A REVIEW OF INTEGRATED PROCESSES TO GET VALUE-ADDED CHEMICALS AND FUELS FROM PETROCROPS

Twenty-one species of laticiferous, resinous, medicinal, wild-growing, oil-seed-bearing and essential-oil-yielding plants have been selected and studied for their potential to yield biocrude, which can be proce ssed into oil The spent residues obtained after the recovery of biocru de can be processed to obtain fermentable sugars, ethanol, aromatic ch emicals and other value-added chemicals and fuels. An integrated proce ss to produce oil and other value-added chemicals and fuels from poten tial petrocrops has been suggested after assessing the potential for e thanol and aromatic chemicals production. Potential candidates for pet rofarming have been recommended. The paper aims to invite the attentio n of technologists to petrocrops, as this renewable resource has a gre at potential to yield chemicals and fuels, and desert land can be util ised to grow these plants. Research in this area should be extended.