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Seo H, Singh P, Wyman CE, Cai CM, Trinh CT. Rewiring metabolism of Clostridium thermocellum for consolidated bioprocessing of lignocellulosic biomass poplar to produce short-chain esters. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023:129263. [PMID: 37271458 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) of lignocellulosic biomass uses cellulolytic microorganisms to enable enzyme production, saccharification, and fermentation to produce biofuels, biochemicals, and biomaterials in a single step. However, understanding and redirecting metabolisms of these microorganisms compatible with CBP are limited. Here, a cellulolytic thermophile Clostridium thermocellum was engineered and demonstrated to be compatible with CBP integrated with a Co-solvent Enhanced Lignocellulosic Fractionation (CELF) pretreatment for conversion of hardwood poplar into short-chain esters with industrial use as solvents, flavors, fragrances, and biofuels. The recombinant C. thermocellum engineered with deletion of carbohydrate esterases and stable overexpression of alcohol acetyltransferases improved ester production without compromised deacetylation activities. These esterases were discovered to exhibit promiscuous thioesterase activities and their deletion enhanced ester production by rerouting the electron and carbon metabolism. Ester production was further improved up to 80-fold and ester composition could be modulated by deleting lactate biosynthesis and using poplar with different pretreatment severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeongmin Seo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA; Center of Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Priyanka Singh
- Center of Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA; Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Charles E Wyman
- Center of Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA; Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Charles M Cai
- Center of Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA; Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Cong T Trinh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA; Center of Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.
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2
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Bachs-Herrera A, York D, Stephens-Jones T, Mabbett I, Yeo J, Martin-Martinez FJ. Biomass carbon mining to develop nature-inspired materials for a circular economy. iScience 2023; 26:106549. [PMID: 37123246 PMCID: PMC10130920 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
A transition from a linear to a circular economy is the only alternative to reduce current pressures in natural resources. Our society must redefine our material sources, rethink our supply chains, improve our waste management, and redesign materials and products. Valorizing extensively available biomass wastes, as new carbon mines, and developing biobased materials that mimic nature's efficiency and wasteless procedures are the most promising avenues to achieve technical solutions for the global challenges ahead. Advances in materials processing, and characterization, as well as the rise of artificial intelligence, and machine learning, are supporting this transition to a new materials' mining. Location, cultural, and social aspects are also factors to consider. This perspective discusses new alternatives for carbon mining in biomass wastes, the valorization of biomass using available processing techniques, and the implementation of computational modeling, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to accelerate material's development and process engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel York
- Department of Chemistry, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | | | - Ian Mabbett
- Department of Chemistry, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Jingjie Yeo
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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3
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Sarkar D, Santiago IJ, Vermaas JV. Atomistic Origins of Biomass Recalcitrance in Organosolv Pretreatment. Chem Eng Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2023.118587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
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4
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Mohan M, Simmons BA, Sale KL, Singh S. Multiscale molecular simulations for the solvation of lignin in ionic liquids. Sci Rep 2023; 13:271. [PMID: 36609448 PMCID: PMC9822913 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25372-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Lignin, the second most abundant biopolymer found in nature, has emerged as a potential source of sustainable fuels, chemicals, and materials. Finding suitable solvents, as well as technologies for efficient and affordable lignin dissolution and depolymerization, are major obstacles in the conversion of lignin to value-added products. Certain ionic liquids (ILs) are capable of dissolving and depolymerizing lignin but designing and developing an effective IL for lignin dissolution remains quite challenging. To address this issue, the COnductor-like Screening MOdel for Real Solvents (COSMO-RS) model was used to screen 5670 ILs by computing logarithmic activity coefficients (ln(γ)) and excess enthalpies (HE) of lignin, respectively. Based on the COSMO-RS computed thermodynamic properties (ln(γ) and HE) of lignin, anions such as acetate, methyl carbonate, octanoate, glycinate, alaninate, and lysinate in combination with cations like tetraalkylammonium, tetraalkylphosphonium, and pyridinium are predicted to be suitable solvents for lignin dissolution. The dissolution properties such as interaction energy between anion and cation, viscosity, Hansen solubility parameters, dissociation constants, and Kamlet-Taft parameters of selected ILs were evaluated to assess their propensity for lignin dissolution. Furthermore, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to understand the structural and dynamic properties of tetrabutylammonium [TBA]+-based ILs and lignin mixtures and to shed light on the mechanisms involved in lignin dissolution. MD simulation results suggested [TBA]+-based ILs have the potential to dissolve lignin because of their higher contact probability and interaction energies with lignin when compared to cholinium lysinate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mood Mohan
- grid.451372.60000 0004 0407 8980Deconstruction Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA ,grid.474523.30000000403888279Bioresource and Environmental Security Department, Sandia National Laboratories, 7011 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94551 USA
| | - Blake A. Simmons
- grid.451372.60000 0004 0407 8980Deconstruction Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA ,grid.184769.50000 0001 2231 4551Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Kenneth L. Sale
- grid.451372.60000 0004 0407 8980Deconstruction Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA ,grid.474523.30000000403888279Department of Computational Biology and Biophysics, Sandia National Laboratories, 7011 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94551 USA
| | - Seema Singh
- grid.451372.60000 0004 0407 8980Deconstruction Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA ,grid.474523.30000000403888279Bioresource and Environmental Security Department, Sandia National Laboratories, 7011 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94551 USA
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5
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Meng X, Wang Y, Conte AJ, Zhang S, Ryu J, Wie JJ, Pu Y, Davison BH, Yoo CG, Ragauskas AJ. Applications of biomass-derived solvents in biomass pretreatment - Strategies, challenges, and prospects. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 368:128280. [PMID: 36368492 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.128280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biomass pretreatment is considered a key step in the 2nd generation biofuel production from lignocellulosic biomass. Research on conventional biomass pretreatment solvents has mainly been focused on carbohydrate conversion efficiency, while their hazardousness and/or carbon intensity were not comprehensively considered. Recent sustainability issues request further consideration for eco-friendly and sustainable alternatives like biomass-derived solvents. Carbohydrate and lignin-derived solvents have been proposed and investigated as green alternatives in many biomass processes. In this review, the applications of different types of biomass pretreatment solvents, including organic, ionic liquid, and deep eutectic solvents, are thoroughly discussed. The role of water as a co-solvent in these pretreatment processes is also reviewed. Finally, current research challenges and prospects of utilizing biomass-derived pretreatment solvents for pretreatment are discussed. Given bioethanol's market potential and increasing public awareness about environmental concerns, it will be a priority adopting sustainable and green biomass pretreatment solvents in biorefinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianzhi Meng
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-2200, USA
| | - Yunxuan Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-2200, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, State University of New York - College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Austin J Conte
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-2200, USA
| | - Shuyang Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-2200, USA
| | - Jiae Ryu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, State University of New York - College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Jeong Jae Wie
- Department of Chemical Engineering, State University of New York - College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA; Department of Organic and Nano Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea; Human-Tech Convergence Program, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea; Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea; Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea; The Michael M. Szwarc Polymer Research Institute, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Yunqiao Pu
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Brian H Davison
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Chang Geun Yoo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, State University of New York - College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA; The Michael M. Szwarc Polymer Research Institute, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Arthur J Ragauskas
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-2200, USA; Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, Center of Renewable Carbon, The University of Tennessee, Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN 37996-2200, USA.
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6
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Nascimento DM, Colombari FM, Focassio B, Schleder GR, Costa CAR, Biffe CA, Ling LY, Gouveia RF, Strauss M, Rocha GJM, Leite E, Fazzio A, Capaz RB, Driemeier C, Bernardes JS. How lignin sticks to cellulose-insights from atomic force microscopy enhanced by machine-learning analysis and molecular dynamics simulations. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:17561-17570. [PMID: 36346287 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr05541d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Elucidating cellulose-lignin interactions at the molecular and nanometric scales is an important research topic with impacts on several pathways of biomass valorization. Here, the interaction forces between a cellulosic substrate and lignin are investigated. Atomic force microscopy with lignin-coated tips is employed to probe the site-specific adhesion to a cellulose film in liquid water. Over seven thousand force-curves are analyzed by a machine-learning approach to cluster the experimental data into types of cellulose-tip interactions. The molecular mechanisms for distinct types of cellulose-lignin interactions are revealed by molecular dynamics simulations of lignin globules interacting with different cellulose Iβ crystal facets. This unique combination of experimental force-curves, data-driven analysis, and molecular simulations opens a new approach of investigation and updates the understanding of cellulose-lignin interactions at the nanoscale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego M Nascimento
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Felippe M Colombari
- Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Bruno Focassio
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), CEP 09606-070 Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriel R Schleder
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), CEP 09606-070 Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlos A R Costa
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Cleyton A Biffe
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Liu Y Ling
- Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Rubia F Gouveia
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), CEP 09606-070 Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mathias Strauss
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - George J M Rocha
- Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Edson Leite
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Department of Chemistry, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCAR), CEP 13565905 São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Adalberto Fazzio
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), CEP 09606-070 Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo B Capaz
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), CEP 21941-972 Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carlos Driemeier
- Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Juliana S Bernardes
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), CEP 09606-070 Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
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7
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Yu H, Zhang F, Li L, Wang H, Jia Z, Sun Y, Jiang E, Xu X. Promotion of biomass pyrolytic saccharification and lignin depolymerization via nucleophilic reagents quenching of the carbonium ions. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 363:127876. [PMID: 36049712 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The condensation of lignin under acidic conditions inhibited the subsequent value-added utilization of lignin, and the condensed lignin covered the biomass surface. Here, a method of benzenesulfonic acid pretreatment combined with nucleophilic reagents promoted pyrolytic saccharification and lignin hydrogenation was reported. The anhydrosugar content in the pyrolysis bio-oil increased from 66.91% to 69.00%, 72.88%, and 72.16% via adding methanol, propionaldehyde, 3-hydroxylic-2-naphthoic acid, respectively. The characterization of the biomass surface structure and the calculation of bond lengths indicated that carbonium ions prefer to bind with the added nucleophilic reagent rather than the lignin fragment. Furthermore, the quenching of the carbonium ions preserved the β-O-4 bond, as demonstrated in 2D NMR. In the subsequent hydrogenation reaction, it was found that methanol facilitated the production of lignin monomer. The calculation also revealed that the quenching of the carbonium ions with methanol reduced the bond-breaking energy of the β-O-4 bond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haipeng Yu
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wush-an Road, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wush-an Road, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Linghao Li
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wush-an Road, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wush-an Road, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zhiwen Jia
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wush-an Road, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yan Sun
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wush-an Road, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Enchen Jiang
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wush-an Road, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xiwei Xu
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wush-an Road, Guangzhou 510642, China.
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8
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Yu H, Xue Z, Wang Y, Yan C, Chen L, Mu T. Enabling Efficient Dissolution and Fractionation of Lignin by Renewable and Adjustable Dimethyl Isosorbide-Based Solvent Systems. Sep Purif Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.122688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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9
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Zhao ZM, Meng X, Scheidemantle B, Pu Y, Liu ZH, Li BZ, Wyman CE, Cai CM, Ragauskas AJ. Cosolvent enhanced lignocellulosic fractionation tailoring lignin chemistry and enhancing lignin bioconversion. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 347:126367. [PMID: 34801717 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cosolvent Enhanced Lignocellulosic Fractionation (CELF) is an emerging solvolysis pretreatment to fractionate lignocellulosic biomass. Herein, the bioconversion performance of CELF lignin was fully evaluated for the first time. Results showed that CELF lignin possessed higher content of carboxylic acid OH, lower molecular weight, and disappeared β-O-4 and β-5 linkages compared to other two technical lignins including a conventional ethanol organosolv lignin (EOL) and a kraft lignin (KL). Rhodococcus opacus PD630 cell count from CELF lignin fermentation reached the highest value of 3.9 × 107 CFU/mL, representing a 62.5% and 77.3% improvement over EOL and KL, respectively. Correspondingly, lipid yield reached 143 mg/L from CELF lignin, which was 36.2% and 26.5% higher than from EOL and KL, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that more carboxylic acid groups and lower molecular weight contributed to the enhanced bioconversion performance of CELF lignin. This study demonstrates that CELF lignin is a promising candidate for bioconversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Min Zhao
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control & Wastes Reuse, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China; Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States
| | - Xianzhi Meng
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States
| | - Brent Scheidemantle
- Bourns College of Engineering-Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), University of California, Riverside, CA 92507, United States
| | - Yunqiao Pu
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States
| | - Zhi-Hua Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Bing-Zhi Li
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Charles E Wyman
- Bourns College of Engineering-Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), University of California, Riverside, CA 92507, United States
| | - Charles M Cai
- Bourns College of Engineering-Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), University of California, Riverside, CA 92507, United States
| | - Arthur J Ragauskas
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States; Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States; Center for Renewable Carbon, Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States.
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10
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Beck S, Choi P, Mushrif SH. Physico-chemical interactions within lignocellulosic biomass and their importance in developing solvent based deconstruction methods. REACT CHEM ENG 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2re00374k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Fundamental understanding of physico-chemical interactions among the biopolymers in lignocellulosic biomass is crucial to develop atom-efficient deconstruction methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth Beck
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211-116 St NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Phillip Choi
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211-116 St NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9, Canada
- Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Samir H. Mushrif
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211-116 St NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9, Canada
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11
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Zhao X, Meng X, Ragauskas AJ, Lai C, Ling Z, Huang C, Yong Q. Unlocking the secret of lignin-enzyme interactions: Recent advances in developing state-of-the-art analytical techniques. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 54:107830. [PMID: 34480987 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Bioconversion of renewable lignocellulosics to produce liquid fuels and chemicals is one of the most effective ways to solve the problem of fossil resource shortage, energy security, and environmental challenges. Among the many biorefinery pathways, hydrolysis of lignocellulosics to fermentable monosaccharides by cellulase is arguably the most critical step of lignocellulose bioconversion. In the process of enzymatic hydrolysis, the direct physical contact between enzymes and cellulose is an essential prerequisite for the hydrolysis to occur. However, lignin is considered one of the most recalcitrant factors hindering the accessibility of cellulose by binding to cellulase unproductively, which reduces the saccharification rate and yield of sugars. This results in high costs for the saccharification of carbohydrates. The various interactions between enzymes and lignin have been explored from different perspectives in literature, and a basic lignin inhibition mechanism has been proposed. However, the exact interaction between lignin and enzyme as well as the recently reported promotion of some types of lignin on enzymatic hydrolysis is still unclear at the molecular level. Multiple analytical techniques have been developed, and fully unlocking the secret of lignin-enzyme interactions would require a continuous improvement of the currently available analytical techniques. This review summarizes the current commonly used advanced research analytical techniques for investigating the interaction between lignin and enzyme, including quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy (FLS), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Interdisciplinary integration of these analytical methods is pursued to provide new insight into the interactions between lignin and enzymes. This review will serve as a resource for future research seeking to develop new methodologies for a better understanding of the basic mechanism of lignin-enzyme binding during the critical hydrolysis process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxue Zhao
- Co-Innovation Center for Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Department of Bioengineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Xianzhi Meng
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Arthur J Ragauskas
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; Center for Renewable Carbon, Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Chenhuan Lai
- Co-Innovation Center for Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Department of Bioengineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Zhe Ling
- Co-Innovation Center for Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Department of Bioengineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Caoxing Huang
- Co-Innovation Center for Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Department of Bioengineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Qiang Yong
- Co-Innovation Center for Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Department of Bioengineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
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12
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Chu Q, Tong W, Chen J, Wu S, Jin Y, Hu J, Song K. Organosolv pretreatment assisted by carbocation scavenger to mitigate surface barrier effect of lignin for improving biomass saccharification and utilization. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2021; 14:136. [PMID: 34118969 PMCID: PMC8199801 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-021-01988-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ethanol organosolv (EOS) pretreatment is one of the most efficient methods for boosting biomass saccharification as it can achieve an efficient fractionation of three major constituents in lignocellulose. However, lignin repolymerization often occurs in acid EOS pretreatment, which impairs subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis. This study investigated acid EOS pretreatment assisted by carbocation scavenger (2-naphthol, 2-naphthol-7-sulfonate, mannitol and syringic acid) to improve biomass fractionation, coproduction of fermentable sugars and lignin adsorbents. In addition, surface barrier effect of lignin on cellulose hydrolysis was isolated from unproductive binding effect of lignin, and the analyses of surface chemistry, surface morphology and surface area were carried out to reveal the lignin inhibition mitigating effect of various additives. RESULTS Four different additives all helped mitigate lignin inhibition on cellulose hydrolysis in particular diminishing surface barrier effect, among which 2-naphthol-7-sulfonate showed the best performance in improving pretreatment efficacy, while mannitol and syringic acid could serve as novel green additives. Through the addition of 2-naphthol-7-sulfonate, selective lignin removal was increased up to 76%, while cellulose hydrolysis yield was improved by 85%. As a result, 35.78 kg cellulose and 16.63 kg hemicellulose from 100 kg poplar could be released and recovered as fermentable sugars, corresponding to a sugar yield of 78%. Moreover, 22.56 kg ethanol organosolv lignin and 17.53 kg enzymatic hydrolysis residue could be recovered as lignin adsorbents for textile dye removal, with the adsorption capacities of 45.87 and 103.09 mg g-1, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Results in this work indicated proper additives could give rise to the form of less repolymerized surface lignin, which would decrease the unproductive binding of cellulase enzymes to surface lignin. Besides, the supplementation of additives (NS, MT and SA) resulted in a simultaneously increased surface area and decreased lignin coverage. All these factors contributed to the diminished surface barrier effect of lignin, thereby improving the ease of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose. The biorefinery process based on acidic EOS pretreatment assisted by carbocation scavenger was proved to enable the coproduction of fermentable sugars and lignin adsorbents, allowing the holistic utilization of lignocellulosic biomass for a sustainable biorefinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiulu Chu
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, No.159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, 210037, China
- International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Wenyao Tong
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, No.159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Jianqiang Chen
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, No.159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Shufang Wu
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, No.159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, 210037, China
- International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Yongcan Jin
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, No.159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, 210037, China
- International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Jinguang Hu
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1Z4, Canada
| | - Kai Song
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, No.159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, 210037, China.
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13
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Recent Progress on the Characterization of Cellulose Nanomaterials by Nanoscale Infrared Spectroscopy. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 11:nano11051353. [PMID: 34065487 PMCID: PMC8190638 DOI: 10.3390/nano11051353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Researches of cellulose nanomaterials have seen nearly exponential growth over the past several decades for versatile applications. The characterization of nanostructural arrangement and local chemical distribution is critical to understand their role when developing cellulose materials. However, with the development of current characterization methods, the simultaneous morphological and chemical characterization of cellulose materials at nanoscale resolution is still challenging. Two fundamentally different nanoscale infrared spectroscopic techniques, namely atomic force microscope based infrared spectroscopy (AFM-IR) and infrared scattering scanning near field optical microscopy (IR s-SNOM), have been established by the integration of AFM with IR spectroscopy to realize nanoscale spatially resolved imaging for both morphological and chemical information. This review aims to summarize and highlight the recent developments in the applications of current state-of-the-art nanoscale IR spectroscopy and imaging to cellulose materials. It briefly outlines the basic principles of AFM-IR and IR s-SNOM, as well as their advantages and limitations to characterize cellulose materials. The uses of AFM-IR and IR s-SNOM for the understanding and development of cellulose materials, including cellulose nanomaterials, cellulose nanocomposites, and plant cell walls, are extensively summarized and discussed. The prospects of future developments in cellulose materials characterization are provided in the final part.
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14
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Patri AS, Mohan R, Pu Y, Yoo CG, Ragauskas AJ, Kumar R, Kisailus D, Cai CM, Wyman CE. THF co-solvent pretreatment prevents lignin redeposition from interfering with enzymes yielding prolonged cellulase activity. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2021; 14:63. [PMID: 33750435 PMCID: PMC7944909 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-021-01904-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conventional aqueous dilute sulfuric acid (DSA) pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass facilitates hemicellulose solubilization and can improve subsequent enzymatic digestibility of cellulose to fermentable glucose. However, much of the lignin after DSA pretreatment either remains intact within the cell wall or readily redeposits back onto the biomass surface. This redeposited lignin has been shown to reduce enzyme activity and contribute to rapid enzyme deactivation, thus, necessitating significantly higher enzyme loadings than deemed economical for biofuel production from biomass. RESULTS In this study, we demonstrate how detrimental lignin redeposition on biomass surface after pretreatment can be prevented by employing Co-solvent Enhanced Lignocellulosic Fractionation (CELF) pretreatment that uses THF-water co-solvents with dilute sulfuric acid to solubilize lignin and overcome limitations of DSA pretreatment. We first find that enzymatic hydrolysis of CELF-pretreated switchgrass can sustain a high enzyme activity over incubation periods as long as 5 weeks with enzyme doses as low as 2 mg protein/g glucan to achieve 90% yield to glucose. A modified Ninhydrin-based protein assay revealed that the free-enzyme concentration in the hydrolysate liquor, related to enzyme activity, remained unchanged over long hydrolysis times. DSA-pretreated switchgrass, by contrast, had a 40% drop in free enzymes in solution during incubation, providing evidence of enzyme deactivation. Furthermore, measurements of enzyme adsorption per gram of lignin suggested that CELF prevented lignin redeposition onto the biomass surface, and the little lignin left in the solids was mostly integral to the original lignin-carbohydrate complex (LCC). Scanning electron micrographs and NMR characterization of lignin supported this observation. CONCLUSIONS Enzymatic hydrolysis of solids from CELF pretreatment of switchgrass at low enzyme loadings was sustained for considerably longer times and reached higher conversions than for DSA solids. Analysis of solids following pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis showed that prolonged cellulase activity could be attributed to the limited lignin redeposition on the biomass surface making more enzymes available for hydrolysis of more accessible glucan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek S Patri
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Bourns College of Engineering, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
- BioEnergy Science Center (BESC), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
- Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), Bourns College of Engineering, University of California, Riverside, 1084 Columbia Ave, Riverside, CA, 92507, USA
| | - Ramya Mohan
- Materials Science & Engineering Program, Bourns College of Engineering, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Yunqiao Pu
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
- Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Chang G Yoo
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
- Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
- Dept. of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Arthur J Ragauskas
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
- Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Rajeev Kumar
- BioEnergy Science Center (BESC), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
- Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), Bourns College of Engineering, University of California, Riverside, 1084 Columbia Ave, Riverside, CA, 92507, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - David Kisailus
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Bourns College of Engineering, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
- Materials Science & Engineering Program, Bourns College of Engineering, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Charles M Cai
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Bourns College of Engineering, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
- BioEnergy Science Center (BESC), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
- Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), Bourns College of Engineering, University of California, Riverside, 1084 Columbia Ave, Riverside, CA, 92507, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Charles E Wyman
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Bourns College of Engineering, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
- BioEnergy Science Center (BESC), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA.
- Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), Bourns College of Engineering, University of California, Riverside, 1084 Columbia Ave, Riverside, CA, 92507, USA.
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA.
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15
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Aguilera-Segura SM, Di Renzo F, Mineva T. Molecular Insight into the Cosolvent Effect on Lignin-Cellulose Adhesion. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2020; 36:14403-14416. [PMID: 33202139 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c02794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Understanding and controlling the physical adsorption of lignin compounds on cellulose pulp are key parameters in the successful optimization of organosolv processes. The effect of binary organic-aqueous solvents on the coordination of lignin to cellulose was studied with molecular dynamics simulations, considering ethanol and acetonitrile to be organic cosolvents in aqueous solutions in comparison to their monocomponent counterparts. The structures of the solvation shells around cellulose and lignin and the energetics of lignin-cellulose adhesion indicate a more effective disruption of lignin-cellulose binding by binary solvents. The synergic effect between solvent components is explained by their preferential interactions with lignin-cellulose complexes. In the presence of pure water, long-lasting H-bonds in the lignin-cellulose complex are observed, promoted by the nonfavorable interactions of lignin with water. Ethanol and acetonitrile compete with water and lignin for cellulose oxygen binding sites, causing a nonlinear decrease in the lignin-cellulose interactions with the amount of the organic component. This effect is modulated by the water exclusion from the cellulose solvation shell by the organic solvent component. The amount and rate of water exclusion depend on the type of organic cosolvent and its concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tzonka Mineva
- ICGM, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
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16
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Chew AK, Jiang S, Zhang W, Zavala VM, Van Lehn RC. Fast predictions of liquid-phase acid-catalyzed reaction rates using molecular dynamics simulations and convolutional neural networks. Chem Sci 2020; 11:12464-12476. [PMID: 34094451 PMCID: PMC8163029 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc03261a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The rates of liquid-phase, acid-catalyzed reactions relevant to the upgrading of biomass into high-value chemicals are highly sensitive to solvent composition and identifying suitable solvent mixtures is theoretically and experimentally challenging. We show that the complex atomistic configurations of reactant-solvent environments generated by classical molecular dynamics simulations can be exploited by 3D convolutional neural networks to enable accurate predictions of Brønsted acid-catalyzed reaction rates for model biomass compounds. We develop a 3D convolutional neural network, which we call SolventNet, and train it to predict acid-catalyzed reaction rates using experimental reaction data and corresponding molecular dynamics simulation data for seven biomass-derived oxygenates in water-cosolvent mixtures. We show that SolventNet can predict reaction rates for additional reactants and solvent systems an order of magnitude faster than prior simulation methods. This combination of machine learning with molecular dynamics enables the rapid, high-throughput screening of solvent systems and identification of improved biomass conversion conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex K Chew
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison WI 53706 USA .,DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison WI 53706 USA
| | - Shengli Jiang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison WI 53706 USA
| | - Weiqi Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison WI 53706 USA
| | - Victor M Zavala
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison WI 53706 USA
| | - Reid C Van Lehn
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison WI 53706 USA .,DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison WI 53706 USA
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17
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Deconstruction of biomass enabled by local demixing of cosolvents at cellulose and lignin surfaces. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:16776-16781. [PMID: 32636260 PMCID: PMC7382264 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1922883117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of plant biomass for the production of fuels and chemicals is of critical economic and environmental importance, but has posed a formidable challenge, due to the recalcitrance of biomass to deconstruction. We report direct experimental and computational evidence of a simple physical chemical principle that explains the success of mixing an organic cosolvent, tetrahydrofuran, with water to overcome this recalcitrance. The hydrophilic and hydrophobic biomass surfaces are solvated by single-component nanoclusters of complementary polarity. This principle can serve as a guide for designing even more effective technologies for solubilizing and fractionating biomass. The results further highlight the role of nanoscale fluctuations of molecular solvents in driving changes in the structure of the solutes. A particularly promising approach to deconstructing and fractionating lignocellulosic biomass to produce green renewable fuels and high-value chemicals pretreats the biomass with organic solvents in aqueous solution. Here, neutron scattering and molecular-dynamics simulations reveal the temperature-dependent morphological changes in poplar wood biomass during tetrahydrofuran (THF):water pretreatment and provide a mechanism by which the solvent components drive efficient biomass breakdown. Whereas lignin dissociates over a wide temperature range (>25 °C) cellulose disruption occurs only above 150 °C. Neutron scattering with contrast variation provides direct evidence for the formation of THF-rich nanoclusters (Rg ∼ 0.5 nm) on the nonpolar cellulose surfaces and on hydrophobic lignin, and equivalent water-rich nanoclusters on polar cellulose surfaces. The disassembly of the amphiphilic biomass is thus enabled through the local demixing of highly functional cosolvents, THF and water, which preferentially solvate specific biomass surfaces so as to match the local solute polarity. A multiscale description of the efficiency of THF:water pretreatment is provided: matching polarity at the atomic scale prevents lignin aggregation and disrupts cellulose, leading to improvements in deconstruction at the macroscopic scale.
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18
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19
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Agarwal R, Smith MD, Smith JC. Capturing Deuteration Effects in a Molecular Mechanics Force Field: Deuterated THF and the THF-Water Miscibility Gap. J Chem Theory Comput 2020; 16:2529-2540. [PMID: 32175738 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.9b01138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Deuteration is a common chemical modification used in conjunction with experiments such as neutron scattering, NMR, and Fourier-transform infrared for the study of molecular systems. Under the Born-Oppenheimer (BO) approximation, while the underlying potential energy surface remains unchanged by isotopic substitutions, isotopic substitution still alters intramolecular vibrations, which in turn may alter intermolecular interactions. Molecular mechanics (MM) force fields used in classical molecular dynamics simulations are assumed to represent local approximations of the BO potential energy surfaces, and hence, MD simulations using simple isotopic mass substitutions should capture BO-compatible isotope effects. However, standard MM force-field parameterizations do not directly fit to the local harmonic quantum mechanical (QM) Hessian that describes the BO surface, but rather to QM normal-modes and/or mass-dependent internal-coordinate derived distortion energies. Here, using tetrahydrofuran (THF)-water mixtures as our model system, we show that not only does a simple mass-substitution approach fail to capture an experimentally characterized deuteration effect (the loss of the closed-loop miscibility gap associated with the complete deuteration of THF) but also it is necessary to generate new MM force-field parameters that correctly describe isotopic dependent vibrations to capture the experimental deuteration effect. We show that the origin of this failure is a result of using mass-dependent features to fit the THF MM force field, which unintentionally biases the bonded terms of the force field to represent only the isotopologue used during the original force-field parameterization. In addition, we make use of our isotopologue-corrected force field for D8THF to examine the molecular origins of the isotope-dependent loss of the THF-water miscibility gap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupesh Agarwal
- UT/ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6309, United States.,Graduate School of Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Micholas Dean Smith
- UT/ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6309, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Jeremy C Smith
- UT/ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6309, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
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20
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Zhang Y, Wang Z, Feng J, Pan H. Maximizing utilization of poplar wood by microwave-assisted pretreatment with methanol/dioxane binary solvent. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2020; 300:122657. [PMID: 31918300 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.122657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Organosolv is a promising pretreatment for lignocellulose biorefinery on the integrated utilization of full components from lignocellulosic biomass. A highly efficient pretreatment process using methanol/dioxane binary solvent with microwave irradiation is proposed in this study. Poplar wood was fractionated to high quality cellulosic residue, lignin, and monosaccharide derivatives under mild conditions (120 °C, 10 min). The follow-up enzymatic hydrolysis of resulting cellulosic residues achieved almost theoretical glucan conversion over 99%. The 2D-NMR and GPC results showed that the recovered lignin precipitates contain low amount of condensed structures and have relatively narrow molecular weight distributions. The composition analysis of monosaccharide derivatives indicated that the methanol/dioxane solvent tends to convert monosaccharides into glycosides rather than further degradation by-products. The mass balance result estimated that totally 74.2% of raw poplar can be utilized by the pretreatment proposed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjian Zhang
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, 159# Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, PR China; College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, 159# Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, PR China
| | - Zining Wang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, 159# Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, PR China
| | - Junfeng Feng
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, 159# Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, PR China; College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, 159# Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, PR China
| | - Hui Pan
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, 159# Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, PR China; College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, 159# Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, PR China.
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21
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Galbe M, Wallberg O. Pretreatment for biorefineries: a review of common methods for efficient utilisation of lignocellulosic materials. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2019; 12:294. [PMID: 31890022 PMCID: PMC6927169 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-019-1634-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The implementation of biorefineries based on lignocellulosic materials as an alternative to fossil-based refineries calls for efficient methods for fractionation and recovery of the products. The focus for the biorefinery concept for utilisation of biomass has shifted, from design of more or less energy-driven biorefineries, to much more versatile facilities where chemicals and energy carriers can be produced. The sugar-based biorefinery platform requires pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials, which can be very recalcitrant, to improve further processing through enzymatic hydrolysis, and for other downstream unit operations. This review summarises the development in the field of pretreatment (and to some extent, of fractionation) of various lignocellulosic materials. The number of publications indicates that biomass pretreatment plays a very important role for the biorefinery concept to be realised in full scale. The traditional pretreatment methods, for example, steam pretreatment (explosion), organosolv and hydrothermal treatment are covered in the review. In addition, the rapidly increasing interest for chemical treatment employing ionic liquids and deep-eutectic solvents are discussed and reviewed. It can be concluded that the huge variation of lignocellulosic materials makes it difficult to find a general process design for a biorefinery. Therefore, it is difficult to define "the best pretreatment" method. In the end, this depends on the proposed application, and any recommendation of a suitable pretreatment method must be based on a thorough techno-economic evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mats Galbe
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Ola Wallberg
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
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22
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Bhalla A, Cai CM, Xu F, Singh SK, Bansal N, Phongpreecha T, Dutta T, Foster CE, Kumar R, Simmons BA, Singh S, Wyman CE, Hegg EL, Hodge DB. Performance of three delignifying pretreatments on hardwoods: hydrolysis yields, comprehensive mass balances, and lignin properties. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2019; 12:213. [PMID: 31516552 PMCID: PMC6732840 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-019-1546-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In this work, three pretreatments under investigation at the DOE Bioenergy Research Centers (BRCs) were subjected to a side-by-side comparison to assess their performance on model bioenergy hardwoods (a eucalyptus and a hybrid poplar). These include co-solvent-enhanced lignocellulosic fractionation (CELF), pretreatment with an ionic liquid using potentially biomass-derived components (cholinium lysinate or [Ch][Lys]), and two-stage Cu-catalyzed alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment (Cu-AHP). For each of the feedstocks, the pretreatments were assessed for their impact on lignin and xylan solubilization and enzymatic hydrolysis yields as a function of enzyme loading. Lignins recovered from the pretreatments were characterized for polysaccharide content, molar mass distributions, β-aryl ether content, and response to depolymerization by thioacidolysis. RESULTS All three pretreatments resulted in significant solubilization of lignin and xylan, with the CELF pretreatment solubilizing the majority of both biopolymer categories. Enzymatic hydrolysis yields were shown to exhibit a strong, positive correlation with the lignin solubilized for the low enzyme loadings. The pretreatment-derived solubles in the [Ch][Lys]-pretreated biomass were presumed to contribute to inhibition of enzymatic hydrolysis in the eucalyptus as a substantial fraction of the pretreatment liquor was carried forward into hydrolysis for this pretreatment. The pretreatment-solubilized lignins exhibited significant differences in polysaccharide content, molar mass distributions, aromatic monomer yield by thioacidolysis, and β-aryl ether content. Key trends include a substantially higher polysaccharide content in the lignins recovered from the [Ch][Lys] pretreatment and high β-aryl ether contents and aromatic monomer yields from the Cu-AHP pretreatment. For all lignins, the 13C NMR-determined β-aryl ether content was shown to be correlated with the monomer yield with a second-order functionality. CONCLUSIONS Overall, it was demonstrated that the three pretreatments highlighted in this study demonstrated uniquely different functionalities in reducing biomass recalcitrance and achieving higher enzymatic hydrolysis yields for the hybrid poplar while yielding a lignin-rich stream that may be suitable for valorization. Furthermore, modification of lignin during pretreatment, particularly cleavage of β-aryl ether bonds, is shown to be detrimental to subsequent depolymerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Bhalla
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 USA
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 USA
| | - Charles M. Cai
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, CA USA
- BioEnergy Science Center (BESC) and Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 USA
| | - Feng Xu
- Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Sandip K. Singh
- Chemical & Biological Engineering Department, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59715 USA
| | - Namita Bansal
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 USA
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 USA
| | - Thanaphong Phongpreecha
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 USA
| | - Tanmoy Dutta
- Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Cliff E. Foster
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 USA
| | - Rajeev Kumar
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, CA USA
- BioEnergy Science Center (BESC) and Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 USA
| | - Blake A. Simmons
- Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Seema Singh
- Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Charles E. Wyman
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, CA USA
- BioEnergy Science Center (BESC) and Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 USA
| | - Eric L. Hegg
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 USA
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 USA
| | - David B. Hodge
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 USA
- Chemical & Biological Engineering Department, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59715 USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 USA
- Division of Sustainable Process Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden
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