Intermediate and Specialty Chemicals

Specialty chemical markets represent a wide range of high-value products. These chemicals generally sell for more than $2.00 per pound. Although the worldwide market for these chemicals is smaller than those for bulk and intermediate chemicals, the specialty chemicals market now exceeds $3 billion US and is growing 10 to 20 percent annually (Datta, 1994). Examples of bio-based specialty chemicals include bioherbicides and biopesticides; bulking and thickening agents for food and pharmaceutical products; flavors and fragrances; nutraceuticals (e.g., antioxidants, noncaloric fat replacements, cholesterol-lowering agents, and salt replacements); chiral chemicals; pharmaceuticals (e.g., Taxol); plant growth promoters; essential amino acids; vitamins; industrial biopolymers such as xanthan gum; and enzymes.

Specialty chemicals can be made using fermentation and enzymatic processes or directly extracted from plants. Genetic engineering has now made possible microbial fermentations that can convert glucose into many products and can yield an essentially unlimited diversity of new bio-chemicals (Zeikus, 1990). Likewise, one could engineer plants to produce some of these same chemicals. Furthermore, industrial researchers are discovering that plants can be altered to produce molecules with functionalities and properties not present in existing compounds such as chiral chemicals. It is anticipated that advances in biotechnologies will have significant impacts on the growth of the specialty chemicals market (CLS 2000).

• Bio-based Acids
• Bio-based Oils
• Specialty Chemicals