Enhancing Lignin Dispersion and Bioconversion by Eliminating Thermal Sterilization

Zhi Min Zhao; Xianzhi Meng; Manjula Senanayake; Sai Venkatesh Pingali; Yunqiao Pu; Mi Li; Litong Ma; Jifei Xu; Arthur J. Ragauskas

doi:10.1021/acssuschemeng.1c07787

Enhancing Lignin Dispersion and Bioconversion by Eliminating Thermal Sterilization

Zhi Min Zhao, Xianzhi Meng, Manjula Senanayake, Sai Venkatesh Pingali, Yunqiao Pu, Mi Li, Litong Ma, Jifei Xu, Arthur J. Ragauskas

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4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Thermal sterilization is widely applied in fermentation to ensure a pure culture. In this study, a facile and energy-efficient strategy by eliminating thermal sterilization (ETS) was unveiled for upgrading lignin bioconversion. Through alkaline solubilization and neutralization, lignin dispersion in aqueous fermentation media was significantly enhanced by ETS. Small-angle X-ray scattering and dynamic light scattering analyses indicated that the lignin colloid size was dramatically reduced. Compared to 20.5 wt % lignin precipitation during the conventional thermal sterilization, precipitated lignin was not observed within the ETS medium. 31P NMR characterization demonstrated an 11.7% increase of phenolic OH in ETS lignin. Ionization of phenolic OH presented more negatively charged groups, strengthening electrostatic repulsion, resulting in smaller colloidal particles. Interestingly, the pure culture of Rhodococcus opacus PD630 was achieved within the ETS medium due to the lack of lignin degradation ability with most natural microbes. R. opacus PD630 cell amount, lignin degradation, and lipid production by ETS increased by 330, 16.6, and 20.7%, respectively. Overall, an energy-efficient ETS strategy that promoted lignin dispersion and bioconversion significantly is reported in this study.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	3245-3254
Number of pages	10
Journal	ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering
Volume	10
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.1c07787
State	Published - Mar 14 2022

Funding

The authors (Z.-M.Z., L.M. and J.X.) acknowledge the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 21706136 and 21766025), the Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia (grant no. 2019MS02026), and the China Scholarship Council for support. M.S. and S.V.P acknowledge Dr. Wim Bras and Dr. Jong Keum (supported by the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, CNMS) for providing experimental support for SAXS/WAXS data measurement on the Xeuss 3 SAXS/WAXS instrument; CNMS is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science User Facility. Access to the Xeuss 3 SAXS/WAXS instrument was obtained via the ORNL instrumentation pool. The Xeuss 3 instrument was funded via the ORNL LDRD program.

Funders	Funder number
Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences
ORNL LDRD
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Science
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
National Natural Science Foundation of China	21706136, 21766025
China Scholarship Council
Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia	2019MS02026

Keywords

Rhodococcus opacus PD630
biomass
lignin bioconversion
lignin dispersion
lignin valorization
lipids

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10.1021/acssuschemeng.1c07787

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title = "Enhancing Lignin Dispersion and Bioconversion by Eliminating Thermal Sterilization",

abstract = "Thermal sterilization is widely applied in fermentation to ensure a pure culture. In this study, a facile and energy-efficient strategy by eliminating thermal sterilization (ETS) was unveiled for upgrading lignin bioconversion. Through alkaline solubilization and neutralization, lignin dispersion in aqueous fermentation media was significantly enhanced by ETS. Small-angle X-ray scattering and dynamic light scattering analyses indicated that the lignin colloid size was dramatically reduced. Compared to 20.5 wt % lignin precipitation during the conventional thermal sterilization, precipitated lignin was not observed within the ETS medium. 31P NMR characterization demonstrated an 11.7% increase of phenolic OH in ETS lignin. Ionization of phenolic OH presented more negatively charged groups, strengthening electrostatic repulsion, resulting in smaller colloidal particles. Interestingly, the pure culture of Rhodococcus opacus PD630 was achieved within the ETS medium due to the lack of lignin degradation ability with most natural microbes. R. opacus PD630 cell amount, lignin degradation, and lipid production by ETS increased by 330, 16.6, and 20.7%, respectively. Overall, an energy-efficient ETS strategy that promoted lignin dispersion and bioconversion significantly is reported in this study.",

keywords = "Rhodococcus opacus PD630, biomass, lignin bioconversion, lignin dispersion, lignin valorization, lipids",

author = "Zhao, {Zhi Min} and Xianzhi Meng and Manjula Senanayake and Pingali, {Sai Venkatesh} and Yunqiao Pu and Mi Li and Litong Ma and Jifei Xu and Ragauskas, {Arthur J.}",

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T1 - Enhancing Lignin Dispersion and Bioconversion by Eliminating Thermal Sterilization

AU - Zhao, Zhi Min

AU - Meng, Xianzhi

AU - Senanayake, Manjula

AU - Pingali, Sai Venkatesh

AU - Pu, Yunqiao

AU - Li, Mi

AU - Ma, Litong

AU - Xu, Jifei

AU - Ragauskas, Arthur J.

PY - 2022/3/14

Y1 - 2022/3/14

N2 - Thermal sterilization is widely applied in fermentation to ensure a pure culture. In this study, a facile and energy-efficient strategy by eliminating thermal sterilization (ETS) was unveiled for upgrading lignin bioconversion. Through alkaline solubilization and neutralization, lignin dispersion in aqueous fermentation media was significantly enhanced by ETS. Small-angle X-ray scattering and dynamic light scattering analyses indicated that the lignin colloid size was dramatically reduced. Compared to 20.5 wt % lignin precipitation during the conventional thermal sterilization, precipitated lignin was not observed within the ETS medium. 31P NMR characterization demonstrated an 11.7% increase of phenolic OH in ETS lignin. Ionization of phenolic OH presented more negatively charged groups, strengthening electrostatic repulsion, resulting in smaller colloidal particles. Interestingly, the pure culture of Rhodococcus opacus PD630 was achieved within the ETS medium due to the lack of lignin degradation ability with most natural microbes. R. opacus PD630 cell amount, lignin degradation, and lipid production by ETS increased by 330, 16.6, and 20.7%, respectively. Overall, an energy-efficient ETS strategy that promoted lignin dispersion and bioconversion significantly is reported in this study.

AB - Thermal sterilization is widely applied in fermentation to ensure a pure culture. In this study, a facile and energy-efficient strategy by eliminating thermal sterilization (ETS) was unveiled for upgrading lignin bioconversion. Through alkaline solubilization and neutralization, lignin dispersion in aqueous fermentation media was significantly enhanced by ETS. Small-angle X-ray scattering and dynamic light scattering analyses indicated that the lignin colloid size was dramatically reduced. Compared to 20.5 wt % lignin precipitation during the conventional thermal sterilization, precipitated lignin was not observed within the ETS medium. 31P NMR characterization demonstrated an 11.7% increase of phenolic OH in ETS lignin. Ionization of phenolic OH presented more negatively charged groups, strengthening electrostatic repulsion, resulting in smaller colloidal particles. Interestingly, the pure culture of Rhodococcus opacus PD630 was achieved within the ETS medium due to the lack of lignin degradation ability with most natural microbes. R. opacus PD630 cell amount, lignin degradation, and lipid production by ETS increased by 330, 16.6, and 20.7%, respectively. Overall, an energy-efficient ETS strategy that promoted lignin dispersion and bioconversion significantly is reported in this study.

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KW - lignin valorization

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Enhancing Lignin Dispersion and Bioconversion by Eliminating Thermal Sterilization

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