Welcome to this installment of Quandary This! Chemistry in the News, where we look at ways to produce materials sustainably by creating products with biomass and through biomanufacturing.
Biomanufacturing is transforming how we produce materials, chemicals, and fuels by harnessing natural biological processes instead of relying on fossil fuels and energy-intensive processes.
This innovative approach uses living systems—like bacteria, enzymes, and plant cells—to convert renewable resources into valuable products.
The most familiar example of biomanufacturing is the fermentation of barley into beer by using brewer’s yeast.In this process, microorganisms metabolize sugars and other biomass-derived source materials. However, yeast and other microbes are not limited to brewing! Thanks to advances in biotechnology, they can be engineered to produce a wide range of sustainable outputs, from biodegradable plastics to life-saving pharmaceuticals. By combining biomanufacturing with sustainable, bio-based source materials, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support and accelerate the transition to a cleaner future where materials are recycled and reused.
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General Questions (appropriate for all students)
Challenge 1: Literature Research
Challenge 2: Essay Investigation
Challenge 3: In-Depth Analysis
Suggested Reading
General Questions
Answer the following questions, using the C&EN article “Can Europe build a bioeconomy?” or another source of your choice.
- What is biomass? What is bioproduction?
- What product is Kemira trying to create by fermenting sugars?
- What are two things holding back the use of bioproduction and sustainable source material in Europe?
- What is a “commodity” in this context? What is the opposite of a commodity, as discussed in the article?
- The article mentions that there is a mismatch in goals and the allowed path to achieve the goals. Describe the goals and the obstacles, then suggest something that would help make the goals achievable.
Challenge 1: Literature Research
For Teaching Professionals: The following questions are intended to help students learn the critical skill of searching trusted sources of information, such as peer-reviewed literature, to find answers to specific questions. We encourage instructors to assign these questions to students enrolled in any introductory chemistry lab or lecture. By using literature to find the answers, students will learn to search and consume trusted scientific content with the intention of uncovering specific information. The grading is up to you, but we strongly recommend holding students accountable for presenting a clear answer to each question and accurately tying that answer to a properly cited source.
Prompt: For each of the following questions, provide an answer and cite the source of your information in ACS style. You can view citation examples and guidance in the ACS Style Quick Guide.
All the questions posed below can be answered in the journals, books, and news published by ACS Publications. While it is not the only reputable source of peer-reviewed information, the Suggested Reading list below may help you answer most, if not all, of these questions. Make sure you are logged in to your institution's library portal if you wish to search for additional sources on the ACS Publications website. (Note: not all articles deal with nickel directly. You can still use them as a reference for theoretically extracting nickel.)
- What is a method to improve the enzyme activity in a catalytic reactor?
- What are two methods that can be used to characterize enzyme carriers or catalytic bioactivities?
- What is one example of a biocatalyst that can metabolize plastic?
- Entrapment is one method of immobilizing enzymes in a flow reactor. What are two more methods?
- What are four enzyme-immobilization strategies?
Challenge 2: Essay Investigation
For Teaching Professionals: The following essay question is intended to help students go one step beyond simple question and answer research. This exercise encourages students not only to consider multidisciplinary exploration around a topic but also to develop written communication skills. As with other questions in this series, the grading is up to you, but we encourage you to help students develop a clear and concise style. Where possible, utilize chemical drawing utilities or neat handwritten molecules and mechanisms. The ideal answer should take no more than one sheet of paper. The ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication can be a great reference.
Prompt: Food waste is an increasing problem, as many nutrients are lost in landfills and incinerators.Identify one or more types of food waste, the valuable components that may be lost, and a way they can be recycled when their food value is lost.
Challenge 3: In-Depth Analysis
For Teaching Professionals: The following question will challenge students to uncover understanding around the business and legal implications of technological advance. This challenge is helpful for anyone who wants to build depth of thinking and understanding around the real-world circumstances involved in the application of technology. This may include business students, journalism students, and students interested in studying business or intellectual property law.
Prompt: Aqueous emulsions are often used to process materials that contain lignin and carbohydrates. A patent for a new emulsion cites several research articles, including an ACS Publications article by Zhang et al. Given that patents are designed to secure ownership of novel discoveries and patent citations typically paint the landscape of “prior art” to demonstrate that their discovery is novel, what claim does the patent make that could be considered an advance upon the discoveries outlined in this article? (Hint: view the citation list to find the article.)
Suggested Reading
Improving the Bioactivity and Stability of Embedded Enzymes by Covalent Organic Frameworks
Biological Valorization of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Monomers for Upcycling Waste PET
Application of Immobilized Enzymes in Flow Biocatalysis for Efficient Synthesis
Integration of Enzyme and Covalent Organic Frameworks: From Rational Design to Applications
Review of Advanced Technologies and Circular Pathways for Food Waste Valorization
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