Potential use of deep eutectic solvents to facilitate lignocellulosic biomass utilization and conversion

The growing demand for energy and materials in modern society pushes scientific research to finding new alternative sources to traditional fossil feedstocks. The exploitation of biomass promises to be among the viable alternatives with a lower environmental impact. Making biomass exploitation technologies applicable at an industrial level represents one of the main goals for our society. In this work, the most recent scientific studies concerning the enhancement of lignocellulosic biomasses through the use of deep eutectic solvent (DES) systems have been examined and reported. DESs have an excellent potential for the fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass: the high H-bond capacity and polarity allow the lignin to be deconvolved, making it easier to break down the lignocellulosic complex, producing a free crystallite of cellulose capable of being exploited and valorised. DESs offer valid alternatives of using the potential of lignin (producing aromatics), hemicellulose (achieving furfural) and cellulose (delivering freely degradable substrates through enzymatic transformation into glucose). In this review, the mechanism of DES in the fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass and the main possible uses for the valorisation of lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose were reported, with a critical discussion of the perspectives and limits for industrial application.

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Bioeconomy and Biorefinery: Valorization of Hemicellulose from Lignocellulosic Biomass and Potential Use of Avocado Residues as a Promising Resource of Bioproducts

Energy, Environment, and Sustainability - Waste to Wealth ◽

10.1007/978-981-10-7431-8_8 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 141-170 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Anely A. Lara-Flores ◽

Rafael G. Araújo ◽

Rosa M. Rodríguez-Jasso ◽

Mario Aguedo ◽

Cristóbal N. Aguilar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lignocellulosic Biomass ◽

Potential Use

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Facilely reducing recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass by a newly developed ethylamine-based deep eutectic solvent for biobutanol fermentation

Biotechnology for Biofuels ◽

10.1186/s13068-020-01806-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Guochao Xu ◽

Hao Li ◽

Wanru Xing ◽

Lei Gong ◽

Jinjun Dong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hydrogen Bond ◽

Lactic Acid ◽

Lignocellulosic Biomass ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

Deep Eutectic Solvent ◽

Deep Eutectic Solvents ◽

Specific Yield ◽

Green Solvents ◽

Hydrogen Bond Donor ◽

Total Sugars

Abstract Background Biobutanol is promising and renewable alternative to traditional fossil fuels and could be produced by Clostridium species from lignocellulosic biomass. However, biomass is recalcitrant to be hydrolyzed into fermentable sugars attributed to the densely packed structure by layers of lignin. Development of pretreatment reagents and processes for increasing surface area, removing hemicellulose and lignin, and enhancing the relative content of cellulose is currently an area of great interest. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs), a new class of green solvents, are effective in the pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass. However, it remains challenging to achieve high titers of total sugars and usually requires combinatorial pretreatment with other reagents. In this study, we aim to develop novel DESs with high application potential in biomass pretreatment and high biocompatibility for biobutanol fermentation. Results Several DESs with betaine chloride and ethylamine chloride (EaCl) as hydrogen bond acceptors were synthesized. Among them, EaCl:LAC with lactic acid as hydrogen bond donor displayed the best performance in the pretreatment of corncob. Only by single pretreatment with EaCl:LAC, total sugars as high as 53.5 g L−1 could be reached. Consecutive batches for pretreatment of corncob were performed using gradiently decreased cellulase by 5 FPU g−1. At the end of the sixth batch, the concentration and specific yield of total sugars were 58.8 g L−1 and 706 g kg−1 pretreated corncob, saving a total of 50% cellulase. Utilizing hydrolysate as carbon source, butanol titer of 10.4 g L−1 was achieved with butanol yield of 137 g kg−1 pretreated corncob by Clostridium saccharobutylicum DSM13864. Conclusions Ethylamine and lactic acid-based deep eutectic solvent is promising in pretreatment of corncob with high total sugar concentrations and compatible for biobutanol fermentation. This study provides an efficient pretreatment reagent for facilely reducing recalcitrance of lignocellulosic materials and a promising process for biobutanol fermentation from renewable biomass.

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Facile pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass using deep eutectic solvents

Bioresource Technology ◽

10.1016/j.biortech.2016.07.026 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 219 ◽

pp. 1-5 ◽

Cited By ~ 144

Author(s):

Cheng-Wu Zhang ◽

Shu-Qian Xia ◽

Pei-Sheng Ma

Keyword(s):

Lignocellulosic Biomass ◽

Deep Eutectic Solvents

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Facilely Reducing Recalcitrance of Lignocellulosic Biomass by a Newly Developed Ethylamine Based Deep Eutectic Solvent for Biobutanol Fermentation

10.21203/rs.3.rs-46954/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Guochao Xu ◽

Hao Li ◽

Wanru Xing ◽

Lei Gong ◽

Jinjun Dong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hydrogen Bond ◽

Lactic Acid ◽

Lignocellulosic Biomass ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

Deep Eutectic Solvent ◽

Deep Eutectic Solvents ◽

Specific Yield ◽

Green Solvents ◽

Hydrogen Bond Donor ◽

Total Sugars

Abstract Background: Biobutanol is promising and renewable alternative to traditional fossil fuels and could be produced by Clostridium species from lignocellulosic biomass. However, biomass is recalcitrant to be hydrolyzed into fermentable sugars attributed to the densely packed structure by layers of lignin. Development of pretreatment reagents and processes for increasing surface area, removing hemicellulose and lignin, and enhancing the relative content of cellulose is currently an area of great interest. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs), a new class of green solvents, are effective in the pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass. However, it remains challenging to achieve high titers of total sugars and usually requires combinatorial pretreatment with other reagents. In this study, we aim to develop novel DESs with high application potential in biomass pretreatment and high biocompatibility for biobutanol fermentation.Results: Several DESs with betaine chloride and ethylamine chloride (EaCl) as hydrogen bond acceptors were synthesized. Among them, EaCl:LAC with lactic acid as hydrogen bond donor displayed the best performance in the pretreatment of corncob. Only by single pretreatment with EaCl:LAC, total sugars of as high as 53.5 g·L–1 could be reached. Consecutive batches for pretreatment of corncob were performed using gradiently decreased cellulase by 5 FPU·g–1. At the end of the sixth batch, the concentration and specific yield of total sugars were 58.8 g·L–1 and 706 g·kg–1 pretreated corncob, saving a total of 50% cellulase. Utilizing hydrolysate as carbon source, butanol titer of 10.4 g·L–1 was achieved with butanol yield of 137 g·kg–1 pretreated corncob by Clostridium saccharobutylicum DSM13864.Conclusions: Ethylamine and lactic acid based deep eutectic solvent is promising in pretreatment of corncob with high total sugar concentrations and compatible for biobutanol fermentation. This study provides an efficient pretreatment reagent for facilely reducing recalcitrance of lignocellulosic materials and a promising process for biobutanol fermentation from renewable biomass.

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Grape Pomace for Topical Application: Green NaDES Sustainable Extraction, Skin Permeation Studies, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities Characterization in 3D Human Keratinocytes

Biomolecules ◽

10.3390/biom11081181 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 1181

Author(s):

Angela Punzo ◽

Emanuele Porru ◽

Alessia Silla ◽

Patrizia Simoni ◽

Paola Galletti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skin Permeation ◽

Deep Eutectic Solvents ◽

Human Keratinocytes ◽

Skin Aging ◽

Grape Pomace ◽

Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents ◽

Franz Cells ◽

Permeation Studies ◽

Red Grape ◽

Potential Use

Food waste is a global problem due to its environmental and economic impact, so there is great demand for the exploitation of new functional applications. The winemaking process leads to an incomplete extraction of high-value compounds, leaving the pomace still rich in polyphenols. This study was aimed at optimising and validating sustainable routes toward the extraction and further valorisation of these polyphenols, particularly for cosmeceutical applications. New formulations based on red grape pomace polyphenols and natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDESs) were here investigated, namely betaine combined with citric acid (BET-CA), urea (BET-U) and ethylene glycol (BET-EG), in which DESs were used both as extracting and carrying agents for polyphenols. The flavonoid profile determined by HPLC-MS/MS analysis showed similar malvidin content (51–56 μg mL−1) in the DES combinations, while BET-CA gave the best permeation performance in Franz cells, so it was further investigated in 3D human keratinocytes (HaCat spheroids) injured with the pro-oxidant agent menadione. BET-CA treatment showed good intracellular antioxidant activity (IC50 0.15 ± 0.02 μg mL−1 in malvidin content) and significantly decreased (p < 0.001) the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8, improving cell viability. Thus, BET-CA formulation is worthy of investigation for potential use as a cosmetic ingredient to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, which are causes of skin aging.

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