Primer on Bioproducts - BIOCAP Canada

Glossary of TermsAnaerobic digestion: Decompositionprocess using micro-organisms thatlive and reproduce in an environmentvoid of “free” or dissolved oxygen todecompose and stabilize organic solidsor biosolids. This process generatesbiogas.Bacteria: Members of a group ofmicroscopic organisms with a verysimple cell structure. Somemanufacture their own food, somelive as parasites on other organisms,and some live on decaying matter.Biobased economy: An economy inwhich most industry, commercial andeconomic activity depends onrenewable biomass and biologicalprocesses to supply energy, chemicals,products and services. Bioproductsare to the biobased economy whatfossil fuels and petrochemicals are tothe current “fossil fuel economy” thatnow provides about 80 per cent of theworld’s energy needs.Biobased industries: Industries thatrely on biological sciences incombination with process engineeringto produce a wide variety of industrialproducts from renewable organicresources. Biobased industrialproducts include liquid fuels,chemicals, lubricants, plastics andbuilding materials.Biodegradable: Capable ofdecomposing rapidly under naturalconditions (usually by the action ofmicro-organisms).Biodiesel: An alternative fuel madefrom plant oils that can be used in aconventional diesel engine.Biodiversity: The relative abundanceand variety of plant and animalspecies and ecosystems withinparticular habitats.Bioenergy: Useful, renewable energyproduced from organic matter; theconversion of complex carbohydratesin organic matter to energy. Organicmatter may either be used directly asa fuel or processed into liquids andgases.Biofuels: Fuels made from cellulosicand other types of biomass resources.Biofuels include ethanol, biodieseland methanol.Biogas: A combustible gas derivedfrom decomposing biological waste.Biogas typically consists of 50 to 60per cent methane.Biomass: Renewable organic matter.Biomass includes forest products,plants, agricultural crops and wastes,wood and wood wastes, animalwastes and aquatic plants, as well asorganic fractions of municipal andindustrial wastes.Bioproducts: Commercial orindustrial products that rely onenergy, chemicals or processesavailable from living organisms. Ifproperly developed, the sources ofbioproducts are renewable and canreplenish themselves over and overagain using energy from the sun.Bioproducts are a complement or analternative to the industrial productsmanufactured using petrochemicalsor fossil fuels.Bioremediation: The use of microorganismsto remedy environmentalproblems, rendering hazardouswastes non-hazardous.Biotechnology: The application ofbiology and biological techniques todevelop products and industrialprocesses.Carbon: A common chemical elementthat plays a critical role in thechemistry of life; it is incorporatedinto biological processes and biomassthrough photosynthesis.Carbon cycle: The flow of carbonfrom an inorganic state to an organicstate and back again.Carbon dioxide (CO 2): A commoncolourless and odourless gasproduced during respiration,combustion and the decomposition oforganic material. It is taken up byplants as part of the solar energytrapping process of photosynthesis.Carrying capacity: The number ofpeople (or their industries) that anarea can support, given the quality ofthe natural environment and the levelof technology of the population.PRIMER ON BIOPRODUCTS67