禾谷类作物的秸秆、棉籽壳、椰子壳、甘蔗渣、菠萝和香蕉叶等农业废弃物含有丰富的生物纤维,是一种可再生和再利用的植物纤维性资源。生物纤维是食品、医药、纺织、造纸、复合材料和精细化工等工业的重要原料。全球每年所产农业废弃物中生物纤维总量约2×1011t,我国每年可产农作物秸秆约6×108t,蔗渣和蔗梢约2000×104t,油料秸秆约3000×104t。生物技术的发展极大地促进了农业废弃物中生物纤维资源的开发和综合利用,催生了多种新型环境友好的“绿色”工业。论文分析了农业废弃物中生物纤维的理化特性以及工业化应用价值及途径,重点论述生物技术在以植物纤维性资源为原料生产单细胞蛋白、酶制剂、乳酸、木糖醇、生物可降解复合材料、燃料酒精和生物电能等方面的研发进展,并讨论植物纤维性资源综合利用目前存在的问题和挑战以及发展前景。
Agricultural wastes such as straw of cereal crops,cottonseed hulls,coconut husks,su-garcane bagasse,pineapple and banana leaves are the major renewable and re-useable resources of plant fibers.These agro-based biofibers are the important raw materials for bioproduct deve-lopment and various industrial utilizations in food,medicine,textile,paper,composite and fine chemicals and so on.Approximately 2×1011tons of agro-based biofibers are produced in the world every year.Annual production of cereal straw and stalks,sugarcane bagasse and oil crop straw are around 6×108,2×107and 3×107 tons in China.Traditionally,most of the agricultural byproducts are used as a source of fuel or animal feed and therefore,are of limited value at present though this kind of plant fiber resource is annually renewable and available in abundance.Biotechnology greatly accelerated the exploitation and comprehensive applications of the agro-based biofibers,resulting in the developments of numerous"green"industries with environmental benefits.Firstly,the present paper analyses the physical and chemical characters of biofibers from agricultural wastes and the various ways for their industrial applications.Secondly,the main investigations of this paper are focused on the advances in bio-developments of plant fiber resources for the value-added commercial products including single cell protein,cellulolytic enzymes,lactic acid,xylitol,fuel ethanol,bio-electricity,biodegradable polymers and other biocomposites.Thirdly,the paper also discusses the current shortages and challenges for bio-development of agro-based biofibers.It is believable and bright that biotechnology will make the biofiber-based products competitive with current petroleum-based products and at the same time has the benefits of reducing dependence on nonrenewable energy sources,enhancing national security,improving the environment,creating new opportunities for the agricultural economy and promoting sustainable development.
