Explore the potential of biomass-based chemicals with this comprehensive new reference from leading voices in the field

With the depletion of fossil raw materials a readily ascertainable inevitability, the exploitation of biomass-based renewable derivatives becomes ever more practical and realistic. In Biomass Valorization: Sustainable Methods for the Production of Chemicals, accomplished researchers and authors Davide Ravelli and Chiara Samori deliver a thorough compilation of state-of-the-art techniques and most advanced strategies used to convert biomass into useful building blocks and commodity chemicals.

Each chapter in this collection of insightful papers begins by detailing the core components of the described technology, along with a fulsome description of its advantages and limitations, before moving on to a discussion of recent advancements in the field. The discussions are grouped by the processed biomass, such as terrestrial biomass, aquatic biomass, and biomass-deriving waste.

Readers will also benefit from the inclusion of:

• A thorough introduction to the role of biomass in the production of chemicals
• An exploration of biomass processing via acid, base and metal catalysis, as well as biocatalysis
• A practical discussion of biomass processing via pyrolysis and thermochemical-biological hybrid processes
• A concise treatment of biomass processing assisted by ultrasound and via electrochemical, photochemical and mechanochemical means

Perfect for chemical engineers, catalytic chemists, biotechnologists, and polymer chemists, Biomass Valorization: Sustainable Methods for the Production of Chemicals will also earn a place in the libraries of environmental chemists and professionals working with organometallics and natural products chemists.

Davide Ravelli is Assistant Professor at the PhotoGreen Laboratory of the University of Pavia. His research focus is on photochemical reactions and their applications in various fields, especially sustainable organic synthesis.

Chiara Samorì is Assistant Professor at the Green Chemistry Lab of the University of Bologna. She is primarily interested in the extraction of biomass using sustainable solvents for producing third generation biofuels, bioactive compounds, and bioplastics.