NC State
BioResources

BioResources welcomes one-to-two page opinion pieces dealing with the science and applications of materials derived from lignocellulosic sources. Preference is given to editorials that offer new or clarified views dealing with societal, environmental, or technical aspects. Editorials must fall within the scope of the journal (see home page). Editorials are selected by the editors from among those that are submitted. The selection is based on the editors’ opinion of what items are likely to foster a spirit of scientific exchange of ideas, as well as progress in the development of science and technology related to increased usage of renewable resources.

The following are examples of topics that would be considered especially appropriate in upcoming issues of BioResources:

  • Electricity generation by incineration of biomass vs. conversion to motor fuels
  • Identifying classes of chemicals most suitable for production from lignocellulosic source materials
  • Recycling of paper – when does it make sense and when not?
  • How close are we to producing excess electrical energy from integrated pulp and paper mills?
  • Carbon sequestration – what could we accomplish if we started a massive effort now?
  • Composting vs. soil contamination – arguments for landfilling, incineration, and recycling

Published Editorial Pieces

  • Editorialpp 2013-2016Blanco, A. (2024). “The role of Open Science in our research,” BioResources 19(2), 2013-2016.AbstractArticlePDF

    This editorial considers Open Science, what it is, what are its potential benefits, what are the pillars of engagement upon which it rests, and what are some of the main challenges facing its further adoption by research communities. At its core, Open Science involves sharing not only the contents of a traditional research article, but also of any source data and methodologies upon which the reported findings are based. Though some extra work may be required, usually without anyone providing additional resources to do that work, continuous developments in digital technology are making Open Science easier to implement. While not all data is suitable to be shared, Open Science practices are widely supported within the wider research community and funding organizations.

  • Editorialpp 2010-2012Wang, Q., and Feng, X. (2024). “High-strength engineered biomaterials study and development needs in China,” BioResources 19(2), 2010-2012.AbstractArticlePDF

    Engineered biomaterials play a crucial role in the construction industry. The study and development of engineered biomaterials with high-strength are necessary to fulfill the construction requirements for medium and high-rise buildings and long-span bridges. Further promoting the localization of high-strength engineered biomaterials is crucial in terms of reducing CO2 emissions, effectively utilizing land resources, and taking into account the unique structure of forest resources in China. The goal of this modification is to satisfy the rising demand for eco-friendly living spaces.

  • Editorialpp 2007-2009Hubbe, M. A., and Savithri, D.  (2024). “Cellulose fibers as a trendsetter for the circular economy that we urgently need,” BioResources 19(2), 2007-2009.AbstractArticlePDF

    Picking up a discarded can or bottle and placing it in a recycling bin may seem like a very small step to take in the direction of making a better world. The scope of benefits that might accrue, by combining many such steps, and making careful plans, was highlighted in a recent Waste to Advanced Resources Matter (WARM) workshop hosted at this university. As shown during the discussions at the workshop, those who are deeply involved with issues of waste management, climate change issues, and care for our planet already know the “broad brush” answers regarding what needs to be done. Now is the time for action in implementing efficient and widespread recovery of valuable materials and energy from what we presently throw away.

  • Editorialpp 2003-2006Garbowski, T. (2024). “Revolutionizing corrugated board production and optimization with artificial intelligence,” BioResources 19(2), 2003-2006.AbstractArticlePDF

    In the field of corrugated board production and packaging optimization, the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has initiated a paradigm shift. This paper presents a brief analysis of AI’s role in revolutionizing both the production of corrugated board and the design of corrugated packaging. It explores the integration of AI in the homogenization process of complex corrugated board structures into single-layer, shallow shell-based computational models, aiming to improve and accelerate load-bearing calculations. This work presents also how AI’s predictive and analytical capabilities are pivotal in achieving efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness in the corrugated board industry.

  • Editorialpp 19-22Shen, J., and Hubbe, M. A. (2024). “Why paper technologists use the terms ‘wet end’ and ‘wet end chemistry’,” BioResources 19(1), 19-22.AbstractArticlePDF

    Terminology plays a crucial role in shaping our understanding of a field. In this editorial, we focus on the widely used terms “wet end” and “wet end chemistry” within the realm of papermaking. By delving into historical records, our aim is to provide a deeper understanding and a clearer perspective on these terms. It is worth noting that exploring terminology can enhance comprehension and foster a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

  • Editorialpp 15-18Zhang, J., De Hoop, C. F., and Wu, Q. (2024). “Environmentally friendly, low thermal conductivity, fire retarding, mechanically robust cellulose nanofibril aerogels and their use for early fire alarm sensors in thermally insulating sustainable building applications,” BioResources 19(1), 15-18.AbstractArticlePDF

    As a way to reduce carbon emissions, manufacturing an environmentally friendly and biodegradable cellulose aerogel material with low thermal conductivity, excellent mechanical, and flame retarding property to replace conventional foams is of significant interest in thermally insulating building applications. Primary questions to be addressed include how to design fire retarding and mechanically robust wood derived cellulose nanofibril aerogels as alternatives of expanded polystyrene and rigid polyurethane foams; how to develop aerogel materials in industrial-level manufacturing; and whether it is possible to further develop its early fire alarm sensors with ultra-low temperature sensitive limit and long signal durability by experimental and machine learning artificial intelligence approaches for thermally insulating sustainable building applications.

  • Editorialpp 13-14Lee, B. J., and Ko, P. (2024). “A way to improve recycling potential of fibers and to achieve circular economy,” BioResources 19(1), 13-14.AbstractArticlePDF

    Even though the recycling of paper and paperboard is quite successful when compared to the recycling of other resources, there are many things to improve. Recovering the used paper and paperboard without contamination and sending it back to the papermill that produced it would enhance the recycling potential and efficiency of recovered fiber resources. Close collaboration between a paper and packaging company and a logistics company has made a big improvement in recycling and achieved the circular economy of fiber resources. It is time to find better ways to collaborate, thereby improving our capability to keep our planet green.

  • Editorialpp 10-12Chen, J., Zhang, X., Chen, Q., and Sun, X. (2024). “Functional conservation and preservation of waterlogged archaeological wood,” BioResources 19(1), 10-12.AbstractArticlePDF

    Waterlogged archaeological wood of shipwrecks has been preserved under seawater for centuries, such that microbial erosion has caused severe bacterial degradation and acidification. These wooden cultural relics are of great significance for understanding the shipbuilding technology, trade activities, and environmental ecology of centuries ago. From the perspective of structure and composition, these waterlogged archeological woods have the characteristics of high water content and a large loss of lignin and cellulose, which makes the hull prone to collapse during preservation. Therefore, it is urgent to apply conservation and preservation treatments for deacidification and consolidation. Due to the fragility of wood and the complexity of repair work, the current development of conservation and preservation technology has multiple aims, such as antibacterial, deacidification, and reinforcement effects. In this editorial, the current challenges and conservation treatments with antimicrobial or deacidification utilities will be introduced.

  • Editorialpp 6-9Covinich, L. G., and Area, M. C. (2024). “Trends and limitations of lignin as a starting material,” BioResources 19(1), 6-9.AbstractArticlePDF

    This editorial envisions a future in which greater value is obtained from technical lignins. The currently available amounts of such lignins are immense, and the costs are often in line with lignin’s fuel value. Key challenges are associated with lignin’s complexity. When envisioning future prospects for lignin, it is important to consider any differences between different types of technical lignin as a starting material.

  • Editorialpp 4-5Davim , J. P. (2024). “Sustainable and intelligent manufacturing: Perceptions in line with 2030 agenda of sustainable development,” BioResources 19(1), 4-5.AbstractArticlePDF

    This editorial presents insights into sustainable and intelligent manufacturing in line with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. It begins by framing the concept of sustainable development and its objectives within the scope of the 2030 agenda. Then it explains the concept of sustainable and intelligent manufacturing in agreement with the latest developments in the industry. It finishes by envisioning the integration of Industry 5.0 in the 2030 agenda.

  • Editorialpp 1-3Zhang, S., Zhang, Q., and Zhu, S. (2024). “Some issues in implementing forest carbon sink projects to realize carbon emission reduction for climate change mitigation,” BioResources 19(1), 1-3.AbstractArticlePDF

    The global climate warming caused by greenhouse gases poses a great threat to human living and biological ecosystems. To mitigate climate change, many measures have been taken to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Among them, the forest carbon sink (FCS) is considered as one of the most economical and effective carbon sequestration methods to realize carbon emission reductions in next 30 to 50 years. FCS projects are being implemented in many countries to increase their carbon sequestration and thereby to realize carbon emission reductions. However, there are some issues associated with implementation with such policies. Firstly, these projects mainly have focused only on carbon sequestration and have ignored the comprehensive ecological effects to obtain their best economical benefits. Secondly, implementing these projects fails to establish a sustainable and healthy forest industry because they place too much reliance on preferential policies from governments. Finally, the projects lack systematic technological standards and legislation to guarantee their smooth implementation. This editorial briefly discusses these issues for the suitable implementation of the FCS projects.

  • Editorialpp 6737-6740Hubbe, M. A. (2023). “Reuse, a neglected “R” word in “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle”,” BioResources 18(4), 6737-6740.AbstractArticlePDF

    This editorial considers hindrances that keep me from making sure that my used wooden furniture items don’t get thrown out at a point where their wooden content still has decades or hundreds of years of potential service left in them.  I am a careless and lazy person, and I am not always appreciating the different ways in which other people might be ready to appreciate and utilize my cast-off items.  Continued usage of a wooden item can be the ultimate in minimizing environmental impacts.  I might envision that the only usage of an old, scuffed wooden dining room set is full restoration.  But my niece might need it for her college apartment.  A friend of a friend might need it for an informal basement art studio.  Alternatively, if the set is really well beyond use in its original form, it could be converted into wood particles for particleboard or incinerated to generate renewable energy.  Whether I use eBay, word of mouth, my church’s electronic bulletin board, or just put the item out by the curb on a sunny day, a wooden item of furniture has the potential to continue to provide valuable service for much longer than I might first imagine.

  • Editorialpp 6734-6736Liu, Z., Chen, C., Xie, W., and Deng, X. (2023). “Challenges of undergraduate programs in chemical processing engineering of forest products in universities of China,” BioResources 18(4), 6734-6736.AbstractArticlePDF

    Seven universities in China currently offer undergraduate programs in chemical processing engineering of forest products (CPEFP), which play a crucial role in training professionals to meet the evolving demands of the forest-based chemical industry. However, these programs in Chinese universities face several challenges that require attention in order to better serve the development of the forest chemical industry.

  • Editorialpp 6731-6733Xie, M., Chen, J., Zhang, T., and Sun, X. (2023). “Angle-independent cellulosic photonic crystals for smart and sustainable colorimetric sensing,” BioResources 18(4), 6731-6733.AbstractArticlePDF

    Cellulose nanocrystals, as well as hydroxypropyl cellulose, can form lyotropic liquid crystals, which can be processed into pigments or glitter products for sustainable coloration. Some stimuli-responsive polymers or nanoparticles are expected to form colorimetric sensors via co-assembly with these cellulosic photonic crystals. The co-assembly behavior of CNCs with polymers is determined by the hydrogen bonds and physical adsorption. Thus, adjusting the molecular chain structure, hydrophilicity, and electrostatic interaction of co-assembled polymers can lead to flexible and tunable colorimetric cellulosic sensors. Despite the advantages of cellulose-based amorphous photonic crystal (APC) pigments or glitters as sustainable and visually captivating sensors, there are still problems in efficient preparation and co-assembly conditions. This editorial will provide a brief discussion of the benefits, applications, and challenges of cellulose-based APCs.

  • Editorialpp 6727-6730Zhang, J., Li, W., and Wu, Q. (2023). “Design of chemically recyclable nanocellulose chiral liquid crystal photonic elastomer vitrimer and its mechanosensitive colour-changing materials,” BioResources 18(4), 6727-6730.AbstractArticlePDF

    The development of nanocellulose (CNCs) chiral liquid crystal photonic elastomeric vitrimer materials is promising for achieving needed reduction in carbon emissions (elastomer material recycling) and developing novel photonic functional materials. The primary questions discussed are about what is the basic principle of chiral liquid crystal and photonic property of CNCs, how to design vitrimer elastomer materials, and what is the general approach to designing CNC chiral liquid crystal photonic elastomer vitrimer and mechanosensitive colour-changing materials.

     

  • Editorialpp 6724-6726Ehman, N., Ponce de León, A., and Area, M. C. (2023). “Fractionation stream components of wood-based biorefinery: New agents in active or intelligent primary food packaging?BioResources 18(4), 6724-6726.AbstractArticlePDF

    Active and intelligent packaging production helps to improve the food value chain, granting reliability to consumers. According to these two premises, these packaging concepts were born. Sustainability and food protection criteria are two fundamental aspects that can be achieved with wood components.

  • Editorialpp 4395-4398Zhang, J., Li, W., and Wu, Q. (2023). “Renewable resource-derived elastomer vitrimer and its sustainable manufacturing and application in extreme environmental conditions,” BioResources 18(3), 4395-4398.AbstractArticlePDF

    The development of biomass (e.g., lignin, cellulose or vegetable oil)-based reversibly dynamic covalent cross-linked elastomer vitrimer materials is a novel approach to address issues related to the recycling of waste cross-linked elastomer material. The primary questions discussed are about how to design chemically recycled biomass-derived cross-linked elastomer vitrimer materials, what are the potential challenges in sustainable manufacturing of cross-linked renewable resources derived elastomer vitrimer materials, and what are their potential advanced applications under extreme environmental conditions, such as extreme low or high temperature and irradiated environments.

  • Editorialpp 4392-4394Alrubaie, M., and Resan, S. F.  (2023). “Opportunities of using nanocellulose in construction materials,” BioResources 18(3), 4392-4394.AbstractArticlePDF

    Numerous efforts have been made to mitigate the negative impacts of the production of construction materials on the environment. A reduction in the usage of virgin raw materials and the utilization of the waste materials or the biobased materials are examples of these efforts. However, a potential threat to the environment persists. Bacterial nanocellulose shows promise as a further way to produce environment-friendly construction materials.

  • Editorialpp 4388-4391Trovagunta, R., and Hubbe, M. A. (2023). “Suberin as a bio-based flame-retardant?,” BioResources 18(3), 4388-4391.AbstractArticlePDF

    Fire hazard is a constant risk in everyday life with the use of combustibles such as polymeric materials, wood, and fabrics, to name a few. Halogenated compounds have been widely used as efficient flame-retardants, often being applied as coatings or impregnations. With growing environmental concerns and regional bans on the use of halogenated flame-retardant compounds, bio-based alternatives are garnering significant research interest. Naturally occurring materials such as eggshells, DNA, and certain proteins have developed a self-defense mechanism against fire over millions of years of evolution. Cork, a naturally occurring biological tissue in outer bark, is of interest as it is often used as a heat shield and moisture repellent, specifically in spacecraft. A deeper look into the chemical structure of cork indicates the presence of suberin, a bio-polyester group that makes up as much as 40% of its chemical composition. These bio-polyester groups play a key role as a protective barrier between the plant and the surrounding external environment. Thus, the role of suberin in plants could be mimicked for the design of biobased flame-retardant materials.

  • Editorialpp 4386-4387Huo, H. (2023). “Library books: Aging and preservation,” BioResources 18(3), 4386-4387.AbstractArticlePDF

    This opinion piece focuses on the topic of preserving library books that are facing the problem of aging, and it delves into the importance of preserving such books and the challenges faced in doing so. The strategies adopted for preservation are discussed, and some questions are posed that need to be answered in the area of preservation of library books. This work may serve as a useful guide for librarians and others concerned with the preservation of books, providing insights into the best practices, challenges, and strategies for maintaining library books for posterity. Indeed, the preservation of library books is crucial for ensuring the continued accessibility and availability of knowledge and information for future generations.

  • Editorialpp 4383-4385Zhang, J., Fu, S., Lan, X., Yang, X. (2023). “Agricultural residue-based bioplastics: Potential options for high-value agricultural residue utilization,” BioResources 18(3), 4383-4385.AbstractArticlePDF

    The extensive application of petroleum-based plastics has caused serious environmental pollution and ecological problems. Now, governments in the world are urgently aiming to develop biodegradable and renewable plastic alternatives. Agricultural waste, being widely available and affordable, may provide a resource of natural polymers to replace those from fossil sources for material manufacturing. However, there are still some non-negligible issues needing more attention. Herein, we briefly discuss the issues and challenges in the conversion of agricultural waste into bioplastics to provide a possible way for its further utilization.

     

  • Editorialpp 4379-4382Teacă , C. A. (2023). “Making paper from materials that are essential to our lives/making paper without trees is the new “Must”,” BioResources 18(3), 4379-4382.AbstractArticlePDF

    Paper, which is in fact a very complex cellulose-based product derived from different lignocellulosic resources, is usually regarded as a simple omnipresent commodity in our lives. Wood fibers derived from trees are the most employed sources for papermaking purposes. From an environmental protection perspective, and for their essential role in our life (they give us the life itself through their foliar system supporting the photosynthesis process), trees should not be extensively cut down and they should be used less and less for papermaking. Thus, employment of non-woody alternative sources for papermaking could be exploited more as an attractive and feasible option.

  • Editorialpp 4377-4378Cho, S. (2023). “Paper industry's strategy for sustainable growth,” BioResources 18(3), 4377-4378.AbstractArticlePDF

    While paper as a medium of information is declining in demand, paper as a sustainable alternative to plastic packaging is gaining interest. In light of these changes, the paper industry is seeking new growth by developing highly-functional paper material that can replace plastics. To this end, the industry needs to develop paper with high-barrier and strength properties, as well as technologies that can improve recyclability of such material. Beyond paper, the industry is also developing novel wood-based chemicals that can replace traditional fossil-fuel derivatives. For these to become commercially viable, the industry needs to focus on achieving cost-competitiveness. Finally to reinforce these two initiatives, the government needs to engage in active dialogues with the industry leaders and provide related R&D support.

  • Editorialpp 4373-4376Chudy, R., Cubbage, F., Mei, B., and Siry, J. (2023). “The Journal of Forest Business Research to support sustainable forest investments for economic, social, and environmental benefits,” BioResources 18(3), 4373-4376.AbstractArticlePDF

    The forest sector plays an important role in sustainable development for market and nonmarket goods and services. Investors and policy makers are increasingly seeking to rely on forests to provide both commercial forest products and nature-based solutions that will meet consumer demands and contribute to bioenergy, climate change amelioration, and biodiversity. To meet the expectations of climate and energy policies, forecasts estimate that more than US$70 billion of investments are needed annually by 2050. To achieve this level of investments, these increasing demands for investments in forests must be based on scientific research, reliable data, and credible business applications. In the era of information overload, access to peer-reviewed open-access journals has never been more critical than it is now. We summarize the role of our new Journal of Forest Business Research in providing improved applied research for practitioners seeking to achieve better outcomes relative to investment, finance, and economic goals for sustainable development.

  • Editorialpp 2531-2534Hubbe, M. A. (2023). "How to make cellulose hate water – Change it, cover it, confuse it, or accept it as it is,” BioResources 18(2), 2531-2534.AbstractArticlePDF

    In many of its current and potential applications, technologists treat the surface of cellulose to render it more hydrophobic. By use of a variety of hydrophobic sizing treatment strategies, the bulk cellulose phase becomes covered up with a layer having lower polarity and less inclination to interact with water. Often, the goal is to use a relatively low amount of additive to cover up or change just the surface of the cellulosic material, while still benefiting from the strength, recyclability, relatively low cost, and other favorable features of the bio-based material. But what often gets forgotten is that the hydrophilic nature of pure cellulose is not very high, and there are ways to manipulate such characteristics without reacting the material or covering it up. Sometimes reacting the cellulose with hydrophobic substituent groups appears to make it more water-loving. So, when thinking broadly of processing options for new applications, there are several contrasting approaches to consider.

  • Editorialpp 2528-2530Song, S., Wang, Q., and Zhang, M. (2023). “Bamboo fiber-based insulating paper: A potential choice towards greener power and paper industries,” BioResources 18(2), 2528-2530.AbstractArticlePDF

    Insulating paper is the key material utilized in ultra-high voltage (UHV) projects, and it affects the safe and stable operation of the whole power system. Cellulose fiber-based insulating paper, having the advantages of low price and environmental friendliness, has been widely used as the preferred insulating material for certain transformers. Bamboo, as a fast-growing raw material, has a favorable fiber length and its carbon sequestration is better than that of wood. Bamboo can be potentially used as a new raw material for insulating paper, thus promoting the green development of the power and paper industry. This article mainly discusses the challenges and potentials of bamboo fiber-based insulating paper and the opportunities of bamboo fiber-based paper materials.

  • Editorialpp 2526-2527Zhang, S., Zhang, Q., Sa, M., and Zhu, S. (2023). “Lignocellulosic biomass for sustainable energy: Some neglected issues and misconceptions,” BioResources 18(2), 2526-2527.AbstractArticlePDF

    Lignocellulosic biomass (LB) is widely used in the field of renewable energy production because of its low price and easy availability. Many kinds of fuels from LB have been developed and are being used in our daily lives. The LB energy has become an indispensable part in the energy mix on account of its steady and sustainable supply. However, there are some neglected issues and misconceptions regarding its development and utilization, although it has numerous advantages over other energy sources. Firstly, its development and utilization can change the living environment of organisms and decrease biodiversity to some extent, relative to using other sources of energy. Secondly, it is not a completely carbon-neutralized fuel as has been claimed in some literature. Finally, its excessive exploitation can seriously damage the environment and biosystems. This editorial will give a brief discussion on some neglected issues and misconceptions during its development and utilization for its suitable exploitation.

  • Editorialpp 2522- 2525Suota, M. J., Corazza, M. L., and Ramos, L. P. (2023). “Green solvents in biomass delignification for fuels and chemicals,” BioResources 18(2), 2522- 2525.AbstractArticlePDF

    Lignin is considered by many as the ultimate barrier that impedes biomass conversion to fuels and chemicals. Several delignification strategies have been developed so far, but alkaline extraction remains the most widely used. However, this technology has a high chemical demand, consumes large amounts of water, and generates effluents that are hard to handle. Organosolv pulping is a good option for such application, but the impact of solvent losses and harmful emissions may be unsustainable. To this end, the use of greener alternatives such as water, biobased solvents, ionic liquids, and deep eutectic solvents, under sub- or supercritical conditions, may pave the road for the development of sustainable biorefineries.

  • Editorialpp 2520-2521Kim, J. D. (2023). “Time to collaborate for the age of paper,” BioResources 18(2), 2520-2521.AbstractArticlePDF

    An awareness of the problems associated with the use of plastics can provide new opportunities for the paper industry. We have to try to enhance the public awareness of the environmental value of papers by using diverse advertising approaches. We have to collaborate to make paper more viable to replace plastics in many uses. The collaboration not only between industry and academia but also between countries and associations is essential to advance the age of paper.

  • Editorialpp 4-5Zhang, J., Li, W., Wang, L., and Zhang, R. (2023). "Reducing end modification of nanocellulose as a novel approach for high-performance sustainable composites," BioResources 18(1), 4-5.AbstractArticlePDF

    The development of nanocellulose sustainable materials is considered as one of the most promising alternatives to address plastic pollution issues, as global plastic wastes may increase to 11 billion tonnes by 2025. However, how to achieve the homogeneous dispersion of nanocelluloses (CNCs) and strong interfacial interactions with matrix materials, while well maintaining its percolation networks, is a challenge in this field. As opposed to the conventional surface chemical modification strategy, the reducing end modification of CNCs as a novel approach provides an opportunity to achieve this objective, which also opens a new door for the design of stimuli-responsive CNC sustainable composites, such as vitrimer materials and stimuli-responsive Pickering emulsions.

  • Editorialpp 1-3Hubbe, M. A., and  Millan, A. (2023). "Using images to enliven scientific articles," BioResources 18(1) 1-3.AbstractArticlePDF

    This editorial considers the use of images as a way to enhance the readability and possibly the impact of scientific writing. Readers are asked to envision effective scientific writing as a form of storytelling. Some stories can be enhanced by adding a diagram or a step-by-step procedure. Inherently dull results might be enlivened (in a cautious manner) with a non-typical graphical portrayal. A potentially tedious theoretical point might be lightened with a touch of humor, which might seem out of place if it were expressed in text. Keep these options in mind as you are creating your next story, i.e., your next research article.

  • Editorialpp 5565-5567Jablonsky, M., and Šima, J. (2022). "Let's contribute to protecting our planet by reducing the brightness of paper: Less is more," BioResources 17(4), 5565-5567.AbstractArticlePDF

    Sustaining life on the Earth with its ever-growing population is forcing changes in people’s way of life, industrial and agricultural production, exploitation of energy resources, and approaches to ecology. We face continual growth in the world’s population, and the demand for materials is growing even more rapidly. Every manufacturing and consumer sector is looking for ways to save energy and materials, attempting to minimize their negative impacts on the environment. In the pulp and paper industry, one of the segments in which progress can be made and help protect the planet is to reduce the brightness of paper. Such a reduction would lead to a lowering in the energy and material costs associated with paper production.

  • Editorialpp 5562-5564Lucia, L. A. (2022). "Compositomics: A timely conceptual framework for future advancements in green materials’ design and development," BioResources 17(4), 5562-5564.AbstractArticlePDF

    Higher-order systems found in nature continue to be a source of inspiration for designing highly functional artificial systems. However, compositing these systems requires a precise understanding of how the components required can affect final desired responses. This non-trivial task is daunting and therefore will require a multiplicity of approaches elaborated under the umbrella of compositomics, a proposed –omics cluster dedicated to fabricating green materials through modeling, systems thinking, and machine learning.

  • Editorialpp 5557-5561French, A. (2022). "How crystalline is my cellulose specimen? Probing the limits of x-ray diffraction," BioResources 17(4), 5557-5561.AbstractArticlePDF

    Cellulose serves as a skeleton for many of the useful products upon which we rely on each day. When we want to learn about a skeleton, it makes sense to think about X-ray methods. The same can be said when it comes to learning about the crystallinity of cellulose. Over the past six decades, the Segal X-ray diffraction (XRD) method has been popular for judging the percent crystallinity of powder samples. However, XRD patterns for ideal cellulose crystals can be easily simulated, and limitations of the Segal and other methods become obvious. Calculated patterns for model 100% crystalline powder particles are predicted to be less crystalline by the Segal method. Except for the Rietveld method, current approaches do not account for particle orientation or different shapes of crystallites. The Rietveld method has so many variables that it can easily overfit the data. The take-away message is that routine XRD examination is important for showing sample characteristics, but fractional crystallinity values are affected by constraints related to simplifications required for the analysis.

  • Editorialpp 3880-3882Jablonsky, M., and Šima, J. (2022). "Is it correct to name DESs deep eutectic solvents?" BioResources 17(3), 3880-3882.AbstractArticlePDF

    Recent years of research and development have brought frequently used terms for new types of green solvents to the lexicon of scientists. This can lead to terminological inaccuracies. In particular, different names are being used for the same types of solvents: Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES); Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents; Low-Transition Temperature Mixtures; Low-Melting Mixtures. It would, therefore, be appropriate to eliminate certain inaccuracies and to use simplification, which means using the general term “Low-Temperature Transition Mixtures” or introducing the term “DES-like mixtures”.

  • Editorialpp 3877-3879Guo, Y., and Yu, X. (2022). "When mimetics meets chitosan," BioResources 17(3), 3877-3879.AbstractArticlePDF

    The concept of mimetics can be defined in terms of “learning from others” or “inspired by others”, and indeed its essence is “universal”. A well-known marvelous example of designing materials inspired by nature is human flight. Essentially, everything can be mimicked somehow in this huge world. In this sense, the characteristics of polysaccharides, including chitosan, can shed light on new product development. Owing to the interesting features of chitosan, such as nontoxicity, biodegradability, antibacterial activity, and the puzzling hydrophobic nature of chitosan films, the synthesis of chitosan-mimetic materials represents a promising strategy for developing a diverse group of functional products. The abundant amino and hydroxyl groups of chitosan are the basis for designing different functional materials. It is expected that chitosan-mimetic strategies may potentially address issues or challenges related to the commercial use of chitosan. For example, chitosan functions well as a paper additive (e.g. surface sizing); however, its use is strongly hampered by high cost, poor water-solubility, etc. In this case, chitosan-mimetic products derived from low-cost materials (e.g., starch) may be considered as alternatives to chitosan. Limitless types of products stemming from the interaction between mimetics and chitosan are designable, potentially creating endless opportunities for different industrial sectors.

  • Editorialpp 3875-3876Youn, H. J., and Lee, H. L. (2022). "Public awareness of paper’s sustainability in a digital society," BioResources 17(3), 3875-3876.AbstractArticlePDF

    People often think of paper as an environmentally harmful product because trees are cut down to make it. A new generation that has grown up in today’s digital society may think that the use of digital devices is a waste-free way to protect our environment. Although the pulp and paper industry is making various efforts to preserve the environment, it has not been properly recognized. Developing new technologies to produce better products at lower cost while protecting our environment is important. But it is also important to enhance the image of the pulp and paper industry in the eyes of the public. The pulp and paper industry’s efforts to reforestation for raw materials and to expand the recycling of waste paper should be more widely introduced.

  • Editorialpp 3871-3874Hermann, P., and Heinze, T. (2022). "Renewable thermoplastics – Starch fatty acid esters as alternatives to synthetics," BioResources 17(3), 3871-3874.AbstractArticlePDF

    Thermoplastics are an important class of polymers that find widespread use in a broad variety of applications. Because of environmental concerns regarding the lack of biodegradability of synthetic thermoplastics, green alternatives are increasingly studied that should be both based on renewable resources and biodegradable. In this regard, polysaccharide esters of naturally occurring fatty acids are in the center of interest.

  • Editorialpp 1969-1971Zhang, Q., Sa, M., and Zhu, S. (2022). "Crowdfunding: A potentially effective channel to raise money for lignocellulosic research," BioResources 17(2), 1969-1971.AbstractArticlePDF

    It is becoming more and more important for researchers to find financing for their research projects and studies. Traditionally, they rely on grants and universities to fund sustained academic research progress. With grants becoming increasingly hard to secure, researchers have to turn to other sources of finance to support their research. Crowdfunding has provided a potentially effective financial tool to raise money from the public for their work. Unlike the traditional peer-review grant systems, which often have a complicated and time-consuming application and evaluation process, the crowdfunding process is generally simple and fast, and it has a high fundraising efficiency. Besides raising money to conduct research, crowdfunding also provides an opportunity for public outreach and science education engendered by this type of funding model. This editorial will give a brief discussion on crowdfunding and its use in lignocellulosic research.

  • Editorialpp 1965-1968Lee, K. H., Chun, Y., Yoo, H. Y., and Kim, S. W. (2022). "Strategies for converting non-edible biomass into value-added chemicals: Economical and reliable biorefining processes," BioResources 17(2), 1965-1968.AbstractArticlePDF

    About 35% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from the energy sector, which accelerates global warming and sea-level rise. As a renewable resource, biomass not only can replace conventional fossil energy with renewable energy, but it is also a key component of the circular bioeconomy (CBE). To achieve efficient use of bioresources, the concept of biorefinery with CBE strategy is increasingly being considered in several countries. In particular, it aims to reduce crude oil consumption and build an economy that is favorable for the climate and nature by replacing carbon-intensive products such as plastics, synthetic rubber, and synthetic fibers with renewable bio-based resources. The purpose of this article is to investigate biomass conversion technologies for building a CBE and to consider successful biorefinery strategies. In particular, five implications of using biomass are suggested as ways to secure the economic feasibility of biorefinery. We propose a biorefinery that produces value-added chemicals from non-edible biomass through saccharification and fermentation as a strategy to achieve the 2050 goal of net-zero carbon.

  • Editorialpp 1962-1964Dement, L. M., and Lucia, L. A. (2022). "The role of the chemical industry in chemophobia," BioResources 17(2), 1962-1964.AbstractArticlePDF

    The perception of the chemical field by the public has degraded proportionally with the growth of the industry. Chemical plants, as the largest source of chemical production and storage, have significant impact on the levels of chemophobia harbored in our society. Specifically, chemical disasters not only create significant loss, but they also work to propel the common distrust of chemistry in a dangerous direction. Repeated mishandling of distinct compound types coupled with disasters across the world harming thousands sends the message that our industry is unsafe and out of control. The preventable nature of these events demands that we seek means to curb the errors behind these major events within the industry required to support their importance to our economy and way of life in the United States. Additionally, we must strive to use educational approaches and constant dialogue as tools to surmount unfounded fears and augment public understanding of the nature and value of chemistry.

  • Editorialpp 3-6Hubbe, M. A. (2022). "What to do with toxic, contaminated cellulose-based adsorbents," BioResources 17(1), 3-6.AbstractArticlePDF

    This editorial considers the end fates of toxic materials, such as heavy metals, dyes, and synthetic organic compounds, which can be recovered from polluted water by using bio-based adsorbents. The point of the editorial is that insufficient research attention has been paid to the final fate of such contaminants. By contrast, much is known regarding factors affecting the adsorption capacities and rates of adsorption onto cellulose-based materials. Highly contaminated solutions are produced during the regeneration of biosorbent materials. Eutectic freeze crystallization potentially could be used to isolate relative pure compounds of heavy metals from such solutions. Alternatively, biochar can be prepared from cellulosic material in such a way as to achieve strong attachment to certain pollutants. Such biochar, after its use as an adsorbent, could be placed in the ground, where it can be expected to remain stable as sequestered carbon. A high ion exchange capacity of such biochar has potential to reduce the rates of leaching, which could otherwise lead to contamination of groundwater near to landfill sites. As shown by these examples, some promising answers to the final fate of contaminants may conform to a “circular economy” model, whereas other promising answers may conform to a “cradle-to-grave” viewpoint.

  • Editorialpp 1-2Lavoine, N. (2022). "Fostering entrepreneurial thinking in biomaterials education," BioResources 17(1), 1-2.AbstractArticlePDF

    The concept of entrepreneurial thinking is gaining attention in higher education. Originally attributed to entrepreneurs, this concept embraces a set of attitudes, skills, and behaviors that can also help students, engineers, and researchers to succeed academically, professionally, and personally. This editorial discusses the benefits of developing and adopting an entrepreneurial thinking in biomaterials science and engineering. Our society is constantly evolving, and the next generations of engineers and researchers will have to adapt fast to the needs and propose innovative solutions to the demands. A strong entrepreneurial mindset may thus be key for boosting our efforts towards innovation and sustainability.

  • Editorialpp 6556-6559Hubbe, M. A. (2021). "Energy efficiency – A particular challenge for the cellulose-based products industries," BioResources 16(4), 6556-6559.AbstractArticlePDF

    Wood-processing facilities, including pulp, paper, lumber, and engineered wood facilities, use large amounts of energy for such purposes as evaporative drying and the curing of adhesives. Much of that energy is already being supplied by the incineration of biomass, and there is opportunity to increase the proportion of renewable energy that is used. Specific changes can be made within such factories that allow them to come closer to what is thermodynamically possible in terms of avoiding the wastage of exergy, which can be defined as useful energy. Savings in exergy are often obtained by optimization of a network of heat exchangers within an integrated system. No steam should be allowed to leak to the atmosphere; rather the latent heat (due to phase transitions) and sensible heat (due to temperature changes) are recovered during the heating up of incoming air and water, ideally at a similar range of temperatures. Thus, by a combination of process integration and full utilization of cellulosic residues generated from the process, even bio-based industries can be made greener.

  • Editorialpp 6553-6555Pinto, R., Corazza, M. L., and Ramos, L. P. (2021). "Bringing the concept of drop-in fuels into the pulp and paper industry," BioResources 16(4), 6553-6555.AbstractArticlePDF

    The pulp and paper sector is undertaking several initiatives to decrease the carbon footprint of its industrial activities. To do so, any emission must be offset by introducing efficient carbon fixation strategies such as reforestation and the development of biobased products and processes. The production of drop-in fuels may play an important role in this scenario. Drop-in fuels provide a good way to add value to otherwise underutilized process streams and wastes, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing other environmental impacts, and improving process sustainability.

  • Editorialpp 6551-6552Hart, P. W. (2021). "Trust the literature, but verify – Case study of starch acetate as a barrier material under jungle conditions," BioResources, 16(4), 6551-6552.AbstractArticlePDF

    A case study is presented in which several articles and patents suggested a specific outcome. When the actual experimental work was performed, the results were found to be several orders of magnitude away from predicted values. Close re-inspection of the literature suggested that most of the authors actually extrapolated the results to conditions that were not applicable to their specific studies, resulting in the reporting errors. It is important to use literature to assist in research, but it is equally important not to blindly follow it either.

  • Editorialpp 6548-6550Ruffino, R. (2021). "Sustainable design: Aspects of sustainable product development," BioResources 16(4), 6548-6550.AbstractArticlePDF

    When NC State University recently hired me to lead a course concentration in sustainable design, I began to hone in on what sustainable product development and design translate to and its actionable applications. Sustainable product development and design of current and future consumer products and services are methods that create a proactive versus a reactive approach. The development of sustainable products and systems must start at the beginning phase of ideation and continue through the entire process to achieve multiple design purposes and duration with a designated end-of-life plan. In contrast, generally, products are developed with end of life and longevity as a secondary thought, and with recycling as a potential option. If the goal is the longevity of a product or service, one needs to look beyond recycling and more at the concept of development. A sustainable product development approach and design thinking are how to accomplish product longevity.

  • Editorialpp 4671-4674Chen, Y., Zhang, C., Qi, H., and Hubbe, M. A. (2021). "Some challenges in the naming and measuring of nanocellulose," BioResources 16(3), 4671-4674.AbstractArticlePDF

    Due to its renewable nature, its inherent strength, and many other favorable attributes, nanocellulose (NC) has drawn increasing attention for many potential applications. A diverse and complex assortment of NC products have been reported, and these are most commonly classified based on some contrasting procedures of preparation. The research community is facing a continuing challenge to adequately measure and quantify morphological features of various NC products. In principle, it ought to be possible to quantify and name NC based on such attributes as “degree of branching,” “breadth of particle size,” and “aspect ratio distribution,” etc. However, the ability to measure and compute such quantities still lies beyond what can be achieved in practical amounts of time in typical laboratories. Meanwhile, there has been tension between researchers proposing additional descriptive names, while at the same time there have been efforts at achieving uniformity and simplicity in nomenclature. It is proposed in this essay that this state of affairs is largely a reflection of complexity itself, such that NC products that have the same nominal description can be very different from each other when examined closely. The diversity itself may turn out to be a good thing, as researchers work to come up with varieties of NC that can survive an expected relentless competition from existing plastic-based or cellulose-based materials.

  • Editorialpp 4667-4670Jablonsky, M., Kreps, F., Haz, A., Sima, J., and Jablonsky, J. (2021). "Green solvents, plant metabolites, and COVID-19: Challenges and perspectives," BioResources 16(3), 4667-4670.AbstractArticlePDF

    Acquisition and isolation of value-added substances from natural sources using new types of green solvents are becoming a breakthrough area of 21st century research. In combination with various extraction techniques, there is expected to be a diversification of the use of these solvents for extraction, separation, and the formation of new drug carriers, allowing increased solubility of substances having potential pharmacological properties. Extraction, separation, or increase in the solubility of suitable drug candidates against COVID-19, or other viral diseases, opens new ways to effectively prevent and protect human health in this pandemic period.

  • Editorialpp 4663-4666Ehman, N., and Area, M. C. (2021). "Bioplastics are revolutionizing the packaging industry," BioResources 16(3), 4663-4666.AbstractArticlePDF

    The production of bioplastics is a growing trend. The utilization of renewable sources, in some cases currently wasted, to replace petroleum derivatives, is providing opportunities to achieve more environmentally friendly product life cycles. The possibility of producing biodegradable products under normal environmental conditions is another goal of recent studies. This editorial summarizes current aspects in the production of bioplastics. We highlight new studies that make it possible to obtain biodegradable composites using a natural, renewable, high availability, and low-cost material, such as cellulose.

  • Editorialpp 2200-2203Jablonsky, M., Homola, J., Masaryk, M., Slavikova, M., Homolova, M., Brazinova, A., and Katuscak, S. (2021). "Cellulose fibers (dominant protecting means/tool) against COVID-19. Facemasks pros, cons, and challenges," BioResources 16(2), 2200-2203.AbstractArticlePDF

    Cellulose materials and related bioresources have been the first-line tools of defense of human health against COVID-19. The alfa cellulose, wood cellulose, and multilayer composite face masks have been used by billions, simultaneously with millions of tons of cellulosic bioresources-based medical specialty, hygiene, and packaging products used to deal with the global disaster. This editorial considers recently available facts and disputes some statements that have appeared in the media during the year 2020 concerning properties and the risks of the masks. According to recent findings, the carbon dioxide concentration increases by 2.3 to 4.3 times inside of the mask, compared to ambient air, and therefore we suppose that there will be also a concentration increase of larger chemical compounds, toxins, volatile organic compounds (VOC), and particles. These quantities should be measured, and the data used in further research aimed at quality improvement.

  • Editorialpp 2196-2199Sombatsompop, N., Srimalanon, P., Markpin, T., and Prapagdee, B. (2021). "Polylactic acid (PLA): Improve it, use it, and dump it faster," BioResources 16(2), 2196-2199.AbstractArticlePDF

    Today, many people enjoy an easy lifestyle. However, this comfort has come with a price because of plastic that is thrown away after a single use. As such, governments around the world have pushed for biodegradable plastics to be produced, especially for food packaging, and these can be easily seen in supermarkets, for example. Using plastic for only one time has resulted in environmental pollution. To solve this problem, polylactic acid (PLA) has been introduced as an alternative bio-based plastic to replace artificial petroleum-based plastics. PLA comes from renewable resources and is biodegradable under certain conditions. Furthermore, the development of the properties of PLA could solve problems related to its weakness in packaging applications. This editorial proposes expansion of the property attributes of PLA to include hygienic character, through the addition of antibacterial agents. This can be done by introducing two alternative approaches for waste management: PLA recycling and degradation. However, some key research is still needed to improve the properties and waste management of PLA relative to the effectiveness of its reprocessing and acceleration of its (bio)degradation.

  • Editorialpp 2192-2195Shuai, J., and Wang, X. (2021). "Novel solvent systems for cellulose dissolution," BioResources 16(2), 2192-2195.AbstractArticlePDF

    Cellulose, as the most abundant sustainable resource on earth, can be chemically transformed into a variety of biodegradable materials, which have been proposed as the ideal substitutes for plastic products. The first challenge for the fabrication of cellulose-based functional materials is the successful dissolution of cellulose by solvents. However, most existing cellulose solvents have environmental, economic, and other drawbacks that limit their further industrial applications. Research on developing novel solvent systems with “greener” and “cheaper” properties is needed to meet the challenges.

  • Editorialpp 2188-2191Yoo, H. Y., and Kim, S. W. (2021). "The next-generation biomass for biorefining," BioResources 16(2), 2188-2191.AbstractArticlePDF

    Biorefining, which uses biomass as feedstock and converts it into valuable products, is a core technology for the sustainable green industry and has high potential as an alternative to the current petrochemical-based industry. This article covers the requirements for feedstock that should be met for the economic feasibility of a biorefinery. In particular, organic waste that meets several requirements as the next-generation biomass has high potential. However, the complex and significant differences in composition depending on the origin make it difficult to follow the previous system of classification such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. In particular, several organic wastes contain high value-added bioactive components. Therefore, a strategy for the effective use of high value-added ingredients contained in trace amounts is required, which is briefly introduced in the third section of this article.

  • Editorialpp 2184-2187Teaca, C. (2021). "Trees as bioindicators of environmental pollution and its impact on wood chemical composition," BioResources 16(2), 2184-2187.AbstractArticlePDF

    Trees provide one of the most versatile biomass resources for many applications, namely wood. The chemical composition of wood determines its properties, being of real significance for its further capitalization, and depending on many factors. In nature, trees’ biomass is subjected to considerable pollution stress with further alteration of their normal growth conditions. Some correlations have been established between wood’s chemical composition and its further exploitation accordingly to particular circumstances of climate changes and pollution. The content of the main structural polymers from wood, cellulose and lignin, as well other components undergoes notable changes under the influence of pollution phenomena.

  • Editorialpp 2181-2183Gericke, M., and Heinze, T. (2021). "Polymer nanoparticles for drug delivery – synthetic vs. biopolymers?," BioResources 16(2), 2181-2183.AbstractArticlePDF

    Nanoparticles have a great prospect for therapeutic applications. They can protect drugs under physiological conditions and act as a matrix for directed delivery of drugs, e.g., to a specific tissue or cell type. Polymer-based nanomaterials are considered as highly effective in this regard. Their properties can be tailored to meet specific demands for given therapeutic purposes. Considering the high-quality standards placed on medical products, the question arises: Which type of polymer material should be employed? One might select synthetic polymer compounds, which are highly diverse in terms of the molecular structures and supramolecular architectures that can be created, or biopolymers such as polysaccharides that are renowned for their native biocompatibility.

  • Editorialpp 16-18Hubbe, M. A. (2021). "When defects dominate: Rheology of nanofibrillated cellulose suspensions," BioResources 16(1), 16-18.AbstractArticlePDF

    Conventional rheological tests can be difficult to carry out in the case of suspensions of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC). Such suspensions tend to migrate away from the walls of a rheometer device, leaving a low-viscosity layer. The very high aspect ratio of typical nanofibrillated cellulose particles favors formation of tangled clusters. But application of hydrodynamic shear can cause fragmentation of those clusters. It is proposed in this essay that some focus be placed on the fragments of entangled clusters of NFC and interactions between them at their fractured surfaces. The condition of near-uniform, defect-free structures of nanocellulose spanning the volume within a sheared suspension might be regarded as an unlikely circumstance. Isaac Newton started with a very simple equation to start to understand rheology. It is proposed that a similarly bold and simplified approach may be needed to account for the effects of broken entangled clusters of NFC on flow phenomena, their assessment, and their consequences related to industrial processes.

  • Editorialpp 13-15Heitmann, J. A. (2021). "Education, research, and dishwashers in the time of COVID-19," BioResources 16(1), 13-15.AbstractArticlePDF

    The effect of COVID-19 on supply chains is introduced and some parallels are drawn with its effects on education and research. The default option in education seems to be distance education, which is already difficult for colleges and universities, but much more so for K-12. The effect of COVID-19 on research is much more varied. Some areas, like health sciences, are intensified while others, such as academic research, are anticipating declines in activity. It is expected that international graduate students will be more adversely affected than other groups. Some thoughts on the “new normal” are presented.

  • Editorialpp 9-12Pawlak, J. J. (2021). "Industrial biomaterials start-ups: Technology selection," BioResources 16(1), 9-12.AbstractArticlePDF

    Transforming an innovation into a start-up company can be highly rewarding to the technologist. This editorial considers technology selection for a start-up company. A simple system for screening initial of technologies is given. This editorial is based on years of experience working in translating technologies into start-up companies by the author. These companies have approached their start-up strategies in a variety of different ways. It is important for the technologist to enter into a start-up venture with an understanding of how their technology is positioned both technically and from a business perspective.

  • Editorialpp 5-8Sa, M., Zhang, B., and Zhu, S. (2021). "Miscanthus: Beyond its use as an energy crop," BioResources 16(1), 5-8.AbstractArticlePDF

    Miscanthus is a tall perennial rhizomatous grass with C4 photosynthesis. Because of its high biomass yield, high carbohydrate and low ash content, high calorific value, remarkable environmental adaptability, high water and land use efficiency, and low fertilizer and pesticide requirements, it has become one of the most promising energy crops. Apart from energy uses, it can also be used as raw material for paper-making and for production of a variety of chemicals. Moreover, Miscanthus can also play an important role in environmental remediation and ecological improvement. It has been used to remedy polluted soil, improve the soil quality, and increase the biodiversity by providing habitat for animals and insects. However, its commercialization is still facing great challenge. More study is needed to further decrease its cultivation, harvesting, and processing costs. This editorial discusses opportunities and challenges of Miscanthus as an energy crop and in other applications.

  • Editorialpp 1-4Uetani, K., and Kitaoka, T. (2021). "Nanocellulose: Beyond the ordinary," BioResources 16(1), 1-4.AbstractArticlePDF

    Nanocellulose is a collective term for nanoassemblies of macromolecular cellulose in fibrous and crystalline forms, mainly originating from woody bioresources. Fascinating physicochemical properties of nanocellulose, such as high strength, light weight, transparency, and low thermal expansion, have allowed development of nanocellulose-based functional materials, but most of these materials face serious competition from existing products. The inherent nanoarchitectures of nanocellulose cannot be reconstructed by artificial means, and they are expected to contain unknown functions that have not yet been achieved. Nanocellulose can “run its own show” in the forthcoming sustainable society through determining and highlighting its nanostructure-triggered novel material functions that are beyond the ordinary.

  • Editorialpp 7315-7318Elshenawi, D. M. and Wang, Y. (2020). "How to protect factory workers from COVID-19?" BioRes. 15(4), 7315-7318.AbstractArticlePDF

    Coronavirus has become a very serious global health problem. Since December 2019, a number of new cases of patients with pneumonia caused by the Coronavirus disease have been found in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. With the global spread of the epidemic, other types of cases have been found in other regions of China and abroad. Factory workers play an important and essential role in the production of goods needed by society. Protecting them is essential to maintain the stability of factory productivity. This editorial provides guidance in how to protect factory workers from COVID-19 infection.

  • Editorialpp 7313-7314Nie, J., Song, S., and Liang, J. (2020). "Gels serving as carriers for functional fillers and facilitating novel composite paper production," BioRes. 15(4), 7313-7314.AbstractArticlePDF

    Functional fillers can facilitate the development of novel composite paper products for specific end uses. But using functional components as fillers by direct addition to the fiber suspension may fall short of the desired goals. The functional filler may fail to be efficiently retained. Gels can serve as carriers of functional paper fillers by coupling with them during in-situ synthesis and the gelation process. This strategy is favorable for the effective utilization of functional paper fillers, without hampering the intrinsic properties of paper. Additional merits of this strategy include versatility and compatibility with existing paper-making processes.

  • Editorialpp 7309-7312Liu, W., Liu, H., Liu, K., Du, H., Liu, Y., and Si, C. (2020). "Paper-based products as promising substitutes for plastics in the context of bans on non-biodegradables," BioRes. 15(4), 7309-7312.AbstractArticlePDF

    As a global environmental problem, plastic pollution has attracted worldwide attention. Plastic wastes not only disrupt ecosystems and biodiversity, but they also threaten human life and health. Countries around the world have enacted regulations in recent years to limit the use of plastics. Paper products have been proposed as promising substitutes for plastics, which undoubtedly brings unprecedented opportunities to the pulp and paper industry. However, paper products have some deficiencies in replacing certain plastic products. Research and development to improve paper properties and reduce production costs is needed to meet such challenges.

  • Editorialpp 4650-4654Zhang, B., Cao, D., and Zhu, S. (2020). "Use of plants to clean polluted air: A potentially effective and low-cost phytoremediation technology," BioRes. 15(3), 4650-4654.AbstractArticlePDF

    Air pollution poses a great threat to human health, and it has become a worldwide problem that needs to be urgently dealt with. Many measures have been taken to reduce air pollution and improve air quality. These methods are generally costly and require special equipment. Some plants have the ability to assimilate, degrade, or modify toxic pollutants in air into less toxic ones. It is proposed here to develop plant-based technology to clean polluted air at low cost. This air phytoremediation technology has many potential advantages in contrast with traditional air pollution treatment methods. It is simple, potentially cheap, and easily implemented. Plants to be used for air phytoremediation have the potential to reduce pollutants in air and improve air quality; they also fix carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and help to decrease greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The selected plants can also be used as raw materials for production of energy and bio-based chemicals. However, little research has been carried out on air phytoremediation technology, especially in the basic research area. This editorial gives a brief discussion about air phytoremediation to stimulate more research on this technology and further improve its effectiveness in practical use.

  • Editorialpp 4646-4649Wang, Y., Huo, H., Qian, X., and Shen, J. (2020). "Colloids, nanostructures, and supramolecular assemblies for papermaking," BioRes. 15(3), 4646-4649.AbstractArticlePDF

    The dominating role of colloid science in papermaking processes, as exemplified by wet-end chemistry, is now well known. The concept of colloids dates back to about 160 years ago. In certain cases, however, the term “colloids” can have an overlapping meaning with the modern terms “nanomaterials” and “supramolecular assemblies”. The latter terms, and the scientists who have gravitated to those terms, have enriched colloid science, providing new insights into colloidal systems. It is proposed here that reconsidering papermaking in light of these multi-disciplinary sciences has potential to facilitate effective teaching and learning pertaining to universities that have pulp and paper programs. Enhanced integration of basic sciences with papermaking may further our understanding and broaden existing research areas, which is likely to create breakthroughs in basic research, applied research, and product development.

  • Editorialpp 4642-4645McGavin, R. L., Dakin, T., and Shanks, J. (2020). "Mass-timber construction in Australia: Is CLT the only answer?" BioRes. 15(3), 4642-4645.AbstractArticlePDF

    Wood-based mass-panels (WBMP) are emerging as an attractive construction product for large-scale residential and commercial construction. Australia is following the lead of Europe and North America with several recent projects being completed using predominately cross-laminated timber panels (CLT). These sawn timber-based panels offer some key advantages to the construction and sawmilling industry. However, veneer-based mass-panel (VBMP) systems could offer additional benefits including the more efficient use of the available forest resources to produce WBMPs that have equivalent to superior performance to CLT. Research to confirm the expected technical viability of veneer-based systems is required. VBMPs could provide a valuable contribution, alongside CLT, to the Australian timber products market.

  • Editorialpp 4638-4641Liu, K., Wang, H., Liu, H., Nie, S., Du, H., and Si, C. (2020). "COVID-19: Challenges and perspectives for the pulp and paper industry worldwide," BioRes. 15(3), 4638-4641.AbstractArticlePDF

    The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has made a huge impact on the global industrial supply chains. Undoubtedly, COVID-19 is posing severe challenges to the pulp and paper industry worldwide. On the other hand, this pandemic may provide unprecedented possibilities for the pulp and paper manufacturers in areas such as the increasing demand for personal hygiene paper products, food packaging products, corrugated packaging materials, medical specialty papers, etc.

  • Editorialpp 4636-4637de Clerck, P. (2020). "Alkaline sizing – Have we got it wrong?" BioRes. 15(3), 4636-4637.AbstractArticlePDF

    Many words have been written regarding alkaline sizing of paper. The learned works often launch directly into cellulose-size reactions. Starch – a carbohydrate with a similar surface chemistry to cellulose – rarely features in the considerations. Yet the contact of size with the starch may be far more intimate and extensive than the contact with cellulose. It is suggested that the reaction of the size with starch is an important and overlooked contribution to our understanding of sizing.

  • Editorialpp 2117-2118Song, S., Wu, Z., and Nie, J. (2020). "Paper fillers innovations: From design of particles to preparing filler composites," BioRes. 15(2), 2117-2118.AbstractArticlePDF

    The increase of filler content in paper is an effective way to reduce production costs and to promote the market competitiveness of paper mills. A shift from natural fillers to synthetic fillers has enabled improvements in the critical properties of paper. Meanwhile, innovations from single particles of filler to filler composites has made it possible to increase the filler content of paper. Among various filler innovations, the design of fiber/filler composites has aroused general attention from industry and academic researchers. However, concerns related to the cost and recyclability of composite fillers remain to be addressed.

  • Editorialpp 2114-2116Wan, J., Qian, X., Zhang, M., Song, S., and Shen, J. (2020). "Edible additives & cellulosic paper," BioRes. 15(2), 2114-2116.AbstractArticlePDF

    Assembly of biofibers into paper-based products fits well into green chemistry principles. Biobased additives such as cationic starch and carboxymethyl cellulose are widely used in the paper industry. Edible additives, which often can be regarded as “safer” than regular biobased additives, may also play a role in tailorable design of paper-based products.

  • Editorialpp 2111-2113Lv, P., Lu, X., Zhou, H., and Sun, X. (2020). "Biosynthesis of bacterial cellulose for in-situ assembly of intelligent packaging with natural dyes," BioRes. 15(2), 2111-2113.AbstractArticlePDF

    Natural materials such as wood, bone, and skin continue to command the respect and admiration of materials scientists. It is difficult to achieve comparable properties by the use conventional industrial manufacturing processes. In this essay we are proposing a radical approach to the preparation of future intelligent packaging materials. Rather than attempting to assemble the chemical components at a nano-scale to make an intelligent package, our proposal is to let life itself take care of much of the assembly. We propose that the natural growth of bacterial cellulose can be used as a way to prepare a well-integrated structure at the nano-scale. Additives such as natural dyes can be introduced already during biosynthesis and thus become well integrated with the packaging material from the start. For example, one can develop a smart label for pH monitoring based on bacterial cellulose doped with natural dyes extracted from natural byproducts by in situ biosynthesis of cellulose. The resulting film has potential to be used as a visual indicator of the pH variations during storage of packaged food.

  • Editorialpp 3-5Ma, Q., Lu, X., and Chen, Z. (2020). "Could aerogels from lignin-containing forest materials be used for cushioning in packaging systems?" BioRes. 15(1), 3-5.AbstractArticlePDF

    Cushioning materials are commonly used in packaging systems for storage and transport to provide support and to minimize damage from impact forces generated during sudden contact. For instance, they play an essential role in reducing losses from the orchard to the consumer. A 2009 article by Chen et al. reported on three alkali-based softening treatments to reduce the content of lignin and hemicellulose of cylindrical luffa to present a cushioning mattress. Notably, better comprehensive strength and recovery ability were obtained when the porous sample contained a moderate amount of lignin and hemicellulose. As a promising porous material, aerogels have favorable properties such as high surface area, low density, light weight, and high porosity with a three dimensional (3D) network, which have attracted much attention. In the process to prepare such an “aerogel from natural forest” (AFNF) materials, researchers typically have removed most of the lignin and hemicellulose to obtain ultralight AFNF with a high crystallinity index. So, taking inspiration from the cylindrical luffa study, it is proposed here that AFNF be used as cushioning material for packaging, and that the optimum lignin content might be much higher than previously envisioned.

  • Editorialpp 1-2Hubbe, M. A. (2020). "Saving the planet: What is the role of biomass?" BioRes. 15(1), 1-2.AbstractArticlePDF

    Scientists predict continuing increases in average global temperatures. Consequences include sea level rise, shifts in agriculture, and severe stress on many species, including our own. Can biomass be used to mitigate climate change? It is proposed in this essay that the answer is “yes, but”. Yes, trees and other plants will continue to serve as “the lungs of the planet,” converting CO2 to O2 by photosynthesis. But saving the world will not be easy. Biomass scientists will not be able to solve the problems alone. Rather, mitigation of problems related to climate change will require parallel efforts. We will need to get energy also from the sun, from wind, from water, from improvements in efficiency, and from societies learning to live peaceably, while showing restraint regarding jet travel.

  • Editorialpp 7632-7635Lu, X. (2019). "Cellulose nanocrystals for wrinkled fabric," BioRes. 14(4), 7632-7635.AbstractArticlePDF

    Although wrinkling is not appreciated in some of its manifestations, there are other instances for which it is essential to study and comprehend various physical phenomena related to wrinkling. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have some excellent intrinsic properties, i.e., high aspect ratio, percolation function, and good mechanical strength that have potential to affect wrinkling. Since the production period of bacterial cellulose is longer, it is efficient to use CNC as a substitute for bacterial cellulose in such applications. The network structure of bacterial cellulose can be mimicked by CNC fabric, which comprises several wrinkled CNC layers.

  • Editorialpp 7630-7631Hubbe, M. A. (2019). "Why, after all, are chitosan films hydrophobic?" BioRes. 14(4), 7630-7631.AbstractArticlePDF

    Chitosan has a molecular structure very similar to that of cellulose, except that one of the –OH groups on each repeating unit (at the C2 position) is replaced by an amine group. Since chitosan has abundant water-loving groups and is soluble in weakly acidic aqueous solution, one might expect films prepared from casting of chitosan solutions to be hydrophilic. Experiments have shown wide variability, often indicating a hydrophobic character of the chitosan films. A 2008 article by Cunha et al. presented evidence suggesting that the apparent hydrophobicity was attributable to impurities. However, not all the evidence was consistent. In particular, extraction of chitosan film with methanol failed to increase the polar component of surface free energy. It is proposed in this editorial that the explanation can be found in a differing water-affinity of chitosan polymer segments, depending on their orientation. This explanation, if valid, is consistent with differences in the hydrophilic or hydrophilic character of different crystalline faces of cellulose.

  • Editorialpp 7627-7629Chen, Z., Zhang, H., He, Z., and Zhang, L. (2019). "Current and future markets of dissolving pulp in China and other countries," BioRes. 14(4), 7627-7629.AbstractArticlePDF

    As a purified form of cellulosic fiber, dissolving pulp is an important starting material for many value-added cellulose products. Dissolving pulp is mainly produced by either the pre-hydrolysis kraft (PHK) process or the acid sulfite (AS) process. The dissolving pulp market has been booming in many developing countries in recent years. As one of the biggest producers of dissolving pulp in the world, China is also importing a large amount of dissolving pulp from other countries. It is expected that the production capacity of dissolving pulp in China will increase significantly in the near future.

  • Editorialpp 5022-5024Rogers, J. (2019). "The use of social media and its impact for research," BioRes. 14(3), 5022-5024.AbstractArticlePDF

    Social media is an omnipresent part of everyday life. It provides users with an easy way to engage and connect with others without meeting face-to-face. This form of communication provides a lot of opportunity for companies and individuals to reach a massive audience. What is the purpose of social media, and how does it tie into science? Well, you see, it all depends on who you know and how active your social media presence is. Is there a benefit for sharing research across social media? The benefits of social media stem from active participation and the generation of new attractive content from an individual. Research is about producing new information, and social media offers unique opportunities to present new content.

  • Editorialpp 5018-5021Cao, D., Zhang, B., Yang, M., Luo, F., Yang, X., and Zhu, S. (2019). "Use of single atom catalysis for improvement of lignocellulosic conversion," BioRes. 14(3), 5018-5021.AbstractArticlePDF

    Economical and efficient transformation of lignocellulosic biomass into fuels, chemicals, and materials has drawn much attention in recent years. Catalytic chemical conversion is one of the most widely used technical ways in lignocellulosic transformation because of its high efficiency. However, the traditional chemical conversion is often carried out at high temperatures and large amounts of byproducts are formed during the conversion process. This is due in part because the used catalyst has low activity, selectivity, and stability. This causes the traditional chemical conversion process to have a high cost and to encounter difficulty in industrialization. The single atom catalysis approach provides a promising solution to improve the traditional chemical conversion process and decrease its process cost. Compared with the traditional catalyst, the single atom catalyst has not only lower cost but also higher activity, selectivity, and stability. It is becoming a new frontier in lignocellulosic conversion. This editorial will give a brief discussion about opportunities and challenges of using single atom catalysis for improvement of the lignocellulosic conversion.

  • Editorialpp 5016-5017Olendorf, R. K. (2019). "Toward a more open, trusted, and efficient research environment," BioRes. 14(3), 5016-5017.AbstractArticlePDF

    Open science is becoming increasingly popular. Both funders and publishers require data be made public. The goal is to make research easier to validate, more trusted, and to hasten the speed of discovery. However, due to lack of training, lack of resources and lack of time, researchers often fail to make much of the content they generate public, and they also fail to adequately document and organize it. Here I make an argument that researchers should try to make all their research content public. I briefly describe best practices that should both result in a better product and be less burdensome on the researcher. I also argue that if done properly, opening up their research can have multiple benefits for the research and their career.

  • Editorialpp 2468-2471Kovalcik, A., Obruca, S., Fritz, I., and Marova, I. (2019). "Polyhydroxyalkanoates: Their importance and future," BioRes. 14(2), 2468-2471.AbstractArticlePDF

    This editorial considers biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), polymer processing of PHA, and the use of PHA in production of bioplastics or biocomposites. The views come from a workshop aimed to join students and experts working with PHA or those interested in the application of biopolymers. The goals are 1) to synchronize their opinions with up-to-date knowledge published in the literature within the last 10 years, and 2) to formulate perspectives and conclusions.

  • Editorialpp 2465-2467Qiu, H., Xu, J., He, Z., Long, L., and Yue, X. (2019). "Bamboo as an emerging source of raw material for household and building products," BioRes. 14(2), 2465-2467.AbstractArticlePDF

    Bamboo is a category of fast-growing and widely distributed perennials having unique physical and mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of bamboo are often higher (typically by two to three times) than those of conventional timbers, and it has become a very important raw material for the household/ building industries. Bamboo has been commercially used for the production of indoor and outdoor floors, furniture, and structural timber for building. Some performance defects/ drawbacks of bamboo have been effectively remedied, due to the new technologies, such as bamboo scrimber, which facilitates the market penetration/ acceptance of bamboo-based household and building products.

  • Editorialpp 2460-2464Pal, L., and Lucia, L. A. (2019). "Renaissance of industrial hemp: A miracle crop for a multitude of products," BioRes. 14(2), 2460-2464.AbstractArticlePDF

    The US, which historically has been a major producer of hemp, has recently reintroduced industrial hemp production. The idea is to provide agriculture and farming communities with new economic opportunities (2018 Farm Bill) to replace lost income from formerly more profitable cash crops such as tobacco. Industrial hemp is a scalable crop that could provide significant economic and environmental benefits; however, the true valorization of industrial hemp will hinge on significant innovation and the development of high-value applications. Utilization of the whole hemp plant may be the key to attaining economic, environmental, and social sustainability. Further, strong community outreach and education is required to overcome the stigma attached with industrial hemp due to its morphological and genetic similarities to its psychoactive-rich (> 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinols (THC)) analogue. This editorial identifies critical research, educational, and community outreach platforms to develop a robust US industrial hemp program, with a goal to enable the renaissance of this miracle crop. Collaboration of the forest sector, universities, and industries is urged for the establishment of a center or consortium that fosters the future advances amongst more productive hemp cultivars, local farming practices, and bioproducts development for economic outlets for this miracle crop.

  • Editorialpp 2458-2459Vasara, P., Pongpiriyakan, P., Nyman, T., Lehtinen, H., Aktüre, I., and Laukkanen, O. (2019). "Curing our addiction to fossil and nonbiodegradable plastics: Steps ahead," BioRes. 14(2), 2458-2459.AbstractArticlePDF

    We are suffering from a global plastic addiction. Ways to curb it include the decreasing of plastic end uses and substituting fossil and non-biodegradable plastics with more sustainable alternatives such as bioplastics, cellulosic fibre-based solutions, and recycled plastics. We have the problem of choice: among hundreds of plastic end uses and potential substitutes, how do we pick the best options for each case – financially, socially, and environmentally? How do we support companies, authorities, and consumers with extensive knowledge encapsulated in advanced yet usable decision support? Answers may lie in data mining as a basis.

  • Editorialpp 3-5Chen, Z., Zhang, H., He, Z., Zhang, L., and Yue, X. (2019). "Bamboo as an emerging resource for worldwide pulping and papermaking," BioRes. 14(1), 3-5.AbstractArticlePDF

    As a widely distributed and fast growing graminaceous plant, bamboo has emerged as an important raw material for pulping and papermaking to mitigate the shortage of wood resources, at least in the East Asia region. New technologies such as silicon removal have been developed to overcome the disadvantage of bamboo as a pulping raw material, as well as to improve the quality of bamboo pulp products. The bamboo pulping capacity in China is continuing to increase in the near future.

  • Editorialpp 1-2Hubbe, M. (2019). "BioResources to serve as host for Fundamental Research Symposia archives," BioRes. 14(1), 1-2.AbstractArticlePDF

    The Fundamental Research Committee (FRC), founded in 1956 to organize regular symposia among pulp and paper scientists, has been aiming to widen access to their archival published proceedings.  The FRC decided that it would be best to make their published work freely available on the web rather than continuing to offer CD versions for sale.  They wanted to work together with an entity having experience with open access publishing.  The FRC has selected BioResources as that entity, based on our 13-year record of open access service to the same branch of science and technology.  BioResources is honored to take on this role and accordingly will henceforth prominently list the “Fundamental Research Symposia Archives” on our web page with links to the FRC content.

  • Editorialpp 7172-7174Khider, T. O., and Hubbe, M. A. (2018). "Towards rational utilization of indigenous plant resources," BioRes. 13(4), 7172-7174.AbstractArticlePDF

    The world has huge floral diversity, whereas there often is poor and irrational utilization, especially of indigenous plants and residues from agricultural processes. Trees, shrubs, and herbs can have multiple uses at different levels as medicines and sources of lignocellulosic materials. A fuller and more rational utilization is needed, with interaction of international and national communities, to raise the awareness of local people, governments, and industrial entrepreneurs of the floral wealth that is waiting to be utilized more effectively.

  • Editorialpp 4773-4775Chen, Z., Yue, X., He, Z., and Zhang, L. (2018). "China’s new regulations on waste paper importing and their impacts on global waste paper recycling and the papermaking industry in China," BioRes. 13(3), 4773-4775.AbstractArticlePDF

    China is the largest waste paper importing market in the world. Due to more and more demands and awareness of environment/ safety issues, in recent years the Chinese government has implemented a number of new regulations on waste paper importing, for example, prohibiting importing of unsorted waste paper and lowering the foreign (non-paper) content in the imported waste paper from 1.5% to 0.5%. Small-scale (less than 50,000 tons per year capacity) paper mills are not eligible for importing waste paper. These new regulations have had profound impacts on the global waste paper recycling practice and the papermaking industry in China. At the same time, these new regulations bring up new challenges to the global waste paper recycling practices, such as increased labor costs and decreased recycling efficiency.

  • Editorialpp 4770-4772Song, S., Wang, P., and Zhang, M. (2018). "Filler bondability factor as a tool for maximizing the potential of mineral additives in paper production," BioRes. 13(3), 4770-4772.AbstractArticlePDF

    Increasing filler content in paper while maintaining paper strength is a continuous need in the paper industry. The bonds between cellulosic fibers and fillers are essential to increase filler level in paper. Besides tensile strength, which traditionally has been used to investigate different fillers on fiber bonding, a new factor, i.e. a filler bondability factor, can be applied in evaluating the mitigation effect of filler addition on fiber bonding. This factor shows its effectiveness in optimizing the key parameters for filler modification and the choice of filler, and it helps to maximize the use of filler in the paper industry.

  • Editorialpp 2184-2186Chen, Z., Zhang, L., and He, Z. (2018). "Rethinking the determination of wet strength of paper," BioRes. 13(2), 2184-2186.AbstractArticlePDF

    The wet strength of paper is an important physical property, especially for household paper, e.g., paper towels, as well as for some functional paper grades. However, in the literature, various conditions of immersing the samples in water before testing have been reported, resulting in differences in their extent of saturation and inconsistency in the testing results. Also, the dryness of paper specimens before the wet-strength testing is a critical parameter for the wet strength of paper; however, this aspect has been neglected in the literature. In this editorial, the methods of examination for both the temporary and permanent wet strength are discussed. A more reasonable method is proposed, such that the wet strength is reported according to the immersion time and the initial dryness of the paper. As an option, the results may be expressed as a function of immersion time and initial dryness. In this way, the trend of temporary wet strength related to the immersion time in water can be expressed clearly and the permanent wet strength also can be evaluated comprehensively.

  • Editorialpp 2182-2183Laleicke, P. (2018). "Wood waste, the challenges of communication and innovation," BioRes. 13(2), 2182-2183.AbstractArticlePDF

    Wood is our material of choice for sustainable and environmental friendly construction and manufacturing of products. Wood has excellent properties for reuse, realized and implemented through a cascading utilization, introducing intermittent product lives. In contrast, wood waste is still a heavily under-valued resource in North America. With current practices of sourcing virgin wood at lowest cost and few efforts to shift wood out of the single-use convenience mode of utilization, true innovation is unlikely to occur. Technical problems have been assessed and solved. What remains is collecting and combining unintelligently scattered and hidden information about wood utilization into a single place. And, if connecting a complimentary feedstock supply to our current industries remains a challenge, then innovation must happen on the product-side too.

  • Editorialpp 3-5Zhu, S., Yang, M., Luo, F., Yang, X., and Xue, Y. (2018). "Engineering cell wall-degrading enzymes into growing plants to improve lignocellulosic ethanol production," BioRes. 13(1), 3-5.AbstractArticlePDF

    The plant cell wall (PCW) represents the most abundant renewable biomass resource for lignocellulosic ethanol production. Economical and efficient degradation of PCW to fermentable sugars is an essential sub-process during lignocellulosic ethanol production. At present, the recalcitrance of PCW to various pretreatments and enzymatic hydrolysis makes the PCW degradation unacceptably expensive. Engineering cell wall-degrading enzymes into growing plants provides a promising solution to lower the PCW degradation cost and increase its degradation efficiency for lignocellulosic ethanol production. Avoiding damage by the expressed biomass-degrading enzymes to growing plants is the key to successful use of this method. Two modern biological technologies can be used to solve this problem. One is to engineer a thermoregulated intein-modified cell wall-degrading enzyme into growing plants. The other is to use the gene-timed expression technique. This editorial will give a brief discussion of opportunities and challenges of engineering cell wall-degrading enzymes into growing plants for improvement of lignocellulosic ethanol production.

  • Editorialpp 1-2Wang, P., Qian, X., and Shen, J. (2018). "Superhydrophobic coatings with edible biowaxes for reducing or eliminating liquid residues of foods and drinks in containers," BioRes. 13(1), 1-2.AbstractArticlePDF

    Biowaxes, including carnauba wax and beeswax, are edible and renewable. Once dispersed in a polar solvent, these natural materials could be easily converted into nontoxic, “roll-off”, and superhydrophobic coatings on the basis of spray coating. The combination of container materials with these coatings can reduce or even eliminate liquid resides (including highly viscous residues) of foods and drinks in containers (e.g., bottles), significantly facilitating downstream operations. Comprehensive demonstrations of this green concept would generate huge opportunities for food/drink-related industries.

  • Editorialpp 6904-6906Hubbe, M. (2017). "To repair or not to repair cracked wood," BioRes. 12(4), 6904-6906.AbstractArticlePDF

    If only wood could be defect-free, then the minimum strength of solid-wood beams and other structures could be much higher. Structural failures could be avoided, and-or less material might be required in some applications. Cracks in wooden structures can be filled with adhesives or with thermoplastic composite material. But to approach the intended strength of defect-free wood, it is necessary to use other strategies such as glued rods and surface patches. The ultimate answer may lie in better species selection, tree breeding, forestry strategies, lumber cutting practices, and lumber drying practices to avoid cracks in the first place.

  • Editorialpp 6902-6903Wu, D., Qian, X., and Shen, J. (2017). "Macromolecular reorganization as a basis for converting cellulosic hydrogels into sustainable plastics," BioRes. 12(4), 6902-6903.AbstractArticlePDF

    The development of lignocellulose-derived sustainable plastics is an important strategy for a greener future. Cellulosic hydrogels, which are readily generated from a cellulosic source (e.g., wood pulp), can be converted into high-strength plastics by hot-pressing. In this process, cellulose macromolecules are fluidized and reassembled, leading to significant change of bonding interactions and structural characteristics. This interesting concept would open the door for new possibilities of bioproduct design.

  • Editorialpp 4497-4499Hubbe, M. A. (2017). "Book review of an open textbook: Sustainability: A Comprehensive Foundation," BioRes. 12(3), 4497-4499.AbstractArticlePDF

    Paper was once the lightest, lowest-cost way to make information widely available in a form suitable for study and self-improvement. But paper-based textbooks, in the modern era, tend to be heavy and they can also strain the budgets of typical students. Given the fact that you are now reading an open-access journal, you may understand why many faculty members would possibly want to use an open-access textbook for some of their courses. This editorial considers one such course, and the assessment is generally favorable. But in addition to the classroom, a good open textbook may be regarded as a suitable foundation for one’s research. By citing an open textbook in the introduction to your research article, you can provide your readers with the option of gaining enough background to better appreciate your latest research findings.

  • Editorialpp 4495-4496Lenahan, O. M. (2017). "Book review: Fabriano: City of Medieval and Renaissance Papermaking – The first 500 years," BioRes. 12(3), 4495-4496.AbstractArticlePDF

    The Italian town of Fabriano is known for producing high-quality handmade paper – an industry that began in the 13th century and that has endured for eight centuries. How did the industry take hold in this Italian town and how did it endure for so long? Author Sylvia Rodgers Albro tells this story in her new book, Fabriano: City of Medieval and Renaissance Papermaking. Readers who appreciate history and engineering will enjoy Albro’s narrative, wonderful photography, and diagrams as they bring to life the art, science, and social history of papermaking in Fabriano.

  • Editorialpp 4490-4494Okpala, C. O. R. (2017). "Reflecting in the woods: Can it help to enhance the formulation of (our) research questions?" BioRes. 12(3), 4490-4494.AbstractArticlePDF
    Nowadays, reflecting and reflective practice are being incorporated into undergraduate and postgraduate learning across disciplines, and thus, both can be seen as prerequisite(s) to achieving effective research activity. On the other hand, trees represent organisms characterized by a perennial lifestyle to produce a majority of terrestrial biomass. Trees, when put together as a group, take on the identity as “the woods”, which can be seen in many parts of the globe. In science, the choice and use of research questions has been considered as very useful in the definition, collection and reporting of (relevant) information. But, can reflecting in the woods enhance the formulation of (our) research questions? In this editorial, an attempt is made to respond to this question, to show that the woods has promising potential to provide a positive atmosphere for effective reflective activity for any (scientific) researcher.
  • Editorialpp 2252-2253Hubbe, M. A. (2017). "Why I don't do academic social media...or do I?," BioRes. 12(2), 2252-2253.AbstractArticlePDF

    A communications scholar at our university asked me recently whether I would take part in a debate about academic social media services such as ResearchGate. Yes, I responded, as long as I don’t have to argue the affirmative – that such online systems are necessarily a good thing. Personally I do not count myself as a user of academic social media, but I can easily understand why others could make an opposite decision. Academic social media can provide a way to get copies of full-length published articles, to pose questions to other researchers, to get various questions answered, and in general to foster relationships with well-networked and possibly influential people within one’s academic field. Or, like me, you might just enjoy having something mildly annoying that is fun to complain about.

  • Editorialpp 2249-2251Pal, L., and Joyce, M. (2017). "Paper need not be flat: Paper and biomaterials industries need to converge to bring about true innovation," BioRes. 12(2), 2249-2251.AbstractArticlePDF

    Biomaterials and new processes (3D printing and flexible hybrid electronics) offer opportunities to break free from a 2D paper world by allowing for the development of smart multi-dimensional structures. While there has been recent progress reported in each of these areas of technology, to date, the merger of these technologies has been very limited. We believe that their merger offers boundless opportunities and an opportunity for the paper industry to innovate a low cost, sustainable housing solution capable of promoting the well-being of its occupants while minimizing the environmental impact of its daily use.

  • Editorialpp 4-7Derikvand, M., Nolan, G., Jiao, H., and Kotlarewski, N. (2017). "What to do with structurally low-grade wood from Australia's plantation eucalyptus; Building application?," BioRes. 12(1), 4-7.AbstractArticlePDF

    About one million hectares of plantation hardwoods, mostly eucalyptus trees of different sub-species (E. nitens and E. globulus), are annually being managed in Australia, which provides a promising resource of raw materials for fibre industries. However, the timber boards required by the Australian hardwood sector are still being either imported from other countries or harvested from the native forests. There is a need to find a practical way to use the plantation eucalyptus in the Australian timber industry. However, the fibre-managed plantation eucalyptus produces structurally low-grade timber which could not be used as individual boards for structural applications—such as building construction. Unsuitable for appearance applications, the structurally low-grade boards may be suitable for producing innovative high-mass engineered timber products. This editorial will briefly discuss drivers, opportunities, and challenges associated with conducting such a research project.

  • Editorialpp 1-3Yao, Y. (2017). "Models for sustainability" BioRes. 12(1), 1-3.  AbstractArticlePDF
    As one of the major methodologies used in the modeling of sustainability, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is widely used to evaluate the environmental impacts of emerging technologies and to enhance decision making towards sustainable development. However, most of the current LCA models are static and deterministic. More insights could be generated when LCA models are coupled with higher-resolution techniques in a prospective fashion. Instead of trying to accurately predict the future, the purpose and value of integrated prospective models are to explore the boundaries of possibility and to shed light on directions that can lead to sustainable pathways. The biggest challenge is to determine the appropriate model resolution so that both big-picture insights and critical details are included. This challenge is hard to address, especially for interdisciplinary models that try to incorporate more than one dimension related to sustainability. However, improvements can be made continually through efforts from a growing population of interdisciplinary researchers.
  • Editorialpp 8119-8122Zhang, A., and Shen, J. (2016). "Adding growth-promoting ingredients in activated sludge process as a troubleshooting strategy for pulp and paper mill wastewater treatment," BioRes. 11(4), 8119-8122.AbstractArticlePDF
    The activated sludge process is a well-established technology in the secondary treatment of pulp and paper mill wastewater. Maintaining the activities of microorganisms and allowing them to thrive, metabolize, and grow robustly is essential for efficient biological reactions. To this end, a scientific formulation of growth-promoting ingredients (containing stimulants, buffers, micronutrients, etc) provides a useful strategy for addressing the impact of fluctuations in process conditions involved in the pulp and paper production. Lots of potential exists in terms of the use of these “smart” ingredients to meet stricter discharge limits.
  • Editorialpp 8116-8118Hubbe, M. A. (2016). "My production facility, my laboratory of discovery," BioRes. 11(4), 8116-8118.AbstractArticlePDF

    By exercising of one’s curiosity, in combination with a lot of persistence, it is possible to solve some seemingly intractable problems. Many readers of this journal will have spent much, if not all of their careers, in university laboratories. In such settings there is an understandable emphasis on understanding underlying reasons. In other words, one is expected to focus on “why things happen” rather than just getting results. But if such an approach works well at the university, how about applying it at the production facility? This editorial features the stories of a man who was brave enough to spend his career asking “why” questions while working to improve the operations of paper mills.

  • Editorialpp 5658-5659Gangwar, A. K. (2016). "Benefits of polycups stock over other waste paper grades in paper recycling," BioRes. 11(3), 5658-5659.AbstractArticlePDF

    It is never too late or too early to invent alternative processes for the betterment of our routine life. For paper production, trees are being cut in huge quantities each day, and this directly affects our day to day life by making atmospheric conditions less favorable. Waste paper can be recycled on average 4 to 6 times while maintaining acceptable qualities in recycled paper. To save forest resources, we should move ahead towards using more and more waste paper for paper production. A wasted resource can be recycled either to make the same product or by manufacturing new products, e.g. cardboard boxes, newspaper, writing and printing papers, and paper bags, etc. Several waste paper grades are not being fully utilized, and their use might allow increased paper recycling to produce new recovered paper with specified paper qualities. Polycup stock is an example of an under-utilized type of wastepaper that has the potential to substitute effectively for virgin pulp production.

  • Editorialpp 5656-5657Hubbe, M. A. (2016)."Paper or plastic? Yes, but not as a mixture," BioRes. 11(3), 5656-5657.AbstractArticlePDF

    As expressed by the chorus lyrics of a song by Dan Einbender, “it really isn’t garbage ‘til you mix it all together. It really isn’t garbage ‘til you throw it away. Separate your paper, plastic, compost, glass and metal. Then you get to use it all another day.” It’s worth paying attention to these lyrics once again in the face of yet another type of product that is starting to show up in stores. Extruded sheets of polyethylene (no. 2 plastic) with as much as 80% ground calcium carbonate content are being sold as “paper”. Calcium carbonate is widely used as a component of real paper. However, it rubs me the wrong way when the word “paper” is being used to refer to something that has no fibers in it and is not formed on a screen and dried. My more serious concern is that such materials, if they become widely used, have the potential to contaminate paper recycling operations.

  • Editorialpp 2968-2971Cratty, C. (2016). "The artistic possibilities of cellulosic fibers," BioRes. 11(2), 2968-2971.AbstractArticlePDF

    Plant fibers have been used for over 2,000 years to make paper. When the process of hand papermaking paled, I set out to find a way to use cellulosic fibers as paint. A decade of experimenting led to the choice of 3 main fibers that worked best. Methods of cooking, preparing, coloring, and drying were tested and refined. Using pulp as paint brought me the innovative techniques I developed in this new craft medium and led to recognition as a Tennessee Master Craft Artist. I continue to experiment with new ways to use pulp as paint.

  • Editorialpp 2964-2967Barrett, T. (2016)."Enzymatic pretreatment during 15th to 18th century papermaking in Europe," BioRes. 11(2), 2964-2967.AbstractArticlePDF

    Enzymatic pretreatment of cellulose is generally considered to be a new area of research, but in fact it was a standard step in European pre-industrial papermaking between 1300 and 1800. Specialized handmade papers are routinely prepared in our Center for use in the care and conservation of rare books and manuscripts. Our attempts to replicate some of the early papers have led us to an investigation of retting (or fermentation) of hemp and cotton fiber as a pre-beating step. Results of twenty-two production runs show that increased fermentation time gives increased Canadian Standard Freeness and improved formation quality while permitting a decrease in beating time.

  • Editorialpp 6-7Gangwar, A. K., Prakash, N. T., and Prakash, R. (2016). "Questioning conventional wisdom regarding the most suitable sequence of enzyme usage in pulp bleaching," BioRes. 11(1), 6-7.AbstractPDF
    Increased public scrutiny and governmental legislation towards the pulp and paper industries have motivated industrialists and researchers to seek improved bleaching sequences having the potential to minimize pollutants in bleach effluent generated during manufacturing of paper. Discovery of toxic chlorinated organics and their components in bleach effluents has focused people’s attention towards finding alternative ways of bleaching pulp. Use of enzymes at industrial scale has become well known, but still it is not clear whether the sequence of enzymatic treatment most often employed in industrial applications represents the best overall practice. The point of enzyme addition is critically important to maximize benefits. Many publications describe the use of an enzyme treatment stage before the use of chemicals in a bleaching process. Insufficient attention has been paid to the alternatives of adding an enzyme in between chemical bleaching agents (intermediate) or at the end of the bleaching process.
  • Editorialpp 3-5Zhu, S., Wang, K., Huang, W., Huang, W., Cheng, B., Chen, J., Zhang, R., Chen, Q., and Wu, Y. (2016). "Acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass in ionic liquids for ethanol production: Opportunities & challenges," BioRes. 11(1), 3-5.AbstractPDF
    Lignocellulosic biomass (LB) is potentially a relatively inexpensive and abundant feedstock for ethanol production. One of the most challenging steps during the lignocellulosic ethanol production is to convert the carbohydrates in LB to the fermentable reducing sugars (FRS) in an economically viable and environmentally friendly way. The acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of LB in ionic liquids (ILs) has provided a promising technical tool to improve upon the traditional FRS production process. Compared to the conventional FRS production process from LB via the acid or enzymatic hydrolysis method, it has many advantages, such as a simplified process, mild reaction conditions, low acid consumption, and low equipment investment. However, there are still some technical challenges that need to be solved regarding its use at an industrial scale, for example, improving its reaction selectivity, developing effective methods to separate the FRS and ILs, and alleviating the negative effect of the remaining ILs in FRS on subsequent ethanol fermentation. This editorial will give a brief discussion about opportunities and challenges of the acid catalyzed hydrolysis of LB in ILs for ethanol production.
  • Editorialpp 1-2Hubbe, M. A., and Lucia, L. A. (2016)."BioResources: Ten years of service for the progress of the science and technology of lignocellulosic products," BioRes. 11(1), 1-2.AbstractPDF
    The co-editors of BioResources note the completion of our first ten years. We think that the journal can be judged as a success based on having achieved an impact factor of about 1.4 each year since 2009 and having reached a publication rate of about 700 articles per year. We strive to be a “people’s journal” serving scientists, students, and society. We plan to continue emphasizing editorial pieces and review articles, which supplement our main service of publishing peer-reviewed articles dealing with the science of lignocellulosic materials, chemicals, and their uses. We also support undergraduate scholarship in our academic department, including tuition payment, opportunities for pre-editing work, and support for undergraduates to attend conferences, etc.
  • Editorialpp 6318-6320Ali, O. F., and Koukoulas, A. A. (2015). "Approaches to energy pellet cost and quality optimization" BioRes. 10(4), 6318-6320.AbstractArticlePDF

    As the global demand for biomass-derived energy pellets continues to expand, industry focus is expected to quickly migrate from project development to ways of lowering operating costs. Process optimization and the utilization of low-cost feedstocks are expected to be of special interest. This new focus will present opportunities for targeted research that can utilize low-value wood and biomass feedstocks, increase yields, and improve product quality.

  • Editorialpp 6314-6317Hao, X., Liu, C., Cao, H., Liu, Y., Peng, H., and Shen, J. (2015). "Use of byproduct from cellulosic ethanol production as an additive for concrete: A possible win-win strategy?" BioRes. 10(4), 6314-6317.AbstractArticlePDF

    Technologists are facing increasing demands to achieve ecologically sustainable industrial practices. Currently the concrete industry is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, the scaling up of cellulosic ethanol technology has not been a very easy task. In this context, the integration of “greener” concrete with cellulosic ethanol technology may open up promising possibilities. The solid byproducts from cellulosic ethanol production process have been demonstrated to increase the strength of concrete structures when used as a partial cement replacement. Such a delicate integration can also lead to reduction in both carbon footprint and product cost. The possible commercialization of the integrated technologies would provide win-win benefits for both industries.

  • Editorialpp 6310-6313Gamelas, J. A. F., and Ferraz, E. (2015). "Composite films based on nanocellulose and nanoclay minerals as high strength materials with gas barrier capabilities: Key points and challenges," BioRes. 10(4), 6310-6313.AbstractArticlePDF

    Composites of nanocellulose with layered silicates have recently emerged as a new type of composite materials offering superior strength, as well as thermal and gas barrier properties. These organic-inorganic hybrid composites with a nacre-like structure can be obtained from renewable resources and are environmentally friendly. They can potentially be presented as a serious alternative in the near future to several polymers or other polymer-inorganic composites, for applications in food packaging or electronic devices. The discussion here will be directed to: what are the new opportunities and challenges that arise for these materials aiming at their competition with well-established materials in the market.

  • Editorialpp 6305-6309Hubbe, M. A. (2015)."Oops, I thought that those books had been deacidified," BioRes. 10(4), 6305-6309.AbstractArticlePDF

    Major libraries have been placing increasing reliance upon non-aqueous mass deacidification in an effort to avoid hydrolytic decomposition of the cellulose during storage of bound volumes. Such decomposition is especially a problem when the printing papers used in manufacture of the books have been prepared under acidic conditions, using aluminum sulfate. But there is reason to doubt that the widely used non-aqueous treatments, in which “alkaline reserve” particles are deposited in the void spaces of the paper, can achieve neutralization of acidity throughout the paper structure under the conditions most commonly used for treatment and storage. Anecdotal evidence suggests that alkaline particles such as CaCO3, MgO, Mg(OH)2, or ZnO can be present for long periods of time adjacent to acidic parts of cellulosic fibers without neutralization of the acidity, especially the acidity within the fibers. If these phenomena can be better understood, then there may be an opportunity to use a high-humidity treatment of certain “deacidified” books in order to achieve more pervasive protection against acid-induced degradation.

  • Editorialpp 3815-3817Vaz, S. (2015). "An analytical chemist's view of lignocellulosic biomass," BioRes. 10(3), 3815-3817.AbstractArticlePDF

    Lignocellulosic biomass comprises wood and agricultural residues, which are sources of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin (the lignocellulosic fractions), and represents the major biomass source. Each of these types of lignocellulosic fractions has its own particular structural characteristics and chemistry, which can be exploited in chemical analyses. For a general approach, the quality of the biomass used determines the product quality. Therefore, reliable information is required about the chemical composition of the biomass to establish the best use (e.g., most suitable conversion process and its conditions), which will influence harvest and preparation steps. Then, analytical chemistry is required to understand and control these processes, their raw materials, products, and residues.

  • Editorialpp 3811-3814Lindman, B., and Medronho, B. (2015). "The subtleties of dissolution and regeneration of cellulose: Breaking and making hydrogen bonds," BioRes. 10(3), 3811-3814.AbstractArticlePDF

    Cellulose dissolution and regeneration are old topics that have recently gained renewed attention. This is reflected in both applications – earlier and novel – and in scientific controversies. There is a current discussion in the literature on the balance between hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions in controlling the solution behavior of cellulose. Some of the key ideas are recalled.

  • Editorialpp 1986-1987Chi, C., Zhang, S., Zhang, B., Wang, S., Wu, Y., and Gong, Y. (2015)."Professional graduate degree options in China: How to meet future needs for innovation and higher efficiency in the cellulose-based industries," BioRes. 10(2), 1986-1987.AbstractArticlePDF

    The education system for professional graduate students is still incomplete in China nowadays, and this can lead to a lack of fit of their ability with the needs of modern enterprises and society. With the development of technology and the change of social needs, many traditional pulp and paper industries are being forced to transform. Thus, the cultivation of sophisticated versatile talents with preferable engineering and innovative ability is urgent in cellulose-based industries.

  • Editorialpp 10-13Gao, Y., Shen, J., and Li, Q. (2015). "China's high-yield pulp sector and its carbon dioxide emission: Considering the saved standing wood as an increase of carbon storage," BioRes. 10(1), 10-13.AbstractArticlePDF

    The production of high-yield pulp in China has increased significantly in recent years. The well-known advantages of this type of pulp include low production cost, high opacity, and good paper formation. In the context of state-of-the-art technologies, China’s high-yield pulping, which is dominated by the PRC-APMP (preconditioning refiner chemical treatment-alkaline peroxide mechanical pulping) process, has a much higher energy input but a significantly lower wood consumption in comparison with the kraft pulping process. If the saved wood in the forest or plantation is considered as an increment of carbon storage, then the carbon dioxide emission from the production of high-yield pulp can be regarded as much lower than that of kraft pulp.

  • Editorialpp 6-9Hubbe, M. A. (2015). "What next for wood construction/demolition debris?" BioRes. 10(1), 6-9.AbstractArticlePDF

    Residents in localities throughout the world voluntarily participate in the routine recycling of household wastes, such as paper, metals, and plastics containers. But when a house in their neighborhood gets built or torn down, most of the debris – including wood waste – gets landfilled. Such a waste of material suggests that there are opportunities to add value to these under-utilized resources. The great variability, as well as contamination, pose major challenges. It is recommended that reclaimed wood be primarily used in the manufacture of durable goods, and then whatever is left over be used for energy (or heat) generation.

  • Editorialpp 3-5Chi, C., Liu, M., Gong, Y., Zhang, S., and Zhang, B. (2015). "Fractal-based research approach for lignocellulose-to-ethanol conversion," BioRes. 10(1), 3-5.AbstractArticlePDF

    The microstructure of porous lignocellulose has irregularity, which represents self-similarity within the scope of a certain scale, and the conversion process of lignocellulose to bioethanol is complex. The fractal theory appears to be well suited to be an effective tool for describing and studying such irregularity and complexity. Why not introduce the fractal theory as a potentially efficient and effective way to describe the process? Here in this paper, the research development of fractal theory and its potential application in lignocellulose microstructure and enzymatic hydrolysis kinetics are discussed.

  • Editorialpp 1-2McKeand, S. (2015)."The success of tree breeding in the southern US," BioRes. 10(1), 1-2.AbstractArticlePDF

    Nowhere in the world have tree improvement and silviculture had a bigger impact on forest productivity and value to landowners than in the southern US. The economic impact from almost 60 years of tree improvement in the southern United States has been staggering. For example, over 300,000 hectares are planted each year with seedlings from the breeding efforts with loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) by members and staff of the North Carolina State University Cooperative Tree Improvement Program. The present value of continued genetic gains from traditional tree improvement efforts is estimated to be $2.5 billion USD to landowners and citizens in the southern US.

  • Editorialpp 5778-5781Naylor, A. (2014). "Can wood be used as a bio-mechanical substitute for bone during evaluation of surgical machining tools?" BioRes. 9(4), 5778-5781.AbstractArticlePDF

    It is often not possible to machine human or animal tissue, such as bone, in a typical engineering workshop due to the numerous health risks associated. Further to this, currently used synthetic substitutes are also unsuitable for machining. This is mainly due to the aerosolization of harmful particles created during the machining process. It is however essential to thoroughly test and evaluate emerging orthopedic cutting tool designs, particularly when considering that osteonecrosis occurs at as low as 47 °C cutting temperature. It is proposed here that a composite bone model can be constructed using a dense hardwood to represent the hard cortical bone outer shell, and a less dense softwood to represent the spongy cancellous bone interior.

  • Editorialpp 5782-5783Hubbe, M. A. (2014). "Puzzling aspects of the hydrophobic sizing of paper and its inter-fiber bonding ability," BioRes. 9(4), 5782-5783.AbstractArticlePDF

    Internal sizing agents make it possible to prepare water-resistant paper from an aqueous suspension comprising water-loving fibers and an emulsified hydrophobic agent. Why doesn’t the hydrophobic treatment get in the way of inter-fiber bonding? The answer appears to involve the order in which nano-scale events happen during the manufacture of paper. It appears that the inter-fiber bonded areas develop first. Molecular distribution of the hydrophobic agents appears to happen later, especially during the later stages of evaporative drying. The topic seems to be crying out for someone to carry out appropriate experiments to shed more light on the mechanism.

  • Editorialpp 5774-5777Turon, X., Venus, J., Arshadi, M., Koutinas, M., Lin, C. S. K., and Koutinas, A. (2014). "Food waste and byproduct valorization through bio-processing: Opportunities and challenges," BioRes. 9(4), 5774-5777.AbstractArticlePDF

    The bioeconomy era will rely on efficient fractionation of renewable resources via integrated biorefineries. The food supply chain waste, despite its inherent variability, could evolve into an important industrial feedstock on account of its availability, versatility, and sustainability, for the production of bio-based products. Waste streams generated from all stages of the life cycle of food products could be refined into different fractions, which will be either purified to high-value molecules or converted via green chemical and/or biotechnological routes for the production of bio-based products. A working group of the EUBis COST Action TD1203 is taking steps to gather a critical mass of knowledge and expertise to create innovation and technological breakthroughs.

  • Editorialpp 3757-3758Shen, J., Su, W., Yang, D., and Qian, X. (2014). "English-assisted teaching pertaining to pulp and paper in Chinese universities: An undergraduate perspective," BioRes. 9(3), 3757-3758.AbstractArticlePDF

    Currently, about 20 universities in China offer undergraduate courses related to pulp and paper. This large number is congruent with the rapid development of the Chinese pulp and paper industry in the past several decades. In the context of ever-increasing internationalization and global cooperation, English-assisted teaching in Chinese universities has much potential. The wide-spread implementation of English-assisted teaching would promote the career development of students and help foster the advancement of the Chinese pulp and paper industry.

  • Editorialpp 3759-3760Hubbe, M. A. (2014). "Zipping backwards the other way - Yet another unique aspect of cellulose," BioRes. 9(3), 3759-3760.AbstractArticlePDF

    Readers of this journal may be keenly aware of cellulose’s remarkable attributes, such as high stiffness, insolubility in just about everything, resistance to enzymatic attack, dimensional stability in the lengthwise direction, and toughness associated with the alternating crystalline zones and less organized regions. But if you dissolve cellulose and then allow it to recrystallize, the resulting crystals are at the same time radically different, and yet remarkably similar in most respects to the native form. Exactly half of the macromolecules in regenerated cellulose have been reversed 180 degrees in their direction. The behavior of dropped pencils can help explain why this happens.

  • Editorialpp 3755-3756Finkbeiner, M. (2014). "Indirect land use change - Science or mission?," BioRes. 9(3), 3755-3756.AbstractArticlePDF

    The current discussions of indirect land use change (iLUC) and the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction potential of bioresources have turned into a rather controversial debate. The scientific robustness and consistency of current iLUC models and data are at least unclear. However, representatives of the scientific community still dare to provide straightforward political advice in their papers – way beyond the fact-based ‘proof’ of their data and on a level that is usually not accepted by scientific journals. But the actual task and challenge for the scientific community is to determine the environmental performance of bioresources as objectively and fact-based as possible – with a clear and sober focus on integrity and soundness, not sense of mission.

  • Editorialpp 1824-1827Chen, R., Zhu, S., Chen, C., Cheng, B., Chen, J., and Wu, Y. (2014). "Reviving the acid hydrolysis process of lignocellulosic material in biorefinery," BioRes. 9(2), 1824-1827.AbstractArticlePDF

    The acid hydrolysis of lignocellulosic material (LM) is one of the most widely studied and important subprocess in the LM biorefinery. After acid hydrolysis, LM can be converted to various biofuels, biochemicals, and biomaterials through chemical or biochemical methods. However, conventional LM acid hydrolysis is not regarded as a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly process because it has drawbacks such as difficulties in acid recovery, equipment corrosion, and chemical wastes from the neutralization of acid and the removal of LM degradation products. Use of ionic liquids and solid acids during LM hydrolysis has provided potential technical tools to overcome these problems and has given new life to the LM acid hydrolysis process in the biorefinery. This editorial will discuss the role of the LM acid hydrolysis process in the LM biorefinery, provide an analysis of the conventional LM acid hydrolysis process, and briefly discuss new developments in the LM acid process.

  • Editorialpp 1828-1829Hubbe, M. A. (2014). "Recycling paper recycling," BioRes. 9(2), 1828-1829.AbstractArticlePDF

    What do you do after a product has served its function and is no longer needed? Ideally, you recycle it. What do you do if people have neglected or forgotten so much of what has been learned in recent years about paper recycling? Well, one of the things that someone can do is to write a book. Very little of the contents of such a book may be new. But the book itself can be highly valuable, representing a lot of effort to select and organized material that will be helpful for the current and upcoming generations of papermaking technologists. This editorial describes a new book by Dr. Pratima Bajpai entitled Recycling and Deinking of Recovered Paper. Readers who deal with the recycling of paper will probably want to have a copy of it on a handy shelf.

  • Editorialpp 1-3Mendell, B. C. (2014), "Learning from mistakes in the media to improve the communication of wood bioenergy research," BioRes. 9(1), 1-3.AbstractArticlePDF

    Successful applied research into wood bioenergy requires communication of meaningful insights to inform decision-makers and the general public. Effective communication strategies make such insights accessible. However, recent media reports often exhibit a near total absence of findings from peer-reviewed or quantitative research, highlighting a failure to communicate between applied researchers and reporters. As a result, the general public’s understanding of wood-based bioenergy remains incomplete. At a minimum, researchers can address three common lapses when communicating results of their research related to wood-based energy to increase the public’s access to technical results. First, provide context to give policymakers a sense, on a relative basis, of the importance of a given issue. Second, properly distinguish between “causal” relationships and mere happenstance or correlations. And finally, confirm facts and conclusions. Faulty assertions can cast doubts on the broader work and body of research.

  • Editorialpp 4-7Porankiewicz, B. (2014). "Wood machining investigations: Parameters to consider for thorough experimentation," BioRes. 9(1), 4-7.AbstractArticlePDF

    Investigators wanting to study aspects of wood machining face many challenges. The material under investigation is inherently different with respect to its three major axes, and it responds in various ways to local temperature, moisture, and many other variables. Researchers proposing future research projects in this area thus face a critically important task of selecting parameters to include either as variables or as quantities to hold constant. This editorial outlines key parameters and conditions of wood machining that can be considered, depending on the scope of a project.

  • Editorialpp 4791-4792Hubbe, M. A. (2013). "On Paper - A celebration of two millennia of the work and craft of papermakers," BioRes. 8(4), 4791-4792.AbstractArticlePDF

    Those of us whose lives have been deeply touched by the technology of papermaking – and many others besides – are in for a real treat this coming fall when the book On Paper is scheduled to be published. The author, Nicholas Basbanes, employs an engaging, personalized approach as he brings to life the story of how paper has enabled the progress of civilization throughout two millennia. I first learned about Nick’s grand project, to capture the most intriguing aspects of paper’s story, during a re-broadcast of his hour-long interview that was presented on the CSPAN TV network. His enthusiasm is infectious, and it can be an uplifting experience to have him as a tour-guide to “all things paper”.

  • Editorialpp 4793-4796Wright, R. S., Bond, B. H., and Chen, Z. (2013). "Steam bending of wood; Embellishments to an ancient technique," BioRes. 8(4), 4793-4796.AbstractArticlePDF

    Bending wood dates back to antiquity in the form of baskets from willow branches. Fresh growth willow twigs are readily bent into practically any shape. When wood has been separated from the tree and dried it is more rigid, difficult to bend, and breakable. Bending drier wood with the help of heat and water is centuries old. Fishing hooks, barrel staves, and planks turned into boat hulls are examples. Steamed wood is less rigid, since adding moisture and heat to wood results in plasticization. Steaming at atmospheric pressure is common, wherein diffusion prevails as the predominant mechanism governing moisture movement. Applications using conventional atmospheric steaming can be time consuming, non-uniform, and can result in failures. Vacuum steam technology offers a promising method that utilizes pressure differentials to accelerate the addition of steam to wood due to water vapor bulk flow and subsequently an accelerated temperature rise. More uniform plasticization results in less breakage of the wood.

  • Editorialpp 3177-3180Yang, F., and Shen, J. (2013). "Reconsidering the concept of dry surface treatment of cellulosic paper to produce coated paper products," BioRes. 8(3), 3177-3180.AbstractArticlePDF

    The concept of dry surface treatment for paper coating applications has been available for more than ten years. Different from conventional coating methods such as extrusion coating and suspension coating, dry surface treatment involves a combined process of non-contact deposition of coating materials and surface smoothening of the coated paper. Pronounced features of this concept include avoidance of the need for paper drying and elimination of various negative consequences related to rewetting of the paper with water, etc. However, to date the concept has not been commercialized. Some significant challenges remain. Commercializable technologies for production of size-controllable coating particles and their electrostatic deposition onto paper are the key. Reconsidering this interesting concept may at a minimum shed light on the technological advancement in the area of pulp and paper.

  • Editorialpp 1513-1516Reeb, C. W., Lucia, L. A., and Venditti, R. A. (2013). "Novel screening technique: Integrated combinatorial green chemistry & life cycle analysis (CGC-LCA)," BioRes. 8(2), 1513-1516.AbstractArticlePDF

    The integration of combinatorial green chemistry (CGC), a more benign approach to combinatorial chemistry, with environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies as an improved process development methodology is discussed. It is expected that the CGC approach will require less labor and result in more globally optimized assay results, leading to more optimized unit process design. The technique utilizes chemical assay stage information to rapidly predict globally optimized process conditions based on techno-economic and LCA indicators. A simplified kraft pulping case study of the application of CGC-LCA is demonstrated herein, but CGC analyses could be applied to virtually any chemical-based project development and implementation project.

  • Editorialpp 1517-1519Li, J., Shen, J., Qian, X., and Ren, W. (2013). "Engineering of cellulosic cigarette paper to reduce the toxic emissions of smoking," BioRes. 8(2), 1517-1519.AbstractArticlePDF

    The prevalence of smoking around the world is well known. During the smoking of cigarettes, various toxins in both the mainstream smoke and sidestream smoke are huge threats to people’s health. In this context, the reduction of toxic emissions is indeed a global concern. Engineering of cigarette-related components, including cigarette paper and tobacco, is important for mitigating the negative impacts of smoking. In the case of cigarette paper, such concepts as decreasing the amount of cellulosic fibers, use of burn-promoting additives, increasing the permeability of paper, and use of catalysts, adsorbents, and/or reductants, have been proposed in the literature. The commercialization of technologies for the engineering of cellulosic paper is expected to result in the production of “healthier” cigarettes. A possible blueprint is to tailor cigarette paper to help smokers to completely quit smoking.

  • Editorialpp 1510-1512Zhu, S., Yu, P., Wang, Q., Cheng, B., Chen, J., and Wu, Y. (2013). "Breaking the barriers of lignocellulosic ethanol production using ionic liquid technology," BioRes. 8(2), 1510-1512.AbstractArticlePDF

    Although the use of ionic liquids (ILs) has provided a potentially effective technical tool to improve the lignocellulosic ethanol production process, the technology still is facing great challenges with respect to its efficiency and economic viability. This editorial gives a systematical analysis of the potential and limitations of lignocellulosic ethanol production using IL technology. The use of ILs establishes a new platform for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass. The IL pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass can greatly increase its saccharification rate and the fermentable sugar yield. Use of ILs can also intensify the ethanol fermentation process and improve ethanol separation efficiency from its fermentation broth. However, many technical difficulties still exist in reducing the process costs and alleviating the environmental and ecological effects. More research and financial support are needed to overcome these difficulties.

  • Editorialpp 1508-1509Hubbe, M. A. (2013). "Life in the Forest Canopy," BioRes. 8(2), 1508-1509.AbstractArticlePDF

    Scientists have been devoting increased time and attention to the tops of trees. As made clear by results of their studies, the environment of the forest canopy is teeming with life. Perhaps because the crowns of trees are difficult for people to reach, and due to the micro-climates within them, they hold a rich and diverse collection of life forms. Advances in the use of ropes, ladders, and suspended walkways is now making it possible for humans to be more frequent visitors to these realms.

  • Editorialpp 6-7Chen, Q., Chen, F., and Yan, Y. (2013). "Fluorescent semiconductor nanocrystals, a promising fluorescent anti-counterfeiting material for specialty paper," BioRes. 8(1), 6-7.AbstractArticlePDF

    Fluorescent semiconductor nanocrystals, also called quantum dots (QDs), have unique electronic and optical properties. One of the most useful features of QDs is that whereas their absorption spectra are broad, their emission spectra are very narrow. Different QDs can emit different wavelengths of visible light under UV excitation. QDs as a fluorescent anti-counterfeiting material have been attracting great interest in the application of specialty papers, such as security paper, banknote paper, packaging paper, etc. An anti-counterfeiting technique using QDs is one of the newest achievements in the anti-counterfeiting field. In the long run, research and development in the area of QDs anti-counterfeiting will surely create many fruitful results.

  • Editorialpp 8-11Wang, S., Zhao, X., Xing, G., and Yang, L. (2013). "Large-scale biochar production from crop residue: A new idea and the biogas-energy pyrolysis system," BioRes. 8(1), 8-11.AbstractArticlePDF

    Biochar is an effective means to withdraw carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and consequently influence the trend of global climate change. However, there still are substantial knowledge gaps for this idea to be applicable. One big question is how to produce biochar from biomass on a large scale. Our idea is to use biogas produced from agricultural wastes as thermal energy for biochar production from cheap crop residues. A continuous biogas-energy pyrolysis system has been designed and successfully piloted to utilize crop residues for biochar production.

  • Editorialpp 3-5Ayoub, A., Venditti, R. A., Pawlak, J. J., and Massardier, V. (2013). "Combined application of extrusion and irradiation technologies: A strategy oriented for green and cost-effective chemistry," BioRes. 8(1), 3-5.AbstractArticlePDF

    Reactive extrusion is an attractive green route for cost-effective polymer processing, which has the potential to enhance the commercial viability of biomass-derived materials. In reactive extrusion, compatibilizers can be generated in the blend preparation through polymer-polymer grafting reactions using functionalized polymers. One very interesting new green strategy for processing is the use of intense UV-irradiation to create free radicals and controllable, ultra-fast reactions. It is reasonable to expect that the use of extrusion/irradiation green technology will be an important way to improve properties and compatibility of renewable biomass- derived polymers. We believe that in the future, many more cost-effective, sustainable extrusion/irradiation reaction processes will be developed to replace inefficient conventional biomass conversion procedures and stimulate the bioproduct-based industry.

  • Editorialpp 1-2Leung, Y.-F., and Catts, G. (2013). "The joy of bioresources: Sustainable forest-recreation connections," BioRes. 8(1), 1-2.AbstractArticlePDF

    Forests have long-standing relationships with humanity beyond the material aspects. Recreation is an essential human need, and forests possess intrinsic values to support such a need in direct, authentic, and emotional ways. Quality recreation experiences can lead to a greater appreciation of bioresources and deeper support for forest conservation. The forest-recreation connections should be celebrated and sustained in this age of rapid social, environmental, and technological changes.

  • Editorialpp 4495-4498Shen, J., and Qian, X. (2012). "Use of mineral pigments in fabrication of superhydrophobically engineered cellulosic paper," BioRes. 7(4), 4495-4498.AbstractArticlePDF

    Superhydrophobic materials have a lot of interesting potential applications. The self-cleaning property is a unique feature. Rendering the water-loving cellulosic paper superhydrophobic can open the door for value-added applications. Superhydrophobic paper is a fairly new area, and only very limited scientific publications are available in the literature. Among these publications, the topics on the use of mineral pigments in fabrication of superhydrophobic structures account for a large proportion. During the fabrication process, mineral pigments, e.g., silica, precipitated calcium carbonate, and clay, generally need to be hydrophobized, either directly or indirectly. Mineral pigments can be applied to cellulosic paper by surface treatment or wet-end filling, and good dispersabilities of these pigments are always highly demanded. A key mechanistic point is that by tunable particle packing or fabrication, mineral pigments may exhibit surface-roughening effects, which are critical for superhydrophobicity development. The roughening of a hydrophobic surface helps to enhance hydrophobicity. Possible concepts such as nano-structuring or controllable surface patterning of mineral pigments may help to improve superhydrophobicity. Environmental friendliness will also guide the scientific/technical development in this area.

  • Editorialpp 4499-4500Hubbe, M. A. (2012). "The Wood Age - Part of our past, but should we wish for it as our future?" BioRes. 7(4), 4499-4500.AbstractArticlePDF

    A new book by Radkau, Wood. A History, provides telling insight into the cleverness and also into the short-sightedness of humans in their almost uninterrupted dependence on forest resources. This essay touches upon the earliest evidence of prehistoric wood-based technologies – showing examples where humans have tended, in many generations, to exhaust their readily available resources. Beginning in the Industrial Revolution a greatly expanded usage of first coal and the petroleum have tended to take some of the pressure off of the use of wood as a fuel source. But there are early signs that the situation may be changing soon. Large wood-to-liquid-fuel facilities are being talked about. Though the usage of wood for fuel has the potential to be a sustainable enterprise, human history suggests we should exercise caution.

  • Editorialpp 4493-4494Ding, Y., Zhu, S., Yu, P., Cheng, S., and Wu, Y. (2012). "Can lignocellulosic hydrocarbon liquids rival lignocellulose-derived ethanol as a future transport fuel?" BioRes. 7(4), 4493-4494.AbstractArticlePDF

    Although transport fuels are currently obtained mainly from petroleum, alternative fuels derived from lignocellulosic biomass (LB) have drawn much attention in recent years in light of the limited reserves of crude oil and the associated environmental issues. Lignocellulosic ethanol (LE) and lignocellulosic hydrocarbons (LH) are two typical representatives of the LB-derived transport fuels. This editorial systematically compares LE and LB from production to their application in transport fuels. It can be demonstrated that LH has many advantages over LE relative to such uses. However, most recent studies on the production of the LB-derived transport fuels have focused on LE production. Hence, it is strongly recommended that more research should be aimed at developing an efficient and economically viable process for industrial LH production.

  • Editorialpp 4491-4492Zawistoski, P. S. (2012). "Time for a forum on terms used for textile fibers," BioRes. 7(4), 4491-4492.AbstractArticlePDF

    The advances in manufactured fibers and textiles have garnered interest and excitement of textile artists and consumers alike for a myriad of reasons, including health, environmental, and fashion. The chemical and molecular nature of these advances, however leads to confusion and misunderstanding of the new fibers in the materials. This is exacerbated by the current climate of distrust for chemical words and desire for “green” products and the unregulated (mis)information and marketing on the web. Textile artists, consumers, and the clothing and household textile industry need clear names and labels to identify the materials they are using.

  • Editorialpp 2707-2710Shen, J., and Qian, X. (2012). "Addressing the water footprint concept: A demonstrable strategy for papermaking industry," BioRes. 7(3), 2707-2710.AbstractArticlePDF

    Since the introduction of the water footprint concept in 2002, in the context of humankind’s ever-increasing awareness of the valuable global freshwater resources, it has received more and more attention. The application of this relatively new concept has been expected to provide ecological and environmental benefits. For the water-intensive papermaking industry, it seems that water footprint needs to be addressed. The water footprint of cellulosic paper can be divided into three components, including its green water footprint, blue water footprint, and grey water footprint, which may be accounted for by considering the individual contributions of wood or non-wood materials, pulp production processes, effluent discharge to the receiving water bodies, process chemicals and additives, energy consumption, etc. In the literature, the accounting of water footprint during the whole production chain of cellulosic paper is already available, and relevant research findings can provide useful insights into the application of the concept; however, further development of the accounting methodologies is much needed, so that the quantitative and qualitative evaluation of water footprint can be internationally recognized, certified, and standardized. Although there are ongoing or upcoming debates and challenges associated with the concept, its application to papermaking industry may be expected to provide various encouraging possibilities and impacts.

  • Editorialpp 1385-1388Shen, J., and Qian, X. (2012). "Application of fillers in cellulosic paper by surface filling: An interesting alternative or supplement to wet-end addition," BioRes. 7(2), 1385-1388.AbstractArticlePDF

    The application of fillers at the surface of cellulosic paper is an interesting and industrially-commercialized but not very well-known concept, in which the filler particles are essentially added to the voids of the fibrous matrixes. This so-called “surface filling” can be achieved by the use of fillers together with a polymer solution via film press or size press, an approach that is distinct from both wet-end filling and conventional coating of paper. As an easily practicable process, surface filling has some advantages over direct wet-end addition of fillers, such as minimizing the adverse effects of filler addition on paper strength. Efficient surface filling is somewhat dependent on the specific characteristics of both fillers and fibrous matrixes. Surface filling may provide interesting possibilities for the papermaking discipline; for example, it would open the door to maximizing the cost-effectiveness of paper mills, and efficiently adding new functionalities to cellulosic paper. From both practical and fundamental points of view, systematic exploration and understanding of surface filling of cellulosic paper would be of great significance to the papermaking industry.

  • Editorialpp 1383-1384Lucia, L. A. (2012). "Biomass education in the twenty-first century," BioRes. 7(2), 1383-1384.AbstractArticlePDF

    The importance of teaching, for the development of economies, cultures, and the enrichment of people’s lives cannot be overstated. These days biomass and bioenergy teaching has a pivotal role to play in influencing all of the aforementioned areas of life, since fossil fuels are becoming depleted. However, what good is teaching if it cannot be communicated in an intelligible, persuading, and egalitarian manner? A dynamic educational construct between “teacher” and “student” will be the chief mode of promoting knowledge and provoking research for engendering more knowledge. This editorial attempts to show how teaching is a living and symbiotic discipline that we typically take for granted, but once we do it right, we have the power to change the world as we know it. We will briefly explore the example of BioSUCCEED, a platform at NC State University, as a means of communicating knowledge related to biomass and bioenergy.

  • Editorialpp 3-4Zhu, S., Tong, Y., Lv, Y., and Wu, Y. (2012). "Use of ionic liquids to improve the production of hydroxymethylfurfural from renewable biomass," BioRes. 7(1), 3-4.AbstractArticlePDF

    Based on its rich chemistry and broadly available raw material sources, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) has become one of the most promising platform compounds for chemicals and biofuels from renewable biomass, and its production has drawn much attention in recent years. However, it is currently still facing significant technical challenges to make it economically feasible in an industrial scale. Use of ionic liquids has provided a potential alternative to address such challenges. Some studies have shown that the use of ionic liquids and suitable catalysts can inhibit side reactions and decrease the formation of by-products, thus improving selectivity and yield during conversion of renewable biomass to HMF. Moreover, the use of ionic liquids also simplifies the HMF production procedures from crude biomass in a one-pot process.

  • Editorialpp 1-2Kumar, S., Bhalla, A., Shende, R. V., and Sani, R. K. (2012). "Decentralized thermophilic biohydrogen: A more efficient and cost-effective process," BioRes. 7(1), 1-2.AbstractArticlePDF

    Nonfood lignocellulosic biomass is an ideal substrate for biohydrogen production. By avoiding pretreatment steps (acid, alkali, or enzymatic), there is potential to make the process economical. Utilization of regional untreated lignocellulosic biomass by cellulolytic and fermentative thermophiles in a consolidated mode using a single reactor is one of the ways to achieve economical and sustainable biohydrogen production. Employing these potential microorganisms along with decentralized biohydrogen energy production will lead us towards regional and national independence having a positive influence on the bioenergy sector.

  • Editorialpp 3621-3622Wang, Q., Ou, R., Shen, X., and Xie, Y. (2011). "Plasticizing cell walls as a strategy to produce wood-plastic composites with high wood content by extrusion processes," BioRes. 6(4), 3621-3622.AbstractArticlePDF

    A challenge in producing wood-plastic composites (WPCs) with a high wood content using extrusion processes is the poor processability, which gives rise to inadequate properties of the resulting WPC. Plasticizing the stiff wood cell walls can be a strategic response to this challenge. Two thoughts are addressed herein on improving the plasticity of wood particle cell walls: use of ionic liquids or use of low molecular weight organic thermal conductors. An ionic liquid can dissolve the cell wall surface and therefore reduce the stiffness of cell wall during an extrusion process. Organic thermal conductors can be incorporated into the cell wall (bulking) to improve the thermal conductivity, thereby sufficiently softening the lignin, a native plasticizer embedded in the cell walls. The potential issues that may arise as a result of these approaches are also presented and discussed.

  • Editorialpp 2288-2290Wang, X., and Sun, R. (2011). "Self-assembled lignocellulose micelles: A new generation of value-added functional nanostructures," BioRes. 6(3), 2288-2290.AbstractArticlePDF

    Lignocellulose-based self-assembled micelles have emerged as a new generation of value-added functional nanostructures that show promise to address issues concerning the depletion of non-renewable resources; also these materials may contribute to the growing enthusiasm of utilizing biomass resources. Lignocellulose micelles can be conveniently prepared by self-assembly of amphiphilic lignocellulose derivatives in aqueous solution. They show great potential for applications in disparate fields, e.g. drug delivery, bioimaging diagnosis, sensing, nanoreacting, and so on. However, as a new research topic, a lot of research work would be needed to find out the critical structural factors that correlate with the formation, stability, morphology, and flexibility of lignocellulose micelles.

  • Editorialpp 927-935Kord, B., and Kord, B. (2011). "Heavy metal levels in pine (Pinus eldarica Medw.) tree barks as indicators of atmospheric pollution," BioRes. 6(2), 927-935.AbstractArticlePDF

    Bio-monitoring of air quality in TehranCity was investigated by analyzing 36 pine tree (Pinus eldarica Medw.) barks. The samples were taken from different locations with different degrees of metal pollution (urban, industrial, highway, and control sites). Then, the concentrations of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and chromium (Cr) were measured using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results of this study showed that the highest and lowest metal concentrations were found in the heavy traffic sites and the control site, respectively. Lead content was found to be the highest in high traffic density areas. The industrial part of the city was characterized by high Zn, Cr, and Ni contents. Variation in heavy metal concentrations between sites was observed and attributed to differences in traffic density and anthropogenic activities. The research also confirms the suitability of Pinus eldarica Medw barks as a suitable bio-indicator of aerial fallout of heavy metals.

  • Editorialpp 920-926Lundquist, K., and Parkås, J. (2011). "Different types of phenolic units in lignins," BioRes. 6(2), 920-926.AbstractArticlePDF

    The influence of cross-linking and branching on the number of interconnections between lignin units and the number of end groups (phenolic and non-phenolic) in the lignin molecules is discussed. Branching results in an increased number of end groups. It appears from an evaluation of the literature that p-hydroxyphenylpropane units are phenolic to a larger extent than guaiacylpropane units and that such units in turn are phenolic to a larger extent than syringylpropane units. It is proposed that this is related to the relative oxidation potentials of the lignin units. Guaiacylpropane units C-substituted in the 6-position are phenolic to a large extent. Alternative explanations for this are presented.

  • Editorialpp 918-919Hill, C. A. S. (2011). "Wood modification: An update," BioRes. 6(2), 918-919.AbstractArticlePDF

    Wood modification is a generic term describing the application of chemical, physical, or biological methods to alter the properties of the material. The aim is to get better performance from the wood, resulting in improvements in dimensional stability, decay resistance, weathering resistance, etc. It is essential that the modified wood is non-toxic in service and that disposal at the end of life does not result in the generation of any toxic residues. Over the past five years there have been significant developments in wood modification technologies, especially in the commercial sector. This technology is here to stay.

  • Editorialpp 1-2Wang, Q., Wu, Y., and Zhu, S. (2011). "Use of ionic liquids for improvement of cellulosic ethanol production," BioRes. 6(1), 1-2.AbstractArticlePDF

    Cellulosic ethanol production has drawn much attention in recent years. However, there remain significant technical challenges before such production can be considered as economically feasible at an industrial scale. Among them, the efficient conversion of carbohydrates in lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars is one of the most challenging technical difficulties in cellulosic ethanol production. Use of ionic liquids has opened new avenues to solve this problem by two different pathways. One is pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass using ionic liquids to increase its enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency. The other is to transform the hydrolysis process of lignocellulosic biomass from a heterogeneous reaction system to a homogeneous one by dissolving it into ionic liquids, thus improving its hydrolysis efficiency.

  • Editorialpp 2024-2025Hubbe, M. A. (2010). "The implementation of findings published in scholarly articles," BioRes. 5(4), 2024-2025.AbstractPDF
    Articles published in scholarly journals, such as this one, tend to be mainly addressed to researchers at universities. Industrial follow-up and implementation of results from a scholarly article appears to be the exception, rather than the rule. Research grant specifications, as well as university policies, favor the generation of new knowledge, rather than the implementation of good ideas. But without patent protection, corporations have low motivation to expend the considerable effort to reduce ideas to practice after they have been openly published. The author speculates that the situation could be much more dynamic if there were a system of priority of implementation. According to such a system, the first company to successfully implement an idea that first appears in a peer-reviewed journal article, as validated by its debut in the marketplace, would have a grace period during which competitors would have to pay them a fee to sell a generic version of the same thing.
  • Editorialpp 2026-2028Shen, J., Song, Z., Qian, X., Liu, W., and Yang, F. (2010). "Fillers and the carbon footprint of papermaking," BioRes. 5(4), 2026-2028.AbstractPDF
    Carbon footprint reduction is a global concern. For the papermaking industry, strategically effective measures of carbon footprint reduction can include many aspects such as energy efficiency improvement, use of renewable carbon-neutral energy, practicing of sustainable forestry, and development of an integrated forest products biorefinery. Filler addition in papermaking can save substantial amounts of pulp fibers, and reduce energy consumption, which can surely contribute to reduction in paper’s carbon footprint. However, the negative effect of filler addition on paper recycling, and the energy consumption associated with the production, processing, and treatment of fillers, will contribute to the carbon footprint. On balance, it can be considered that filler addition in reasonable amounts is likely to lower the paper’s carbon footprint. Certain research work is still needed to better understand the relationship between filler addition and the carbon footprint of papermaking.
  • Editorialpp 1332-1335Nambisan, P. (2010). "Utilization of weeds and agriwaste by popularizing handpapermaking in Kerala, India," BioRes. 5(3), 1332-1335.AbstractPDF
    Kerala in south India grows several cash crops such as banana and pineapple, the crop residues of which are sources of natural fibres that can be used in hand papermaking. Kerala, however, does not have a tradition in hand papermaking. The following is an account of an attempt to popularize the art and craft of hand papermaking among self-help groups as a means of self-employment and waste utilization, using fibres extracted from agriwaste and local plants.
  • Editorialpp 1328-1331Shen, J., Song, Z., Qian, X., Yang, F., and Kong, F. (2010). "Nanofillers for papermaking wet end applications," BioRes. 5(3), 1328-1331.AbstractPDF
    The papermaking industry can benefit a lot from nanotechnology. This versatile technology can also be used in the area of fillers for papermaking wet end applications. In such applications the main technological examples currently available include wet end addition of commercially available nanofillers, formation of nanofiller/fiber or nanofiller/fibril hybrids, development of novel categories of nanofillers such as high aspect ratio nanofillers, and combination of microfillers with nanostructures by specially controlled routes to obtain composite nanofillers. It is worth noting that there are certain challenges associated with nanofillers, such as high cost, difficulty in structure and performance control, poor dispersability and retention, possible severe negative effects on paper strength, possible detrimental interactions between nanofillers with some wet end additives, and the industry-related limitations. However, in the long run, the research and development in the area of nanofillers will surely create many fruitful results.
  • Editorialpp 1326-1327Bozell, J. J. (2010). "An evolution from pretreatment to fractionation will enable successful development of the integrated biorefinery," BioRes. 5(3), 1326-1327.AbstractPDF
    The current state of biorefinery development is focused almost entirely on the production of fuel ethanol. However, an ethanol-centric approach misses the crucial example set by the petrochemical industry. The ability to fractionate a raw material, rather than simply pretreating it, enables the parallel production of low value, high volume fuels and high value, low volume chemicals. By developing analogous fractionation processes for biomass, giving separate process streams of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, the biorefining industry will be able to recognize the synergistic advantages of producing both energy and profits.
  • Editorialpp 510-513Shen, J., Song, Z., Qian, X., Liu, W., and Yang, F. (2010). "Filler engineering for papermaking: Comparison with fiber engineering and some important research topics," BioRes. 5(2), 510-513.AbstractPDF
    Fibers and fillers are important raw materials for the preparation of paper products. Similar to fiber engineering, filler engineering for papermaking has become an active research area. There are similarities as well as differences between engineering involving each of these classes of materials. There are differences in such aspects as the nature of materials to be engineered, applicable engineering methods, and engineerablity of the material surfaces. The co-development of fiber engineering and filler engineering can potentially provide many benefits to the papermaking industry. For filler engineering, the relevant research topics broadly can include fibrous filler engineering, hollow/porous filler engineering, acid-stabilization of calcium carbonate fillers, surface encapsulation of naturally occurring polymers or their derivatives, preflocculation, precoagulation, cationic modification, filler/size hybrid formation, organic filler engineering, using combinations of different types of available fillers, multilayer deposition modification, modification with polymer latexes or dispersants, physical modification, mechanical modification, surface functionalization, fines-filler composite/hybrids or fiber-filler composite/ hybrid formation, in-situ polymerization modification, surface grafting, physical treatment in the presence of polymeric additives, filler precipitation, and core-shell composite filler engineering.
  • Editorialpp 507-509Lucia, L. A., and Hubbe, M. A. (2010). "Can lignocellulosic biosynthesis be the key to its economical deconstruction?" BioRes. 5(2), 507-509.AbstractPDF
    It is ironic to think that the venerable pulp and paper industry is now considering ways to degrade cellulose. This notion can be understood as a way that the industry can face a protracted downturn in profitability and ever-mounting socio-economic pressures to enhance the efficiency of biofuels production. Many approaches have been recently taken to deconstruct cellulosic biomass, but this Editorial explores one key that may start to explain the increasing momentum in the biofuels community – biotechnology. Two approaches appear to be possible as scientists search for an effective way to unzip cellulose to its key constituents through the use of biotechnology. On the one hand, there are efforts to re-engineer the chemical composition of the tree, rendering it more digestible by enzymes and decreasing the need for mechanical or chemical pretreatment. On the other hand, what we are learning about lignocellulose biosynthesis can be of potential help in designing more efficient systems to essentially reverse that process.
  • Editorialpp 5-7Shen, J., Song, Z., and Qian, X. (2010)."Possible trends of renewable organic fillers and pigments derived from natural resources for sustainable development of paper industry," BioRes. 5(1), 5-7.AbstractPDF
    The use of traditional inorganic fillers and pigments for both filling and coating applications in papermaking may have certain limitations in such aspects as recyclability and combustibility. Novel renewable organic fillers and pigments derived from natural resources can possibly be completely recyclable, combustible, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly, and they can potentially be used as substitutes for inorganic fillers and pigments to improve the recyclability and other properties of the paper products. Although there are still challenges lying ahead, the strategic significance of the use of renewable organic fillers and pigments for the sustainable development of papermaking industry is an indisputable and demonstrable fact.
  • Editorialpp 1-2Hubbe, M. A., and Buehlmann, U. (2010). "A continuing reverence for wood," BioRes. 5(1), 1-2.AbstractPDF
    Our ancestors knew a great deal about wood. They had to in order to do well in life. Wood has played a dominant role in human infrastructure for many generations, and for most of that time woodcraft has depended on the decentralized knowledge passed down among families and guilds. This editorial, while celebrating the knowledge, skills, and insights of the woodworkers of past generations, also calls for a renewed attention to wood’s unique character, including characteristics that today are too often classified as “defects.” We may need to take lessons from generations past to truly derive the best value from wood resources.
  • Editorialpp 3-4Wang, Q., and Zhu, S. (2010). "Genetically modified lignocellulosic biomass for improvement of ethanol production," BioRes. 5(1), 3-4.AbstractPDF
    Production of ethanol from lignocellulosic feed-stocks is of growing interest worldwide in recent years. However, we are currently still facing significant technical challenges to make it economically feasible on an industrial scale. Genetically modified lignocellulosic biomass has provided a potential alternative to address such challenges. Some studies have shown that genetically modified lignocellulosic biomass can increase its yield, decreasing its enzymatic hydrolysis cost and altering its composition and structure for ethanol production. Moreover, the modified lignocellulosic biomass also makes it possible to simplify the ethanol production procedures from lignocellulosic feed-stocks.
  • Editorialpp 1263-1266Dasmohapatra, S. (2009). "Future marketing drivers for the forest products industry," BioRes. 4(4), 1263-1266.AbstractPDF
    The forest products industry in North America is increasingly losing its share in its domestic markets. The pressure of low cost manufacturing combined with a slowing economy has painfully caused many mills to close and many workers to lose their jobs in recent years. We ask ourselves whether the forest products industry will be able to survive these gloomy times and what, if any are the factors that would drive the future of the forest products industry. Opening our minds to global markets beyond domestic consumption, targeting products towards changing demographic structure and resulting change in consumer tastes, developing and marketing products with the environmental conscious consumer in mind, product innovations, efficient management of the supply chain, and trade practices and policies will be some of the marketing drivers in the forest products industry in the new era.
  • Editorialpp 907-908Treimanis, A. (2009). "Should we be refining first, then discarding fines, then bleaching?" BioRes. 4(3), 907-908.AbstractPDF
    Pulp fibers’ bleaching technology has been developing mainly by applying increasingly intensive delignification in the cooking department and implementation of elemental-chlorine-free chemicals in the bleaching department. The resulting effluents load is still considerable, and the environmental consequences largely depend on the effectiveness of wastewater treatment. Now it is well established that pulp fibers’ surface layers contain comparatively higher amounts of residual lignin, heteroaromatic compounds, and other lignin-like substances. Based on this knowledge an approach is proposed for consideration. As the pulp fibers’ refining process also includes the peeling of fiber wall surface layers, it could be useful to perform such refining first, followed by appropriate screening techniques before the pulp bleaching. The main objection to this approach is related to efficient utilization of the fines, i.e., fractions of the surface layers.
  • Editorialpp 452-455Sun, R.-C. (2009). "Detoxification and separation of lignocellulosic biomass prior to fermentation for bioethanol production by removal of lignin and hemicelluloses" BioRes. 4(2), 452-455.AbstractPDF

    Lignocellulosic materials such as agricultural residues have been recognized as potential sustainable sources of mixed sugars for fermentation to bioethanol. To obtain a high overall ethanol yield and achieve an economically feasible production process, the removal of lignin and hemicelluloses improves the accessibility of cellulosic material to hydrolytic enzymes and avoids the degradation products that are inhibitory to the yeast used in the subsequent fermentation. Technological advances, e.g., environmentally friendly removal of lignin and hemicelluloses from lignocellulosic biomass prior to fermentation of the librated glucose from cellulose into bioethanol, has the potential to provide for sustainable and cost effective production of biofuel.

  • Editorialpp 456-457Cheng, S., and Zhu, S. (2009). "Lignocellulosic feedstock biorefinery - The future of the chemical and energy industry," BioRes. 4(2), 456-457.AbstractPDF
    The sustainable development of the chemical and energy industry is an indispensable component of our sustainable society. However, the traditional chemical and energy industry depends heavily on such non-renewable fossil resources as oil, coal, and natural gas. Its feedstock shortage and the resultant environmental and climatic problems pose a great threat for any type of sustainable development. Lignocellulosic materials are the most abundant renewable resources in the world, and their efficient utilization provides a practical route to address these challenges. The lignocellulosic feedstock bio-refinery is an effective model for the comprehensive utilization of lignocellulosic materials, and it will play vital role in the future development of chemical and energy industry.
  • Editorialpp 1-2Hubbe, M. A. (2009). "'Retro-,' An emerging prefix for future technological development?" BioRes. 4(1), 1-2.AbstractPDF
    It is proposed that the prefix “retro” can serve as an irreverent, but timely buzzword for the development of new technology to meet human needs. Society has carried out experiments at a very large scale for the last century or so to meet our collective needs though the use of fossil-based fuels and synthetic materials. Those experiments have seemed successful in the short term, feeding more of us and supplying a lot of us with rising standards of living. But the experiments often have failed us in terms of sustainability. A health crisis, global warming, and resource depletion are urgent problems caused by careless use of fossil fuels and related synthetic organic chemicals. The prefix “retro,” as in “retrotechology,” signals a disciplined return to a reliance on nature-based products, as well as a respect for the beauty, but also the fragile character of our natural environment.
  • Editorialpp 981-982Lucia, L. A. (2008). "Lignocellulosic biomass: A potential feedstock to replace petroleum," BioRes. 3(4), 981-982.AbstractPDF
    Sustainability considerations for product and energy production in a future US economy can be met with lignocellulosic biomass. The age of petroleum as the key resource to meet the US economy requirements is rapidly dwindling, given the limited resources of petroleum, the growing global population, and concurrent detrimental effects on environmental safety. The use of natural and renewable feedstocks such as trees and switchgrass is becoming more attractive; indeed, lignocellulosic biomass is becoming a logical alternative to petroleum in light of looming oil shortages, increases in oil prices, and environmental sustainability considerations. This editorial aims at providing a broad overview of the consider-ations for replacing the US petroleum economy with one based on lignocellulosic biomass.
  • Editorialpp 666-667Cheng, S., and Zhu, S. (2008). "Use of lignocellulosic materials for a sustainable chemical industry," BioRes. 3(3), 666-667.AbstractPDF
    Traditional chemical industry depends on non-renewable fossil resources and is now facing great challenges. Lignocellulosic materials are the most abundant renewable resources in the world, and their efficient utilization provides a practical route to maintain sustainable development of chemical industry. Modern chemical technology as well as industrial biotechnology will play an important role in comprehensive utilization of lignocellulosic materials in an environmentally friendly way. Bio-refinery is a useful concept in use when considering lignocellulosic materials for a sustainable chemical industry.
  • Editorialpp 295-296Hubbe, M. A. (2008). "Are lignocellulosic resources too valuable to burn?" BioRes. 3(2), 295-296.AbstractPDF
    Lignocellulosic matter often can be counted as a renewable resource, since it is produced by photosynthesis. But there are limits to how much biomass our society can use in a sustainable manner. People can debate whether or not it makes sense to use a substantial portion of lignocellulosic materials as a source of liquid fuel. This essay gives a qualified affirmative answer to the question in its title. However, combustion of lignocellulosic resources can be considered as wasteful and uneconomical, in the long run, if it is inefficient, if it fails to displace the combustion of fossil fuels, or if it displaces a higher-end use, for which there are available customers. In particular, it seems unlikely that combustion of fuels derived from lignocellulosic biomass can, by itself, solve problems that stem from society’s excessive thirst for motor fuels.
  • Editorialpp 1-2Pawlak, J. J. (2008). "A sustainable economy," BioRes. 3(1), 1-2.AbstractPDF
    There exists a direct correlation between improvements in standard of living and the consumption of resources. To be able to maintain the standard of living of a modern developed country, society must adapt to an economy based on sustainable processes, energy, and raw materials. The sustainable economy presents itself as a disruptive technology to the traditional economy, which is based largely on non-renewable resources. The issue seems to be more about when will we switch to a sustainable economy, rather than whether we will switch.
  • Editorialpp 534-535Hubbe, M. A., and Lucia, L. A. (2007). "The 'love-hate' relationship present in lignocellulosic materials," BioRes. 2(4), 534-535.AbstractPDF
    The three main types of chemical components in wood are cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. These three components have rather different physical and chemical characteristics. In some respects, the three types of materials can be described as “incompatible.” However, most of the biomass existing on the planet depends on their successful interactions. It can be useful to think of wood as being a natural composite structure. Concepts related to composites also are useful as we envision possible new and improved uses of wood-derived materials.
  • Editorialpp 332-333Hubbe, M. A. (2007). "When is a tree not a resource?" BioRes. 2(3), 332-333.AbstractPDF
    Although this journal mainly considers the study of cellulosic materials as sources of structural wood, fibers, chemicals, energy, and products such as paper, it would be short-sighted to view all trees as existing in order to meet such needs. An individual tree may have multiple roles, from a human perspective. The point of this essay is that different groups of trees ought to be managed in one of four ways – as crops, as natural habitat, as an awe-inspiring heritage, as in the case of national parks, and as dear friends in our yards and along our boulevards.
  • Editorialpp 146-147Hubbe, M. A. (2007). "Appropriate technology in an age of renewables," BioRes. 2(2), 146-147.AbstractPDF
    In this editorial the author proposes that scientists and technologists can play essential roles in the selection of technological alternatives that are appropriate to people’s long-term needs. Lessons learned in the 1970s and 80s, involving the design of simple and reliable mechanical systems for underdeveloped regions, can have relevance today in an increasingly interdependent, crowded, and polluted world. Specialists can help in two ways to promote technologies that make sense, providing for future well-being, and minimizing risks. First, we can exercise personal judgment in our work, as we pursue technological progress. We need to consider whether the likely products of our work are compatible with the world that we want to leave for our grandchildren. Second, we can provide guidance to our fellow citizens, as society grapples with the political and economic choices associated with progress.
  • Editorialpp 1 - 2Hubbe, M. A. (2007). "Incinerate, recycle, or wash and reuse," BioRes. 2(1), 1-2.AbstractPDF
    What is the best way to minimize the environmental impact of using a product such as paper? Three debating teams were formed within a university class. One team advocated increased recycling of paper. Another team pointed to evidence showing reduced environmental impact and lower net CO 2 emissions if the paper is incinerated rather than recycled. A third team advocated the replacement of paper by items such as porcelain plates and video screens, cutting costs and reducing waste by multiple reuse.
  • Editorialpp 172-173Hubbe, M. A. (2006). "From here to sustainability," BioRes. 1(2), 172-173.AbstractPDF

    Many readers and contributors to BioResources are working to develop sustainable technology. Such research attempts to use products of photosynthesis to meet long-term human needs with a minimum of environmental impact. Archeological and historical studies have concluded that the long-term success or failure of various past civilizations has depended, at least in part, on people’s ability to maintain the quality of the resources upon which they depended. Though it is possible for modern societies to learn from such examples, modern societies are interconnected to an unprecedented degree. It is no longer realistic to expect one region to be immune from the effects of environmental mistakes that may happen elsewhere in the world. Research related to renewable, lignocellulosic resources is urgently needed. But in addition to the research, there also needs to be discussion of hard-hitting questions, helping to minimize the chances of technological failure. The next failed civilization may be our own.

  • Editorialpp 174-175Green, C. (2006). "Improved pulp evaluations using a combination of free and restrained drying of handsheets," BioRes. 1(2), 174-175.AbstractPDF

    Pulp evaluations traditionally use plate-dried handsheets. The evalu-ation of pulp could be improved significantly by using side-by-side comparison of handsheets that freely shrink when dried, in addition to handsheets dried in the usual way.

  • Editorialpp 1-2Hubbe, M. A. and Lucia, L. A. (2006). "BioResources - An online scientific journal devoted to lignocellulosic materials for new end uses and new capabilities" BioRes. 1(1), 1-2.AbstractPDF

    In this inaugural issue, the Co-Editors of BioResources would like to welcome you. In your role as a reader, we welcome you to download scholarly articles and opinion pieces; this is an open-access journal, providing a maximum of potential impact. BioResources will deal with new and emerging uses of materials from lignocellulosic sources, including wood and crop residues. Topics will include biofuels, biomass-derived chemical products, papermaking technology, and other new or improved uses of biomaterials. We also would like to welcome you as a prospective author. Our goal is to maintain very high standards of peer-review, as well as providing a mix of scholarly research articles, review articles, and editorials. By using an automated, online system of review and publication, we hope to accelerate scientific discourse. Our hope is to contribute to progress in the direction of a post-petroleum economy, taking advantage of the renewable, biodegradable, and relatively abundant nature of materials from lignocellulosic sources.

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