Evaluation of lipid production in silico, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), by pythium irregular as value added product, from vinasse

• Grant number: 16/10562-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: August 29, 2016
• End date: August 28, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Jose Geraldo da Cruz Pradella
• Grantee: Bruna Soares Fernandes
• Supervisor: Isabel Cristina de Almeida Pereira da Rocha
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade do Minho (UMinho), Portugal
• Associated to the scholarship: 14/07848-8 - Evaluation of lipid potential production, as added value product from vinasse and preliminary evaluation of the technical and economic feasibility of the process, BP.PD

Abstract

This study will assess the in silico production of omega-3, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), as a value-added product from vinasse. The United Nations recommended dietary intakes up to 500 mg / day EPA for infants in the early years of life and for adults in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, since this acid is not synthesized by humans. The use of vinasse as a carbon source for EPA production is motivated by the possibility of using an low cost raw material produced in large amount. It is estimated that 413 sugar and ethanol mills in Brazil will produce, in 2019, more than 588 billion liters of vinasse, production equivalent to all sewage produced by the world population. This projection shows the necessity to develop programs for sustainable use of vinasse, since its primary use as a fertilizer in the crop generates greenhouse gases and contamination in the soil and water. An alternative would be its use in aerobic reactors followed by digesters for lipids production, including Omega 3, especially EPA and methane, respectively. This practice helps to increase the profitability of distilleries for selling products of food, pharmaceutical and fuel industries' interest, besides, the decomposition of organic matter from stillage minimizes the environmental impacts caused by vinasse. This project will evaluate, validate in silico, and maximize the Pythium irregulare eicosapentaenoic acid production pathway from vinasse, and thus meet part of the targets established in the original post-doctoral proposal. (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)

FERNANDES, BRUNA S.; DIAS, OSCAR; COSTA, GISELA; KAUPERT NETO, ANTONIO A.; RESENDE, TIAGO F. C.; OLIVEIRA, JULIANA V. C.; RIANO-PACHON, DIEGO M.; ZAIAT, MARCELO; PRADELLA, JOSE G. C.; ROCHA, ISABEL. Genome-wide sequencing and metabolic annotation of Pythium irregulare CBS 494.86: understanding Eicosapentaenoic acid production. BMC Biotechnology, v. 19, JUN 28 2019. (16/10562-4)