Microbial Biorefineries

Microbial-based biorefineries offer a promising, science-driven pathway toward sustainable development. By transforming waste streams into valuable bioproducts, these scalable technologies not only advance the global circular bioeconomy but also provide tangible solutions to some of the most pressing socioeconomic issues of our time. This book showcases the role of various microbial cell factories towards waste beneficiation, highlighting both the opportunities for and barriers to the industrial implementation of these technologies.

• Expands the horizon of biomass valorization by presenting novel, scalable technologies that can be directly applied by scientists and engineers.

• Explores emerging R&D trends in microbial-based biorefineries, including the valorization of novel and underutilized biodegradable waste streams such as agri-waste, fruit waste, and fats/oils/greases, alongside traditional residues like agricultural biomass.

• Focuses on the upcycling and beneficiation of diverse organic waste streams into a broader portfolio of value-added products, including biochemicals, biomaterials, food additives, biofuels, and biostimulants.

• Contextualizes innovations through comprehensive techno-economic assessments and life cycle studies, evaluating economic and environmental viability of these solutions.

By focusing on scalable, economically viable innovations and positioning microbial cell factories as key enablers of resource valorization, this book bridges policy aspirations and practical applications, offering readers in chemical, bio, and environmental engineering and related disciplines concrete pathways to translate circular economy concepts into industrial reality.