Biofuels and Biorefineries – serie

The application of ionic liquids to biomass for producing biofuels and chemicals will be one of the hot research areas during the next decade due to the fascinating properties of these versatile group of solvents that allow them to dissolve lignocellulosic materials. The present text provides up-to-date fundamentals, state-of-the-art reviews, current assessments and prospects in this area, including aspects of pretreatment, fermentation, biomass dissolution, cellulose transformation, reaction kinetics and physical properties, as well as the subsequent production of biofuels and platform chemicals such as sugars, aldehydes and acids. Auxiliary methods such as catalysis, microwave and enzymatic techniques used in the transformations are covered. Both researchers and practitioners are certain to find a wealth of information in the individual chapters, which were written by experts in the field to provide an essential basis for assessing possible pretreatment and transformation routes of biomass using ionic liquids, and for developing new methods and chemical processes.Dr. Zhen Fang is Professor of Bioenergy, head of the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Biomass Group, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden and is also an Adjunct Professor of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China. Dr. Richard L Smith, Jr. is Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Research Center of Supercritical Fluid Technology, Tohoku University, Japan. Dr. Xinhua Qi is Professor of Environmental Science at Nankai University, China.

This book provides state-of-the-art reviews, current research and prospects of producing hydrogen using bio, thermal and electrochemical methods and covers hydrogen separation, storage and applications.  Hydrogen produced from biomass offers a clean and renewable energy source and a promising energy carrier that will supplement or replace fossil fuels in the future. The book is intended as a reference work for researchers, academics and industrialists working in the chemical and biological sciences, engineering, renewable resources and sustainability.  Readers will find a wealth of information in the text that is both useful for the practical development of hydrogen systems and essential for assessing hydrogen production by bioelectrochemical, electrochemical, fermentation, gasification, pyrolysis and solar means, applied to many forms of biomass. Dr. Zhen Fang is Professor in Bioenergy, Leader and founder of biomass group, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden and is also adjunct Professor of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China. Dr. Richard L Smith, Jr. is Professor of Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Research Center of Supercritical Fluid Technology, Tohoku University, Japan. Dr. Xinhua Qi is Professor of Environmental Science, Nankai University, China.

The book provides fundamental chemistry and properties of near-critical water (NCW) and supercritical water (SCW), criteria and challenges/solutions in reactor design for NCW and SCW processes, and up-to-date reviews and practice of a wide range of their applications in bio refineries including: production of hydrochars from biomass, SCW oxidation (SCWO) for waste treatment, SCW gasification (SCWG) of biomass and waste for hydrogen and methane production, hydrothermal liquefaction of biomass, production of chemicals and SCWO of biofuels for energy. It also presents techno-economic analysis of hydrogen production via SCWG of biomass. The book will be highly essential for both academic researchers and industrial practitioners for developing novel bio refinery technologies and processes employing NCW or SCW for treatment of various organic waste streams and production of bio-energy and bio-based chemicals from bio-renewable resources.Prof. Dr. Zhen Fang is leader and founder of biomass group, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.Dr. Chunbao (Charles) Xu is currently an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and NSERC/FP Innovations Industrial Research Chair in Forest Bio refinery at Western University, Canada.

Conversion of biomass into chemicals and biofuels is an active research and development area as trends move to replace traditional fossil fuels with renewable resources. By integrating processing methods with microwave and ultrasound irradiation into biorefineries, the time-scale of many operations can be greatly reduced while the efficiency of the reactions can be remarkably increased so that process intensification can be achieved. “Production of Biofuels and Chemicals with Microwave” and “Production of Biofuels and Chemicals with Ultrasound” are two independent volumes in the Biofuels and Biorefineries series that take different, but complementary approaches for the pretreatment and chemical transformation of biomass into chemicals and biofuels.The volume “Microwave” provides current research advances and prospects in theoretical and practical aspects of microwave irradiation including properties, effects and temperature monitoring, design of chemical reactors, synergistic effects on combining microwave, ultrasound, hydrodynamic cavitation and high-shear mixing into processes, chemical and catalytic conversion of lignin into chemicals, pyrolysis and gasification, syngas production from wastes, platform chemicals, algal biodiesel, cellulose-based nanocomposites, lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment, green chemistry metrics and energy consumption and techno-economic analysis for a catalytic pyrolysis facility that processes pellets into aromatics. Each of the 12 chapters has been peer-reviewed and edited to improve both the quality of the text and the scope and coverage of the topics. Both volumes “Microwave” and “Ultrasound” are references designed for students, researchers, academicians and industrialists in the fields of chemistry and chemical engineering and include introductory chapters to highlight present concepts of the fundamental technologies and their application.Dr. Zhen Fang is Professor in Bioenergy, Leaderand founder of biomass group, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden and is also adjunct Professor of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China.Dr. Richard L Smith, Jr. is Professor of Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Research Center of Supercritical Fluid Technology, Tohoku University, Japan.Dr. Xinhua Qi is Professor of Environmental Science, Nankai University, China.

Conversion of biomass into chemicals and biofuels is an active research and development area as trends move to replace traditional fossil fuels with renewable resources. By integrating processing methods with ultrasound and microwave irradiation into biorefineries, the time-scale of many operations can be greatly reduced while the efficiency of the reactions can be remarkably increased so that process intensification can be achieved. “Production of Biofuels and Chemicals with Ultrasound” and “Production of Biofuels and Chemicals with Microwave” are two independent volumes in the Biofuels and Biorefineries series that take different, but complementary approaches for the pretreatment and chemical transformation of biomass into chemicals and biofuels.The volume “Ultrasound” provides current research advances and prospects in mechanistic principles of acoustic cavitation in sonochemistry, physical and chemical mechanisms in biofuel synthesis, reactor design for transesterification and esterification reactions, lipid extraction from algal biomass, microalgae extraction, biodiesel and bioethanol synthesis, practical technologies and systems, pretreatment of biomass waste sources including lignocellulosic materials, manures and sludges for biogas production, vibration-assisted pelleting, combined chemical-mechanical methods, valorization of starch-based wastes and  techno-economic methodology.  Each of the 12 chapters has been peer-reviewed and edited to improve both the quality of the text and the scope and coverage of the topics.  Both volumes “Ultrasound” and “Microwave” are references designed for students, researchers, academicians and industrialists in the fields of chemistry and chemical engineering and include introductory chapters to highlight present concepts of the fundamental technologies and their application.Dr. Zhen Fang is Professor in Bioenergy, Leader and founder of biomass group, Chinese Academy of Sciences,Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden and is also adjunct Professor of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China.Dr. Richard L Smith, Jr. is Professor of Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Research Center of Supercritical Fluid Technology, Tohoku University, Japan.Dr. Xinhua Qi is Professor of Environmental Science, Nankai University, China.

This book provides state-of-the-art reviews, current research and prospects of producing hydrogen using bio, thermal and electrochemical methods and covers hydrogen separation, storage and applications.  Hydrogen produced from biomass offers a clean and renewable energy source and a promising energy carrier that will supplement or replace fossil fuels in the future. The book is intended as a reference work for researchers, academics and industrialists working in the chemical and biological sciences, engineering, renewable resources and sustainability.  Readers will find a wealth of information in the text that is both useful for the practical development of hydrogen systems and essential for assessing hydrogen production by bioelectrochemical, electrochemical, fermentation, gasification, pyrolysis and solar means, applied to many forms of biomass. Dr. Zhen Fang is Professor in Bioenergy, Leader and founder of biomass group, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden and is also adjunct Professor of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China. Dr. Richard L Smith, Jr. is Professor of Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Research Center of Supercritical Fluid Technology, Tohoku University, Japan. Dr. Xinhua Qi is Professor of Environmental Science, Nankai University, China.

The application of ionic liquids to biomass for producing biofuels and chemicals will be one of the hot research areas during the next decade due to the fascinating properties of these versatile group of solvents that allow them to dissolve lignocellulosic materials. The present text provides up-to-date fundamentals, state-of-the-art reviews, current assessments and prospects in this area, including aspects of pretreatment, fermentation, biomass dissolution, cellulose transformation, reaction kinetics and physical properties, as well as the subsequent production of biofuels and platform chemicals such as sugars, aldehydes and acids. Auxiliary methods such as catalysis, microwave and enzymatic techniques used in the transformations are covered. Both researchers and practitioners are certain to find a wealth of information in the individual chapters, which were written by experts in the field to provide an essential basis for assessing possible pretreatment and transformation routes of biomass using ionic liquids, and for developing new methods and chemical processes.Dr. Zhen Fang is Professor of Bioenergy, head of the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Biomass Group, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden and is also an Adjunct Professor of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China. Dr. Richard L Smith, Jr. is Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Research Center of Supercritical Fluid Technology, Tohoku University, Japan. Dr. Xinhua Qi is Professor of Environmental Science at Nankai University, China.

The book provides fundamental chemistry and properties of near-critical water (NCW) and supercritical water (SCW), criteria and challenges/solutions in reactor design for NCW and SCW processes, and up-to-date reviews and practice of a wide range of their applications in bio refineries including: production of hydrochars from biomass, SCW oxidation (SCWO) for waste treatment, SCW gasification (SCWG) of biomass and waste for hydrogen and methane production, hydrothermal liquefaction of biomass, production of chemicals and SCWO of biofuels for energy. It also presents techno-economic analysis of hydrogen production via SCWG of biomass. The book will be highly essential for both academic researchers and industrial practitioners for developing novel bio refinery technologies and processes employing NCW or SCW for treatment of various organic waste streams and production of bio-energy and bio-based chemicals from bio-renewable resources.Prof. Dr. Zhen Fang is leader and founder of biomass group, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.Dr. Chunbao (Charles) Xu is currently an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and NSERC/FP Innovations Industrial Research Chair in Forest Bio refinery at Western University, Canada.

Conversion of biomass into chemicals and biofuels is an active research and development area as trends move to replace traditional fossil fuels with renewable resources. By integrating processing methods with microwave and ultrasound irradiation into biorefineries, the time-scale of many operations can be greatly reduced while the efficiency of the reactions can be remarkably increased so that process intensification can be achieved. “Production of Biofuels and Chemicals with Microwave” and “Production of Biofuels and Chemicals with Ultrasound” are two independent volumes in the Biofuels and Biorefineries series that take different, but complementary approaches for the pretreatment and chemical transformation of biomass into chemicals and biofuels.The volume “Microwave” provides current research advances and prospects in theoretical and practical aspects of microwave irradiation including properties, effects and temperature monitoring, design of chemical reactors, synergistic effects on combining microwave, ultrasound, hydrodynamic cavitation and high-shear mixing into processes, chemical and catalytic conversion of lignin into chemicals, pyrolysis and gasification, syngas production from wastes, platform chemicals, algal biodiesel, cellulose-based nanocomposites, lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment, green chemistry metrics and energy consumption and techno-economic analysis for a catalytic pyrolysis facility that processes pellets into aromatics. Each of the 12 chapters has been peer-reviewed and edited to improve both the quality of the text and the scope and coverage of the topics. Both volumes “Microwave” and “Ultrasound” are references designed for students, researchers, academicians and industrialists in the fields of chemistry and chemical engineering and include introductory chapters to highlight present concepts of the fundamental technologies and their application.Dr. Zhen Fang is Professor in Bioenergy, Leaderand founder of biomass group, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden and is also adjunct Professor of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China.Dr. Richard L Smith, Jr. is Professor of Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Research Center of Supercritical Fluid Technology, Tohoku University, Japan.Dr. Xinhua Qi is Professor of Environmental Science, Nankai University, China.

Conversion of biomass into chemicals and biofuels is an active research and development area as trends move to replace traditional fossil fuels with renewable resources. By integrating processing methods with ultrasound and microwave irradiation into biorefineries, the time-scale of many operations can be greatly reduced while the efficiency of the reactions can be remarkably increased so that process intensification can be achieved. “Production of Biofuels and Chemicals with Ultrasound” and “Production of Biofuels and Chemicals with Microwave” are two independent volumes in the Biofuels and Biorefineries series that take different, but complementary approaches for the pretreatment and chemical transformation of biomass into chemicals and biofuels.The volume “Ultrasound” provides current research advances and prospects in mechanistic principles of acoustic cavitation in sonochemistry, physical and chemical mechanisms in biofuel synthesis, reactor design for transesterification and esterification reactions, lipid extraction from algal biomass, microalgae extraction, biodiesel and bioethanol synthesis, practical technologies and systems, pretreatment of biomass waste sources including lignocellulosic materials, manures and sludges for biogas production, vibration-assisted pelleting, combined chemical-mechanical methods, valorization of starch-based wastes and  techno-economic methodology.  Each of the 12 chapters has been peer-reviewed and edited to improve both the quality of the text and the scope and coverage of the topics.  Both volumes “Ultrasound” and “Microwave” are references designed for students, researchers, academicians and industrialists in the fields of chemistry and chemical engineering and include introductory chapters to highlight present concepts of the fundamental technologies and their application.Dr. Zhen Fang is Professor in Bioenergy, Leader and founder of biomass group, Chinese Academy of Sciences,Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden and is also adjunct Professor of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China.Dr. Richard L Smith, Jr. is Professor of Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Research Center of Supercritical Fluid Technology, Tohoku University, Japan.Dr. Xinhua Qi is Professor of Environmental Science, Nankai University, China.

This book provides state-of-the-art reviews, current research on and the prospects of lignin production, biological, thermal and chemical conversion methods, and lignin technoeconomics.  Fundamental topics related to lignin chemistry, properties, analysis, characterization, and depolymerization mechanisms, as well as enzymatic, fungal and bacterial degradation methods are covered. The book also examines practical topics related to technologies for lignin and ultra-pure lignin recovery, activated carbon, carbon fiber production and materials, and addresses the biological conversion of lignin with fungi, bacteria or enzymes to produce chemicals, along with chemical, catalytic, thermochemical and solvolysis conversion methods.  Lastly, it presents a case study on practical polyurethane foam production using lignin. Lignin has a bright future and will be an essential feedstock for producing renewable chemicals, biofuels and value-added products. Offering comprehensive information on this promising material, the book represents a valuable resource for students, researchers, academicians and industrialists in the field of biochemistry and energy.

This book provides state-of-the-art reviews, the latest research, prospects and challenges of the production of platform chemicals such as C6 sugars, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, furfural, gamma-valerolactone, xylitol, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, levulinic acid, ethanol and others from sustainable biomass resources using processes that include heterogeneous catalysis, ionic liquids, hydrothermal/solvothermal, electrochemical and fermentation methods. It also discusses the application of these chemicals and their derivatives for synthesizing commodity chemicals via various routes. Intended as a reference resource for researchers, academicians and industrialists in the area of energy, chemical engineering and biomass conversion, it provides a wealth of information essential for assessing the production and application of various biomass-derived platform chemicals using biological, chemical and electrochemical techniques.

This book provides state-of-the-art reviews, current research, prospects and challenges of the production of biofuels and chemicals such as furanic biofuels, biodiesel, carboxylic acids, polyols and others from lignocellulosic biomass, furfurals, syngas and γ-valerolactone with bifunctional catalysts, including catalytic, and combined biological and chemical catalysis processes. The bifunctionality of catalytic materials is a concept of not only using multifunctional solid materials as activators, but also design of materials in such a way that the catalytic materials have synergistic characteristics that promote a cascade of transformations with performance beyond that of mixed mono-functional catalysts. This book is a reference designed for researchers, academicians and industrialists in the area of catalysis, energy, chemical engineering and biomass conversion. Readers will find the wealth of information contained in chapters both useful and essential, for assessing the production and application of various biofuels and chemicals by chemical catalysis and biological techniques.

This book presents a collection of studies on state-of-art techniques developed specifically for lignocellulose component derivation, and for the production of functional materials, composite polymers, carbonaceous biocatalysts, and pellets from lignocellulosic biomass, with an emphasis on using sustainable chemistry and engineering to develop innovative materials and fuels for practical application.  Technological strategies for the physical processing or biological conversion of biomass for material production are also presented. All chapters were contributed by respected experts in the field from around the globe, providing a broad range of perspectives on cutting-edge applications.The book offers an ideal reference guide for academic researchers and industrial engineers in the fields of natural renewable materials, biorefinery of lignocellulose, biofuels and environmental engineering. It can also be used as a comprehensive reference source for university students inchemical engineering, material science and environmental engineering.

This book provides state-of-the-art reviews, the latest research, prospects and challenges of the production of platform chemicals such as C6 sugars, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, furfural, gamma-valerolactone, xylitol, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, levulinic acid, ethanol and others from sustainable biomass resources using processes that include heterogeneous catalysis, ionic liquids, hydrothermal/solvothermal, electrochemical and fermentation methods. It also discusses the application of these chemicals and their derivatives for synthesizing commodity chemicals via various routes. Intended as a reference resource for researchers, academicians and industrialists in the area of energy, chemical engineering and biomass conversion, it provides a wealth of information essential for assessing the production and application of various biomass-derived platform chemicals using biological, chemical and electrochemical techniques.

This book provides state-of-the-art reviews, current research, prospects and challenges of the production of biofuels and chemicals such as furanic biofuels, biodiesel, carboxylic acids, polyols and others from lignocellulosic biomass, furfurals, syngas and ?-valerolactone with bifunctional catalysts, including catalytic, and combined biological and chemical catalysis processes. The bifunctionality of catalytic materials is a concept of not only using multifunctional solid materials as activators, but also design of materials in such a way that the catalytic materials have synergistic characteristics that promote a cascade of transformations with performance beyond that of mixed mono-functional catalysts. This book is a reference designed for researchers, academicians and industrialists in the area of catalysis, energy, chemical engineering and biomass conversion. Readers will find the wealth of information contained in chapters both useful and essential, for assessing the production and application of various biofuels and chemicals by chemical catalysis and biological techniques.

This book presents a collection of studies on state-of-art techniques for converting biomass to chemical products by means of pyrolysis, which are widely applicable to the valorization of biomass. In addition to discussing the fundamentals and mechanisms for producing bio-oils, chemicals, gases and biochar using pyrolysis, it outlines key reaction parameters and reactor configurations for various types of biomass. Written by leading experts and providing a broad range of perspectives on cutting-edge applications, the book is a comprehensive reference guide for academic researchers and industrial engineers in the fields of natural renewable materials, biorefinery of lignocellulose, biofuels, and environmental engineering, and a valuable resource for university students in the fields of chemical engineering, material science and environmental engineering.

This book presents a collection of studies on state-of-art techniques for converting biomass to chemical products by means of pyrolysis, which are widely applicable to the valorization of biomass. In addition to discussing the fundamentals and mechanisms for producing bio-oils, chemicals, gases and biochar using pyrolysis, it outlines key reaction parameters and reactor configurations for various types of biomass. Written by leading experts and providing a broad range of perspectives on cutting-edge applications, the book is a comprehensive reference guide for academic researchers and industrial engineers in the fields of natural renewable materials, biorefinery of lignocellulose, biofuels, and environmental engineering, and a valuable resource for university students in the fields of chemical engineering, material science and environmental engineering.

This book covers sustainable recycling processes (e.g. physical, biological, chemical, and thermo-chemical) of multiple organic solid wastes, provides methods for material recycle of wastes into value-added products including fuels and commodity chemicals that are able to be directly applied to promote manufacturing processes. Aimed at improving the awareness of effective conversion protocols and for developing innovative biomass conversion processes, this text was conceived as a collection of studies on state-of-art techniques and know-how for production of biofuels and chemicals from sustainable recycling of organic solid wastes.  Topics in the text are discussed in terms of addressing recent advances, assessing and highlighting promising new methods or new technological strategies and direct conversion of organic solid wastes to process feeds. Highly-recognized authorities, experts and professionals have contributed individual chapters in selected areas to cover the overall topic in a comprehensive manner.

This book covers sustainable recycling processes (e.g. physical, biological, chemical, and thermo-chemical) of multiple organic solid wastes, provides methods for material recycle of wastes into value-added products including fuels and commodity chemicals that are able to be directly applied to promote manufacturing processes. Aimed at improving the awareness of effective conversion protocols and for developing innovative biomass conversion processes, this text was conceived as a collection of studies on state-of-art techniques and know-how for production of biofuels and chemicals from sustainable recycling of organic solid wastes.  Topics in the text are discussed in terms of addressing recent advances, assessing and highlighting promising new methods or new technological strategies and direct conversion of organic solid wastes to process feeds. Highly-recognized authorities, experts and professionals have contributed individual chapters in selected areas to cover the overall topic in a comprehensive manner.

This book is a collection of studies on recent technological developments and related challenges in laboratory and industrial applications and processes for the production of biomass-derived organic acids and alcohols. By exploring topics in catalysis, hydrothermal processes, fermentation, and anaerobic digestion, this volume offers a comprehensive overview of how biomass-derived compounds can be transformed into organic acids and essential chemicals. Focusing on laboratory and industrial applications, it highlights advantages and limitations of established methods while presenting innovative techniques for producing biomass-derived organic acids and alcohols.This book provides diverse examples of applications in producing biomass-derived organic acids, alcohols, and biogas, such as polymer enhancement additives, food waste amino acid recovery, and effective use of wastes for nutrient recycling. The scope of the text encompasses lignocellulosic biomass, agricultural residues, food wastes, biomass-derived compounds, and fundamental carbohydrates to develop overall production strategies for organic acids and alcohols. This book is tailored for professionals in academia and industry working with natural renewable materials, platform chemicals, polymers, and materials science. It also serves as a valuable reference for university students studying chemical engineering or environmental sciences. It offers critical insights into sustainable chemical production practices that are crucial for advancing renewable energy solutions.

This book is a collection of studies on recent technological developments and related challenges in laboratory and industrial applications and processes for the production of biomass-derived organic acids and alcohols. By exploring topics in catalysis, hydrothermal processes, fermentation, and anaerobic digestion, this volume offers a comprehensive overview of how biomass-derived compounds can be transformed into organic acids and essential chemicals. Focusing on laboratory and industrial applications, it highlights advantages and limitations of established methods while presenting innovative techniques for producing biomass-derived organic acids and alcohols.This book provides diverse examples of applications in producing biomass-derived organic acids, alcohols, and biogas, such as polymer enhancement additives, food waste amino acid recovery, and effective use of wastes for nutrient recycling. The scope of the text encompasses lignocellulosic biomass, agricultural residues, food wastes, biomass-derived compounds, and fundamental carbohydrates to develop overall production strategies for organic acids and alcohols. This book is tailored for professionals in academia and industry working with natural renewable materials, platform chemicals, polymers, and materials science. It also serves as a valuable reference for university students studying chemical engineering or environmental sciences. It offers critical insights into sustainable chemical production practices that are crucial for advancing renewable energy solutions.

This book is a collection of studies on state-of-art techniques developed for producing value-added N-containing chemicals and N-doped carbon materials from renewable sources via sustainable technologies. Aiming to improve conversion effectiveness and develop innovative techniques for new value-added N-containing products, topics in the text address recent advances, assess and highlight promising methods or technological strategies, and outline direct conversion routes for conversion of renewable resources to N-containing chemicals and materials. World-renowned authorities, experts, and professionals have contributed individual chapters in selected areas to cover the overall topic comprehensively. In addition to researchers and professionals in the field, educators teaching university courses on biomass transformation, biomass energy, energy materials, heterocyclic chemistry, resource materials and sustainable development and green chemistry will find the text informative with new international perspectives.