EAGER: A Novel Bioprocess for the Valorization of Waste and Biomass

Kansas State University, Manhattan KS

Investigators

Abstract

1600075 Mathews The move to transition to a sustainable society will require a paradigm shift in waste management. The treatment and disposal of high-strength organic wastes involves high capital and operating cost expenditures. This project focuses on the valorization of biomass wastes to useful chemicals using a novel low pH microbial fermentation process that affords efficient extraction of the products. The extracted products will provide low-cost biodegradable deicers for applications on roads, highways, and airports for snow and ice control. This benefits include avoidance of waste treatment costs, the generation of value-added products, and the elimination of water and soil pollution from currently used chloride deicers. Considerable amount of energy and resources are expended in aerobic and anaerobic treatment of wastes at present. The only chemical that is currently produced at large scale from organic wastes is methane gas, a low-value commodity chemical that is in excess supply. It is produced by anaerobic process that is costly and complex to operate. This project is aimed at developing a two-stage fermentation process for the conversion of biomass wastes to calcium magnesium acetate and propylene glycol. The EAGER project will develop microbial growth kinetics data and continuous immobilized cell fermentation data for the conversion lactic acid to acetic acid at low pH values where product extraction is most efficient. Novel porous supports will be used for cell immobilization. Extraction studies will be conducted at low pH values for acetic acid extraction. This project will develop new knowledge in the area of low pH bioconversion, advance knowledge in the area of immobilized cell fermentation, and advance knowledge in the area of acid extraction from fermentation liquor at low pH values. This project is transformative as it can engender research into the valorization of many different organic wastes and biomass to useful products. This project will have significant social, economic, and environmental impacts. The proposed project will enable the generation of high-value chemicals that will provide economic benefits to society. The capital and operating costs associated with the treatment of oxygen-demanding wastes will be eliminated. Moreover, the biodegradable deicers that are produced will replace non-biodegradable deicers such as sodium and calcium chlorides that are currently used for road and airport runway deicing. Large-scale application of inorganic salts to deice roads and highways has caused sodium and chloride contamination of surface waters, ground waters, and soils. Society will benefit from the health and aesthetic advantages associated with a cleaner environment and a healthy ecosystem from the use of biodegradable deicers. In addition, these new deicer products will prevent costs associated with automobile corrosion and costs related to rehabilitation of buildings and civil infrastructure that are damaged by application of conventional deicing chloride salts.