Lignin fractionation from lignocellulosic biomass using deep eutectic solvents and its valorization

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

Cellulose ◽

10.1007/s10570-017-1358-y ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 24 (9) ◽

pp. 3591-3618 ◽

Cited By ~ 88

Author(s):

Yu-Loong Loow ◽

Eng Kein New ◽

Ge Hoa Yang ◽

Lin Yang Ang ◽

Luther Yang Wei Foo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lignocellulosic Biomass ◽

Deep Eutectic Solvents ◽

Biomass Utilization ◽

Potential Use

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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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Effective delignification of lignocellulosic biomass by microwave assisted deep eutectic solvents

Bioresource Technology ◽

10.1016/j.biortech.2020.122897 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 303 ◽

pp. 122897 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Kirtika Kohli ◽

Sarmila Katuwal ◽

Atanu Biswas ◽

Brajendra K. Sharma

Keyword(s):

Lignocellulosic Biomass ◽

Deep Eutectic Solvents ◽

Microwave Assisted

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Natural deep eutectic solvents (DES) for fractionation of waste lignocellulosic biomass and its cascade conversion to value-added bio-based chemicals

Biomass and Bioenergy ◽

10.1016/j.biombioe.2018.12.002 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 120 ◽

pp. 417-425 ◽

Cited By ~ 54

Author(s):

Jhansi L.K. Mamilla ◽

Uroš Novak ◽

Miha Grilc ◽

Blaž Likozar

Keyword(s):

Lignocellulosic Biomass ◽

Value Added ◽

Deep Eutectic Solvents ◽

Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents

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Acidic deep eutectic solvents pretreatment for selective lignocellulosic biomass fractionation with enhanced cellulose reactivity

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules ◽

10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.09.100 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 142 ◽

pp. 288-297 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Dong Tian ◽

Yujie Guo ◽

Jinguang Hu ◽

Gang Yang ◽

Jing Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lignocellulosic Biomass ◽

Deep Eutectic Solvents ◽

Biomass Fractionation

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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/v2 ◽

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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