Enzymes in Biomass Conversion (Acs Symposium Series) [Hardcover]

Gary F. Leatham (Editor), Michael E. Himmel (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 5, 1991 | ISBN-10: 0841219958 | ISBN-13: 978-0841219953

Offering recent worldwide developments, internationally known scientists report on enzymes that are potentially important to large-scale commercial biochemical processes, including fuel and chemical feedstock production, pulp and paper processing, waste degradation and processing, and food processing. Chapters cover basic knowledge of what enzymes are available, what their properties are, and how best to use them. Describes specific enzyme applications, methods of enzyme production, and characteristics of individual enzymes. Among the methods for producing and recovering enzymes described are enzyme cloning, liquid fermentation, enzyme immobilization, and enzyme cross-linking. Also presents alternate viewpoints on the question of lignin degradation and other controversial subjects.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gary F. Leatham is at University of Wisconsin at Madison. Michael E. Himmel is at Solar Energy Research Institute.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 536 pages
• Publisher: American Chemical Society (May 5, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0841219958
• ISBN-13: 978-0841219953
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,607,451 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Work from two decades ago - pioneering then, effective today, February 2, 2010

By 

Hongyi Wang (Houston TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Enzymes in Biomass Conversion (Acs Symposium Series) (Hardcover)

In the current frequent talk of biofuel, biomass, feedstock etc, this 1991 ACS symposium book may have been forgotten. Some may even be surprised that there was such deep coverage on these topics back then. But this is a great book, pioneering then, effective today.

"Enzymes, without question, hold great potential for the industrial scale processing of a wide variety of biologically derived materials". The appealing side is efficiency, specificity, and environmental friendliness. The challenging side is to identify or engineer new enzymes and catalytic activities, with increased stability and robustness.

It is about application of enzymes in biomass conversion, made up by three parts: enzymes for specialized applications, improved methods for producing enzymes, and specific enzymes. It touches on the most important aspects of society and industry: fuel and chemical feedstocks, pulp and paper processing, municipal solid waste treatment and disposal. It covers the industrial methods of large scale enzyme production, stabilization through chemical cross-linking and immobilization, chromatographic methods etc.

Also interesting and educational is the comment, in quote: The process of natural selection, driven by competitive pressure in many often obscure ecological niches, has yielded biological catalysis specific for the wide range of chemical compounds produced by living systems. Biochemists ...... must not overlook nature's own "enzyme engineers" for new inspiration.