title: Biocatalysis: applications and potentials for the chemical industry.
abstract: The chemical industry is exploring the use of renewable feed stocks to improve sustainability, prompting the exploration of bioprocesses for the production of chemicals. Attractive features of biological systems include versatility, substrate selectivity, regioselectivity, chemoselectivity, enantioselectivity and catalysis at ambient temperatures and pressures. However, a challenge facing bioprocesses is cost competitiveness with chemical processes because capital assets associated with the existing commercial processes are high. The chemical industry will probably use biotechnology with existing feed stocks and processes to extract higher values from feed stocks, process by-products and waste streams. In this decade, bioprocesses that offer either a process or a product advantage over traditional chemical routes will become more widely used.
authors: DuPont, Central Research and Development, DuPont Experimental Station, PO Box 80328, Wilmington, DE 19880-0328, USA. Stuart.M.Thomas@usa.dupont.com
authors: Stuart M
authors: SM
authors: Thomas
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: DiCosimo
authors: Vasantha
authors: V
authors: Nagarajan
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D001711:Biotransformation; D002384:Catalysis; D002617:Chemical Industry / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D007783:Lactones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009570:Nitriles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011409:Propylene Glycols / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; D007783:Lactones; D009570:Nitriles; D011409:Propylene Glycols; C041787:1,3-propanediol; D005947:Glucose