SBIR Phase II: Direct Conversion of Lignocellulosic Feedstocks to Lipids and High-Value Products using a Proprietary Microbial Process

这个小型企业创新研究第二阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是从丰富和廉价的原料中可持续地生产高价值的油脂(油、蜡和脂肪酸)。该工艺基于黄石国家公园发现的一种独特的脂肪积累微生物，该微生物能够直接将麦秆、玉米秸秆和工业副产品(如糖蜜、甘油)等多种原料转化为有价值的脂肪产品，如欧米茄-7脂肪酸和高熔点蜡类。可再生油、蜡和脂肪酸在广泛的行业(如中性食品、生物洗涤剂、化妆品、蜡烛和肥皂)中有很大的需求。消费者显然将从这项技术中受益，因为我们减少了对石油产品的依赖，同时为农业废物和副产品创造了一个市场。由于很少有公司和研究小组研究直接从木质纤维生物质中生产真菌脂肪以获得更高价值的产品，工业和科学界都将从这项研究中获得的知识中受益。这个小企业创新研究第二阶段项目描述了一种简单、新颖和具有成本效益的过程，使用从黄石国家公园分离的微生物将木质纤维素和其他废物原料转化为高价值脂肪，该微生物能够承受极端酸性条件，并产生强大的酶来降解纤维素、木质素和半纤维素。这种生物体以经济高效的一步积累了高浓度的有价值的脂质。进程。基于可再生资源生产的油脂为废弃农业原料创造了一个市场。该SBIR项目的主要目标是进一步开发从废弃有机原料中商业生产油脂产品的工艺。第二阶段的工作将侧重于利用试验台中试系统优化工艺，对商业生产系统进行工艺流程设计和技术经济分析，详细分析脂肪产品，并为所生产的脂肪产品瞄准适当的市场/客户。在第二阶段计划的基础上，目标是拥有一个试验级示范系统，旨在为确定的目标市场和客户从各种底物中生产经济上可行的高价值脂肪产量。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is the sustainable production of high-value lipids (oils, waxes and fatty acids) from abundant and inexpensive feedstocks. The process is based on a unique lipid- accumulating microorganism found in Yellowstone National Park that is capable of directly converting a wide range of feedstocks such as wheat straw, corn stover, and industrial by-products (e.g. molasses, glycerol) to valuable lipid products such as Omega-7 fatty acids and high-melting temperature waxes. Renewable oils, waxes and fatty acids have significant demand in a wide range of industries (e.g. neutraceuticals, biolubricants, cosmetics, candles and soaps). Consumers will clearly benefit from this technology through the reduction of our dependence on petroleum-based products while generating a market for agricultural wastes and by-products. Since few companies and research groups are investigating fungal lipid production directly from lignocellulosic biomass for higher- value products, both industry and the scientific community will benefit from the knowledge gained by this research. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project describes a simple, novel and cost-effective process for converting lignocellulosic and other waste feedstocks to high- value lipids using a microorganism isolated from Yellowstone National Park, which is capable of withstanding extreme acidic conditions and producing powerful enzymes for degrading cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose. The organism accumulates high concentrations of valuable lipids in a cost-effective ?one-step? process. The produced lipids based on renewable resources creates a market for waste agricultural materials. The primary objective of this SBIR project is to further develop the process for commercial production of lipid products from waste organic feedstocks. Phase II efforts will focus on optimizing the process with a bench pilot-scale system, performing process flow design and techno-economic analysis of commercial production systems, analyzing lipid products in detail, and targeting appropriate markets/customers for the produced lipid products. Coming out of the Phase II program, the goal is to have a pilot- level demonstration system designed to produce economically viable yields of high-value lipids from a variety of substrates for defined target markets and customers.