Primer on Bioproducts - BIOCAP Canada

commitments of the United NationsFramework Convention on ClimateChange to include targets for futuregreenhouse gas (GHG) emissions bydeveloped countries. Canada’scommitment under the Kyoto Protocolis to reduce net GHG emissions to sixper cent below 1990 levels between2008 and 2012. The protocol wasdeveloped in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan.Landfill: Land where householdwaste, industrial waste and/or treateddomestic sewage biosolids aredisposed.Landfill gases: Gases generated bydecomposition of organic material atlandfill disposal sites. Landfill gas isapproximately 50–60 per centmethane, 40–50 per cent CO 2, and lessthan one per cent hydrogen, oxygen,nitrogen and other trace gases.Megawatt (MW): An electrical unit ofpower that equals one million Watts(1,000 kW).Micro-organism: Any organism thatcan be seen only with the aid of amicroscope.Nanotechnology: Atomic- ormolecular-scale technology developedat dimensions of less than 10millionths of a metre (100 nanometres).Organic: Derived from livingorganisms, containing naturallyoccurring carbon (and hydrogen)compounds.Petrochemicals: Chemicals derivedfrom oil, natural gas or otherfossilized hydrocarbons.Photosynthesis: The conversion byplants of light energy into chemicalenergy (carbohydrates are made fromCO 2and water in the presence ofchlorophyll and sunlight). Thechemical energy is then used tosupport the biological processes of theplants and animals that eat them.Protein: An organic moleculecomposed of amino acids that areresponsible for cell maintenance andgrowth.Pyrolysis: The thermal decompositionof biomass at high temperatures(greater than 200°C) in the absence ofair. The end product of pyrolysis is amixture of solids (char), liquids(oxygenated oils), and gases (methane,carbon monoxide, and CO 2), withproportions determined by operatingtemperature, pressure, oxygencontent and other conditions.Sequestration, sequestered: Thelong-term storage of carbon in theterrestrial biosphere, underground, orin the oceans, isolating the carbonfrom the carbon cycle to ensure thebuild up of CO 2(the principalgreenhouse gas) in the atmospherewill be reduced.Sustainable development: Accordingto the 1987 UN World Commission onthe Environment and Development,“development that meets the needs ofthe present without compromising theability of future generations to meettheir own needs.”Syngas: A “synthesis gas” consistingmainly of carbon monoxide (CO) andhydrogen (H) that is created by thegasification of liquid or solid biomass.Syngas is used for producing poweror hydrogen, methane and otherfuels.Thermal depolymerization: Aprocess that uses pressure and heat toreduce biomass (usually organicwaste material) into light crude oil bybreaking down long-chain polymersof hydrogen, oxygen and carbon intoshort-chain petroleum hydrocarbons.The process, also calledthermochemical conversion or athermal conversion process, is thoughtto mirror the natural geologicalprocess that produces fossil fuels.Thermochemical processing: Thechemical processing of biomass athigh temperatures to produce fuels,such as biogas or bio-oil. Pyrolysisand gasification are examples ofthermochemical processes.Thermo-chemistry: The branch ofchemistry that explores theinteraction of heat and chemicalreactions.Toxic substance: A chemical ormaterial harmful to people, plantsand animals.Turbine: A machine of rotary bladesand a drive shaft that uses the energyof a stream of fluid (usually water orsteam) to power a generator thatcreates an electromagnetic field,transforming the mechanical energyinto electricity.Yeast: A general term for single-celledfungi that reproduce by budding.Some yeasts can fermentcarbohydrates (starches and sugars).PRIMER ON BIOPRODUCTS69