Indian researchers develop zeolite catalyst to produce furfural from agri waste

In India, researchers at the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune have developed a new version of zeolite catalyst to produce furfural as well as ethyl levulinate from waste biomass sources much quicker. The country is a major producer of agricultural waste such as rice husk and wheat straw, so the new process could help to increase the conversion of those waste streams into fuels, chemical intermediates and fuel additives much quicker and more cheaply than using current methods.