Fossil fuel reserves are rapidly depleting, while global energy demands continue to rise, prompting researchers to seek sustainable alternatives. Among these, biofuels, particularly biodiesel, stand out as a biocompatible and friendly option. However, biodiesel production via transesterification generates large quantities of glycerol (GOL) as a by‐product. GOL is recognized as one of the top 10 value‐added chemicals derived from biomass, yet its crude contains impurities that make purification costly and environmentally challenging. This has driven extensive research into converting crude GOL directly into high‐value products. This study examines the conversion of GOL into four major products, glyceraldehyde, dihydroxyacetone, 1,3‐propanediol, and glyceric acid, summarizing selectivity and conversion data for each. The broad industrial applications of these products, spanning the polymer, food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and other industries, are also outlined. This review uniquely provides an integrated insight into chemical, electrochemical, photochemical, and biocatalytic systems, with particular emphasis on enzyme catalysis immobilized on metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Given that key GOL‐derived products are obtained through oxidation pathways, special attention is given to the natural catalyst Laccase, which, in combination with the mediator 2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidine‐ N ‐oxyl (TEMPO), can oxidize GOL into value‐added compounds such as glyceraldehyde and glyceric acid. The critical review of the literature suggests that enzyme catalysis represents a more sustainable approach, offering high selectivity in GOL oxidation and enhanced environmental compatibility, as biocatalysts are inherently nontoxic and eco‐friendly.
Ahmad et al. (Fri,) studied this question.