Uses and Importance
Humans have many uses for Cellulose: Wood for building; paper products such as paperboard, card stock; cotton, linen, and rayon for clothes; nitrocellulose for explosives; cellulose acetate for films, and other plant fibers.
Cellulose can be converted into cellophane, a thin transparent film, and into rayon, an important fiber that has been used for textiles since the beginning of the 20th century. Both cellophane and rayon are known as "regenerated cellulose fibers"; they are identical to cellulose in chemical structure and are usually made from dissolving pulp via viscose. Cellulose is the raw material in the manufacture of nitrocellulose (cellulose nitrate) which is used in smokeless gunpowder and as the base material for celluloid used for photographic and movie films until the mid 1930s. Converting cellulose from energy crops into biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol is under investigation as an alternative fuel source.
Unlike humans, lots of animals do have some of the necessary enzymes able to digest Cellulose; they have symbiotic bacteria in the intestinal tract. Humans can digest cellulose to some extent, however it is often referred to as "dietary fiber" or "roughage" (e.g. outer shell of maize) and acts as a hydrophilic bulking agent for feces. These animals include cows, horses, sheep, goats, and termites. Although these animals appear able to digest Cellulose, no vertebrate has fully correct enzymes or is capable of directly digesting Cellulose because of it's polymer strength.
Cellulose can be converted into cellophane, a thin transparent film, and into rayon, an important fiber that has been used for textiles since the beginning of the 20th century. Both cellophane and rayon are known as "regenerated cellulose fibers"; they are identical to cellulose in chemical structure and are usually made from dissolving pulp via viscose. Cellulose is the raw material in the manufacture of nitrocellulose (cellulose nitrate) which is used in smokeless gunpowder and as the base material for celluloid used for photographic and movie films until the mid 1930s. Converting cellulose from energy crops into biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol is under investigation as an alternative fuel source.
Unlike humans, lots of animals do have some of the necessary enzymes able to digest Cellulose; they have symbiotic bacteria in the intestinal tract. Humans can digest cellulose to some extent, however it is often referred to as "dietary fiber" or "roughage" (e.g. outer shell of maize) and acts as a hydrophilic bulking agent for feces. These animals include cows, horses, sheep, goats, and termites. Although these animals appear able to digest Cellulose, no vertebrate has fully correct enzymes or is capable of directly digesting Cellulose because of it's polymer strength.