Abstract
The over-exploitation of resources has depleted non-renewable energy reserves, impacting daily life. Additionally, the excessive lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) waste from agriculture and forestry is a pressing challenge. LCB is a rich carbon source that can produce renewable biofuels and help mitigate waste concerns. LCB biorefineries are essential to the circular economy, offering eco-friendly and cost-effective solutions due to low feedstock prices. LCB, an abundant source of carbon, can be employed not only to generate renewable biofuels and other valuable products but also to mitigate waste disposal problems. LCB biorefineries are at the forefront of the circular economy, providing environmentally friendly and economically viable solutions due to the lower cost of LCB feedstocks. To enhance the efficiency of biorefineries, it is essential to overcome the recalcitrance of LCB through pretreatment, which improves the feedstock characteristics. Furthermore, exploring new methodologies and generating products beyond traditional biofuel conversions has revealed a wide range of useful products with applicability across numerous sectors. This review focuses on various trends in LCB pretreatment, highlighting current advancements in the biorefinery sector and exploring the search for innovative products and applications. This includes 3D printing, activated carbon as a biosorbent, and innovations in biocomposites and bio-adhesives aimed at sustainability. In addition, the use of LCB components in biomedical applications, such as antimicrobial/antiviral compounds, hydrogels, and the potential of cello-oligosaccharides, is explored. Lastly, the integration of machine learning in biorefineries further optimizes pretreatment and processing technologies.