XYLAN HYDROLYSIS OF SUGARCANE BAGASSE WITH COMMERCIAL IMMOBILIZED XYLANASE ON MAGNETIZED GRAPHENE OXIDE: EVALUATION OF THE PRODUCTION POTENTIAL OF XYLOOLIGOSACCHARIDES

• Grant number: 22/06025-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2022
• End date: June 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Fernando Masarin
• Grantee: Heloisa Baeza Moreno
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

ugarcane bagasse is an agroindustrial by-product from the sugar/alcohol sector (renewable source with high availability and low cost) and is rich in cellulose, xylan and lignin. For this reason, it has a high potential for application in the production of bioproducts with higher added value, such as xylooligosaccharides (XOS). XOS have a high commercial interest due to their prebiotic and nutraceutical properties, and can be obtained through the enzymatic hydrolysis of xylan from sugarcane bagasse. However, the use of enzymes may be uneconomical depending on their cost and the difficulty of maintaining their stability during the biocatalytic process. In order to overcome these constraints, the enzyme immobilization in solid materials arise as a promising technique, which offers some advantages, such as the possibility of enzyme reuse, easier byproduct separation, and better enzyme stability. In this context, graphene oxide (GO) is a propitious material for enzyme immobilization, since it has a high surface area, carrying carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Furthermore, OG is obtained through the oxidation of graphite crystals, which are cheap and plentiful. In this scenario, this project proposal aims to evaluate the immobilization of commercial xylanase in magnetized graphene oxide (GO-MNP) and its hydrolysis potential on sugarcane bagasse xylan aiming the production of XOS.