Processing of crop biomass to value-added products using sub/super-critical water and supercritical CO2

亚/超临界流体技术涉及在低于或高于临界点的温度和压力条件下使用水和二氧化碳(CO2)，在作物生物质加工过程中不再使用以石油为基础的有机溶剂。在这种条件下使用水和二氧化碳导致了新的“绿色”技术的发展，例如从作物生物质中提取有益于健康的生物活性化合物作为功能食品的成分，纤维素材料的反应将它们转化为高价值的成分/产品，以及未来形成微米/纳米颗粒作为这些生物活性化合物的输送系统。在提取过程中使用亚/超临界水以及将其用作反应介质的情况很少。申请人的研究领域集中在超临界流体技术的使用、溶解行为、营养食品的提取和建模/模拟。因此，今后的工作将继续以这一专门知识为基础，并将重点放在亚/超临界水的进一步加工开发上。我的研究计划的主要目标是在新的亚/超临界流体技术开发的基础上为加拿大的作物生物量增加价值。其具体目标是：1)了解生物活性化合物在亚/超临界水中的溶解行为；2)考察工艺参数的影响，以便设计、开发和优化萃取；3)研究作物生物量组分在亚/超临界水中定向转化的动力学和反应机理；4)评价超临界介质下萃取与反应相结合的优势；以及v)模型/模拟亚/超临界萃取过程。申请的资金对开展这项研究计划和培训高素质人员至关重要。在快速发展的亚/超临界流体技术领域，学生培训是满足加拿大食品行业需求的重中之重。这个研究项目还将使我能够加强国内和国际合作，并吸引来访的学生和科学家。

Sub/super-critical fluid technology involves the use of water and carbon dioxide (CO2) at temperature and pressure conditions below or above its critical point, eliminating the use of petroleum-based organic solvents in the processing of crop biomass. Use of water and CO2 under such conditions leads to the development of novel "green" technologies, such as the extraction of health-benefiting bioactive compounds from crop biomass that can be used as ingredients in functional foods, reactions of cellulosic materials to convert them to high-value ingredients/products and future formation of micro/nano-particles as delivery systems for these bioactive compounds. The use of sub/super-critical water in extraction processes is scarce as well as its use as a reaction media. The applicant's research area has focused on the use of supercritical fluid technology, solubility behavior, extraction of nutraceuticals and modeling/simulation. Future work would therefore continue to build on this expertise and would focus on further processing development in sub/super-critical water. The main goal of my research program is to add value to Canadian crop biomass based on novel sub/super-critical fluid technology development. The specific objectives are to: i) understand the solubility behavior of bioactive compounds in sub/super-critical water, ii) investigate the effect of process parameters in order to design, develop and optimize extraction, iii) study the kinetics and reaction mechanisms of targeted conversion of components of crop biomass in sub/super-critical water, iv) evaluate the advantages of combining extraction and reactions under supercritical media, and v) model/simulate sub/super-critical extraction processes. The requested funding is critical to undertake this research program and to train highly qualified personnel. Student training is a top priority to fulfill food industry needs in Canada in the field of rapidly growing sub/super-critical fluid technology. This research program will also allow me to enhance national and international collaborations and attract visiting students and scientists.