Methyl halides from biomass waste

RSC Chemistry World
29 April 2009

US researchers have developed a new way to engineer microorganisms to use biomass to produce methyl halides, simple chemicals used as agricultural fumigants and precursor molecules for complex chemicals and fuels.

Processing non-food biomass into fuels and high-value chemicals could provide a sustainable alternative to petrochemicals. With this in mind, a team of researchers used a new approach to engineer yeasts and bacteria to produce methyl halides from sources such as corn stover, bagasse and switchgrass.

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