N. Tippkötter

Enzymatic hydrolysis of beech wood lignocellulose at high solid contents and its utilization as substrate for the production of biobutanol and dicarboxylic acids.

The development of a cost-effective hydrolysis for crude cellulose is an essential part of biorefinery developments. To establish such high solid hydrolysis, a new solid state reactor with static mixing is used. However, concentrations >10% (w/w) cause a rate and yield reduction of enzymatic hydrolysis. By optimizing the synergetic activity of cellulolytic enzymes at solid concentrations of 9%, 17% and 23% (w/w) of crude Organosolv cellulose, glucose concentrations of 57, 113 and 152 g L(-1) are reached. However, the glucose yield decreases from 0.81 to 0.72 g g(-1) at 17% (w/w). Optimal conditions for hydrolysis scale-up under minimal enzyme addition are identified. As result, at 23% (w/w) crude cellulose the glucose yield increases from 0.29 to 0.49 g g(-1). As proof of its applicability, biobutanol, succinic and itaconic acid are produced with the crude hydrolysate. The potential of the substrate is proven e.g. by a high butanol yield of 0.33 g g(-1).

Ethanol production from grass silage by simultaneous pretreatment, saccharification and fermentation: first steps in the process development.

Grass silage provides a great potential as renewable feedstock. Two fractions of the grass silage, a press juice and the fiber fraction, were evaluated for their possible use for bioethanol production. Direct production of ethanol from press juice is not possible due to high concentrations of organic acids. For the fiber fraction, alkaline peroxide or enzymatic pretreatment was used, which removes the phenolic acids in the cell wall. In this study, we demonstrate the possibility to integrate the enzymatic pretreatment with a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation to achieve ethanol production from grass silage in a one‐process step. Achieved yields were about 53 g ethanol per kg silage with the alkaline peroxide pretreatment and 91 g/kg with the enzymatic pretreatment at concentrations of 8.5 and 14.6 g/L, respectively. Furthermore, it was shown that additional supplementation of the fermentation medium with vitamins, trace elements and nutrient salts is not necessary when the press juice is directly used in the fermentation step.

Optimization of High Gradient Magnetic Separation Filter Units for the Purification of Fermentation Products

High gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) has been established since the early 1970s. A more recent application of these systems is the use in bioprocesses. To integrate the HGMS in a fermentation process, it is necessary to optimize the separation matrix with regard to the magnetic separation characteristics and permeability of the non-magnetizable components of the fermentation broth. As part of the work presented here, a combined fluidic and magnetic force finite element model simulation was created using the software COMSOL Multiphysics and compared with separation experiments. Finally, as optimal lattice orientation of the separation matrix, a transversal rhombohedral arrangement was defined. The high suitability of the new filter matrix has been verified by separation experiments.

Lignocellulosic biorefinery: process integration of hydrolysis and fermentation (SSF process).

Abstract The aim of the present work is the process integration and the optimization of the enzymatic hydrolysis of wood and the following fermentation of the products to ethanol. The substrate is a fiber fraction obtained by organosolv pre-treatment of beech wood. For the ethanol production, a co-fermentation by two different yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pachysolen tannophilus) was carried out to convert glucose as well as xylose. Two approaches has been followed: 1. A two step process, in which the hydrolysis of the fiber fraction and the fermentation to product are separated from each other. 2. A process, in which the hydrolysis and the fermentation are carried out in one single process step as simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF). Following the first approach, a yield of about 0.15 g ethanol per gram substrate can be reached. Based on the SSF, one process step can be saved, and additionally, the gained yield can be raised up to 0.3 g ethanol per gram substrate.

New zeolite adsorbents for downstream processing of polyphenols from renewable resources

Commercial materials with polyvinylpolypyrrolidone and polymeric amberlites (XAD7HP, XAD16) are commonly used for the adsorptive downstream processing of polyphenols from renewable resources. In this study, beta‐zeolite‐based adsorbent systems were examined, and their properties were compared to organic resins. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted with synthetic solutions of major polyphenols. Adsorption isotherms and desorption characteristics of individual adsorbent were determined based on these results. Maximum adsorption capacities were calculated using the Langmuir model. For example, the zeolites had capacities up to 203.2 mg/g for ferulic acid. To extend these results to a complex system, additional experiments were performed on rapeseed meal and wheat seed extracts as representative renewable resources. HPLC analysis showed that with 7.5% w/v, which is regarded as the optimum amount of zeolites, zeolites A and B could bind 100% of the major polyphenols as well as release polyphenols at high yields. Additionally, regeneration experiments were performed with isopropyl alcohol at 99°C to evaluate how zeolites regenerate under mild conditions. The results showed only a negligible loss of adsorption capacity and no loss of desorption capacity. In summary, it was concluded that beta‐zeolites were promising adsorbents for developing new processes to isolate polyphenols from renewable resources.

Biorefineries: A Short Introduction

The terms bioeconomy and biorefineries are used for a variety of processes and developments. This short introduction is intended to provide a delimitation and clarification of the terminology as well as a classification of current biorefinery concepts. The basic process diagrams of the most important biorefinery types are shown.

Albumin-lysozyme interactions: Cooperative adsorption on titanium and enzymatic activity

The interplay of albumin (BSA) and lysozyme (LYZ) adsorbed simultaneously on titanium was analyzed by gel electrophoresis and BCA assay. It was found that BSA and lysozyme adsorb cooperatively. Additionally, the isoelectric point of the respective protein influences the adsorption. Also, the enzymatic activity of lysozyme and amylase (AMY) in mixtures with BSA was considered with respect to a possible influence of protein-protein interaction on enzyme activity. Indeed, an increase of lysozyme activity in the presence of BSA could be observed. In contrast, BSA does not influence the activity of amylase.

Recycling of spent oil bleaching earth as source of glycerol for the anaerobic production of acetone, butanol, and ethanol with Clostridium diolis and lipolytic Clostridium lundense

A major part of edible oil is subjected to bleaching procedures, primarily with minerals applied as adsorbers. Their recycling is currently done either by regaining the oil via organic solvent extraction or by using the spent bleaching earth (SBE) as additive for animal feed, etc. As a new method, the reutilization of the by‐product SBE for the microbiologic formation of acetone, butanol, and ethanol (ABE) is presented as proof‐of‐concept. The SBE was taken from a palm oil cleaning process. The recycling concept is based on the application of lipolytic clostridia strains. Due to considerably long fermentation times, co‐fermentation with Candida rugosa and enzymatic hydrolyses of the bound oil with a subsequent clostridia fermentation are shown as alternative routes. Anaerobic fermentations under comparison of different clostridia strains were performed with glycerol media, enzymatically hydrolyzed palm oil and SBE. Solutes, side product compositions and productivities were quantified via HPLC. A successful production of ABE solutes from SBE has been done with a yield of 0.15 g butanol per gram of bound glycerol. Thus, the biotechnological recycling of the waste stream is possible in principle. Inhibition of the substrate suspension has been observed. A chromatographic ion‐exchange of substrates increased the biomass concentration.

Paracoccus denitrificans for the effluent recycling during continuous denitrification of liquid food

Nitrate is an undesirable component of several foods. A typical case of contamination with high nitrate contents is whey concentrate, containing nitrate in concentrations up to 25 l. The microbiological removal of nitrate by Paracoccus denitrificans under formation of harmless nitrogen in combination with a cell retention reactor is described here. Focus lies on the resource‐conserving design of a microbal denitrification process. Two methods are compared. The application of polyvinyl alcohol‐immobilized cells, which can be applied several times in whey feed, is compared with the implementation of a two step denitrification system. First, the whey concentrates nitrate is removed by ion exchange and subsequently the eluent regenerated by microorganisms under their retention by crossflow filtration. Nitrite and nitrate concentrations were determined by reflectometric color measurement with a commercially available Reflectoquant® device. Correction factors for these media had to be determined. During the pilot development, bioreactors from 4 to 250 mg·L−1 and crossflow units with membrane areas from 0.02 to 0.80 m2 were examined. Based on the results of the pilot plants, a scaling for the exemplary process of denitrifying 1,000 tons per day is discussed.

Logistics of Lignocellulosic Feedstocks: Preprocessing as a Preferable Option

In comparison to crude oil, biorefinery raw materials are challenging in concerns of transport and storage. The plant raw materials are more voluminous, so that shredding and compacting usually are necessary before transport. These mechanical processes can have a negative influence on the subsequent biotechnological processing and shelf life of the raw materials. Various approaches and their effects on renewable raw materials are shown. In addition, aspects of decentralized pretreatment steps are discussed. Another important aspect of pretreatment is the varying composition of the raw materials depending on the growth conditions. This problem can be solved with advanced on-site spectrometric analysis of the material. Graphical Abstract.