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其临界点的温度和压力条件下使用水和二氧化碳（CO2），从而消除了在作物生物质加工中使用石油基有机溶剂。在这样的条件下使用水和CO2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健康的生物活性化合物，其可用作功能性食品的成分，纤维素材料的反应以将其转化为高价值的成分/产品，以及未来形成微/纳米颗粒作为这些生物活性化合物的递送系统。亚/超临界水在萃取过程中的使用以及其作为反应介质的使用是稀缺的。申请人的研究领域集中在超临界流体技术的使用、溶解度行为、营养品的提取和建模/模拟。因此，今后的工作将继续以这一专门知识为基础，并将侧重于亚/超临界水的进一步加工开发。我的研究计划的主要目标是增加价值，加拿大作物生物质的基础上，新的亚/超临界流体技术的发展。具体目标是：i）了解生物活性化合物在亚/超临界水中的溶解度行为，ii）研究工艺参数的影响以设计、开发和优化提取，iii）研究农作物生物质组分在亚/超临界水中的目标转化的动力学和反应机理，iv）评估在超临界介质下组合提取和反应的优点，和v）模拟/模拟亚/超临界萃取过程。所要求的资金对于开展这项研究计划和培训高素质的人员至关重要。学生培训是满足加拿大食品工业在快速发展的亚/超临界流体技术领域需求的首要任务。这项研究计划还将使我能够加强国家和国际合作，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.