Biological modification of lignin fragments in phenolic composition

• Grant number: 19/22213-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2020
• End date: October 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: George Jackson de Moraes Rocha
• Grantee: George Jackson de Moraes Rocha
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Adilson Roberto Gonçalves ; Henrique Tadeu Castro Cardias ; Leticia Maria Zanphorlin ; Priscila Oliveira de Giuseppe

Abstract

This project aims to use lignins from sugarcane bagasse for production of different phenolic monomers and others high-added-value chemicals. From the lignin fractionation, the methoxylated aromatic monomers, such as guaiacol, syringol, catechol, vanillin, syringaldehyde, and others will be used in the biological demethylation step aiming at the biological valorization of the obtained phenolic products. The main steps of this project are (i) to evaluate strategies of sugarcane bagasse fractionation that avoid lignin condensation; (ii) to purify and physically separate lignin-rich liquors from sugarcane bagasse; (iii) to depolymerize lignins under mild conditions to avoid condensation reactions, obtaining maximum yields of aromatic monomers; and (iv) to biologically demethylate lignin fragmentation products to increase the concentration of phenolic compounds of commercial interest. Two types of fractionation will be studied: alkaline under mild conditions and organosolve (ethanol/water), with the addition of ethylene glycol as stabilizer, aiming at preserving the native bonds of lignin. For depolymerization reactions of lignins, the effects of the main operating conditions (time, temperature and solid:liquid ratio) of different catalysts/stabilizers on the conversion of aromatic monomers will be evaluated. Purification steps and physical separation of liquors will be performed in order to overcome some technological challenges related to lignin fractionation, such as purity, reproducibility and homogeneity of molar mass. (AU)

Scientific publications

(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)

DE MENEZES, FABRICIA FARIAS; MARTIM, DAMARIS BATISTAO; LING, LIU YI; MULATO, ALINE TIEPPO NOGUEIRA; CRESPIM, ELAINE; OLIVEIRA, JULIANA VELASCO DE CASTRO; DRIEMEIER, CARLOS EDUARDO; DE GIUSEPPE, PRISCILA OLIVEIRA; ROCHA, GEORGE JACKSON DE MORAES. Exploring the compatibility between hydrothermal depolymerization of alkaline lignin from sugarcane bagasse and metabolization of the aromatics by bacteria. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, v. 223, p. 8-pg., 2022-11-09. (19/22213-2, 19/06921-7, 22/00474-1, 19/08590-8)

COLOMBARI, FELIPPE MARIANO; NASCIMENTO, VIVIANE MARCOS; LIU, YI LING; ROCHA, GEORGE JACKSON DE MORAIS; DRIEMEIER, CARLOS. Density Functional Theory with Implicit Solvents for Accurate Estimation of Aqueous and Organic Solvation Free Energies of Lignin Fragments. ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, v. 10, n. 33, p. 9-pg., 2022-08-10. (19/22213-2, 14/50884-5)

MENEZES, FABRICIA F.; NASCIMENTO, VIVIANE M.; GOMES, GUSTAVO R.; ROCHA, GEORGE. J. M.; STRAUSS, MATHIAS; JUNQUEIRA, TASSIA L.; DRIEMEIER, CARLOS. Depolymerization of enzymatic hydrolysis lignin: Review of technologies and opportunities for research. FUEL, v. 342, p. 15-pg., 2023-02-19. (21/13455-2, 19/22213-2, 14/50884-5)