Collaborative Research: A Novel Biological Valorization of Hydrothermal Liquefaction Wastewater with Marine Protist and its Granulated Phenotype

合作研究：海洋原生生物及其颗粒表型对热液液化废水的新型生物价值

• 批准号: 2001625
• 负责人: Sandeep Kumar
• 金额: $ 12万
• 依托单位: Old Dominion University Research Foundation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-07-01 至 2025-06-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2001625&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Novel; Biological; Valorization

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) has been considered as a promising thermal processing approach to biofuel production from a broad range of organic matter, including agricultural waste biomass, municipal solid waste, and algae. A recent U.S. Department of Energy report stated that as much as 5.9 billion gallons of biocrude could be produced each year in the U.S. from the available waste organic matter using HTL technology; this biocrude can be further refined to liquid transportation fuels using processes similar to conventional petroleum refining, replacing those fuels currently produced from non-renewable feedstocks. However, current HTL processes produce a large amount of wastewater containing high concentrations of organic compounds and nutrients; the sustainable disposal of this wastewater is one of the most significant bottlenecks to the scale-up and commercialization of HTL. This research will address concerns from both environmental and energy conversion efficiency perspectives of HTL by recovering organic carbon and nutrients from HTL wastewater. This is a critical step to increasing the net energy yield and enhancing the economic viability and environmental sustainability of HTL processes. In the course of carrying out this project, the researchers will train the next generation of scientists and engineers in biofuel production, biotechnology/bioprocessing, and environmental stewardship, all while educating the public about sustainable biofuel production and the impact of energy consumption on economic, environmental and societal sustainability.The research team of this proposal has recently found that a marine protist Thraustochytrium striatum HB can survive and grow in wastewater produced from HTL processing of municipal solid waste without supplemental nutrients while removing approximately 80% total organic carbon, 100% total nitrogen, and 80% phosphorus. Additionally, the microbes were found to be tolerant of wide pH and salinity ranges (comparable to sea water) in metabolizing organic compounds in HTL wastewater while being able to form cell aggregates under harsh conditions. Therefore, marine protists hold promise to be a new class of superior microorganisms for HTL wastewater treatment and valorization. The overarching goal of this project is to establish a T. striatum HB-facilitated platform for HTL wastewater valorization to enable sustainable HTL for biofuel production. The specific objectives of this research are to: (1) elucidate the correlation between biocrude yield and the HTL wastewater composition; (2) reveal the metabolic adaptation of T. striatum HB to the new wastewater environments to enhance overall energy return and biocrude yield; and (3) explore the formation mechanisms of T. striatum HB biogranules and the resulting performance impact on HTL wastewater valorization since biogranules are more efficient in wastewater valorization compared to dispersed cells. The marine protists could be a new class of promising microorganisms for valorization of other types of high-strength wastewater. The interdisciplinary nature of the proposed research will facilitate the integration of research and educational plans to enhance the education programs of three institutes involved in this project.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

水热液化（HTL）已被认为是一种有希望的热加工方法，可从各种有机物中生产生物燃料，包括农业废物生物量，市政固体废物和藻类。 美国能源部最近的一份报告指出，使用HTL技术，每年可以通过可用的废物有机物生产多达59亿加仑的生物乳头。可以使用类似于常规石油炼油的工艺进一步改进该生物液体，从而取代目前由不可再生原料生产的燃料。但是，当前的HTL过程产生了大量的废水，其中含有高浓度的有机化合物和养分。该废水的可持续处置是HTL扩大和商业化最重要的瓶颈之一。这项研究将通过从HTL废水中回收有机碳和养分来解决HTL环境和能源转化效率的观点的关注。这是提高净能量产量并增强HTL过程的经济生存能力和环境可持续性的关键步骤。 In the course of carrying out this project, the researchers will tr​​ain the next generation of scientists and engineers in biofuel production, biotechnology/bioprocessing, and environmental stewardship, all while educating the public about sustainable biofuel production and the impact of energy consumption on economic, environmental and societal sustainability.The research team of this proposal has recently found that a marine protist Thraustochytrium striatum HB can survive and grow in wastewater由无需补充营养的HTL处理的HTL处理，同时消除了约80％的有机碳，100％总氮和80％的磷。此外，发现微生物在HTL废水中代谢有机化合物中的宽pH值和盐度范围（与海水相当），同时能够在恶劣条件下形成细胞聚集体。因此，海洋生物有望成为HTL废水处理和价值的新型高生物。该项目的总体目标是建立一个纹状体HB核能的平台，以实现HTL废水价值，以使可持续的HTL用于生产生产。这项研究的具体目标是：（1）阐明生物乳腺癌产量与HTL废水组成之间的相关性； （2）揭示了纹状体HB对新废水环境的代谢适应，以增强整体能量回报和生物乳腺癌的产量； （3）探索纹状体HB生物生物的形成机制以及对HTL废水价值的产生影响，因为与分散细胞相比，生物群在废水量中更有效。海洋生物可能是一类新的有希望的微生物，用于其他类型的高强度废水。拟议的研究的跨学科性质将促进研究和教育计划的整合，以增强该项目所涉及的三个机构的教育计划。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛影响的评估标准通过评估来获得支持的。

项目成果

A novel biological treatment of hydrothermal carbonization wastewater by using Thraustochytrium striatum

• DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2021.12.005
• 发表时间: 2022-01
• 期刊: Process Biochemistry
• 影响因子: 4.4
• 作者: Kecheng Zhang;Kameron J. Adams;Sandeep Kumar;Zhi-wu Wang;Yi Zheng