Zhi-Hua Liu1,2, Naijia Hao3, Yun-Yan Wang3, Chang Dou4, Furong Lin1,2, Rongchun Shen5, Renata Bura4, David B Hodge6, Bruce E Dale7, Arthur J Ragauskas3,8,9, Bin Yang5, Joshua S Yuan10,11. 1. Synthetic and Systems Biology Innovation Hub, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA. 2. Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA. 3. Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA. 4. School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. 5. Bioproducts, Sciences, and Engineering Laboratory, Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Richland, WA, USA. 6. Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA. 7. Biomass Conversion Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA. 8. Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA. 9. Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, Center for Renewable Carbon, The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, USA. 10. Synthetic and Systems Biology Innovation Hub, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA. syuan@tamu.edu. 11. Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA. syuan@tamu.edu.
Abstract
Biological lignin valorization has emerged as a major solution for sustainable and cost-effective biorefineries. However, current biorefineries yield lignin with inadequate fractionation for bioconversion, yet substantial changes of these biorefinery designs to focus on lignin could jeopardize carbohydrate efficiency and increase capital costs. We resolve the dilemma by designing 'plug-in processes of lignin' with the integration of leading pretreatment technologies. Substantial improvement of lignin bioconversion and synergistic enhancement of carbohydrate processing are achieved by solubilizing lignin via lowering molecular weight and increasing hydrophilic groups, addressing the dilemma of lignin- or carbohydrate-first scenarios. The plug-in processes of lignin could enable minimum polyhydroxyalkanoate selling price at as low as $6.18/kg. The results highlight the potential to achieve commercial production of polyhydroxyalkanoates as a co-product of cellulosic ethanol. Here, we show that the plug-in processes of lignin could transform biorefinery design toward sustainability by promoting carbon efficiency and optimizing the total capital cost.
Biological n class="Chemical">lignin valorization has emerged as a major solutionpan> for sustainpan>able anpan>d cost-effective biorefinpan>eries. However, currenpan>t biorefinpan>eries yield pan> class="Chemical">lignin with inadequate fractionation for bioconversion, yet substantial changes of these biorefinery designs to focus on lignin could jeopardize carbohydrate efficiency and increase capital costs. We resolve the dilemma by designing 'plug-in processes of lignin' with the integration of leading pretreatment technologies. Substantial improvement of lignin bioconversion and synergistic enhancement of carbohydrate processing are achieved by solubilizing lignin via lowering molecular weight and increasing hydrophilic groups, addressing the dilemma of lignin- or n class="Chemical">carbohydrate-first scenarios. The plug-in processes of lignin could enable minimum polyhydroxyalkanoate selling price at as low as $6.18/kg. The results highlight the potential to achieve commercial production of polyhydroxyalkanoates as a co-product of cellulosic ethanol. Here, we show that the plug-in processes of lignin could transform biorefinery design toward sustainability by promoting carbon efficiency and optimizing the total capital cost.
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