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Alternative Low-Cost Additives to Improve the Saccharification of Lignocellulosic Biomass

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Abstract

A potential strategy to mitigate problems related to unproductive adsorption of enzymes onto lignin during the saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass is the addition of lignin-blocking agents to the hydrolysis reaction medium. However, there is a clear need to find more cost-effective additives for use in large-scale processes. Here, selected alternative low-cost additives were evaluated in the saccharification of steam-exploded sugarcane bagasse using a commercial enzymatic cocktail. The addition of soybean protein, tryptone, peptone, and maize zein had positive effects on glucose release during the hydrolysis, with gains of up to 36% when 8% (w/w) soybean protein was used. These improvements were superior to those obtained using bovine serum albumin (BSA), a much more expensive protein that has been widely reported for such an application. Moreover, addition of soybean protein led to a saving of 48 h in the hydrolysis, corresponding to a 66% decrease in the reactor operation time required. In order to achieve the same hydrolysis yield without the soybean additive, the enzyme loading would need to be increased by 50%. FTIR spectroscopy and nitrogen elemental analysis revealed that the additives probably acted to reduce unproductive binding of cellulolytic enzymes onto the lignin portion of the sugarcane bagasse.

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Funding

The authors would like to thank Embrapa, CNPq (Process 401182/2014-2), CAPES, and FAPESP (Processes 2014/19000-3, 2016/10636-8, and 2017/13931-3) (all from Brazil) for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Embrapa Instrumentação, Rua XV de Novembro 1452, São Carlos, SP, 13560-970, Brazil

    Mariana G. Brondi, Vanessa M. Vasconcellos & Cristiane S. Farinas

  2. Graduate Program of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Sao Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil

    Mariana G. Brondi, Vanessa M. Vasconcellos, Roberto C. Giordano & Cristiane S. Farinas

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  1. Mariana G. Brondi
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  2. Vanessa M. Vasconcellos
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Correspondence to Cristiane S. Farinas.

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Brondi, M.G., Vasconcellos, V.M., Giordano, R.C. et al. Alternative Low-Cost Additives to Improve the Saccharification of Lignocellulosic Biomass. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 187, 461–473 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-018-2834-z

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