellulosic biomass structural polysaccharides
The use of lignocellulosic biomass has been postulated as a potential pathway toward diminishing global dependence on nonrenewable sources of chemicals and fuels. Before a specific feedstock can be selected for biochemical conversion into biofuels and bio-based chemicals, it must first be characterized to evaluate the chemical composition of the cell walls. Polysaccharides, specifically cellulose and hemicellulose, are often the focal point of these appraisals, since these constituents are the dominant substrates converted into monomeric sugars like glucose and xylose. These monosaccharides can be transformed, using microorganisms like yeast, into substances such as ethanol. Plant species containing abundant polysaccharides are highly desirable, as higher quantities of sugars should translate into larger end-product yields. Given the vast pool of potential feedstocks, qualitative and quantitative analytical methods are needed to assess cell wall polysaccharides. Many of these tools, such as wet chemical and chromatographic techniques, have been ubiquitously used for some time. Shortcomings in these analyses, however, prevent their usage in screening large sample sets for quintessential, high-yield, fuel-producing traits. This chapter briefly summarizes how analytical spectroscopy can lessen some of these limitations and how it has been utilized for polysaccharide analysis