Microorganisms and Enzymes Used in the Biological Pretreatment of the Substrate to Enhance Biogas Production: A Review

Abstract

The pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass (LC biomass) prior to the anaerobic digestion (AD) process is a mandatory step to improve feedstock biodegradability and biogas production. An important potential is provided by lignocellulosic materials since lignocellulose represents a major source for biogas production, thus contributing to the environmental sustainability. The main limitation of LC biomass for use is its resistant structure. Lately, biological pretreatment (BP) gained popularity because they are eco-friendly methods that do not require chemical or energy input. A large number of bacteria and fungi possess great ability to convert high molecular weight compounds from the substrate into lower mass compounds due to the synthesis of microbial extracellular enzymes. Microbial strains isolated from various sources are used singly or in combination to break down the recalcitrant polymeric structures and thus increase biogasgeneration. Enzymatic treatment of LC biomass depends mainly on enzymes like hemicellulases and cellulases generated by microorganisms. The articles main purpose is to provide an overview regarding the enzymatic/biological pretreatment as one of the most potent techniques for enhancing biogas production.