Valorization of lactose into high value platform chemicals

背景：Agropur每年加工超过60亿升牛奶。因此，合作社留下了**大量的渗透液，其中约有80%至90%的乳糖(干基)。产生的乳糖**不会给合作社带来太大的价值，因为它是作为商品出售的。**研究目标：本研究项目的目的是评估将乳糖转化为**羟甲基呋喃甲醛(HMF)和乙酰丙酸(LA)的潜力，这两种平台化学品**可以用于制造日用品、纺织品、催化剂、燃料电池、生物燃料、聚合物、**药物、溶剂、树脂和杀菌剂。**根据团队的知识，从未进行过利用乳糖废料生产HMF的工作。纯乳糖和纯半乳糖已被用于合成羟甲基纤维素钠。人们已经看到，像铬盐这样的催化剂对将葡萄糖或甘露糖转化为HMF是有效的，但由于这些糖形成HMF的机制不同，对这些半乳糖或乳糖的转化效率要低得多。**然而，反应的动力学从未被了解，而且杂质的存在**对HMF和LA的产率的影响从未被研究过。因此，本项目致力于HMF和LA中乳糖**残基的转化。目标是1.确定反应动力学和2.研究杂质对HMF和LA产量的影响。**对加拿大的好处：根据加拿大政府的数据，到2015年，绿色化学品的增长率估计**达到5.3%，相当于大约623亿美元的全球市场潜力。将低价值生物质转化为平台化学品对加拿大的环境、创造就业和**创收有积极影响。

Context: Agropur is processing over 6 billion liters of milk per year. Therefore, the cooperative is left with**enormous quantities of permeate, which is composed of about 80 to 90% of lactose (dry basis). The lactose**generated does not bring much value to the cooperative, as it is sold as a commodity.**Research Objectives: The purpose of this research project is to assess the potential of transforming lactose into**hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and levulinic acid (LA), two platform chemicals of high industrial value as they**can be used in the manufacture of commodity chemicals, textiles, catalysts, fuel cells, biofuels, polymers,**pharmaceuticals, solvents, resins and fungicides.**Based on the team knowledge, the production of HMF from lactose wastes has never been performed. Pure**lactose and pure galactose have been used for the synthesis of HMF. It has been seen that catalysts like**chromium salts that are effective for converting glucose or mannose to HMF are much less effective for the**conversion of galactose or lactose due to differences in the mechanism of HMF formation from these sugars.**However, the kinetics of the reaction has never been understood, and the impact of the presence of impurities**on the yield of HMF and LA has never been studied. Therefore, this project aims at the conversion of lactose**residues in HMF and LA. The objectives are to 1. determine the kinetics of reaction and 2. to study the impact**of the impurities on the yield of HMF and LA.**Benefits to Canada: According to the Government of Canada, the green chemicals growth rate was estimated to**attain 5.3% by 2015 representing about $62.3 US billion global market potential. The conversion of low value**biomass to platform chemicals has a positive impact on the environment, creation of employment, and**generation of revenue for Canada.