Soybean protein as an additive in the enzymatic hydrolysis of vegetal biomass: development and techno-economic analysis of the process

• Grant number: 17/13931-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): November 01, 2017
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Cristiane Sanchez Farinas
• Grantee: Mariana Govoni Brondi
• Host Institution: Embrapa Instrumentação Agropecuária. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (Brasil). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 16/10636-8 - From the cell factory to the Biodiesel-Bioethanol integrated biorefinery: a systems approach applied to complex problems in micro and macroscales, AP.BIOEN.TEM

Abstract

The implementation of a large-scale conversion process of lignocellulosic biomass into biofuels and other bioproducts still presents technological challenges. In the context of the biochemical conversion route, the low yield of the enzymatic hydrolysis and the high cost of the enzymes stand out. Among the strategies to increase the efficiency of the enzymatic hydrolysis of the biomass, the use of additives has shown positive effects, since they decrease the unproductive adsorption of cellulases on lignin, which implies in the reduction of the process enzymes losses. However, the use of low cost additives is necessary in order to make the process economically feasible. The present masters project aims to evaluate the use of soybean protein as an additive to reduce the unproductive adsorption of enzymes during the enzymatic hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse. In order to achieve this objective, the following steps will be carried out: 1) Evaluation of the effect of the operational variables (solids loading, enzyme loading and soybean protein concentration) and the effect of soybean protein time addition, using the methodology of Experimental Planning as a tool; 2) Physical-chemical characterization of the additive-biomass complex; 3) Validation of the hydrolysis experiments at different scales (5 mL tubes and 500 and 3000 mL bioreactors). Transversally to these activities, the methodology developed by LaDAbio will be used for the "retro" techno-economic analysis feasibility of the process. It will allow to set performance targets within the context of an integrated 2G biodiesel-bioethanol biorefinery. Therefore, this proposal is linked to the thematic project of the BIOEN/FAPESP program: "From the cellular plant to the integrated biodiesel-bioethanol biorefinery: a systemic approach applied to complex problems in micro and macro scales" (proc. 2016/10.636-8). (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)

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)

BRONDI, MARIANA G.; ELIAS, ANDREW M.; FURLAN, FELIPE F.; GIORDANO, ROBERTO C.; FARINAS, CRISTIANE S.. Performance targets defined by retro-techno-economic analysis for the use of soybean protein as saccharification additive in an integrated biorefinery. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 10, n. 1, APR 30 2020. (16/10636-8, 17/13931-3)