Lignocellulosic biomass gives a unique and sustainable resource for environmentally safe organic fuels and chemicals.Lignocellulosic biomass is typically nonedible plant material composed primarily of the polysaccharides cellulose and hemicellulose. The third major component is lignin, a phenolic polymer that provides structural strength to the plant. Technology for producing biofuels (such as ethanol, butanol, or various hydrocarbons) and biobased chemicals from lignocellulosic material is experiencing significant advances in an effort to meet global energy and chemical needs. Examples of lignocellulosic biomass materials considered as feedstocks for bioethanol production include crop residues such as corn stover and wheat straw, woody residues from forest thinning and paper production, cool- and warm-season grasses such as switchgrass and fescue, and crops such as sorghum.
The composition and structural properties of lignocellulosic biomass have significant effects on their down conversion to biofuels, biomaterials and building chemicals. Specifically, recalcitrance to modification and variability of the lignocellulose composition makes it difficult to optimize and control the conditions under which the conversion takes place. Several characterization protocols have been developed during the last 150 years to elucidate the structural properties and composition patterns that affect the processing of lignocellulose. Early characterization techniques were developed to estimate the relative digestibility and nutritional value of plant material after ingestion by ruminants and humans (eg, dietary fiber). Over the years, these empirical techniques have evolved into statistical approaches that give a broader and more informative analysis of lignocellulose for conversion processes, to the point where a structural and structural analysis of lignocellulosic biomass can be completed in minutes. The use of modern spectroscopy and chemometric techniques has proven to be a fast and cost-effective alternative to traditional empirical techniques. This review serves as an overview of compositional analysis techniques that have been developed for lignocellulosic biomass in an effort to highlight motivation and migration towards fast, accurate, and cost-effective chemometric methods. These rapid analysis techniques can potentially be used to optimize future operations of biorefinery units where large amounts of lignocellulose are continuously processed into high value products.