Fungi in Fuel Biotechnology

Due to the huge quantity and diverse nature of their metabolic pathways, fungi have great potential to be used for the production of different biofuels such as bioethanol, biobutanol, and biodiesel. This book presents recent advances, as well as challenges and promises, of fungal applications in biofuel production, subsequently discussing plant pathogenic fungi for bioethanol and biodiesel production, including their mechanisms of action.

The depletion of petroleum-derived fuel and environmental concerns have prompted many millennials to consider biofuels as alternative fuel sources. But completely replacing petroleum-derived fuels with biofuels is currently impossible in terms of production capacity and engine compatibility. Nevertheless, the marginal replacement of diesel with biofuel could delay the depletion of petroleum resources and abate the radical climate change caused by automotive pollutants.

This book reviews recent research and applications of chitin and chitosan, as natural alternatives of fossil fuel products, in green chemistry, energy, biotechnology, bioprinting, medicine, water treatment, agriculture and food science. Chitin and chitosan products are polysaccharides derived from food waste of crustaceans and fungi, and thus are cheap, abundant, sustainable, non-toxic, recyclable and biocompatible.