The effect of direct and counter-current flow-through delignification on enzymatic hydrolysis of wheat straw, and flow limits due to compressibility.

This article compares the processes for wheat straw lignocellulose fractionation by percolation, counter-current progressing batch percolation and batch reaction at low NaOH-loadings (3-6% of DM). The flow-through processes were found to improve delignification and subsequent enzymatic saccharification, reduce NaOH-consumption and allow reduction of thermal severity, whereas hemicellulose dissolution was unaffected. However, contrary to previous expectations, a counter-current process did not provide additional benefits to regular percolation. The compressibility and flow properties of a straw bed were determined and used for simulation of the packing density profile and dynamic pressure in an industrial scale column. After dissolution of 30% of the straw DM by delignification, a pressure drop above 100 kPa m-1 led to clogging of the flow due to compaction of straw. Accordingly, the maximum applicable feed pressure and volumetric straw throughput was determined as a function of column height, indicating that a 10 m column can be operated at a maximum feed pressure of 530 kPa, corresponding to an operation time of 50 min and a throughput of 163 kg m-3 h-1 . Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 2605-2613. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Rate-constraining changes in surface properties, porosity and hydrolysis kinetics of lignocellulose in the course of enzymatic saccharification.

BACKGROUND: Explaining the reduction of hydrolysis rate during lignocellulose hydrolysis is a challenge for the understanding and modelling of the process. This article reports the changes of cellulose and lignin surface areas, porosity and the residual cellulase activity during the hydrolysis of autohydrolysed wheat straw and delignified wheat straw. The potential rate-constraining mechanisms are assessed with a simplified kinetic model and compared to the observed effects, residual cellulase activity and product inhibition. RESULTS: The reaction rate depended exclusively on the degree of hydrolysis, while enzyme denaturation or time-dependent changes in substrate hydrolysability were absent. Cellulose surface area decreased linearly with hydrolysis, in correlation with total cellulose content. Lignin surface area was initially decreased by the dissolution of phenolics and then remained unchanged. The dissolved phenolics did not contribute to product inhibition. The porosity of delignified straw was decreased during hydrolysis, but no difference in porosity was detected during the hydrolysis of autohydrolysed straw. CONCLUSIONS: Although a hydrolysis-dependent increase of non-productive binding capacity of lignin was not apparent, the dependence of hydrolysis maxima on the enzyme dosage was best explained by partial irreversible product inhibition. Cellulose surface area correlated with the total cellulose content, which is thus an appropriate approximation of the substrate concentration for kinetic modelling. Kinetic models of cellulose hydrolysis should be simplified enough to include reversible and irreversible product inhibition and reduction of hydrolysability, as well as their possible non-linear relations to hydrolysis degree, without overparameterization of particular factors.

Determination of surface-accessible acidic hydroxyls and surface area of lignin by cationic dye adsorption.

A new colorimetric method for determining the surface-accessible acidic lignin hydroxyl groups in lignocellulose solid fractions was developed. The method is based on selective adsorption of Azure B, a basic dye, onto acidic hydroxyl groups of lignin. Selectivity of adsorption of Azure B on lignin was demonstrated using lignin and cellulose materials as adsorbents. Adsorption isotherms of Azure B on wheat straw (WS), sugarcane bagasse (SGB), oat husk, and isolated lignin materials were determined. The maximum adsorption capacities predicted by the Langmuir isotherms were used to calculate the amounts of surface-accessible acidic hydroxyl groups. WS contained 1.7-times more acidic hydroxyls (0.21 mmol/g) and higher surface area of lignin (84 m(2)/g) than SGB or oat husk materials. Equations for determining the amount of surface-accessible acidic hydroxyls in solid fractions of the three plant materials by a single point measurement were developed. A method for high-throughput characterization of lignocellulosic materials is now available.

Enzymatic saccharification of pretreated wheat straw: comparison of solids-recycling, sequential hydrolysis and batch hydrolysis.

In the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulose materials, the recycling of the solid residue has previously been considered within the context of enzyme recycling. In this study, a steady state investigation of a solids-recycling process was made with pretreated wheat straw and compared to sequential and batch hydrolysis at constant reaction times, substrate feed and liquid and enzyme consumption. Compared to batch hydrolysis, the recycling and sequential processes showed roughly equal hydrolysis yields, while the volumetric productivity was significantly increased. In the 72h process the improvement was 90% due to an increased reaction consistency, while the solids feed was 16% of the total process constituents. The improvement resulted primarily from product removal, which was equally efficient in solids-recycling and sequential hydrolysis processes. No evidence of accumulation of enzymes beyond the accumulation of the substrate was found in recycling. A mathematical model of solids-recycling was constructed, based on a geometrical series.

Increased water resistance of CTMP fibers by oat (Avena sativa L.) husk lignin.

The insertion of oat husk lignin onto chemithermomechanical pulp (CTMP) fibers was studied to increase fiber hydrophobicity. The pretreated pulp samples were subsequently used for preparation of handsheets for characterization. Treatment of CTMP with laccase in the presence of oat husk lignin resulted in a significant increase in hydrophobicity of the handsheet surface, as indicated by dynamic contact angle analysis. Water absorption time of 8 s was obtained with initial contact angle of 118°. Although the handsheet's brightness was reduced by 33%, tensile index was only subtly decreased. Neither laccase nor oat husk lignin alone gave much improved water absorption times. Therefore, handsheets made of laccase-treated pulp with and without oat husk lignin were further examined by XPS, which suggested that both laccase and oat husk lignin were inserted onto CTMP fibers. The oat husk lignin was distributed as heterogeneous aggregates on the handsheet surface whereas laccase was uniformly distributed. Evidence was obtained that the adsorbed laccase layer formed a noncovalent base for the insertion of oat husk lignin onto fiber surfaces.

Production of cis-9,trans-11-conjugated linoleic acid in camelina meal and okara by an oat-assisted microbial process.

A method to obtain cis-9,trans-11-conjugated linoleic acid (c9,t11-CLA) into camelina meal and okara, the byproducts of plant oil processing, is described. The triacylglycerols in these materials were hydrolyzed with the aid of lipolytically active oat flour for 3 weeks at a water activity of 0.70. The resulting free linoleic acid was then isomerized predominantly to c9,t11-CLA by resting cells of Propionibacterium freudenreichii ssp. shermanii in 5% aqueous camelina meal and okara slurries. In camelina meal slurries, c9,t11-CLA content after 21 h of fermentation was 0.83 mg/mL and 96 mg/g of total lipids. In okara slurries, the content of c9,t11-CLA was 1.1 mg/mL and 78 mg/g of total lipids. Doubling the hydrolysis time in okara increased the subsequent content of c9,t11-CLA to 1.4 mg/mL, corresponding to 110 mg/g of total lipids. After isomerization, CLA was concentrated into a particulate material of the slurries by acidification. The results suggest that the method is applicable to a wide spectrum of lipid-containing plant materials to further increase their nutritional value.

Positional distribution of conjugated linoleic acid in triacylglycerol of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae was cultivated in the presence of cis-9,trans-11 or trans-10,cis-12 isomers of free conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and the effects of the isomers on the regioisomerisms of triacylglycerol (TAG) of the yeast were elucidated. Both isomers constituted about 34% of all fatty acids and increased drastically the number of different TAG species. Nearly all of the species contained CLA in at least one sn-position. In the most abundant species analyzed (20% of total species), the cis-9,trans-11 isomer appeared in combination with monounsaturated fatty acids (C16:1, C:18:1) whereas trans-10,cis-12 isomer was most frequently present with a medium chain fatty acid (C10:0 or C12:0) in the sn-2 position and C16:0 in one of the end positions (14% of total species). With either isomer, the amount of TAG species in which CLA encompassed all sn-positions was ca. 4%. Thus, S. cerevisiae can be used to produce edible single cell oil characterized by very heterogeneous distribution of CLA among the different TAG species.

Microbially safe utilization of non-inactivated oats (Avena sativa L.) for production of conjugated linoleic acid.

A microbially safe process for the enrichment of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in oats was developed. The process consists of hydrolysis of oat lipids by non-inactivated oat flour, followed by propionibacterium-catalyzed isomerization of the resulting free linoleic acid to CLA. The first stage was performed at water activity (a(w)) 0.7, where hydrolysis of triacylglycerols progressed efficiently without growth of the indigenous microflora of flour. Thereafter, the flour was incubated as a 5% (w/v) aqueous, sterilized slurry with Propionibacterium freudenreichii ssp. shermanii. The amount of CLA produced in 20 h was 11.5 mg/g dry matter corresponding to 116 mg/g lipids or 0.57 mg/mL slurry. The oat flour had also the capability to hydrolyze exogenous oils at a(w) 0.7. Sunflower oil, added to increase linoleic acid content in triacylglycerols 2.7-fold, was hydrolyzed rapidly. Isomerization of this oil-supplemented flour as a 5% slurry gave final CLA content of 22.3 mg/g dry matter after 50 h of fermentation, corresponding to 118 mg/g lipids or 1.14 mg/mL slurry. Storage stability of CLA in fermented oat slurries at 4 degrees C was good.

Enrichment of conjugated linoleic acid in oats (Avena sativa L.) by microbial isomerization.

A method for microbial isomerization of oat linoleic acid to conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was developed. The method includes hydrolysis of oat lipids in aqueous flour slurries by the endogenous oat lipase. Then, the flour slurry containing free linoleic acid is utilized as a substrate for the isomerization reaction carried out by resting cells of Propionibacterium freudenreichii ssp. shermanii. The isomerization reaction progressed most effectively when, after the lipid hydrolysis period, the pH of the slightly acidic oat slurry was elevated to 8.0-8.5 and maintained at this range. With slurries containing 5% (w/v) oat flour, the amounts of CLA formed per dry matter were up to 10.1 mg/g corresponding to 102 mg/g lipids or 0.44 mg/mL slurry. Increments in the flour content up to 15% increased the volumetric production of CLA to 0.85 mg/mL. The proportion of the cis-9,trans-11 isomer was 80% of the total CLA formed. CLA could be concentrated into the solid material of the oat slurry by acidification.