Biomass fractionation and delignification effect on hemicellulose extraction and derivatives production

• Grant number: 17/11345-0
• Support Opportunities: Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) - Regular Program Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2017
• End date: August 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Chemistry of Macromolecules
• Principal Investigator: Michel Brienzo
• Grantee: Michel Brienzo
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisa em Bioenergia (IPBEN). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass has been indicated as a barrier to the technical-economical viability in the processes of extraction and production of molecules with high-added value. However, the influence of biomass heterogeneity on hemicellulose extraction processes is unclear. The present project has as objectives the development of a methodology of production of hemicellulose with high yield and purity, and optimization and validation of a methodology of chemical characterization of hemicellulose. The study focuses on biomass of sugarcane, separated in culm, leaf, as well as fractionated culm in internode, node and external fraction. Researches of the group has indicated different recalcitrance among the fractions of the sugarcane biomass. This fractionation can lead to less recalcitrant materials for extraction of macromolecules. The different fractions of the biomass will be submitted to hemicellulose extraction, evaluating a previous delignification of the biomass. Another approach will be to evaluate the delignification of the extracted hemicellulose to remove the residual lignin. Different methodologies have been used for chemical characterization of hemicellulose: several acids, concentrated or diluted, low and high temperature, reaction time from minutes to hours. Due to the different results found in function of the different methods applied, the chemical characterization method of hemicellulose will be optimized and validated. In parallel, an enzymatic cocktail will be elaborated to determine the chemical composition and maximum enzymatic digestibility of hemicellulose. As parameters of the quality of hemicellulose extracted will be tested for use as substrate in the enzymatic activity of xylanase, and in the production of xylo-oligosaccharides. The extracted hemicelluloses will undergo dilute acid hydrolysis to form XOS and xylose, as well as the biomasses. The hemicelluloses will also undergo enzymatic hydrolysis using Aspergillus versicolor xylanases purified in our laboratory. For comparison purposes, the processes will be applied to integral bagasse, separated by sieves, and biomasses such as banana pseudo-stem and corn derivatives. As a main result, it is expected that the separation of fractions of sugarcane biomass will lead to the identification of low recalcitrance raw material. Thus, high yield can be obtained with reduced loading of reagents in the extraction process. Lignin-free hemicellulose may serve different uses as a substrate for enzymatic activity, and XOS production by dilute acid hydrolysis, enzymatic, autohydrolysis and other high-value added molecule. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(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)

MELATI, RANIERI BUENO; SASS, DAIANE CRISTINA; PAGNOCCA, FERNANDO CARLOS; BRIENZO, MICHEL. Anatomic influence of sugarcane biomass on xylan solubilization. INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS, v. 164, JUN 2021. (17/11345-0, 17/22401-8, 19/12997-6)

FELIPUCI, JEFFERSON POLES; SCHMATZ, ALISON ANDREI; DE ANGELIS, DERLENE ATTILI; BRIENZO, MICHEL. Biological pretreatment improved subsequent xylan chemical solubilization. BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY, v. 13, n. 6, p. 8-pg., 2021-04-14. (19/12997-6, 17/11345-0, 17/22401-8)

FELIPUCI, JEFFERSON POLES; SCHMATZ, ALISON ANDREI; DE ANGELIS, DERLENE ATTILI; BRIENZO, MICHEL. Biological pretreatment improved subsequent xylan chemical solubilization. BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY, APR 2021. (17/22401-8, 19/12997-6, 17/11345-0)

ALVES, ROSANGELA C.; MELATI, RANIERI B.; CASAGRANDE, GIOVANNA M. S.; CONTIERO, JONAS; PAGNOCCA, FERNANDO C.; BRIENZO, MICHEL. Sieving process selects sugarcane bagasse with lower recalcitrance to xylan solubilization. JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, v. 96, n. 2, p. 327-334, FEB 2021. (17/11345-0)

Filed patent(s) as a result of this research project