Production of Hydroxypyruvic Acid by Glycerol Oxidation over Pt/CeO2-ZrO2-Bi2O3-PbO/SBA-16 Catalysts

Pt/CeO2-ZrO2-Bi2O3-PbO/SBA-16 (SBA-16: Santa Barbara Amorphous No. 16) catalysts were synthesized to produce hydroxypyruvic acid by glycerol oxidation. In the catalysts, the introduction of PbO into CeO2-ZrO2-Bi2O3 improved the oxygen release and storage abilities owing to the synergistic redox reaction of Pb2+/4+ and Ce3+/4+, which facilitated the oxidation ability of Pt. In addition, the oxidation of the secondary OH group in glycerol might be accelerated by the geometric effects of glycerol, Pt, and Bi3+ or Pb2+/4+. Furthermore, the moderate reaction conditions such as room temperature and open-air atmosphere enabled the suppression of further oxidation of hydroxypyruvic acid. The highest catalytic activity was obtained for 7 wt% Pt/16 wt% Ce0.60Zr0.15Bi0.20Pb0.05O2−δ/SBA-16, which provided a hydroxypyruvic acid yield maximum of 24.6%, after the reaction for 6 h at 30 °C in atmospheric air.

Development of soapstock processing technology to ensure waste-free and safe production

Soapstock is a large-tonnage waste of the oil and fat industry, the disposal of which is environmentally hazardous. Processing of soapstock into industrially valuable products, in particular, fatty acids, is promising. The method for producing fatty acids, which consists in sequential saponification of soapstock with sodium hydroxide solution, salting out with sodium chloride and decomposition with sulfuric acid solution has been investigated. The feature of this work is the study of the effect of salting out conditions of saponified soapstock on the yield and neutralization number of fatty acids. As an experimental sample, sunflower soapstock was used, the indicators of which correspond to DSTU 5033 (CAS 68952-95-4): mass fraction of total fat – 67.3 %, fatty acids – 61.8 %, neutral fat – 5.5 %. Soapstock was subjected to preliminary saponification under the following conditions: duration 85 min., concentration of sodium hydroxide solution 45 %. After that, the saponified mass was subjected to salting out. The obtained core soap was decomposed with the sulfuric acid solution under the following conditions: temperature 90 °C, duration 40 min. Rational salting out conditions were determined: duration (80 min.) and sodium chloride concentration (16%). Under these conditions, the fatty acid yield is 95.0 %, the neutralization number is 194.8 mg KOH/g. The resulting fatty acids comply with DSTU 4860 (CAS 61788-66-7): the mass fraction of moisture and volatiles is 0.85 %, the mass fraction of total fat is 98.9 %, cleavage depth is 94.2 % oleic acid. This method of soapstock processing increases the fatty acid yield by 3.5 % compared to the method with saponification and decomposition, by 20.3 % compared to the method of soapstock decomposition with sulfuric acid. At the same time, the neutralization number increases by 4.1 % and 8.2 %, respectively. The improved method for fatty acids producing from soapstock provides high- quality fatty acids with increased yield.

Determination of Tamarindus Indica Seed Fatty Acid Components Using Ultrasound- Assisted Microwave Extraction Method

In this study aimed to determine the effect of ultrasound and microwave assisted extraction on fatty acids yield. Fatty acid components of Tamarindus Indica (T. Indica) seed were determined using ultrasound assisted microwave extraction method. T. Indica is cultivated in the tropics and in Egypt and India. Its fruits are 12-15 cm long, brown and leguminous. In addition to its positive effects on the digestive system, it is an excellent source of vitamin C and a rich antioxidant. It has also been proven beneficial in keeping blood sugar balanced. Fatty acid components were determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) method. In addition, the effects of the solvent on the fatty acid yield were investigated. When the results of the analysis were examined, the highest yield was obtained when ethyl alcohol and methyl alcohol were used as solvents. Another important solvent is acetone. The least product was achieved when hexane was used as solvent. Linoleic acid and arachidic acid were detected in each type of solvent used. Capric acid, ligroseric acid and nervotic acid, which are important fatty acids, are detected only in methyl alcohol extraction. The ultrasound assisted microwave extraction method was found to be much faster than the traditional Soxhlet extraction method.

Properties of tofu coagulated with Cardoon flower (Cynara Cardunculus L.)

Tofu was elaborated using water-soluble extract of soybean grains from the cultivar BRS 267 with cardoon flower (C. Cardunculus L.), as coagulant as an alternative to the traditional coagulant magnesium chloride. The tofu were evaluated in relation to physical, chemical, microbiological and sensory properties during 14 days. Was obsersed for the tofu coagulated with cardoon flower that the moisture, pH, total mineral, protein, and syneresis decreased with the storage, while Kunitz Trypsin Inhibitor, ureatic activity and phytic acid did not change. It was also obtained a positive effect for color (L*, a*) parameters, phytic acid, yield, syneresis, and acceptance. The textural properties, showed a tendency to increase of hardness and stickiness, while springiness and cohesiveness decreased during storage. Structurally, presented irregular-shaped, small pores or cavities. The sensory analysis, showed has great acceptance and purchase intent. Then, the cardoon flower can be used as vegetal coagulant improving the quality properties of tofu, in relation to magnesium chloride.

An emerging simple and effective approach to increase the productivity of thraustochytrids microbial lipids by regulating glycolysis process and triacylglycerols’ decomposition

Background The oleaginous microorganism Schizochytrium sp. is widely used in scientific research and commercial lipid production processes. However, low glucose-to-lipid conversion rate (GLCR) and low lipid productivity of Schizochytrium sp. restrict the feasibility of its use. Results Orlistat is a lipase inhibitor, which avoids triacylglycerols (TAGs) from hydrolysis by lipase. TAGs are the main storage forms of fatty acids in Schizochytrium sp. In this study, the usage of orlistat increased the GLCR by 21.88% in the middle stage of fermentation. Whereas the productivity of lipid increased 1.34 times reaching 0.73 g/L/h, the saturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid yield increased from 21.2 and 39.1 to 34.9 and 48.5 g/L, respectively, indicating the advantages of using a lipase inhibitor in microbial lipids fermentation. Similarly, the system was also successful in Thraustochytrid Aurantiochytrium. The metabolic regulatory mechanisms stimulated by orlistat in Schizochytrium sp. were further investigated using transcriptomics and metabolomics. The results showed that orlistat redistributed carbon allocation and enhanced the energy supply when inhibiting the TAGs’ degradation pathway. Therefore, lipase in Schizochytrium sp. prefers to hydrolyze saturated fatty acid TAGs into the β-oxidation pathway. Conclusions This study provides a simple and effective approach to improve lipid production, and makes us understand the mechanism of lipid accumulation and decomposition in Schizochytrium sp., offering new guidance for the exploitation of oleaginous microorganisms.

Efficient lactic acid production from dilute acid-pretreated lignocellulosic biomass by a synthetic consortium of engineered Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus coagulans

Background Lignocellulosic biomass is an attractive and sustainable alternative to petroleum-based feedstock for the production of a range of biochemicals, and pretreatment is generally regarded as indispensable for its biorefinery. However, various inhibitors that severely hinder the growth and fermentation of microorganisms are inevitably produced during the pretreatment of lignocellulose. Presently, there are few reports on a single microorganism that can detoxify or tolerate toxic mixtures of pretreated lignocellulose hydrolysate while effectively transforming sugar components into valuable compounds. Alternatively, microbial coculture provides a simpler and more efficacious way to realize this goal by distributing metabolic functions among different specialized strains. Results In this study, a novel synthetic microbial consortium, which is composed of a responsible for detoxification bacterium engineered Pseudomonas putida KT2440 and a lactic acid production specialist Bacillus coagulans NL01, was developed to directly produce lactic acid from highly toxic lignocellulosic hydrolysate. The engineered P. putida with deletion of the sugar metabolism pathway was unable to consume the major fermentable sugars of lignocellulosic hydrolysate but exhibited great tolerance to 10 g/L sodium acetate, 5 g/L levulinic acid, 10 mM furfural and HMF as well as 2 g/L monophenol compound. In addition, the engineered strain rapidly removed diverse inhibitors of real hydrolysate. The degradation rate of organic acids (acetate, levulinic acid) and the conversion rate of furan aldehyde were both 100%, and the removal rate of most monoaromatic compounds remained at approximately 90%. With detoxification using engineered P. putida for 24 h, the 30% (v/v) hydrolysate was fermented to 35.8 g/L lactic acid by B. coagulans with a lactic acid yield of 0.8 g/g total sugars. Compared with that of the single culture of B. coagulans without lactic acid production, the fermentation performance of microbial coculture was significantly improved. Conclusions The microbial coculture system constructed in this study demonstrated the strong potential of the process for the biosynthesis of valuable products from lignocellulosic hydrolysates containing high concentrations of complex inhibitors by specifically recruiting consortia of robust microorganisms with desirable characteristics and also provided a feasible and attractive method for the bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass to other value-added biochemicals.

Combined Butyric Acid and Methane Production from Grass Silage in a Novel Green Biorefinery Concept

In a Green Biorefinery, grass silage can be a source for lactic acid, proteins, amino acids and fibres. Processing residues can be used for anaerobic digestion and methane production. But by changing the ensiling conditions, butyric acid fermentation can be achieved. That makes grass silage also a potential substrate for a combined butyric acid and methane production. The objective of this study was to determine the potential of butyric acid production at different ensiling conditions applied to grass and measuring the methane yield potential of solid residues after a separation step. The highest butyric acid concentration in the produced press juice was 20.1 ± 4.5 g kg−1 and was achieved by carbonated lime addition and a reduced dry matter content after 90 days at mesophilic storage conditions. This resulted in a theoretical butyric acid yield of 332 kg ha−1 a−1. For the fibrous leftover press cake, a theoretical methane production potential of 2778 m3CH4 ha−1 a−1 was reached. The results show that theoretically a combined production of butyric acid and methane can be realised in a Green Biorefinery concept. Graphic Abstract

Recovery of Spent Sulphuric Acid by Diffusion Dialysis Using a Spiral Wound Module

In this study, we assess the effects of volumetric flow and feed temperature on the performance of a spiral-wound module for the recovery of free acid using diffusion dialysis. Performance was evaluated using a set of equations based on mass balance under steady-state conditions that describe the free acid yield, rejection factors of metal ions and stream purity, along with chemical analysis of the outlet streams. The results indicated that an increase in the volumetric flow rate of water increased free acid yield from 88% to 93%, but decreased Cu2+ and Fe2+ ion rejection from 95% to 90% and 91% to 86%, respectively. Increasing feed temperature up to 40 °C resulted in an increase in acid flux of 9%, and a reduction in Cu2+ and Fe2+ ion rejection by 2–3%. Following diffusion dialysis, the only evidence of membrane degradation was a slight drop in permselectivity and an increase in diffusion acid and salt permeability. Results obtained from the laboratory tests used in a basic economic study showed that the payback time of the membrane-based regeneration unit is approximately one year.

Isolation and Identification of a Rumen Lactobacillus Bacteria and Its Degradation Potential of Gossypol in Cottonseed Meal during Solid-State Fermentation

Cottonseed meal (CSM) is an important protein feed source for dairy cows. Its inclusion in ruminant diets is limited due to the presence of the highly toxic gossypol though rumen microorganisms are believed to be capable of gossypol degrading and transforming. The objective of the present study was to isolate the gossypol-degrading bacteria from the rumen contents and to assess its potential for gossypol degradation in vitro. A strain named Lactobacillus agilis WWK129 was anaerobically isolated from dairy cows after mixed rumen microorganisms were grown on a substrate with gossypol as the sole carbon source. Furthermore, the strain was applied at 5% inoculum concentration in vitro to continuously ferment CSM at 39 °C for five days, and it presented gossypol degradability as high as 83%. Meanwhile, the CSM contents of crude protein, essential amino acids increased significantly along with the increase of lactic acid yield (p < 0.01). Compared with the original CSM, the fermented CSM contents of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber was remarkably decreased after the anaerobic fermentation (p < 0.01). In brief, the Lactobacillus strain isolated from the rumen is not only of great importance for gossypol biodegradation of CSM, but it could also be used to further explore the role of rumen microorganisms in gossypol degradation by the ruminants.