Exploring the Classification of Biorefinery Systems

A biorefinery can be defined as a facility that incorporates biomass conversion procedures and equipment to generate power, chemicals, and fuels from forest, waste, and agriculture feedstock. 

By different numerous products, a biorefinery can take benefit of the accessibility of various biomass streams as well as process intermediates and enhance the value produced from the feedstock.

Process and Uses of Biorefinery

Bioproducts are formed by altering organic resources into chemicals to make products that are generally produced from different fossil fuels like petroleum. The biorefinery utilizes hemicellulose, lignin, and cellulose from forestry, municipal, and agricultural waste sources and utilizes them as feedstocks to produce different bio-products. 

Products comprise hydrogen, ethanol, carbon char (employed as an ecologically sound fertilizer as well as to eliminate impurities from industrial smokestacks), industrial glues, bio-oils, flavorings, and various other industrial chemicals.

These products are utilized in agricultural, transportation, energy production, textiles, pharmaceuticals, building products, paper, and bioplastics sectors. 

Classification of Biorefinery Systems

Biorefineries can be classified on the basis of 4 key features: 

1.     Platforms: Platforms refer to important intermediates between raw materials and final products. Key intermediates include:

 

·         Syngas from gasification.

·         Biogas from anaerobic digestion.

·         Hydrogen from steam reforming, water-gas shift reaction, and water electrolysis.

·         C5 sugars, like xylose, and arabinose, from hydrolysis of hemicellulose and food & feed side streams.

·         C6 sugars from hydrolysis of starch, sucrose, hemicellulose, and cellulose.

·         Liquid from pyrolysis (pyrolysis oil)

·         Lignin from lignocellulosic biomass processing.

 

2.    Products: Biorefineries can be assembled in 2 major categories as per the alteration of biomass in a non-energetic or energetic product. Products are further categorized into 2 types:

 

·         Material-driven biorefinery systems: In this, the key product is a bio-based product.

 

·         Energy-driven biorefinery systems: Whereas, in energy-driven biorefinery systems, the key product is a second energy carrier as power, heat, and biofuels.

 

3.    Feedstock: Dedicated feedstocks (Starch crops, marine biomass, sugar crops, lignocellulosic crops, grasses, oil-based crops); and residues (lignocellulosic residues, organic residues, oil-based residues, and more)

 

4.   Processes: Alteration procedure to make biomass into a final product:

 

·         Physical or Mechanical: The biomass components' chemical structure is preserved. This process comprises milling, pressing, distillation, and separation.

 

·         Biochemical: Processes under low pressure and temperature, using enzymes or microorganisms.

 

·         Chemical processes: The substrate suffers alteration due to an external chemical like hydrolysis, hydrogenation, transesterification, pulping, and oxidation.

 

·         Thermochemical: Severe conditions are applied to the feedstock (high temperature and high pressure, without or with catalyst).

What are the Benefits of Biorefineries?

 

·         Offers economic progression opportunities to both the forestry and agricultural sectors.

·         Helps to national energy requirements by delivering various fuels.

·         Creates its energy, cleanly. 

·         Employs municipal and local agricultural wastes, leading to fewer disposal issues.

·         Creates chemical commodities, bioproducts, and fuels in an ecologically sustainable means, for instance, decreasing greenhouse gas releases.  

·         Generates an economically competitive production procedure.

To Wrap it All Up

With the requirement for geopolitical energy security, rising energy independence, and pressure for environmental sustainability, the biorefinery industry will reach a value of USD 268.3 billion by the end of this decade.

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Isostearic Acid, A Lot More than the Raw Material for Cosmetics

A beautiful skin is loved by one and all. People do all the things to keep the skin glowing at all times. For this, various skin care products are used. Isostearic acid is a main ingredient in skin care formulations. Though it is synthetically derived, this mimics the configuration of natural skin lipids. With its 18-carbon and branched structure, this acid offers excellent binding and emulsifying abilities.

How it is Used in Skincare Cosmetics?

As an emulsifier, this acid lets the blending of water and oil phases to advance application and texture. It produces stable emulsions resisting separation, while providing a non-greasy feel. The subsequent formulations spread easily onto skin.

The binding properties of this acid also come good to thicken formulas for improved adherence. Upon application, lotions and creams resist running while providing a silky feel to the skin. The acid’s viscosity improving effects gives the desired consistency from rich butters to runny serums.

Furthermore, the acid bonds active ingredients to the surface of the skin. This improved delivery system makes the most of the infiltration and availability of key nutrients such as antioxidants, vitamins, and moisturizers. Locked-in hydration and anti-aging active agent treat skin more efficiently.

With humectant abilities, this acid entices and holds moisture in the skin. This brings about instant smoothing, decreasing fine lines. Long-standing hydration also averts dryness-induced changes that can aggravate visible signs of aging.

This acid also protects the skin from the rashness of the weather and environment. It also limits loss of water driving aging alterations. With multi-faceted protection and care, this acid endorses a healthy and youthful glow. 

This acid is mainly used as a raw material for cosmetics, but it is also used in, plastic processing, lubricating oil, lubricant and numerous lipids. The melting point of this acid is lower than that of stearic acid, and it performs well at a lower temperature. Its numerous lipids are resistant to alkali, and they can perform well when used in alkaline emulsification systems. 

Isostearic Acid Coming Good as an Industrial Lubricant

Its features also make it one of the striking additives in automotive lubricants. The lubricating properties of the acid also comes good for metalworking fluids and greases used for lubrication. It is also used as a softener for synthetic rubbers and plastics. The acid can help adjust the viscosity index of greasing oils. It acts as a lime soap dispersant detergents and soaps.

With its higher solubility, customizable formulability, and emollience, isostearic acid has more than a few applications in cosmetics, industrial lubricants and more. Its structure unlocks improved functional performance. As a plant-based specialty chemical, this allows the growth of maintainable and highly effective products.

The Final Few Words

It is because of the growing demand of cosmetic and personal care products, the demand for isostearic acid is on the rise. The total value of the industry will reach USD 463.2 million by the end of this decade.

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Live Cell Imaging - Industry Growth and Future Analysis

The value of the live cell imaging market stood at USD 2,829.9 million in 2023, and this number is projected to reach USD 5,634.3 million by 2030, advancing at a CAGR of 10.4% during the projection period.

Live cell studies are an effective way of understanding the dynamics of cellular processes and events. For this reason, there has been an increasing adoption of live cell imaging technology in a wide range of fields such as drug discovery, healthcare research, stem cell biology, and cellular environment studies. 

Furthermore, the growing number of chronic diseases, in particular cancer, and the rapid adoption of high-content HHCS screening techniques for drug discovery are contributing to market growth.

Biotechnology and pharmaceutical businesses have accepted numerous progressive methodologies to overcome the challenges of saving time and money during medication safety and toxicity monitoring, one of which is HCS through cell-based assays. The technique is quicker and more precise and provides an advanced success rate than old-style approaches.

In 2023, the North American region led the worldwide industry, with a share of 50%. The supremacy of the continent can be credited to the growing occurrence of severe and chronic illnesses and the rising research and development spending of biotech and pharma businesses. During the projection period, the consumables category is projected to advance with a CAGR of 10.6%. 

The development is because of the increasing R&D in the biotechnology market, which generates a huge need for kits, reagents, and other consumables for lasting and fast live cell imaging and analysis.

Such reagents and consumables help in getting meaningful data, as they reserve cell health long sufficient for experts to extract whatever insights they require. Moreover, advanced reagents aid in generating rich data from a single cell, using fluorescent reagent blends in cell cultures. Thus, since consumables need to be obtained recurrently, the category will endure to advance.

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North America Is Dominating Clinical Trial Supplies Industry

The value of the clinical trial supplies market stood at USD 4,001.1 million in 2023, and this number is projected to reach USD 7,763.9 million by 2030, advancing at a CAGR of 10.1% during the projection period.

This growth of the market can be credited to the growing demand for more-progressive treatments, like modified drugs; growing research and development investment of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical businesses, and increasing occurrence of illnesses, which basically leads to the development of new medicines.

In the past few years, the count of clinical trials has increased significantly. In 2023, approximately 0.4 million scientific studies were listed with the U.S. government. The increasing count of clinical trials is directly related to the demand for the needed supplies. The surge in research and development expenditure has aided in boosting the innovative drug growth process, therefore growing the count of trials carried out.

Geographically, North America held the largest clinical trial supplies market share, of 45%, in 2023, due to the rising number of clinical trials with the strengthening focus on the development of better and safer medicines.

The increasing prevalence of all kinds of diseases, the growing number of pharma and biotechnology companies, and favorable government legislations for pharma R&D essentially led to the rise in the demand for the various supplies required during the clinical studies of investigational drugs.

In 2023, the North American region had the largest clinical trial supplies market share, of 45%, mainly because of the increasing count of clinical trials with the strong emphasis on the growth of better and safer drugs.

The growing occurrence of all types of illnesses, increasing count of biotechnology and pharma companies, and supportable government regulations for pharma research and development basically led to the surge in the demand for the numerous supplies needed during the clinical studies of investigational medicines.

A count of key pharmaceutical businesses, like Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Pfizer Inc., Novartis AG, Sanofi, and Bristol Myers Squibb are headquartered or functional in the U.S.

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Vascular Access Devices Industry is Led by North America

The vascular access devices market is estimated to touch USD 6,100.6 million in 2023, which will increase to USD 9,843.5 million, growing at a 7.2% compound annual growth rate, by 2030.

The growth of this industry is because of the mounting elderly populace, coupled with the growing occurrence of cancer as well as various other chronic ailments. Chronic ailments are already a main healthcare problem in low- & middle-income and high-income nations.

Some of the most widespread of all are diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and cancer, which need diverse intervention degrees. Immunotherapy medicines have the potential to lessen the effect of such chronic ailments, which increases the acceptance of venial catheters.

In 2023, the hospitals category is dominating the industry, with a 55% share. With the increasing dialysis usage because of the widespread occurrence of diabetes worldwide, the utilization of these devices for blood collection or infusion and in transferring nutritional fluid remains to surge at hospitals.

Overall, the increasing chronic ailment incidence is boosting the volumes of hospitalization, in turn, encouraging the adoption of vascular access devices. As a result, in the past few years, the world has observed a substantial increase in the count of hospitals

North America is the largest contributor to the industry in 2023, with over 45% share. This can be mainly ascribed to the existence of a large count of players as well as the swift acceptance of developed medical equipment in this region. 

In addition, the advantageous framework for healthcare expense reimbursement enables patients to easily seek quality healthcare.

With the surging aging population and rising incidence of cancer & various other chronic ailments, the vascular access devices industry will continue to progress in the coming years.

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Rising Rates of Industrialization Boosts CUI and SOI Coatings Market

 The CUI and SOI coatings market is estimated to generate USD 1,965.4 million in 2023, which is expected to increase to USD 2,731.8 million by, with a 5.0% CAGR, by 2030.

The progression in this industry is primarily because of the extensive industrialization, advancement in technologies, and strong economic development in both developing and developed nations.

As various sectors evolve or expand, the requirement for CUI and SOI coatings to defend old or new pieces of infrastructure will surge. Industrial development led to more funding for corrosion safety solutions, therefore, boosting the acceptance of these coatings.

Additionally, as industrialization increases, the effort to avoid damage from corrosion that occurs beneath the layer of insulation will rise. Various sectors now consider it essential to adopt active corrosion prevention approaches, to defend themselves against downtime, safety risks, and maintenance, all of which can be expensive.

Furthermore, strict rules as well as guidelines are being implemented to tackle corrosion-under-insulation, resulting in the necessary utilization of CUI and SOI coatings.

In addition, with constant R&D, companies have developed coatings with improved application effectiveness. Coatings that can be easily sprayed on equipment provide quicker action, suitability for complex systems & shapes, and reduced labor expenses.

The epoxy category, based on type, is the largest contributor to the CUI and SOI coatings market in 2023, with a 40% share, and it is further expected to remain the largest throughout this decade.

This is because epoxy-based coatings play a key role in defending industrial infrastructure and equipment from corrosion as well as insulating them against temperature changes. Moreover, this type of coating has arisen as a preferred substitute because of its high-quality advantages as well as overall high performance in extreme settings.

The oil & gas and petrochemical category, based on end user, is leading the industry in 2023. This can be because of the usage of oil & gas derivatives in large volumes in different sectors, including energy & power and marine.

Furthermore, because of the rough environmental conditions that oil & gas equipment and pipelines are exposed to, coating materials are employed to avoid metallic structure degradation.

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North America Is Dominating Vein Illuminators Industry

The market size of vein illuminators was USD 70.8 million in 2023, and it is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 29.4 % during the period between 2024 and 2030 with an estimated value of USD 414.2 million by 2030.

This development of the market can be credited to the rising count of injectable drugs and the increasing occurrence of chronic syndromes. Furthermore, the growing count of functionalities in such devices, such as an advanced contrast, so that the veins are clearly visible, is driving the development of the industry.

On the basis of technology, the infrared category is projected to display the highest CAGR, as IR-based devices make it convenient to see the site of the veins and even see deep tissues. Devices based on infrared tech generally rely on the absorption of IR light by the hemoglobin in the blood and the image of the unabsorbed light by the nearby tissues back to the detector in the devices. This allows the making of a photo of the location of the veins and its projection onto the skin.

In 2023, the North American vein illuminator market had the largest revenue share, and the region is also estimated to endure its dominating position during the projection period. The development in the continent is credited to the increasing personal income, along with the rising emphasis on health. 

In North America, the U.S. grips the foremost position, and it will advance with a CAGR of 29.0%, credited to the increasing occurrence of varicose or spider veins and the obtainability of trained specialists. Furthermore, the existence of significant players and the rapid acceptance of advanced healthcare technologies across the nation are driving the growth.

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