Available online at www.sciencedirect.com BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES ELSEVIER Biotechnology Advances 23(2005)471-499 www.elsevier.com/locate/biotechadv Research review paper Biotechnology-a sustainable alternative for chemical industry Maria Gavrilescu*,Yusuf Chistib Department of Environmental Engineering and Management.Faculty of Industrial Chemistry. Technical University lasi,7!Mangeron Blvd,700050 lasi,Romania bInstitute of Technology and Engineering.Massey University.Private Bag 11 222.Palmerston North. New Zealand Received 23 November 2004;received in revised form 23 March 2005;accepted 23 March 2005 Available online 24 May 2005 Abstract This review outlines the current and emerging applications of biotechnology,particularly in the production and processing of chemicals,for sustainable development.Biotechnology is "the application of scientific and engineering principles to the processing of materials by biological agents".Some of the defining technologies of modern biotechnology include genetic engineering: culture ofrecombinant microorganisms,cells of animals and plants;metabolic engineering;hybridoma technology:bioelectronics:nanobiotechnology;protein engineering:transgenic animals and plants; tissue and organ engineering;immunological assays;genomics and proteomics;bioseparations and bioreactor technologies.Environmental and economic benefits that biotechnology can offer in manufacturing,monitoring and waste management are highlighted.These benefits include the following:greatly reduced dependence on nonrenewable fuels and other resources;reduced potential for pollution of industrial processes and products;ability to safely destroy accumulated pollutants for remediation of the environment;improved economics of production;and sustainable production of existing and novel products. 2005 Elsevier Inc.All rights reserved. Keywords:Industrial sustainability;Biotechnology;Chemicals;Biocatalysts;Environment *Corresponding author.Tel.:+40 232 278683x2137;fax:+40 232 271311. E-mail address:mgav@ch.tuiasi.ro (M.Gavrilescu). 0734-9750/S-see front matter 2005 Elsevier Inc.All rights reserved doi:10.1016f.biotechadv.2005.03.004
Research review paper Biotechnology—a sustainable alternative for chemical industry Maria Gavrilescua,*, Yusuf Chistib a Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, Faculty of Industrial Chemistry, Technical University Iasi, 71 Mangeron Blvd, 700050 Iasi, Romania b Institute of Technology and Engineering, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North, New Zealand Received 23 November 2004; received in revised form 23 March 2005; accepted 23 March 2005 Available online 24 May 2005 Abstract This review outlines the current and emerging applications of biotechnology, particularly in the production and processing of chemicals, for sustainable development. Biotechnology is bthe application of scientific and engineering principles to the processing of materials by biological agentsQ. Some of the defining technologies of modern biotechnology include genetic engineering; culture of recombinant microorganisms, cells of animals and plants; metabolic engineering; hybridoma technology; bioelectronics; nanobiotechnology; protein engineering; transgenic animals and plants; tissue and organ engineering; immunological assays; genomics and proteomics; bioseparations and bioreactor technologies. Environmental and economic benefits that biotechnology can offer in manufacturing, monitoring and waste management are highlighted. These benefits include the following: greatly reduced dependence on nonrenewable fuels and other resources; reduced potential for pollution of industrial processes and products; ability to safely destroy accumulated pollutants for remediation of the environment; improved economics of production; and sustainable production of existing and novel products. D 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Keywords: Industrial sustainability; Biotechnology; Chemicals; Biocatalysts; Environment 0734-9750/$ - see front matter D 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2005.03.004 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +40 232 278683x2137; fax: +40 232 271311. E-mail address: mgav@ch.tuiasi.ro (M. Gavrilescu). Biotechnology Advances 23 (2005) 471 – 499 www.elsevier.com/locate/biotechadv
472 M.Gavrilescu,Y.Chisti Biotechnology Advances 23 (2005)471-499 Contents 1. Introduction........ 472 Defining industrial sustainability..,.。。.·..·.·。····.。······· 472 3. Role of biotechnology in sustainability 473 3.l.The chemical industry.....,,...,,.,.·.·,········ 474 3.2. The applications of biotechnology in the chemical industry 475 3.2.1. Commodity chemicals,,...·+......·,....·.·,· 475 3.2.2. Specialty and life science products,··.。.··· 476 3.2.3.Agricultural chemicals................ 484 3.2.4.Fiber,pulp and paper processing,·········· 488 ” 3.2.5. Bioenergy and fuels.········· 490 3.2.6. Bioprocessing of biomass to produce industrial chemicals.·····. 491 3.2.7. Environmental biotechnology..................... 491 3.2.8.Role of transgenic plants and animals.。...·.···..···. 492 4.Concluding remarks,··,·················· 493 References. 493 1.Introduction Among the major new technologies that have appeared since the 1970s,biotechnology has perhaps attracted the most attention.Biotechnology has proved capable of generating enormous wealth and influencing every significant sector of the economy.Biotechnology has already substantially affected healthcare;production and processing of food; agriculture and forestry;environmental protection;and production of materials and chemicals.This review focuses on achievements and future prospects for biotechnology in sustainable production of goods and services,specially those that are derived at present mostly from the traditional chemical industry. 2.Defining industrial sustainability "Industrial sustainability"aims to achieve sustainable production and processing within the context of ecological and social sustainability.Sustainability and sustainable development have had different meanings in different epochs and not everyone is agreed on a common definition of these concepts.For the purpose of this review, sustainable development is understood to mean "..a process of change in which the exploitation of resources,the direction of investments,the orientation of technological development,and institutional change are all in harmony and enhance both current and future potential to meet human needs and aspirations...(It is)meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs",as defined by World Commission on Environment and Development (Brundt- land,1987).Sustainable development requires a framework for integrating environmental policies and development strategies in a global context (Hall and Roome,1996). Increasingly,sustainability considerations will shape future technological,socio-econom-
Contents 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472 2. Defining industrial sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472 3. Role of biotechnology in sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473 3.1. The chemical industry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 474 3.2. The applications of biotechnology in the chemical industry . . . . . . . . . . 475 3.2.1. Commodity chemicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 475 3.2.2. Specialty and life science products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476 3.2.3. Agricultural chemicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484 3.2.4. Fiber, pulp and paper processing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488 3.2.5. Bioenergy and fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490 3.2.6. Bioprocessing of biomass to produce industrial chemicals. . . . . . . 491 3.2.7. Environmental biotechnology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491 3.2.8. Role of transgenic plants and animals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 492 4. Concluding remarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493 1. Introduction Among the major new technologies that have appeared since the 1970s, biotechnology has perhaps attracted the most attention. Biotechnology has proved capable of generating enormous wealth and influencing every significant sector of the economy. Biotechnology has already substantially affected healthcare; production and processing of food; agriculture and forestry; environmental protection; and production of materials and chemicals. This review focuses on achievements and future prospects for biotechnology in sustainable production of goods and services, specially those that are derived at present mostly from the traditional chemical industry. 2. Defining industrial sustainability bIndustrial sustainabilityQ aims to achieve sustainable production and processing within the context of ecological and social sustainability. Sustainability and sustainable development have had different meanings in different epochs and not everyone is agreed on a common definition of these concepts. For the purpose of this review, sustainable development is understood to mean b... a process of change in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development, and institutional change are all in harmony and enhance both current and future potential to meet human needs and aspirations... (It is) meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needsQ, as defined by World Commission on Environment and Development (Brundtland, 1987). Sustainable development requires a framework for integrating environmental policies and development strategies in a global context (Hall and Roome, 1996). Increasingly, sustainability considerations will shape future technological, socio-econom- 472 M. Gavrilescu, Y. Chisti / Biotechnology Advances 23 (2005) 471–499
M.Gavrilescu,Y.Chisti Biotechnology Advances 23 (2005)471-499 473 ic,political and cultural change to define the boundaries of what is acceptable (Hall and Roome,1996). Politicians,scientists and various interest groups have periodically attempted to plan for sustainable development,to counter the earlier accepted wisdom that environmental degradation was the price for prosperity.For example,the 2002 United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development discussed major issues such as depletion of freshwater reserves,population growth,the use of unsustainable energy sources,food security,habitat loss and global health,all in the context of social justice and environmental sustainability.Sustainable development is clearly the most difficult challenge that humanity has ever faced.Attaining sustainability requires addressing many fundamental issues at local,regional and global levels.At every level,science and technology have vital roles to play in attaining sustainability,but political decisions backed by societal support and coordinated policy approaches are just as essential.Industrial sustainability demands a global vision that holistically considers economic,social and environmental sustainability.Sustainability requires incorporating "design for environment",into production processes (Brezet et al.,2001;Wong,2001;OECD, 2001a). Compared to conventional production,sustainable processes and production systems should be more profitable because they would require less wasteful use of materials and energy,result in less emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants,and enable greater and more efficient use of renewable resources,to lessen dependence on nonrenewable resources (Zosel,1994;Van Berkel,2000;Gavrilescu,2004a;Gavrilescu and Nicu,2004).Sustainability demands products that not only perform well but, compared to their conventional counterparts,are more durable,less toxic,easily recyclable,and biodegradable at the end of their useful life.Such products would be derived as much as possible from renewable resources and contribute minimally to net generation of greenhouse gases. Between 1960s and 1990s,industrial production attempted to minimize its adverse impact by treating effluent and removing pollutants from an already damaged environment.Designing industrial processes and technologies that prevented pollution in the first place did not become a priority until recently (Council Directive,1996;Allen and Sinclair Rosselot,1997;World Bank,1999;EPA,2003).Newer industries such as microelectronics,telecommunications and biotechnology are already less resource intensive in comparison with the traditional heavy industry (Kristensen,1986;OECD, 1989;Rigaux,1997),but this alone does not assure sustainability.Industry is truly sustainable only when it is economically viable,environmentally compatible,and socially responsible(OECD,1998;UNEP,1999;Wong,2001).Models of sustainability have been discussed in various documents prepared by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (www.oecd.org)(OECD,1989,1994,1995,1998). 3.Role of biotechnology in sustainability Biotechnology refers to an array of enabling technologies that are applicable to broadly diverse industry sectors (Paugh and Lafrance,1997;Liese et al.,2000).Biotechnology
ic, political and cultural change to define the boundaries of what is acceptable (Hall and Roome, 1996). Politicians, scientists and various interest groups have periodically attempted to plan for sustainable development, to counter the earlier accepted wisdom that environmental degradation was the price for prosperity. For example, the 2002 United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development discussed major issues such as depletion of freshwater reserves, population growth, the use of unsustainable energy sources, food security, habitat loss and global health, all in the context of social justice and environmental sustainability. Sustainable development is clearly the most difficult challenge that humanity has ever faced. Attaining sustainability requires addressing many fundamental issues at local, regional and global levels. At every level, science and technology have vital roles to play in attaining sustainability, but political decisions backed by societal support and coordinated policy approaches are just as essential. Industrial sustainability demands a global vision that holistically considers economic, social and environmental sustainability. Sustainability requires incorporating dddesign for environmentTT, into production processes (Brezet et al., 2001; Wong, 2001; OECD, 2001a). Compared to conventional production, sustainable processes and production systems should be more profitable because they would require less wasteful use of materials and energy, result in less emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, and enable greater and more efficient use of renewable resources, to lessen dependence on nonrenewable resources (Zosel, 1994; Van Berkel, 2000; Gavrilescu, 2004a; Gavrilescu and Nicu, 2004). Sustainability demands products that not only perform well but, compared to their conventional counterparts, are more durable, less toxic, easily recyclable, and biodegradable at the end of their useful life. Such products would be derived as much as possible from renewable resources and contribute minimally to net generation of greenhouse gases. Between 1960s and 1990s, industrial production attempted to minimize its adverse impact by treating effluent and removing pollutants from an already damaged environment. Designing industrial processes and technologies that prevented pollution in the first place did not become a priority until recently (Council Directive, 1996; Allen and Sinclair Rosselot, 1997; World Bank, 1999; EPA, 2003). Newer industries such as microelectronics, telecommunications and biotechnology are already less resource intensive in comparison with the traditional heavy industry (Kristensen, 1986; OECD, 1989; Rigaux, 1997), but this alone does not assure sustainability. Industry is truly sustainable only when it is economically viable, environmentally compatible, and socially responsible (OECD, 1998; UNEP, 1999; Wong, 2001). Models of sustainability have been discussed in various documents prepared by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (www.oecd.org) (OECD, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1998). 3. Role of biotechnology in sustainability Biotechnology refers to an array of enabling technologies that are applicable to broadly diverse industry sectors (Paugh and Lafrance, 1997; Liese et al., 2000). Biotechnology M. Gavrilescu, Y. Chisti / Biotechnology Advances 23 (2005) 471–499 473
474 M.Gavrilescu,Y.Chisti Biotechnology Advances 23 (2005)471-499 comprises three distinct fields of activity,namely genetic engineering,protein engineering and metabolic engineering.A fourth discipline,known variously as biochemical, bioprocess and biotechnology engineering,is required for commercial production of biotechnology products and delivery of its services.Of the many diverse techniques that biotechnology embraces,none apply across all industrial sectors (Roberts et al.,1999; Liese et al.,2000).Recognizing its strategic value,many countries are now formulating and implementing integrated plans for using biotechnology for industrial regeneration,job creation and social progress(Rigaux,1997). Biotechnology is versatile and has been assessed a key technology for a sustainable chemical industry (Lievonen,1999).Industries that previously never considered biological sciences as impacting their business are exploring ways of using biotechnology to their benefit.Biotechnology provides entirely novel opportunities for sustainable production of existing and new products and services.Environmental concerns help drive the use of biotechnology in industry,to not only remove pollutants from the environment but prevent pollution in the first place.Biocatalyst-based processes have major roles to play in this context.Biocatalysis operates at lower temperatures,produces less toxic waste,fewer emissions and by-products compared to conventional chemical processes.New biocatalysts with improved selectivity and enhanced performance for use in diverse manufacturing and waste degrading processes (Abramovicz,1990;Poppe and Novak, 1992;Roberts et al.,1999)are becoming available.In view of their selectivity,these biocatalysts reduce the need for purifying the product from byproducts,thus reducing energy demand and environmental impact.Unlike non-biological catalysts,biocatalysts can be self-replicating. Biological production systems are inherently attractive because they use the basic renewable resources of sunlight,water and carbon dioxide to produce a wide range of molecules using low-energy processes.These processes have been fine tuned by evolution to provide efficient,high fidelity synthesis of low toxicity products.Biotechnology can provide renewable bioenergy and is yielding new methods for monitoring the environment.Biotechnology has already been put to extensive use specially in the manufacture of biopharmaceuticals.In addition to providing novel routes to well- established products,biotechnology is being used to produce entirely new products. Interfacing biotechnology with other emerging disciplines is creating new industrial sectors such as nanobiotechnology and bioelectronics.Biotechnology has greatly impacted healthcare,medical diagnostics (Xiang and Chen,2000;D'Orazio,2003),environmental protection,agriculture,criminal investigation,and food processing.All this is a mere shadow of the future expected impact of biotechnology in industrial production and sustainability.The following sections examine the use of biotechnology in processing and production of chemicals,for enhanced sustainability. 3.1.The chemical industry The global chemical industry has contributed immensely to achieving the present quality of life,but is under increasing pressure to change current working practices in favor of greener alternatives (Ulrich et al.,2000;Matlack,2001;Carpenter et al.,2002; Poliakoff et al.,2002;Sherman,2004;Asano et al.,2004).Concerns associated with
comprises three distinct fields of activity, namely genetic engineering, protein engineering and metabolic engineering. A fourth discipline, known variously as biochemical, bioprocess and biotechnology engineering, is required for commercial production of biotechnology products and delivery of its services. Of the many diverse techniques that biotechnology embraces, none apply across all industrial sectors (Roberts et al., 1999; Liese et al., 2000). Recognizing its strategic value, many countries are now formulating and implementing integrated plans for using biotechnology for industrial regeneration, job creation and social progress (Rigaux, 1997). Biotechnology is versatile and has been assessed a key technology for a sustainable chemical industry (Lievonen, 1999). Industries that previously never considered biological sciences as impacting their business are exploring ways of using biotechnology to their benefit. Biotechnology provides entirely novel opportunities for sustainable production of existing and new products and services. Environmental concerns help drive the use of biotechnology in industry, to not only remove pollutants from the environment but prevent pollution in the first place. Biocatalyst-based processes have major roles to play in this context. Biocatalysis operates at lower temperatures, produces less toxic waste, fewer emissions and by-products compared to conventional chemical processes. New biocatalysts with improved selectivity and enhanced performance for use in diverse manufacturing and waste degrading processes (Abramovicz, 1990; Poppe and Novak, 1992; Roberts et al., 1999) are becoming available. In view of their selectivity, these biocatalysts reduce the need for purifying the product from byproducts, thus reducing energy demand and environmental impact. Unlike non-biological catalysts, biocatalysts can be self-replicating. Biological production systems are inherently attractive because they use the basic renewable resources of sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to produce a wide range of molecules using low-energy processes. These processes have been fine tuned by evolution to provide efficient, high fidelity synthesis of low toxicity products. Biotechnology can provide renewable bioenergy and is yielding new methods for monitoring the environment. Biotechnology has already been put to extensive use specially in the manufacture of biopharmaceuticals. In addition to providing novel routes to wellestablished products, biotechnology is being used to produce entirely new products. Interfacing biotechnology with other emerging disciplines is creating new industrial sectors such as nanobiotechnology and bioelectronics. Biotechnology has greatly impacted healthcare, medical diagnostics (Xiang and Chen, 2000; D’Orazio, 2003), environmental protection, agriculture, criminal investigation, and food processing. All this is a mere shadow of the future expected impact of biotechnology in industrial production and sustainability. The following sections examine the use of biotechnology in processing and production of chemicals, for enhanced sustainability. 3.1. The chemical industry The global chemical industry has contributed immensely to achieving the present quality of life, but is under increasing pressure to change current working practices in favor of greener alternatives (Ulrich et al., 2000; Matlack, 2001; Carpenter et al., 2002; Poliakoff et al., 2002; Sherman, 2004; Asano et al., 2004). Concerns associated with 474 M. Gavrilescu, Y. Chisti / Biotechnology Advances 23 (2005) 471–499
M.Gavrilescu.Y.Chisti Biotechnology Advances 23 (2005)471-499 475 chemical industry include its excessive reliance on nonrenewable energy and resources; environmentally damaging production processes that can be unsafe and produce toxic products and waste;products that are not readily recyclable and degradable after their useful life;and excessive regional concentration of production so that social benefits of production are less widely available. Chemical industry is large.The world's chemicals production in 2002 was in excess of 1.3 trillion.This industry consists of four major subsectors:basic chemicals,specialty chemicals,consumer care products,and life science products.Biotechnology impacts all these sectors,but to different degrees.Demarcation between sectors is not clearcut. General characteristics of these sectors are outlined in the following sections (OECD, 2001b). Basic chemicals or commodity chemicals represent a mature market.Most of the top 50 products by volume of production in this category in 1977 were still among the top 50 in 1993.During this period,the relative ranking by production volume of the products in this category remained largely unchanged(Wittcoff and Reuben,1996).The basic chemical industry is characterized by large plants that operate using continuous processes,high energy input,and low profit margins.The industry is highly cyclical because of fluctuations in capacity utilization and feedstock prices.The products of the industry are generally used in processing applications (e.g.pulp and paper,oil refining,metals recovery)and as raw materials for producing other basic chemicals,specialty chemicals, and consumer products,including manufactured goods(textiles,automobiles,etc.)(Swift, 1999). Specialty chemicals are derived from basic chemicals but are more technologically advanced and used in lesser volumes than the basic chemicals.Examples of specialty chemicals include adhesives and sealants,catalysts,coatings,and plastic additives. Specialty chemicals command higher profit margins and have less cyclic demand than basic chemicals.Specialty chemicals have a higher value-added component because they are not easily duplicated by other producers or are protected from competition by patents. Consumer care products include soaps,detergents,bleaches,laundry aids,hair care products,skin care products,fragrances,etc.,and are one of the oldest segments of the chemicals business.These formulated products are generally based on simple chemistry but feature a high degree of differentiation along brand lines.Increasingly,products in this category are high-tech in nature and developing them demands expensive research. Life science products.These include pharmaceuticals,products for crop protection and products of modern biotechnology.Batch production methods are generally used in making these products.The sector is one of the most research intensive and relies on advanced technology. 3.2.The applications of biotechnology in the chemical industry 3.2.1.Commodity chemicals At the basic level,life processes are chemical processes and understanding their chemistry provides a basis for devising manufacturing operations that approach nature's elegance and efficiency.Biotechnology uses the power of life to enable effective,rapid, safe and environmentally acceptable production of goods and services
chemical industry include its excessive reliance on nonrenewable energy and resources; environmentally damaging production processes that can be unsafe and produce toxic products and waste; products that are not readily recyclable and degradable after their useful life; and excessive regional concentration of production so that social benefits of production are less widely available. Chemical industry is large. The world’s chemicals production in 2002 was in excess of 1.3 trillion. This industry consists of four major subsectors: basic chemicals, specialty chemicals, consumer care products, and life science products. Biotechnology impacts all these sectors, but to different degrees. Demarcation between sectors is not clearcut. General characteristics of these sectors are outlined in the following sections (OECD, 2001b). Basic chemicals or commodity chemicals represent a mature market. Most of the top 50 products by volume of production in this category in 1977 were still among the top 50 in 1993. During this period, the relative ranking by production volume of the products in this category remained largely unchanged (Wittcoff and Reuben, 1996). The basic chemical industry is characterized by large plants that operate using continuous processes, high energy input, and low profit margins. The industry is highly cyclical because of fluctuations in capacity utilization and feedstock prices. The products of the industry are generally used in processing applications (e.g. pulp and paper, oil refining, metals recovery) and as raw materials for producing other basic chemicals, specialty chemicals, and consumer products, including manufactured goods (textiles, automobiles, etc.) (Swift, 1999). Specialty chemicals are derived from basic chemicals but are more technologically advanced and used in lesser volumes than the basic chemicals. Examples of specialty chemicals include adhesives and sealants, catalysts, coatings, and plastic additives. Specialty chemicals command higher profit margins and have less cyclic demand than basic chemicals. Specialty chemicals have a higher value-added component because they are not easily duplicated by other producers or are protected from competition by patents. Consumer care products include soaps, detergents, bleaches, laundry aids, hair care products, skin care products, fragrances, etc., and are one of the oldest segments of the chemicals business. These formulated products are generally based on simple chemistry but feature a high degree of differentiation along brand lines. Increasingly, products in this category are high-tech in nature and developing them demands expensive research. Life science products. These include pharmaceuticals, products for crop protection and products of modern biotechnology. Batch production methods are generally used in making these products. The sector is one of the most research intensive and relies on advanced technology. 3.2. The applications of biotechnology in the chemical industry 3.2.1. Commodity chemicals At the basic level, life processes are chemical processes and understanding their chemistry provides a basis for devising manufacturing operations that approach nature’s elegance and efficiency. Biotechnology uses the power of life to enable effective, rapid, safe and environmentally acceptable production of goods and services. M. Gavrilescu, Y. Chisti / Biotechnology Advances 23 (2005) 471–499 475