EREnzyme Research2090-0414SAGE-Hindawi Access to Research86304510.4061/2011/863045863045EditorialSelected Papers from ENZITEC 2010FreireDenise M. G.1BonElba P. S.2Viniegra-GonzalezGustavo3Girio
Francisco4DekkerRobert F. H.51Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology Department of Biochemistry Institute of Chemistry Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
Avenida Athos da Silveira Ramos 149Centro de Tecnologia, Bloco AIlha do Fundão, 21941-909 Rio de Janeiro, RJBrazilufrj.br2Laboratory of Enzyme Technology Department of Biochemistry Institute of Chemistry Federal University of Rio de JaneiroAvenida Athos da Silveira Ramos 149Centro de Tecnologia, Bloco AIlha do Fundão, 21941-909 Rio de Janeiro, RJBrazilufrj.br3Departamento de BiotecnologíaUniversidad Autónoma Metropolitana09340 Iztapalapa, DFMexicouam.mx4Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, I.P.Unidade de BioenergiaEdifício F, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar 22, 1649-038 LisbonPortugallneg.pt5Biorefining Research InitiativeLakehead University955 Oliver RoadThunder Bay, ONCanadaP7B 5E1lakeheadu.ca20118122011201112102011121020112011Copyright © 2011 Denise M. G. Freire et al.This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.The fundamental need for environmental preservation has been calling, around the world, for the development and deployment of friendly industrial processes. Moreover, presently, development has to take into account sustainability. Within this context, enzyme technology is of outmost importance, having a major role for the achievement of the goals of sustainable development. This technology is of particular significance to Brazil due to the need to preserve Brazil’s singular ecosystems, biodiversity, and quality and availability of the country’s water resources. Furthermore, Brazil has an unrivalled availability of natural wealth, in both diversity and quantity, to be processed, via biocatalysis, into a wide range of diverse and innovative products as well as into biofules. Enzymes are the logical tool to process renewable resources as both of them have naturally evolved to match each other. It is now, therefore, time to develop dexterity and expand the use of enzymes in a fully efficient manner. As biochemical processes are cleaner than its chemical counterparts and generate higher-quality products, this shift would benefit the country’s socioeconomic development.
However, going from traditional chemistry into enzymatic processes is more than a technical and economical challenge, it is a change in the way we think technology—scientific and technical knowledge— and thoughtfulness are much needed.
The Brazilian Seminar on Enzyme Technology (ENZITEC) has been taking place every two years since 2003. Its main objective has been to further the knowledge on the wide range of industrial, technical, and specialty enzymes alongside promoting its economic viability. The event encompasses the worldwide interest in industrial enzyme research and uses vis-à-vis the necessary move toward biocatalysis. Eight papers, which were selected from a wealth of submitted manuscripts, were accepted for publication in this special issue of Enzyme Research. They relate to fundamental areas of enzyme research and technology such as microbial screening, enzymes production and characterization, fine chemistry, biorefinery, and biofuels.
Denise M. G. FreireElba P. S. BonGustavo Viniegra-GonzalezFrancisco GirioRobert F. H. Dekker