Welcome to the Biorefinery Group | Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila

The term Biorefinery of second and third generation refers to the processing, fractionation and conversion of biomass using biochemical and thermochemical platforms into a sustainable spectrum of chemicals, biomaterials and bioenergy (advanced biofuels) similar to a classic petroleum refinery. The Biorefinery Group is active in various aspects for lignocellulosic (agricultural residues and agro-industrial waste) and aquatic (micro and macroalgae) biomass conversion in the context of circular bioeconomy focused on the following topics:

1) Intensification of Hydrothermal Processing

2) Chemical Characterization and Applications for Biomass

3) Biological Systems Engineering & Food Engineering Technology

4) Microalgae and Filamentous Cyanobacteria Cultivation

We invite you to explore the pages of this web site and see the different activities that this group is developing in order to find new alternatives for the biorefinery concept.

WorkTeam – Biorefinery Group

1) Intensification of Hydrothermal Processing:

Hydrothermal processing at different scale levels from bench to pilot scale reactors (autohydrolysis , steam explosion, liquid hot water (LHW), high pressure technology using subcritical and supercritical water ) for biomass fractionation and extraction of the main components of lignocellulosic, micro and macro – algae biomass. 

2) Chemical Characterization and Applications for Biomass:

Extraction , optimization process, chemical characterization and applications of  cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, fucoidan, carrageenan, alginate, laminarin, galactan, xylooligosaccharides, fucoxanthin, mannitol, phycocyanin, nanocrystalline cellulose in the production of commodity and specialty biochemicals.

3) Biological Systems Engineering & Food Engineering Technology.

Research in this area has focused on new process configurations for enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic and aquatic biomass, fermentations strategy at high solid loading, as well as on development of mathematical models for both descriptive and predictive purposes, and bioreactor design.

4) Microalgae and Filamentous Cyanobacteria Cultivation

Our interest in this area centre on the design of photobioreactors and the cultivation systems and use of micro-algal biomass for bio-based products (new foods, food additives and high added-value compounds: (lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, phycocyanin) in terms of biorefinery.