Assessment of Lignocellulosic Biomass Using Analytical Spectroscopy: an Evolution to High-Throughput Techniques

Lignocellulosic biomass has been proposed as an option for reducing global dependence on nonrenewable energy sources, such as oil. Selection and development of biomass feedstocks that efficiently yield the maximum fuel or biomaterial requires the availability of reliable methods for compositional and structural characterization of plant material. Many standard methods for biomass analysis are laborious and slow, and employ a variety of harsh reagents requiring some degree of remediation. The use of simpler and more rapid spectroscopic methods has proved invaluable in analyzing biomass. In the twenty-first century, researchers have employed techniques such as Raman, mid-infrared, and near-infrared spectroscopy for a wide range of applications in endeavors to further understand biofuel feedstocks. While many methods remain time consuming and expensive, a growing interest in high-throughput spectroscopic techniques has provided faster and larger scale feedstock screening for desirable traits. This review seeks to provide an overview of both high-throughput techniques and those requiring longer analysis times but still providing abundant qualitative and quantitative data. While applications of these instrumental methods have been researched for decades, more recent developments will be discussed here.