MICROBIAL METHANE PRODUCTION USING INTERMEDEIATES PRODUCED FROM THE PHOTOCATALYTIC REFORMING OF LIGNINCELLULOSICS

低值生物质，如玉米秸秆和木屑，是生产氢气、甲烷和乙醇的有用原料；然而，需要进行预处理才能释放纤维素和半纤维素组分。剩下的木质素是一种低价值的组份，不能生物降解。这项拟议工作的目标是开发一种将木质素转化为甲烷的方法，甲烷是一种增值产品。将木质素转化为可生物降解的化学物质可以使用光催化剂，如二氧化钛(TiO2光催化剂)和二氧化铈(CeO2)改性的二氧化钛，或二氧化铈和石墨烯(一种碳的结晶形式)修饰的二氧化钛。经过光催化后，含有短链碳化合物(可生物降解的化学品)的原料将通过混合厌氧微生物的暗发酵转化为甲烷。

Low value biomass such as corn stover and wood chips, are useful feedstocks for producing hydrogen, methane and ethanol; however, pretreatment is required to liberate the celluloses and hemi-celluloses fractions. The remaining lignin, a low value fraction, is not biodegradable. The objective of the proposed work is to develop a route for converting lignin into methane, a value-added product. Converting lignin into biodegradable chemicals can be accomplished using photocatalysts such as titanium dioxide (TiO2) as well as TiO2 modified with cerium dioxide (CeO2) or TiO2 modified with CeO2 plus graphene, a crystalline form of carbon. After photocatalysis, a feedstock containing short chain carbon compounds (biodegradable chemicals) will be converted into methane by dark fermentation using mixed anaerobic microorganisms.