Biorefinery Research Group

Contact: 1111 Budapest, Gellért tér 4. CH. building. 264.
Website: link
Focal points and main thrusts of research:
  • pretreatment and fractionation of biomass
  • enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose and hemicellulose
  • enzyme activity measurements
  • enzyme fermentations by using bacteria and fungi
  • fermentative production of alcohols, sugar alcohols and organic acids
  • compositional analysis of lignocellulosic materials
  • process modelling, techno-economic evaluations
Introduction: The Biorefinery Reserach Group has great experience and state-of-the-art knowledge on the field of fractionation and value-added utilisation of lignocellulosic biomass by using biotechnological methods. Over the last twenty years, the Biorefinery Resarch Group (former name was Non-Food Research Group) carried out investigations to utilize the by-products of the agricultural and agro-industrial sector through biorefinery approaches. The Biorefinery Research Group has extensive knowledge on the fields of fermentation techniques, process simulation by flow-sheeting software and process economic evaluations. The Biorefinery Research Group has excellent infrastructure for biomass pretreatments, enzymatic hydrolyses and fermentation processes, as well as for computer simulations. The Biorefinery Reserach Group is one of the leaders in the field of lignocellulosic biomass conversion and biorefining in Hungary.

Sample publications:

Csaba Fehér, Zsolt Barta, Katalin Réczey. (2012) Process considerations of a biorefinery producing value-added products from corn fibre. Periodica Polytechnica Chemical Engineering. 56 (1), 9-19. IF: 0.27

Csaba Fehér, Zita Gazsó, Patomwat Tatijarern, Máté Molnár, Zsolt Barta and Kati Réczey. (2015) Investigation of selective arabinose release from corn fibre by acid hydrolysis under mild conditions. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology. 90 (5), 896–906. IF: 2.494

Csaba Fehér, Boglárka Gál, Anikó Fehér, Zsolt Barta, Kati Réczey. (2015) Investigation of commercial enzyme preparations for selective release of arabinose from corn fibre. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology. 90 (7), 1329–1337. IF: 2.494

Csaba Fehér, Zita Gazsó, Boglárka Gál, Anett Kontra, Zsolt Barta, Kati Réczey. (2015) Integrated process of arabinose biopurification and xylitol fermentation based on the diverse action of Candida boidinii. Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Quarterly. 29 (4)587–597. IF: 0.911

István Wagner, Zsombor Kristóf Nagy, Panna Vass, Csaba Fehér, Zsolt Barta, Tamás Vigh, Péter Lajos Sóti, Anna Helga Harasztos, Hajnalka Pataki, Geert Verreck, Ivo Van Assche, György Marosi. (2015) Stable Formulation of Protein-type Drug in Electrospun Polymeric Fiber Followed by Tableting and Scaling-Up Experiments. Polymers for Advanced Technologies. 26. 1461–1467. IF: 1.964

Zoltán Mareczky, Anikó Fehér, Csaba Fehér, Zsolt Barta, Katalin Réczey. (2016) Effects of pH and aeration conditions on xylitol production by Candida and Hansenula yeasts. Periodica Polytechnica Chemical Engineering. 60 (1), 54-59. IF: 0.296

Edit Hirsch, Hajnalka Pataki, Attila Farkas, Henrik Bata, Panna Vass, Csaba Fehér, Zsolt Barta, László Párta, István Csontos, András Ballagi, Zsombor K. Nagy, and Gyorgy J. Marosi. (2016) Raman based feedback control of the enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose. Organic Process Research & Development. 20 (10), 1721–1727. IF: 2.922

Anikó Fehér, Csaba Fehér, Margaréta Rozbach, Zsolt Barta. (2017) Combined approaches to xylose production from corn stover by dilute acid hydrolysis. Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Quarterly. 31 (1), 77–87. IF: 0.675

Anikó Fehér, Csaba Fehér, Margaréta Rozbach, Gergely Rácz, Melinda Fekete, László Hegedűs, Zsolt Barta. (2018) Treatments of lignocellulosic hydrolysates and continuous-flow hydrogenation of xylose to xylitol. Chemical Engineering and Technology. 41 (3), 496-503. IF.: 2.385

Edit Hirsch, Hajnalka Patak, Júlia Domján, Attila Farkas, Panna Vass, Csaba Fehér, Zsolt Barta, Zsombor K. Nagy, György J. Marosi, István Csontos. Inline noninvasive Raman monitoring and feedback control of glucose concentration during ethanol fermentation. Biotechnology Progress (accepted, 2019, DOI 10.1002/btpr.2828) IF: 1.947

Ornella Ontañon, Silvina Ghio; Rubén Marrero Díaz de Villegas; Mercedes, Garrido; Paola, Talia; Csaba Fehér; Eleonora Campos. A thermally stable GH8 endoglucanase from the cellulose synthase complex of Enterobacter sp. R1 is suitable for β-glucans deconstruction. Food Chemistry. IF: 4.946

Soma Bedő; Botond Antal; Margaréta Rozbach; Anikó Fehér; Csaba Fehér. Optimised fractionation of wheat bran for arabinose biopurification and xylitol fermentation by Ogataea zsoltii within a biorefinery process. Industrial Crops and Products

Csaba Fehér. Novel approaches in the biotechnological application and production of L-arabinose. Journal of Carbohydrate Chemistry. (2018) 37 (5), 251-284. IF (2017): 0.629

Miklós Gyalai-Korpos, Zoltán Szabó, Miklós Hollósy, Bence Dávid, Kinga Pencz, Csaba Fehér, Zsolt Barta. Bioeconomy opportunities in the Danube Region. Towards a Sustainable Bioeconomy: Principles, Challenges and Perspectives. World Sustainability Series. Springer, Cham. pp 99-116, (2018)

Awards and achievements:

2017: Margaréta Rozbach - Xylitol production from wheat straw by fermentation. Prize II at national level (OTDK – National Conference of Scientific Student Association)

2015: Zita Gazsó - Biorefinery of corn fibre. Prize III at national level (OTDK – National Conference of Scientific Student Association)

2012: Boglárka Gál - Hydrolysis of arabinose from corn fibre using chemical and biochemical methods. Prize III at university level

2017: Csaba Fehér - Prize of Top 100 professors of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Guest professors:

Prof. Iris Cornet – University of Antwerp (Belgium)

Group leader: Dr. Fehér Csaba