Producing methane from lignin degradation byproducts

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Converting waste organic materials into chemicals and fuels are a means to combat global issues such as depleting fossil fuels inventories, climate change and energy security. Major source of wastes materials available for producing fuels and chemicals are available from facilities producing products such as vegetable oils, ethanol, sugar and flour. These products are employed in producing numerous consumer products. Manufacturing facilities produce waste byproducts containing lignin, a complicated chemical, which cannot be added to food products. Many microorganisms are unable to utilize lignin because it is not very susceptible to chemical attack by enzymes. Hence, a research shift must be focused on developing non-microbial processes for converting lignin into valuable chemicals. Cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin are the major chemical components in biomass such as wood. In comparison, carbohydrates are produced from crops such as corn, beet, wheat and sugar cane. Wastes byroducts from sugar cane, wheat and beet processing into foods are rich in lignin. In Canada, the pulp and paper sector produces paper products and a lignin rich waste from soft and hard woods. The pulp and paper sector is important to Canada's economy and developing technologies to convert lignin into value added products will assist in sustaining a competitive edge of this industry. The Canadian pulp and paper sector and other similar global industries produce black liquor, a low value waste. Lignin can be extracted from waste streams such as black liquor. In the proposed work, lignin will be extracted from black liquor using protic ionic liquids. The extracted lignin will be employed to produce biodegradable chemicals utilizing photoactivated chemicals such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide as well as modified titanium dioxide, zinc oxide catalysts as well as oxidants such as ozone and hydrogen peroxide. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are commercially available and the ability of these metals to breakdown lignin depends on utilizing light and other factors. In the final project stage, naturally occurring bacteria will be employed to produce methane from the byproducts from the photocatalytic process and chemical oxidants. Methane is a valuable fuel which can be utilized in the residential, industrial and transportation sectors.