Immobilization of endoglucanases and xylanases on magnetic supports: Evaluation of the hydrolysis of agro-industrial by-products aiming at the production of oligosaccharides

• Grant number: 24/04728-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: January 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Enzymology
• Principal Investigator: Michel Brienzo
• Grantee: Fernando Roberto Paz Cedeno
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisa em Bioenergia (IPBEN). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/22401-8 - Fruit-refinery: obtention processes, characterization methods and generation of products derived from residues of the fruitculture, AP.TEM

Abstract

Sugarcane bagasse (SCB) and banana pseudo stem (BPS) are the main by-products of sugarcane processing and banana cultivation. Due to the increase in sugar cane production in recent years, large amounts of SCB have accumulated in sugar and alcohol plants. Similarly, for every ton of bananas produced, three tons of BPS are generated, which are abandoned in the field and decompose into harmful gases such as hydrogen sulfide and ammonia. Therefore, it is necessary to use these by-products to produce bio-products with higher added value. One alternative is to use SCB and BPS to create functional foods that promote good health, improving the gastrointestinal tract and reducing the risk of chronic degenerative diseases. Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) and cellooligosaccharides (COS) are two such functional foods that can be obtained from the enzymatic hydrolysis of renewable sources such as SCB and BPS. However, the cost of using enzymes in large quantities is a limiting factor. To overcome this limitation, this project proposes the immobilization of endoglucanases and xylanases on supports with a high surface area, magnetic characteristics, and the ability to be reused in the hydrolysis of cellulose and xylan obtained from SCB and BPS. This project is part of the Fruit-refinery Thematic Project (process 2017/22401-8) and aims to advance the utilization of polysaccharides, fostering collaborative efforts towards sustainable solutions.