Biomass & Bioenergy最新文献

{"title":"Green hydrothermal valorization of waste Luffa cylindrica to levulinic acid","authors":"Shanku Pratim Borah,&nbsp;Anindita Das,&nbsp;Vaibhav V. Goud,&nbsp;Kaustubha Mohanty","doi":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109180","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109180","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The intrinsic characteristics of lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) are highly encouraging for crafting numerous valuable downstream energy commodities. The present study addressed the valorization of LCB waste <em>Luffa cylindrica</em>, towards the production of Levulinic acid (LA). LA is a promising platform chemical with an amplified perspective in several industries like pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and petroleum. In pursuit of a direct and promising thermochemical strategy, we manifested a water-driven hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) process for the AlCl₃, FeCl₃, ZnCl₂ and CaCl₂ assisted hydrolysis of cellulosic components to LA. The water-methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) system under sub-critical conditions (210 °C, 30 bar, and 30 min) achieved the highest LA yield (45.25 ± 2.21%) with carbon closure of 91.3%. The addition of AlCl₃ increased Brønsted-Lewis acidity, boosting LA production, as confirmed by High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR). In addition, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis was used to quantify catalyst leaching, showing residual Al in the liquid products was only 0.01 wt%. The solid by-product (humins) was structurally proposed to consist of highly oxygenated, cross-linked polymeric networks, exhibiting dense O/C ratios of 42%, 46%, and 51% in Al, Fe, and Ca-catalyzed residues, respectively. Moreover, an LCA-based assessment integrating lab-scale precision and regional energy dynamics reveals global warming potential (0.55 kg CO₂ eq. per 1 kg of LA produced) as the most significant environmental impact. The outcomes of this study provides new insights into implementing the HTL process for designing a green pathway to synthesize LA from LCB waste.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":253,"journal":{"name":"Biomass & Bioenergy","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 109180"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147360838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Solving the bottleneck of industrial-scale biomass feeding: An experimental-informed modeling study of pellet flow","authors":"Yidong Xia,&nbsp;Nepu Saha,&nbsp;Yingqian Lin,&nbsp;Jordan Klinger","doi":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109197","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109197","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Herbaceous energy crops like miscanthus offer significant potential for bioenergy but suffer from poor flowability during material handling and feeding, leading to costly process upsets such as jamming and clogging. This study investigates the use of a densification (i.e., pelletization) method as an additional preprocessing step after milling to overcome these challenges, comparing the flow performance of miscanthus (<em>Miscanthus × giganteus</em>) pellets against baseline milled miscanthus. A pilot-scale ring die pellet mill was used to produce pellets from 6-mm milled miscanthus, which were then characterized for physical properties including diameter, length, density, and stiffness. Using a physical experiment-informed modeling approach, the study developed discrete element method simulations to analyze the criticality of pellet properties (aspect ratio, stiffness, friction) and wedge hopper geometries (wall inclination angle, opening width) on discharge flow rate. Simulations revealed that initial packing of pellets can occasionally induce jamming but is only likely with long pellets. Results demonstrated that pellet length and hopper opening are the most influential parameters, and pellets, especially short, stiff pellets, significantly outperformed milled miscanthus, achieving continuous, stable flow rates exceeding the industrial target of 2000 metric tons/day (or 83 metric tons/hour). More importantly, hopper flow rate of pellets can be accurately controlled with outlet opening for design needs. A deep neural network model was subsequently trained on the simulation data to create a predictive design chart. The findings confirm that pelletization effectively eliminates downtime risks associated with herbaceous biomass, validating its benefit as a promising process for scalable biorefinery operations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":253,"journal":{"name":"Biomass & Bioenergy","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 109197"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147360839","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tailoring heteroatom-doped carbon fibers for microbial electrochemical systems: A review on co-doping electrochemical impact","authors":"Nur Adreena Alia Azmady ,&nbsp;Farhana Aziz ,&nbsp;Juhana Jaafar ,&nbsp;Wan Norharyati Wan Salleh ,&nbsp;Mohd Akmali Mokhter","doi":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109205","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109205","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The implementation of heteroatom-doping of carbon fibres (CF) has emerged as a promising modification alternative for electrochemical systems such as Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC). This is mainly due to their enhanced electronic conductivity, catalytic activity, and surface reactivity. The incorporation of heteroatoms into carbon matrices modifies the electronic structure that creates active sites which will significantly improve the charge transfer and electrocatalytic performance. Novel carbon materials often suffer from limited functionality, but co-doping such as nitrogen-sulfur (N-S) introduces synergistics effects that enhance both pseudocapacitance and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity. The fabrication of N-S co-doped carbon fibres typically involves precursor selection, such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN) or biomass, followed by thermal treatments like pyrolysis in the presence of N and S sources, such as thiourea or ammonium persulphate. Advanced techniques like electrospinning are also employed to create fibrous structures with high surface areas before doping. Studies have demonstrated that N-S co-doped carbon fibres exhibit superior electrochemical performance, with increased specific capacitance (up to 450 F/g) and improved ORR onset potentials due to the combined effects of pyrrolic-N, pyridinic-N, and thiophenic-S configurations of the N-S chemical structure. In addition to that, these materials show excellent stability in harsh electrochemical environments, such as when using wastewater in the system. Overall, the tunability of heteroatom doping ratios and the scalability of synthesis methods make these materials highly versatile for next-generation energy storage and conversion technologies, offering a sustainable alternative to precious metal-based catalysts which also combines the cost-effectiveness with high performance for diverse electrochemical applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":253,"journal":{"name":"Biomass & Bioenergy","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 109205"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147360841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sequential biohydrogen and biomethane production from sewage sludge, alkaline-pretreated bamboo leaves, and banana peel: Process performance and energy recovery","authors":"Ramadan Hassany ,&nbsp;Ruizhe Zhang ,&nbsp;Qian Ping ,&nbsp;Yongmei Li","doi":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109211","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109211","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Two-stage fermentation process for sequential biohydrogen (bio-H₂) and biomethane (bio-CH₄) production offers a promising route to valorize the increasing volumes of sewage sludge (SS), lignocellulosic bamboo leaves (BL), and banana peel (BP). This study investigates the co-fermentation of SS with alkaline-pretreated BL and BP, a substrate combination not previously systematically evaluated, and their influence on microbial community composition to enhance bio-H₂ and bio-CH₄ yields. First, the hydrogen-producing inoculum was thermally pretreated across five temperatures (60−100 °C) for two durations (30 and 60 min) to identify the best-performing condition for enriching hydrogen-producing bacteria, with 80 °C for 60 min yielding the maximum H₂ yield (98.79 <span><math><mrow><mo>±</mo></mrow></math></span> 14.14 mLH₂/g glucose). Subsequently, the effect of substrate mixing ratios was investigated by evaluating three co-fermentation SS:BL:BP ratios based on volatile solids (VS) of 50:25:25, 25:50:25, and 25:25:50, alongside mono-fermentation controls for each individual substrate. Co-fermentation at a 25:50:25 ratio fostered a highly efficient bacterial community that enhanced hydrolysis and acidogenesis, resulting in the highest specific bio-H₂ and bio-CH₄ production (22.91 <span><math><mrow><mo>±</mo></mrow></math></span> 0.68 mLH₂/gVS_added and 390.80 <span><math><mrow><mo>±</mo></mrow></math></span> 9.88 mLCH₄/gVS_added, respectively). Kinetic analysis of both stages confirmed the efficacy of this ratio, demonstrating enhanced production kinetics and ensuring rapid microbial acclimatization. Comparative gross energy recovery assessment demonstrated that the two-stage system significantly outperformed a single-stage anaerobic system, with the 25:50:25 ratio achieving a 20.25% increase in total energy recovery. These results establish the synergistic potential of co-fermenting SS, alkaline-pretreated BL, and BP for simultaneous waste valorization and enhanced renewable energy production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":253,"journal":{"name":"Biomass & Bioenergy","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 109211"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147387623","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Production of high-purity xylo-oligosaccharides from sugarcane bagasse by two-step hydrolysis using low-concentration p-toluenesulfonic acid and xylanase","authors":"Zhili Li ,&nbsp;Yuwei Liu ,&nbsp;Chaoqin Zhang ,&nbsp;Junjie Hao ,&nbsp;Xuefang Chen ,&nbsp;Haijun Guo ,&nbsp;Hairong Zhang ,&nbsp;Lian Xiong ,&nbsp;Hailong Li ,&nbsp;Xinde Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109133","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109133","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) have attracted considerable interest due to their functional prebiotic activity and broad application potential. Conventional dilute acid pretreatment typically employs a one-step hydrolysis method for XOS production, which often requires high reaction temperatures and extended durations, and tends to yield products with a high degree of polymerization (DP). The use of <em>p</em>-toluenesulfonic acid (<em>p</em>-TsOH) as a strong organic acid offers an effective pretreatment approach that reduces reaction severity, better preserves cellulose integrity, and facilitates acid recovery. In this study, a two-step hydrolysis process was developed using sugarcane bagasse (SCB) as the raw material, combining low-concentration <em>p</em>-TsOH pretreatment with enzymatic hydrolysis by xylanase to produce high-purity XOS. Optimal conditions for <em>p</em>-TsOH pretreatment were first determined through single-factor experiments: 0.3% acid concentration, 150 °C, and 45 min, resulting in a XOS yield of 47.7% without formation of inhibitors. Subsequent hydrolysis with xylanase (40 IU/mL) increased the proportion of xylobiose (X₂) and xylotriose (X₃) in the XOS products from 24.1% to 67.4%. Further purification by 16% activated carbon adsorption, water washing for impurity removal, and ethanol elution achieved a XOS recovery rate of 80.9% and purity of 91.01%, with X₂ and X₃ reaching 76.4%. The structural identity of the products was confirmed by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. This process provides a novel strategy for valorizing SCB and producing high-purity XOS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":253,"journal":{"name":"Biomass & Bioenergy","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 109133"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146778128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rhizospheric microbiomes as reservoirs for multifaceted agricultural, environmental, and industrial applications","authors":"Alaa A. Alnahari ,&nbsp;Fatimah M. Alshehrei","doi":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109118","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109118","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rhizospheric microbiomes associated with wild plant species represent an untapped reservoir of biodiversity with significant potential to transform industrial applications. This review collates recent research efforts aimed at harnessing the diverse functional roles of these microbial communities, with particular attention to the exemplary wild plants <em>Moringa oleifera</em>, <em>Abutilon fruticosum</em>, and <em>Dipterygium glaucum</em>. Our synthesis is anchored in datasets and case studies from the arid northwestern region of Saudi Arabia, particularly the Mecca area, where these wild plants and their highly adapted rhizospheric microbiomes provide model systems for broader arid and marginal agroecosystems. The central aim is to elucidate the impact of these soil microbiomes on sustainable agricultural practices, environmental remediation strategies, and biotechnological innovations. In particular, we synthesize current evidence on rhizospheric microbiomes of the wild plant species <em>Moringa oleifera</em>, <em>Abutilon fruticosum</em>, and <em>Dipterygium glaucum</em>, emphasizing their roles in sustainable agriculture, environmental remediation, and industrial biotechnology and how these systems can be harnessed as sources of eco-friendly bioinoculants, antibiotic resistance mitigation strategies, and novel enzymes and metabolites. We delve into strategies for the rational development of high-value biomolecules, exemplified by biofertilizers, biopesticides, and biocontrol agents derived from plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), underscoring their inherent capacity to enhance nutrient cycling, bolster plant health, and facilitate the design of efficacious bioinoculants. These bioinoculants are strategically positioned to modulate biotic and abiotic stress responses, concomitantly diminishing the dependence on environmentally deleterious chemical inputs. Furthermore, the attenuation of antibiotic resistance mediated by rhizospheric microbiomes is critically examined, alongside the potential for developing advanced diagnostic platforms for the rapid detection of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) within complex agricultural systems. In addition, we explore the capacity of the wild plant soil rhizosphere to serve as a repository of novel enzymes and metabolites, with implications for diverse industrial sectors encompassing biofuel production, paper manufacturing, bioenergy production, and the development of cosmeceutical products. The functional characterization of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and other key enzymes within defined Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) metabolic pathways, coupled with a discussion of the speculative metabolic engineering potential of plants to potentiate beneficial plant-microbe interactions, are presented as pivotal strategies for unlocking the latent industrial potential of these complex rhizospheric microbiomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":253,"journal":{"name":"Biomass & Bioenergy","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 109118"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146778155","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Upgrading of food waste by hydrothermal carbonization: production, characterization, and application for hydrothermal products","authors":"Jiayu Xu ,&nbsp;Bin Hao ,&nbsp;Jinge Hu ,&nbsp;Ying Gao ,&nbsp;Tongxin Sun ,&nbsp;Taotao Wu ,&nbsp;Hui Xu ,&nbsp;Haiping Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109176","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109176","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) demonstrates significant advantages in the resource recovery of food waste. In this study, a strategy for enhancing the utilization value of the aqueous phase was evaluated. This involves the co-optimization of dual products (aqueous phase and hydrochar) in the enzymatic-hydrothermal carbonization approach (EHTC), along with the application of residual hydrochar in catalytic hydrolysis. The results showed that the content of 5-HMF reached its maximum of 78.76% at 200 °C for 25 min. Nitrogen migration analysis revealed that the forms of nitrogen species in the aqueous phase were significantly influenced by the reaction conditions. Optical analysis identified a high concentration of substances with conjugated structures in the aqueous phase, and their content increased with rising reaction temperatures. The hydrochar obtained at 240 °C for 25 min exhibited superior characteristics and was successfully prepared into sulfonated hydrochar through sulfonation treatment. The results demonstrated that sulfonated hydrochar significantly increased the content of 5-HMF in the aqueous phase, while the catalytic performance showed limited sensitivity to sulfonation parameters, except for prolonged sulfonation times. Further comparative analysis indicated a competitive relationship between the formation of small-molecule compounds and complex conjugated species in the aqueous phase, with sulfonated hydrochar tending to inhibit the latter to enhance the content of small-molecule compounds. This study aims to provide new insights into maximizing the value of whole products from hydrothermal carbonization of food waste.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":253,"journal":{"name":"Biomass & Bioenergy","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 109176"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147279186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Particle separation of biomass-derived granular flows in bioenergy systems using high-load cyclone separators: effects of vortex finder geometry","authors":"Mahmoud A. El-Emam ,&nbsp;Ling Zhou ,&nbsp;Weidong Shi ,&nbsp;Linwei Tan","doi":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109166","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109166","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Efficient handling and separation of biomass-derived particulate streams are critical to the performance and sustainability of bioenergy conversion systems, particularly in thermochemical processes such as biomass combustion and gasification. Cyclone separators are widely employed for removing entrained biomass residues and inorganic particles from process gas streams; however, their performance under high solids loading and heterogeneous biomass conditions remains inadequately understood. In this study, the influence of vortex finder geometry on gas–solid separation performance is investigated for cyclone systems operating with biomass-derived particulate mixtures. Five vortex finder configurations—flat, wedged, curved, tapered in–out, and hyperboloid—are systematically evaluated and benchmarked against an experimentally validated reference design. A two-way coupled CFD–DEM approach is used to resolve gas–solid interactions, inter-particle collisions, and wall contacts for heterogeneous biogenic–mineral mixtures representative of biomass residues, including plant-based particles and sand. Simulations conducted at an inlet gas velocity of 30 m/s and a solids feed rate of 2.53 kg/s demonstrate that vortex finder geometry strongly influences flow stability, particle residence time, re-entrainment, and pressure drop. The flat vortex finder yields the most stable vortex structure and the highest separation efficiency, thereby improving gas cleanliness and reducing solids carryover. These findings provide mechanistic insight into cyclone operation under biomass-relevant conditions and offer practical guidance for the design of gas-cleaning units to enhance the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of bioenergy systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":253,"journal":{"name":"Biomass & Bioenergy","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 109166"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147279193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Empty fruit bunch conversion into renewable solid fuel through hydrothermal carbonization","authors":"Yusuf Ahda ,&nbsp;Wiwie Chaeruni ,&nbsp;Ilham Arnif ,&nbsp;Desy Kurniawati ,&nbsp;Indah Sakina Pansawati ,&nbsp;Topan Frans Saputra ,&nbsp;Yustika Agustin ,&nbsp;Rendi Januardi ,&nbsp;Zulramadhanie ,&nbsp;Tata Sutardi ,&nbsp;Taopik Hidayat ,&nbsp;Moch Zulfikar Eka Prayoga ,&nbsp;Cahyadi","doi":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109184","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109184","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Palm oil mills generate substantial quantities of lignocellulosic material, including empty fruit bunch (EFB). EFB is further utilized after conversion to hydrochar through hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). The process was examined at four distinct temperatures: 150, 180, 210, and 230 °C, under liquid-to-solid ratios of 5:1 (R5) and 10:1 (R10). The laboratory analyses demonstrated that HTC substantially enhanced the fuel properties of EFB by increasing carbon content, heating value, and fixed carbon, while decreasing volatile matter and oxygen content. The novelty of this work lies in the systematic assessment of potassium reduction and its implications for ash deposition behaviour under varying HTC conditions. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis indicated a marked reduction in alkali oxides. Complementary scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS) revealed morphological transitions from irregular and porous particles to denser, partially sintered structures with increasing HTC temperature. Among all samples, HTC230R10 exhibited the most favourable ash characteristic, indicating reduced alkali content and minimal agglomeration tendency. The present study demonstrated the efficacy of HTC as a promising thermochemical pathway to mitigate ash-related deposition issues and enhance the combustion stability of EFB. Moreover, these findings are posited to contribute to the reliability and sustainability of biomass as a fuel.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":253,"journal":{"name":"Biomass & Bioenergy","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 109184"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147329983","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lactic acid bacteria in dark fermentation: From competitor to syntrophic partner for biohydrogen production from complex sugars","authors":"Zi-Tong Zhao ,&nbsp;Jie Ding ,&nbsp;Geng Luo ,&nbsp;Xian Zhao ,&nbsp;Han-Jun Sun ,&nbsp;Bing-Feng Liu ,&nbsp;Ji-Wei Pang ,&nbsp;Nan-Qi Ren ,&nbsp;Shan-Shan Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109185","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.109185","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dark fermentation of pretreated lignocellulosic hydrolysates represents a promising pathway for renewable biohydrogen production. However, the complex reducing sugar (RS) compositions and metabolic interactions between microbiota remain unresolved. This study systematically evaluated the biohydrogen production performance from mesophilic dark fermentation and microbial network dynamics of different RS systems at relevant concentrations, aiming to reveal the underlying microbial drivers behind variations in hydrogen production efficiency. Batch fermentation experiments showed that hexoses-based substrates outperformed pentose-based substrates in hydrogen production, yielding 102.09% and 60.25% more hydrogen at concentrations of 3.5 g/L and 20 g/L, respectively. Under low-concentration conditions (3.5 g/L), the galactose-fed group exhibited greater hydrogen production potential than the glucose-fed group, with a 12.76% increase in hydrogen yield. Additionally, the mixed sugar systems effectively enhanced pentose utilization potential, achieving hydrogen yields only 6.46%-13.89% lower than pure hexose-based systems. Notably, despite lactate accumulation reaching 972.47 mg/L under high RS concentration (20 g/L), hydrogen production increased substantially from 702.68 mL H₂/L fermentation broth to 2287.79 mL H₂/L fermentation broth. Three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (3D-EEM) analysis further indicated a 41.98% enhancement in humic-like substance-associated fluorescence intensity under the 20 g/L condition. Furthermore, microbial network analysis revealed that <em>Lactobacillus</em> could contribute positively to hydrogen production efficiency through synergistic interactions with certain hydrogen-producing bacteria. These findings reframe <em>Lactobacillus</em> sp. from a conventional carbon competitor to a collaborative participant within hydrogen-producing consortia, highlighting the potential of strategies based on substrate composition and microbial network regulation for biohydrogen production from lignocellulosic waste.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":253,"journal":{"name":"Biomass & Bioenergy","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 109185"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147330209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}