BIO-BASED CHEMICALS AND ENZYMES

NEWS: India has recently prioritised bio-based chemicals and enzymes under the Department of Biotechnology’s BioE3 policy

BioBased Chemicals and Enzymes

• Industrial chemicals produced from biological raw materials (biomass) instead of fossil fuels.
• Sources of biomassàSugarcane, corn, starch, agricultural residues, biomass waste
• Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions without being consumed

BioBased Chemicals Important for India

• India imports large amounts of petrochemicals (e.g., acetic acid imports worth ~$479.8 million in 2023)àBio-based chemicals can reduce this dependency.
• Creates new markets for agricultural produceàDoubling farmers’ income
• Adds value to crop residuesàBioeconomy development

Challenges

• Bio-based chemicals are often costlier than petrochemicals
• Requires reliable biomass supply chain
• Infrastructure challenges at scale
• Compatibility with existing manufacturing systems

Significance

• Reduce carbon footprint
• Promote circular economy
• Lower energy usage
• Reduce industrial emissions
• This aligns with: Net Zero 2070 target, sustainable Development Goals (SDG 9, 12, 13)