Host institution for the project:
Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology University of Zagreb
Principal Investigator: Božidar Šantek, PhD, Full Professor Bibliography
Project summary:
This project proposal is dealing with development of sustainable bioprocesses for the biochemicals [microbial lipids (especially polyunsaturated fatty acids), L-lactate, 2,3-butanediol and polyphenols] production from the waste lignocellulose containing feedstocks (e.g. forestry residues, wheat straw, corn stover and cobs, waste grass, banana and beetroot peels, pea pods, onion peels, cocoa bean husks and walnut shells). Pretreatment of these feedstocks will be performed in high pressure reactor combined with the use of dilute acid or alkaline methods. In second stage of pretreatment, the solid residues (from high pressure reactor) will be hydrolyzed be using commercial enzymes mixtures or microorganism with relatively high cellulolytic activity. In this research, obtained hydrolyzates of lignocellulose containing feedstocks will be analyzed, corrected their content and used for biochemicals production. The study of biochemicals production will be focused on the semi-solid or solid state fermentations in the horizontal rotating tubular bioreactor (HRTB). The most suitable microorganisms for these biochemicals production will be identified and improved by genetic methods. Separation and purification procedure for studied biochemicals have to be developed and integrated with their production in order to improve ecological and economical aspects of these bioprocesses. The sustainability of these biochemicals production will be evaluated through the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The most efficient and sustainable bioprocess configuration will be defined on the basis of LCA results and consequently scale-up procedure will be developed. The scale-up procedure will be based on the developed integral bioprocess mathematical model and other scale-up criteria. Project outcomes will be new integrated bioprocesses for biochemicals production from waste lignocellulose containing feedstocks.
