Simplification of the biomass to ethanol conversion process by integration with the production of enzymes in-house

• Grant number: 14/19000-3
• Support Opportunities: Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) - Regular Program Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2015
• End date: July 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Cristiane Sanchez Farinas
• Grantee: Cristiane Sanchez Farinas
• Host Institution: Embrapa Instrumentação Agropecuária. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: São Carlos

Abstract

The development of novel and efficient processes for the production of enzymes is a key step to ensure the economic viability of the enzymatic route for the production of biofuels and other bioproducts from plant biomass. To address this technological challenge, researchers from the Agroenergy Laboratory of Embrapa Instrumentation in collaboration with the Federal University of São Carlos conducted a preliminary study to assess the feasibility of an innovative strategy for the simplification of the biomass conversion process using enzymes produced in-house. These studies demonstrated the feasibility of using the whole solid-state fermentation (SSF) medium containing enzymes, fungal cells, and residual solid substrate for the saccharification of a lignocellulosic biomass and ethanol production. By using the whole SSF medium, the steps of extraction and filtration can be excluded from the overall process, providing advantages in terms of cost reduction and also avoiding the generation of waste streams. Since the results obtained by the group have shown potential results, this project aims to develop new strategies for the improvement and validation of this novel bioprocess. Accordingly, the following steps will be performed: 1) Selection of culture conditions to maximize the production of enzymes directly in sugarcane bagasse as a substrate of SSF; 2) Evaluation of the operating parameters and the addition of surfactants in the enzymatic hydrolysis step with the whole SSF medium; 3) Realization of SSF cultivations followed by the hydrolysis step with the whole SSF medium for isolated fungal strains and co-cultivation; and 4) Realization of the alcoholic fermentation in order to validate the overall integration process using the whole SSF medium. As a result of this project, it is expected to gather information in order to effectively contribute to generate the necessary technological advances to enable the use of plant biomass as a renewable energy source. (AU)

Scientific publications

(14)

(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)

BRONDI, MARIANA G.; VASCONCELLOS, VANESSA M.; GIORDANO, ROBERTO C.; FARINAS, CRISTIANE S.. Alternative Low-Cost Additives to Improve the Saccharification of Lignocellulosic Biomass. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, v. 187, n. 2, p. 461-473, FEB 2019. (17/13931-3, 16/10636-8, 14/19000-3)

FARINAS, CRISTIANE S.; MARCONCINI, JOSE MANOEL; MATTOSO, LUIZ HENRIQUE C.. Enzymatic Conversion of Sugarcane Lignocellulosic Biomass as a Platform for the Production of Ethanol, Enzymes and Nanocellulose. JOURNAL OF RENEWABLE MATERIALS, v. 6, n. 2, p. 203-216, FEB 2018. (16/10636-8, 14/19000-3)

FLORENCIO, CAMILA; BADINO, ALBERTO C.; FARINAS, CRISTIANE S.. Addition of Soybean Protein Improves Saccharification and Ethanol Production from Hydrothermally Pretreated Sugarcane Bagasse. BioEnergy Research, v. 12, n. 1, p. 81-93, MAR 2019. (16/10636-8, 14/19000-3)

COUTINHO, THAMARA C.; ROJAS, MAYERLENIS J.; TARDIOLI, PAULO W.; PARIS, ELAINE C.; FARINAS, CRISTIANE S.. Nanoimmobilization of beta-glucosidase onto hydroxyapatite. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, v. 119, p. 1042-1051, NOV 2018. (14/19000-3, 16/10636-8)

CUNHA, FERNANDA M.; BADINO, ALBERTO C.; FARINAS, CRISTIANE S.. Effect of a novel method for in-house cellulase production on 2G ethanol yields. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY, v. 9, p. 224-229, JAN 2017. (14/19000-3, 11/23807-1)

DEZAM, A. P. G.; VASCONCELLOS, V. M.; LACAVA, P. T.; FARINAS, C. S.. Microbial production of organic acids by endophytic fungi. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY, v. 11, p. 282-287, JUL 2017. (16/10636-8, 06/57060-1, 04/13910-6, 14/19000-3)

AMORIM, CRISTIANE C.; FARINAS, CRISTIANE S.; MIRANDA, EVERSON A.. Liquefied wheat bran as carbon source and inducer in high-solids submerged cultivation of Aspergillus niger for xylanase production. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY, v. 21, SEP 2019. (16/10636-8, 14/19000-3)

FREITAS, JULIANA V.; NOGUEIRA, FRANCISCO G. E.; FARINAS, CRISTIANE S.. Coconut shell activated carbon as an alternative adsorbent of inhibitors from lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment. INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS, v. 137, p. 16-23, OCT 1 2019. (16/10636-8, 14/19000-3)

VASCONCELLOS, VANESSA M.; FARINAS, CRISTIANE S.; XIMENES, EDUARDO; SLININGER, PATRICIA; LADISCH, MICHAEL. Adaptive laboratory evolution of nanocellulose-producing bacterium. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, v. 116, n. 8, p. 1923-1933, AUG 2019. (16/10636-8, 14/19000-3)

SQUINCA, PAULA; BADINO, ALBERTO C.; FARINAS, CRISTIANE S.. A closed-loop strategy for endoglucanase production using sugarcane bagasse liquefied by a home-made enzymatic cocktail. Bioresource Technology, v. 249, p. 976-982, FEB 2018. (16/10636-8, 14/19000-3)

CAMILA FLORENCIO; ALBERTO COLLI BADINO; CRISTIANE SANCHEZ FARINAS. DESAFIOS RELACIONADOS À PRODUÇÃO E APLICAÇÃO DAS ENZIMAS CELULOLÍTICAS NA HIDRÓLISE DA BIOMASSA LIGNOCELULÓSICA. Química Nova, v. 40, n. 9, p. 1082-1093, 2017-09-00. (14/19000-3, 16/10636-8)

FREITAS, JULIANA V.; RUOTOLO, LUIS AUGUSTO M.; FARINAS, CRISTIANE S.. Adsorption of inhibitors using a CO2-activated sugarcane bagasse fly ash for improving enzymatic hydrolysis and alcoholic fermentation in biorefineries. FUEL, v. 251, p. 1-9, SEP 1 2019. (16/10636-8, 14/19000-3)

FREITAS, JULIANA V.; FARINAS, CRISTIANE S.. Sugarcane Bagasse Fly Ash as a No-Cost Adsorbent for Removal of Phenolic Inhibitors and Improvement of Biomass Saccharification. ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, v. 5, n. 12, p. 11727-11736, DEC 2017. (16/10636-8, 14/19000-3)

MAROLDI, M. M. C.; VASCONCELLOS, V. M.; LACAVA, P. T.; FARINAS, C. S.. Potential of Mangrove-Associated Endophytic Fungi for Production of Carbohydrolases with High Saccharification Efficiency. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, v. 184, n. 3, p. 806-820, MAR 2018. (16/10636-8, 06/57060-1, 04/13910-6, 14/19000-3)