Dataset Information

Debottlenecking a Pulp Mill by Producing Biofuels from Black Liquor in Three Steps.

ABSTRACT: By extracting lignin, pulp production can be increased without heavy investments in a new recovery boiler, the typical bottleneck of a pulp mill. The extraction is performed by using 0.20 and 0.15 weight equivalents of CO₂ and H₂ SO₄ respectively. Herein, we describe lignin esterification with fatty acids using benign reagents to generate a lignin ester mixable with gas oils. The esterification is accomplished by activating the fatty acid and lignin with acetic anhydride which can be regenerated from the acetic acid recycled in this reaction. The resulting mass balance ratio is fatty acid/lignin/acetic acid (2 : 1 : 0.1). This lignin ester can be hydroprocessed to generate hydrocarbons in gasoline, aviation, and diesel range. A 300-hour continuous production of fuel was accomplished. By recirculating reagents from both the esterification step and applying a water gas shift reaction on off-gases from the hydroprocessing, a favorable overall mass balance is realized.

SUBMITTER: Di Francesco D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8251813 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Debottlenecking a Pulp Mill by Producing Biofuels from Black Liquor in Three Steps.

Di Francesco Davide D Dahlstrand Christian C Löfstedt Joakim J Orebom Alexander A Verendel Johan J Carrick Christopher C Håkansson Åsa Å Eriksson Sören S Rådberg Henrik H Wallmo Henrik H Wimby Martin M Huber Florian F Federsel Christopher C Backmark Mattias M Samec Joseph S M JSM

ChemSusChem 20210506 11

By extracting lignin, pulp production can be increased without heavy investments in a new recovery boiler, the typical bottleneck of a pulp mill. The extraction is performed by using 0.20 and 0.15 weight equivalents of CO2 and H2 SO4 respectively. Herein, we describe lignin esterification with fatty acids using benign reagents to generate a lignin ester mixable with gas oils. The esterification is accomplished by activating the fatty acid and lignin with acetic a ...[more]

PMID: 33851793

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Project description:The valorization of lignin, a major component of plant-derived biomass, is essential to sustainable biorefining. We identified the major monoaromatic compounds present in black liquor, a lignin-rich stream generated in the kraft pulping process, and investigated their bacterial transformation. Among tested solvents, acetone extracted the greatest amount of monoaromatic compounds from softwood black liquor, with guaiacol, vanillin, and acetovanillone, in an approximately 4:3:2 ratio, constituting ~90% of the total extracted monoaromatic content. 4-Ethanol guaiacol, vanillate, and 4-propanol guaiacol were also present. Bacterial strains that grew on minimal media supplemented with the BL extracts at 1mM total aromatic compounds included Pseudomonas putida KT2442, Sphingobium sp. SYK-6, and Rhodococcus rhodochrous EP4. By contrast, the extracts inhibited the growth of Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 and Rhodococcus opacus PD630, strains extensively studied for lignin valorization. Of the strains that grew on the extracts, only R. rhodochrous GD01 and GD02, isolated for their ability to grow on acetovanillone, depleted the major extracted monoaromatics. Genomic analyses revealed that EP4, GD01, and GD02 share an average nucleotide identity (ANI) of 98% and that GD01 and GD02 harbor a predicted three-component carboxylase not present in EP4. A representative carboxylase gene was upregulated ~100-fold during growth of GD02 on a mixture of the BL monoaromatics, consistent with the involvement of the enzyme in acetovanillone catabolism. More generally, quantitative RT-PCR indicated that GD02 catabolizes the BL compounds in a convergent manner via the β-ketoadipate pathway. Overall, these studies help define the catabolic capabilities of potential biocatalytic strains, describe new isolates able to catabolize the major monoaromatic components of BL, including acetovanillone, and facilitate the design of biocatalysts to valorize under-utilized components of industrial lignin streams.

Project description:The pulp and paper industry, a major global sector, supports economies and jobs while contributing to various products. While providing valuable products, and despite Best Available Techniques (BAT) being used, managing wastewater effectively remains a key area for developing technologies and alternatives for environmental protection. Activated sludge (AS) systems are commonly used for effluent treatment, where microorganisms composition influences reactor efficiency. Current monitoring strategies show limited correlation with chemical parameters. Metabarcoding, a DNA sequencing approach, offers a promising alternative to profile microbial communities comprehensively. Utilizing MinION and Illumina sequencing, this study reveals the prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial communities in AS from an extended aeration-activated sludge reactor from a pulp mill for the first time. Eukaryotic composition evaluated by 18S amplicon sequencing revealed Protists as the dominant group, followed by Animalia and Fungi. Within these groups, the most abundant phyla detected were Ciliophora (75 % on average), Rotifera (90 % on average), and Cryptomycota (60 % on average), respectively. Genera like Prorodon and Limnias stand out due to their high relative abundance within the Protist and Animalia group, respectively. A comparative analysis with routine microorganism composition assessment by microscopy revealed consistent taxonomic trends, affirming the feasibility of amplicon sequencing for routine microbial community surveillance. Furthermore, the incorporation of metabarcoding enhanced the depth of results. Prokaryotic composition analyzed by 16S amplicon sequencing revealed microorganisms previously described as relevant to the wastewater treatment process but highlighted dominant specific groups even when compared to other pulp facilities. Genera like Terrimonas, Defluviicoccus, and Methylocaldum appear as the most abundant among the identified genera. For proper reactor operation, microorganisms must aggregate around organic matter in flocs, which reflect reactor health and are composed of 5 % eukaryotes and 95 % prokaryotes. Hence, the characterization of both groups of microorganisms is crucial. Differences in communities between the wastewater treatment plant's aeration zones emphasize the importance of comprehensive community characterization. The study underscores metabarcoding's potential as a monitoring tool, for future linking of microbial communities with process patterns for improved environmental management in the pulp and paper industry and emphasizes the importance of establishing unique baselines for microbial communities in activated sludge systems.

Dataset Information

Debottlenecking a Pulp Mill by Producing Biofuels from Black Liquor in Three Steps.

Publications

Debottlenecking a Pulp Mill by Producing Biofuels from Black Liquor in Three Steps.

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