A number of researchers have made they are calling a " game - changing " breakthrough with an enzymatic mechanism that could revolutionise biorefining and biofuel technologies . The team examined how lytic polysaccharide enzymes ( LPMOs ) work at a molecular level and demonstrated that , to convert cellulose into fermentable sugar ( glucose ) – a crucial step in the biofuel process , cells require hydrogen peroxide and not oxygen , which is more expensive . Using hydrogen peroxide , the team also achieved much higher conversion rates and glucose yields . Collaborative work with industrial partners has already begun . The research was conducted at the Norwegian institute of Life Sciences .
A team of researchers have made they are calling a "game-changing" breakthrough with an enzymatic mechanism that could revolutionise biorefining and biofuel production. The team examined how lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) work at a molecular level and discovered that, to convert cellulose into fermentable sugar (glucose) – a crucial step in the biofuel process, LPMOs require hydrogen peroxide and not oxygen, which is more expensive. Using hydrogen peroxide, the team also achieved much higher conversion rates and glucose yields. Collaborative work with industrial partners has already begun. The research was undertaken at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.