In recent years, there has been a growing attempt to manipulate various properties of biodegradable materials to use them as alternatives to their synthetic plastic counterparts. Alginate is a polysaccharide extracted from seaweed or soil bacteria that is considered one of the most promising materials for numerous applications. However, alginate potential for various applications is relatively limited due to brittleness, poor mechanical properties, scaling-up difficulties, and high water vapor permeability (WVP). Choosing an appropriate plasticizer can alleviate the situation by providing higher flexibility, workability, processability, and in some cases, higher hydrophobicity. This review paper discusses the main results and developments regarding the effects of various plasticizers on the properties of alginate-based films during the last decades. The plasticizers used for plasticizing alginate were classified into different categories, and their behavior under different concentrations and conditions was studied. Moreover, the drawback effects of plasticizers on the mechanical properties and WVP of the films are discussed. Finally, the role of plasticizers in the improved processing of alginate and the lack of knowledge on some aspects of plasticized alginate films is clarified, and accordingly, some recommendations for more classical studies of the plasticized alginate films in the future are offered.

Lignocellulosic biomass is both low cost and abundant, and unlike energy crops, can escape associated ethical dilemmas such as arable land use and food security issues. However, their usage as raw material in a biorefinery implies an inherent upstream pretreatment step to access compounds of interest derived from lignocellulosic biomass. Importantly, the efficiency of this step is determinant for the downstream processes, and while many pretreatment methods have been explored, extrusion is both a very flexible and promising technology. Extrusion is well-known in both the polymer and pharmaceutical industries and has been used since the 18th century. However, as a pretreatment method for lignocellulosic biomass, extrusion is relatively new. The first use for this purpose dates back to the 1990s. Extrusion enjoys a high degree of flexibility due to the many available parameters, but an understanding of extrusion requires a knowledge of these parameters and the different relationships between them. In this paper, we present a concise overview of lignocellulosic biomass extrusion by reviewing key extrusion parameters and their associated extruder design components and operating conditions.

Phanerochaete chrysosporium is considered the model fungus for white rot fungi. It is the first basidiomycete whose genome has been completely sequenced. Its importance lies in the fact that its enzymatic system comprises the major enzymes involved in lignin degradation. Lignin is a complex and highly recalcitrant compound that very few living organisms are capable of degrading naturally. On the other hand, the enzymes produced by P. chrysosporium are also powerful agents for the mineralization into CO₂ and H₂O of a wide range of aromatic compounds. However, these aromatic compounds are largely xenobiotic compounds with documented toxic effects on the environment and health. While the economic and environmental benefits of biodegradation with P. chrysosporium are well established, a thorough understanding of P. chrysosporium and its biodegradation processes is essential for successful biodegradation. Our aim of this critical literature review is to provide a concise and comprehensive insight of biodecomposition of organic substrate by P. chrysosporium.

This review provides an overview of the biotransformation of limonene and α-pinene, which are commonly found in wood residues and citrus fruit by-products, to produce high-value-added products. Essential oils derived from various plant parts contain monoterpene hydrocarbons, such as limonene and pinenes which are often considered waste due to their low sensory activity, poor water solubility, and tendency to autoxidize and polymerise. However, these terpene hydrocarbons serve as ideal starting materials for microbial transformations. Moreover, agro-industrial byproducts can be employed as nutrient and substrate sources, reducing fermentation costs, and enhancing industrial viability. Terpenes, being secondary metabolites of plants, are abundant in byproducts generated during fruit and plant processing. Microbial cells offer advantages over enzymes due to their higher stability, rapid growth rates, and genetic engineering potential. Fermentation parameters can be easily manipulated to enhance strain performance in large-scale processes. The economic advantages of biotransformation are highlighted by comparing the prices of substrates and products. For instance, R-limonene, priced at US$ 34/L, can be transformed into carveol, valued at around US$ 530/L. This review emphasises the potential of biotransformation to produce high-value products from limonene and α-pinene molecules, particularly present in wood residues and citrus fruit by-products. The utilisation of microbial transformations, along with agro-industrial byproducts, presents a promising approach to extract value from waste materials and enhance the sustainability of the antimicrobial, the fragrance and flavour industry.