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

低价值生物质如玉米秸秆和木片是用于生产氢气、甲烷和乙醇的有用原料;然而，需要预处理以释放纤维素和半纤维素级分。 剩余的木质素是一种低价值的部分，是不可生物降解的。 拟议工作的目标是开发一种将木质素转化为甲烷的途径，这是一种增值产品。将木质素转化为可生物降解的化学品可以使用光催化剂如二氧化钛（TiO 2）以及用二氧化铈（CeO 2）改性的TiO 2或用CeO 2加石墨烯（一种结晶形式的碳）改性的TiO 2来实现。发酵后，含有短链碳化合物（可生物降解的化学品）的原料将通过使用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.