Routes for production of sugarcane-based tires: efficient conversion of sugars to 1,3-butadiene precursors and techno-economic-environmental assessment

• Grant number: 18/23983-3
• Support Opportunities: Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) - Regular Program Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2019
• End date: August 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Adriano Pinto Mariano
• Grantee: Adriano Pinto Mariano
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Rubens Maciel Filho ; Thaddeus Chukwuemeka Ezeji
• Associated research grant(s): 19/23416-4 - Production of microalgae-based tires: techno-economic-environmental assessment of conversion of the microalga Botryococcus braunii into 1,3-butadiene, AP.R SPRINT

Abstract

Changes in the petrochemical industry have resulted in decreasing production of four-carbon olefins and, consequently, it has affected the supply of 1,3-butadiene to the rubber tires industry. For this reason, chemical companies have been searching for renewable sources of butadiene precursors, thereby creating a potential market for sugarcane companies. However, it is not obvious which technological route can give sugarcane and chemical companies the best win-win solution. The route based on the conversion of first-generation ethanol (1G) to butadiene can accelerate the penetration of sugarcane in the tires value chain because this option does not require investments from sugarcane companies. On the other hand, for sugarcane companies planning to produce second-generation ethanol (2G) from sugarcane bagasse, the conversion of hemicelluloses from the bagasse into n-butanol or 2,3-butanediol (other possible routes) may be more interesting. These bagasse-based routes can boost the economic feasibility of 2G ethanol biofuel while offering chemical companies better buying price and yields. Nevertheless, fermentative conversion of the hemicellulose hydrolysate faces technical challenges. The hydrolysate is dilute (~20 g/L xylose) and biomass pretreatment-derived microbial inhibitors prevent the efficient conversion of xylose. The present work plan aims at increasing the conversion efficiency of sugarcane hemicellulose hydrolysate (non-detoxified) into n-butanol and 2,3-butanediol. To achieve this aim, we will develop a fermentation strategy that features three aspects: mixing with molasses, fed-batch operation, and cell immobilization using the sugarcane bagasse as cell carrier. Moreover, we will assess the techno-economic and environmental (carbon footprint) potential of producing 1,3-butadiene from butanol, butanediol, and 1G ethanol. Therefore, with the proposed research we expect to find technological solutions that accelerate the penetration of sugarcane in the tires value chain in a way that is economic and environmentally attractive for sugarcane and chemical companies. (AU)

Scientific publications

(7)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DOS SANTOS VIEIRA, CARLA FERREIRA; MAUGERI FILHO, FRANCISCO; MACIEL FILHO, RUBENS; MARIANO, ADRIANO PINTO. Acetone-free biobutanol production: Past and recent advances in the Isopropanol-Butanol-Ethanol (IBE) fermentation. Bioresource Technology, v. 287, SEP 2019. (18/23983-3, 15/20630-4, 16/23042-9)

DOS SANTOS VIEIRA, CARLA FERREIRA; CODOGNO, MATEUS CAVICHIOLI; MAUGERI FILHO, FRANCISCO; MACIEL FILHO, RUBENS; MARIANO, ADRIANO PINTO. Sugarcane bagasse hydrolysates as feedstock to produce the isopropanol-butanol-ethanol fuel mixture: Effect of lactic acid derived from microbial contamination on Clostridium beijerinckii DSM 6423. Bioresource Technology, v. 319, JAN 2021. (15/20630-4, 18/23983-3, 16/23042-9, 17/07390-0)

CHACON, SURANNY JIMENEZ; MATIAS, GABRIELA; DOS SANTOS VIEIRA, CARLA FERREIRA; EZEJI, THADDEUS CHUKWUEMEKA; MACIEL FILHO, RUBENS; MARIANO, ADRIANO PINTO. Enabling butanol production from crude sugarcane bagasse hemicellulose hydrolysate by batch-feeding it into molasses fermentation. INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS, v. 155, p. 6-pg., 2020-11-01. (18/25925-0, 15/20630-4, 18/23983-3)

DOS SANTOS VIEIRA, CARLA FERREIRA; SIA, AUGUSTO DUZI; MAUGERI FILHO, FRANCISCO; MACIEL FILHO, RUBENS; MARIANO, ADRIANO PINTO. Isopropanol-butanol-ethanol production by cell-immobilized vacuum fermentation. Bioresource Technology, v. 344, n. B, JAN 2022. (18/23983-3, 15/20630-4, 16/23042-9)

DOS SANTOS VIEIRA, CARLA FERREIRA; MAUGERI FILHO, FRANCISCO; MACIEL FILHO, RUBENS; MARIANO, ADRIANO PINTO. Isopropanol-butanol-ethanol (IBE) production in repeated-batch cultivation of Clostridium beijerinckii DSM 6423 immobilized on sugarcane bagasse. FUEL, v. 263, MAR 1 2020. (16/23042-9, 15/20630-4, 18/23983-3)

CHACON, SURANNY JIMENEZ; MATIAS, GABRIELA; EZEJI, THADDEUS CHUKWUEMEKA; MACIEL FILHO, RUBENS; MARIANO, ADRIANO PINTO. Three-stage repeated-batch immobilized cell fermentation to produce butanol from non-detoxified sugarcane bagasse hemicellulose hydrolysates. Bioresource Technology, v. 321, FEB 2021. (15/20630-4, 18/25925-0, 18/23983-3)

SILVA DANTAS, ERCILIA REGINA; BONHIVERS, JEAN-CHRISTOPHE; MACIEL FILHO, RUBENS; MARIANO, ADRIANO PINTO. Biochemical conversion of sugarcane bagasse into the alcohol fuel mixture of isopropanol-butanol-ethanol (IBE): Is it economically competitive with cellulosic ethanol?. Bioresource Technology, v. 314, OCT 2020. (16/08791-5, 15/20630-4, 18/23983-3, 17/27092-3)