I'm sorry it took a bit for me to respond. The following edit takes the paragraph down to 100 words exactly without changing any meaning or significantly changing the structure.<br /><br />The proposed research is a fundamental study within the petroleum field because it deals with reaction mechanisms and kinetics in removing toxic compounds and with&nbsp;process optimization on maximizing biofuels production. Both are&nbsp;relevant to the petroleum field, which,&nbsp;according to the ACS PRF, is defined as &ldquo;petroleum, natural gas, coal, shale, tar sands and like materials,&rdquo; and fundamental research involving the properties of these materials is encouraged. Furthermore, the PI&rsquo;s previous research has not dealt with the proposed study on biofuels and bioenergy; therefore, it is considered beneficial for the PI to pursue a new direction in this field.