Thesis (M. Sc. (Microbiology)) --University of Limpopo, 2017 / The recent oil crisis and environmental concerns over fossil fuels has led to the development of biofuels from lignocellulosic materials. Two main sugars from lignocellulose that can be used for bioethanol production are glucose and xylose. Xylose is problematic, because there are few yeasts that can utilise and ferment it. Xylose fermentation is not as efficient compared to glucose fermentation. Some of the factors that affect xylose fermentation include rate of xylose consumption, aeration, temperature and inhibitors. To improve ethanol production and fermentations and to make the process economically viable at industrial scale, there is a need to find a robust microorganism that can ferment efficiently in harsh industrial conditions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate by means of evolutionary engineering (adaptation), the adaptability of seven locally isolated yeasts in terms of growth on high xylose concentration, in the presence of acetic acid as well as at elevated temperatures. Seven yeast strains (Candida guilliermondii MBI2, Candida sp. Kp6.2ey, Candida tropicalis Kp21ey, Candida tropicalis Kp42ey, Candida tropicalis Kp43ey, Ogatea methanolica Kp2ey and Pichia kudriavzevii Kp34ey) were adapted to ferment 60 g/L xylose as sole carbon source in the presence of 3 g/L acetic acid at 37°C. P. kudriavzevii Kp34ey was the only yeast to adapt to these conditions. The adapted P. kudriavzevii Kp34ey was compared with the parental strain (unadapted) and a reference strain, Scheffersomyces stipitis NRRLY-7124, using different volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (KLa) rates. P. kudriavzevii Kp34ey (adapted and parental strain) and S. stipitis NRRLY-7124 produced the highest ethanol concentrations at a KLa value of 3.3. Overall, for all KLa values tested, the adapted strain performed better than the parental strain and S. stipitis NRRLY-7124. The adapted P. kudriavzevii Kp34ey yielded 4.03 g/L ethanol on 60 g/L xylose with 3 g/l acetic acid at 37°C at a KLa value of 3.3 and was the only yeast tested to grow under these conditions.

O hidrogênio é uma fonte de energia limpa, pois sua combustão gera apenas água. Porém, ainda há a necessidade de se encontrar soluções tecnologicamente eficientes, econômicas e seguras para sua geração e uso. A produção do H2 por vias biológicas, conhecido como biohidrogênio, vem ganhando grande destaque nos últimos anos, pois possibilita o uso de materiais renováveis como matéria-prima. Materiais lignocelulósicos são potenciais substratos para a produção de H2 por fermentação, no entanto se faz necessário dispor de métodos de hidrólise que disponibilizem os componentes destes materiais para a fermentação. A maior parte dos métodos disponíveis para hidrolisar materiais lignocelulósicos resulta em produtos de degradação de carboidratos, que são reconhecidamente inibidores de fermentação. Este estudo, primeiramente, avaliou o efeito de 3 diferentes grupos de inibidores sobre a produção de H2 por fermentação: (1) ácido orgânico, como o ácido acético; (2) derivados de furano, tais como o furfural e o 5-hidroximetilfurfural (5-HMF); (3) monômeros fenólicos derivados da lignina, tais como o siringaldeído, vanilina e ácido 4-hidroxibenzóico (AHB). Ensaios de fermentação para a produção de H2 em batelada utilizaram como inóculo uma cultura mista (lodo) e foram realizados na presença de glicose e diferentes concentrações dos mencionados inibidores. O modelo de Gompertz modificado foi utilizado para estimar os parâmetros cinéticos dos ensaios de fermentação, como o volume máximo de H2 (P), velocidade máxima de produção de H2 (Rm) e o tempo necessário para o início da produção de H2 (). A partir destes ensaios foi verificado como a adição de diferentes concentrações de inibidores afetou tais parâmetros cinéticos em relação a um controle (apenas contendo glicose). Desta forma foi possível estimar as concentrações dos inibidores que reduzem em 50% as velocidades máximas de produção de H2 a concentração inibitória 50 (CI 50). Em termos de CI 50, o AHB proporcionou a maior inibição (0,38 g.L-1), seguido do 5-HMF e o furfural, com valores de CI 50 de 0,48 e 0,62 g.L-1, respectivamente. A vanilina, o siringaldeído e o ácido acético apresentaram os menores efeitos inibitórios sobre a produção de H2 dentre os inibidores testados, com CI 50 de 0,71; 1,05; e 5,14 g L-1, respectivamente. Numa segunda etapa do trabalho foi avaliado o efeito inibitório da associação de 3 inibidores, representantes de cada uma das classes de inibidores, o ácido acético, o 5-HMF e o siringaldeído. Foi observado um efeito aditivo da inibição quando o ácido acético foi adicionado juntamente com o 5-HMF, porém em ensaios contendo siringaldeído o efeito inibitório tornou-se sinérgico. Por fim, foi utilizado um hidrolisado de bagaço de cana de açúcar como substrato na produção de H2 por fermentação. A produção de H2 a partir deste substrato só foi possível após o tratamento do hidrolisado com carvão ativado. Portanto, concluiu-se que os compostos inibitórios presentes em hidrolisados de materiais lignocelulósicos condicionam a viabilidade da produção de H2 com estes materiais. Este estudo permitiu concluir que os compostos estudados, exceto os monossacarídeos, resultantes da hidrólise de materiais lignocelulósicos, inibem a produção de H2 pela cultura mista utilizada em diferentes graus, sendo o AHB o mais inibidor. A combinação de compostos inibidores potencializa ainda mais o efeito inibitório sobre a produção de H2. O ácido acético, que pode se originar dos hidrolisados, mas que também é um metabólito da produção de H2 por fermentação aumentou ainda mais a inibição do siringaldeído. Assim, sugere-se que a hidrólise de materiais lignocelulósicos deve ser conduzida de forma a minimizar a presença dos inibidores nos hidrolisados, a fim de maximizar o aproveitamento da biomassa lignocelulósica como matéria-prima no processo fermentativo. / Hydrogen is a clean energy source because its combustion produces only water. However, there is still the need to find technologically efficient, economic and safe solutions for their generation and use. The production of H2 by biological pathways, known as biohydrogen, has gained great prominence in recent years because it enables the use of renewable materials as raw material. Lignocellulosic materials are potential substrates for H2 production by fermentation, however it is necessary to have methods that provide hydrolysis of the components of these materials for fermentation. Most methods are available for hydrolyzing lignocellulosic materials results in carbohydrate degradation products are fermentation inhibitors known. This study was primarily to evaluate the effect of 3 different groups inhibitors of the H2 production by fermentation: (1) organic acid such as acetic acid; (2) furan derivatives such as furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF); (3) phenolic derivatives of lignin monomers, such as syringaldehyde, vanillin and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA). Fermentation tests for H2 production batch used as a mixed culture inoculum (sludge) and were carried out in the presence of glucose and different concentrations of the inhibitors mentioned. The modified Gompertz model was used to estimate the kinetic parameters of the fermentation test, the maximum volume of H2 (H), maximum rate of H2 production (Rm) and the time required for the commencement of production of H2 () . From these tests it was observed how the addition of different concentrations of inhibitors affect these kinetic parameters relative to a control (containing only glucose). Thus it was possible to estimate the concentrations of inhibitors that reduce by 50% the maximum production speeds H2 - The inhibitory concentration 50 (IC 50). In terms of IC 50, the AHB provided the greatest inhibition (0.38 g L-1), followed by 5-HMF and furfural, with IC 50 values of 0.48 and 0.62 g L-1, respectively. Vanillin, syringaldehyde and the acetic acid had minor inhibitory effects on H2 production from the tested inhibitors with IC50 of 0.71; 1.05; and 5.14 g L-1, respectively. In a second stage of work, the inhibitory effect of 3 inhibitors association representatives of each class inhibitors, acetic acid, and 5-HMF syringaldehyde. An additive effect of inhibition when acetic acid was added along with 5-HMF was observed in assays containing syringaldehyde but the inhibitory effect became synergistic. Finally, we used a hydrolyzate of sugarcane bagasse as substrate in H2 production by fermentation. The production of H2 from this substrate was only possible after the hydrolyzate treatment with activated carbon. Therefore, it was concluded that the inhibitory compounds present in hydrolyzed lignocellulosic materials affect the viability of H2 production with these materials. This study concluded that the studied compounds, other monosaccharides resulting from the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials, inhibit the production of H2 by mixed culture used in varying degrees, being most AHB inhibitor. The combination of compounds further enhances the inhibitory effect of inhibitors on the production of H2. Acetic acid, which can originate the hydrolysates, but is also a metabolite of H2 production by fermentation further increased inhibition of syringaldehyde. Thus, it is suggested that the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials should be conducted to minimize the presence of inhibitors of the hydrolysates, in order to maximize the utilization of lignocellulosic biomass as a raw material in the fermentation process.

Binderless fiberboard production from Cynara cardunculus and Vitis viniferaTwo lignocellulosic materials, Cynara cardunculus and Vitis vinifera, were pretreated and used to produce fiberboards without synthetic adhesives. The lignocellulosic materials were steam exploded through a thermo-mechanical vapor process in a batch reactor. After pretreatment the materials were dried, ground and pressed to produce the boards. The effects of pretreatment factors and pressing conditions on the chemical and physicomechanical properties of the fiberboards were evaluated and the conditions that optimize these properties were found. Response surface methodology based on a central composite design and multiple response optimization were used. The variables studied were: pretreatment temperature, pretreatment time, pressing temperature, pressing pressure, and pressing time. Binderless fiberboards produced from Cynara cardunculus stalks at the optimum conditions found fulfilled the European standards for boards of internal use. Nevertheless, binderless fiberboards produced from Vitis vinifera prunings at the optimum conditions found for this material did not completely met the European standards; modulus of rupture and internal bond values for these boards were lower than required minimums.Simultaneously, commercial Kraft lignin was reacted in an alkaline medium to enhance its adhesive properties. Chemical changes in reacted Kraft lignins that include ash content, Klason lignin, acid-soluble lignin and sugars were determined, as well as, structural characteristics of these lignins in terms of phenolic hydroxyl, aliphatic hydroxyl, methoxyl, carbonyl, Mw, Mn and polydispersity. The effects of reaction temperature and reaction time on lignin properties were studied using response surface methodology, and optimal reaction conditions were found.Two different types of Kraft lignin were used, alkali treated Kraft lignin and crude acid-washed Kraft lignin, as additives to enhance the physicomechanical properties of binderless fiberboards produced from Vitis vinifera to reach and overcome the European standards completely. At the end fiberboards produced with 20% of Vitis vinifera fibers replaced by crude acid-washed Kraft lignin were able to meet the European standards completely.This research work was an effort to reduce our dependency upon petroleum derivates, to diminish deforestation and to increase the use of renewable and biodegradable materials with the intention of preserving the environment and to encourage a sustainable development of our society. / Producción de Tableros de Fibras a partir de Cynara cardunculus y Vitis viniferaEn el presente estudio trozos Cynara cardunculus y Vitis vinifera fueron pretratados, y usados para producir tableros de fibras sin adhesivos sintéticos. Estos materiales lignocelulósicos se explotaron con vapor a través de un proceso termomecánico de vapor en un reactor por lotes. Después del pretratamiento el material fue secado, molido y prensado en caliente para producir los tableros. Se evaluaron los efectos de los factores del pretratamiento (temperatura de reacción y tiempo de reacción) y las condiciones de prensado (presión de prensado, temperatura y tiempo) sobre las propiedades químicas y físico-mecánicas de los tableros de fibras y se establecieron las condiciones que optimizan dichas propiedades. Las propiedades físico-mecánicas de los tableros de fibras que fueron estudiadas son: densidad, módulo de elasticidad (MOE), módulo de ruptura (MOR), enlace interno (IB), absorción de agua (WA) y hinchazón en hinchazón (TS) y las propiedades químicas estudiadas de la materia prima y el material pretratado fueron las siguientes: Cenizas, contenido de lignina Klason, contenido de celulosa y contenido de hemicelulosas. Se uso una metodología de superficie de respuesta basada en un diseño de experimentos del tipo central compuesto y una metodología de optimización de respuesta múltiple.Los tableros de fibras sin adhesivos sintéticos producidos a partir de tallos de Cynara cardunculus a las condiciones óptimas encontradas cumplieron con las normas europeas para los tableros de uso interno. Sin embargo, los tableros de fibras sin adhesivos sintéticos producidos a partir de podas de Vitis vinifera a las condiciones óptimas encontradas para este material no cumplieron totalmente las normas europeas; los valores del módulo de ruptura y del enlace interno para estos tableros fueron inferiores a los mínimos requeridos. Una lignina Kraft comercial fue sometida a reacción en un medio alcalino para mejorar sus propiedades adhesivas. Se determinaron los cambios químicos en las ligninas Kraft tratadas, las propiedades medidas fueron: contenido en cenizas, lignina Klason, lignina soluble en ácido y azúcares, también se determinaron las características estructurales de estas ligninas en términos de hidroxilos fenólicos, hidroxilos alifáticos, metóxilos, carbonilos, Mw, Mn y polidispersidad. Se estudiaron los efectos de la temperatura de reacción y el tiempo de reacción sobre las propiedades de la lignina con una metodología de superficie de respuesta, y se encontraron la condiciones óptimas de reacción.Se usaron dos tipos diferentes de lignina Kraft, lignina Kraft tratada en medio alcalino y lignina Kraft cruda lavada con ácido, como aditivos para mejorar las propiedades físico-mecánicas de los tableros de fibras sin adhesivos sintéticos producidos a partir de Vitis vinifera, para alcanzar y superar las normas europeas completamente. Al final los tableros de fibras producidos con una substitución del 20% de fibras de Vitis vinifera por lignina Kraft cruda lavada con ácido fueron capaces de satisfacer las normas europeas por completo.Este trabajo de investigación fue un esfuerzo para reducir nuestra dependencia de los derivados del petróleo, para disminuir la deforestación y para aumentar el uso de materiales renovables y biodegradables con la intención de preservar el medio ambiente y fomentar un desarrollo sostenible de nuestra sociedad.

This thesis deals with the technology of the high pressure hydrolysis with nitric acid (HNO3) in biogass production from the hay. The theoretical part is focused on the basic information about the acid hydrolisis. Much attention is ingaged in the lignocellulosic materials and methods of their treatment.The hay was crushed, pelleted and subsequently subjected the acid hydrolysis in the high-pressure hydrolyzer (UV CZ 21314) at pressures (0,475 MPa, 0,934 MPa, 1,611 MPa). As the hydrolysis reagent was used highly concentrated (65%) nitric acid (HNO3). The pressure was achieved in the hydrolyzer by the steam in temparature of 190°C, the residence time of the phytomass in the machine was 500s. Based on the mapping process with wide CO2 production were selected the interesting areas, which were subsequently carried out detailed mapping process using batch simulations at CH4 production. After the mathematical interpolation of the maxima the values were used in the economic analysis, that fully respects the technological possibilities and legislative constraints.

O hidrogênio é uma fonte de energia limpa, pois sua combustão gera apenas água. Porém, ainda há a necessidade de se encontrar soluções tecnologicamente eficientes, econômicas e seguras para sua geração e uso. A produção do H2 por vias biológicas, conhecido como biohidrogênio, vem ganhando grande destaque nos últimos anos, pois possibilita o uso de materiais renováveis como matéria-prima. Materiais lignocelulósicos são potenciais substratos para a produção de H2 por fermentação, no entanto se faz necessário dispor de métodos de hidrólise que disponibilizem os componentes destes materiais para a fermentação. A maior parte dos métodos disponíveis para hidrolisar materiais lignocelulósicos resulta em produtos de degradação de carboidratos, que são reconhecidamente inibidores de fermentação. Este estudo, primeiramente, avaliou o efeito de 3 diferentes grupos de inibidores sobre a produção de H2 por fermentação: (1) ácido orgânico, como o ácido acético; (2) derivados de furano, tais como o furfural e o 5-hidroximetilfurfural (5-HMF); (3) monômeros fenólicos derivados da lignina, tais como o siringaldeído, vanilina e ácido 4-hidroxibenzóico (AHB). Ensaios de fermentação para a produção de H2 em batelada utilizaram como inóculo uma cultura mista (lodo) e foram realizados na presença de glicose e diferentes concentrações dos mencionados inibidores. O modelo de Gompertz modificado foi utilizado para estimar os parâmetros cinéticos dos ensaios de fermentação, como o volume máximo de H2 (P), velocidade máxima de produção de H2 (Rm) e o tempo necessário para o início da produção de H2 (). A partir destes ensaios foi verificado como a adição de diferentes concentrações de inibidores afetou tais parâmetros cinéticos em relação a um controle (apenas contendo glicose). Desta forma foi possível estimar as concentrações dos inibidores que reduzem em 50% as velocidades máximas de produção de H2 a concentração inibitória 50 (CI 50). Em termos de CI 50, o AHB proporcionou a maior inibição (0,38 g.L-1), seguido do 5-HMF e o furfural, com valores de CI 50 de 0,48 e 0,62 g.L-1, respectivamente. A vanilina, o siringaldeído e o ácido acético apresentaram os menores efeitos inibitórios sobre a produção de H2 dentre os inibidores testados, com CI 50 de 0,71; 1,05; e 5,14 g L-1, respectivamente. Numa segunda etapa do trabalho foi avaliado o efeito inibitório da associação de 3 inibidores, representantes de cada uma das classes de inibidores, o ácido acético, o 5-HMF e o siringaldeído. Foi observado um efeito aditivo da inibição quando o ácido acético foi adicionado juntamente com o 5-HMF, porém em ensaios contendo siringaldeído o efeito inibitório tornou-se sinérgico. Por fim, foi utilizado um hidrolisado de bagaço de cana de açúcar como substrato na produção de H2 por fermentação. A produção de H2 a partir deste substrato só foi possível após o tratamento do hidrolisado com carvão ativado. Portanto, concluiu-se que os compostos inibitórios presentes em hidrolisados de materiais lignocelulósicos condicionam a viabilidade da produção de H2 com estes materiais. Este estudo permitiu concluir que os compostos estudados, exceto os monossacarídeos, resultantes da hidrólise de materiais lignocelulósicos, inibem a produção de H2 pela cultura mista utilizada em diferentes graus, sendo o AHB o mais inibidor. A combinação de compostos inibidores potencializa ainda mais o efeito inibitório sobre a produção de H2. O ácido acético, que pode se originar dos hidrolisados, mas que também é um metabólito da produção de H2 por fermentação aumentou ainda mais a inibição do siringaldeído. Assim, sugere-se que a hidrólise de materiais lignocelulósicos deve ser conduzida de forma a minimizar a presença dos inibidores nos hidrolisados, a fim de maximizar o aproveitamento da biomassa lignocelulósica como matéria-prima no processo fermentativo. / Hydrogen is a clean energy source because its combustion produces only water. However, there is still the need to find technologically efficient, economic and safe solutions for their generation and use. The production of H2 by biological pathways, known as biohydrogen, has gained great prominence in recent years because it enables the use of renewable materials as raw material. Lignocellulosic materials are potential substrates for H2 production by fermentation, however it is necessary to have methods that provide hydrolysis of the components of these materials for fermentation. Most methods are available for hydrolyzing lignocellulosic materials results in carbohydrate degradation products are fermentation inhibitors known. This study was primarily to evaluate the effect of 3 different groups inhibitors of the H2 production by fermentation: (1) organic acid such as acetic acid; (2) furan derivatives such as furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF); (3) phenolic derivatives of lignin monomers, such as syringaldehyde, vanillin and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA). Fermentation tests for H2 production batch used as a mixed culture inoculum (sludge) and were carried out in the presence of glucose and different concentrations of the inhibitors mentioned. The modified Gompertz model was used to estimate the kinetic parameters of the fermentation test, the maximum volume of H2 (H), maximum rate of H2 production (Rm) and the time required for the commencement of production of H2 () . From these tests it was observed how the addition of different concentrations of inhibitors affect these kinetic parameters relative to a control (containing only glucose). Thus it was possible to estimate the concentrations of inhibitors that reduce by 50% the maximum production speeds H2 - The inhibitory concentration 50 (IC 50). In terms of IC 50, the AHB provided the greatest inhibition (0.38 g L-1), followed by 5-HMF and furfural, with IC 50 values of 0.48 and 0.62 g L-1, respectively. Vanillin, syringaldehyde and the acetic acid had minor inhibitory effects on H2 production from the tested inhibitors with IC50 of 0.71; 1.05; and 5.14 g L-1, respectively. In a second stage of work, the inhibitory effect of 3 inhibitors association representatives of each class inhibitors, acetic acid, and 5-HMF syringaldehyde. An additive effect of inhibition when acetic acid was added along with 5-HMF was observed in assays containing syringaldehyde but the inhibitory effect became synergistic. Finally, we used a hydrolyzate of sugarcane bagasse as substrate in H2 production by fermentation. The production of H2 from this substrate was only possible after the hydrolyzate treatment with activated carbon. Therefore, it was concluded that the inhibitory compounds present in hydrolyzed lignocellulosic materials affect the viability of H2 production with these materials. This study concluded that the studied compounds, other monosaccharides resulting from the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials, inhibit the production of H2 by mixed culture used in varying degrees, being most AHB inhibitor. The combination of compounds further enhances the inhibitory effect of inhibitors on the production of H2. Acetic acid, which can originate the hydrolysates, but is also a metabolite of H2 production by fermentation further increased inhibition of syringaldehyde. Thus, it is suggested that the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials should be conducted to minimize the presence of inhibitors of the hydrolysates, in order to maximize the utilization of lignocellulosic biomass as a raw material in the fermentation process.

The use of lignocellulosic materials to replace fossil resources for the industrial production of fuels, chemicals, and materials is increasing. The carbohydrate composition of lignocellulose (i.e. cellulose and hemicellulose) is an abundant source of sugars. However, due to the feedstock recalcitrance, rigid and compact structure of plant cell walls, access to polysaccharides is hindered and release of fermentable sugars has become a bottle-neck. Thus, to overcome the recalcitrant barriers, thermochemical pretreatment with an acid catalyst is usually employed for the physical or chemical disruption of plant cell wall. After pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis is the preferred option to produce sugars that can be further converted into liquid fuels (e.g. ethanol) via fermentation by microbial biocatalysts. However, during acid pretreatment, several inhibitory compounds namely furfural, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, phenols, and aliphatic acids are released from the lignocellulose components. The presence of these compounds can greatly effect both enzymatic hydrolysis and microbial fermentation. For instance, when Avicel cellulose and acid treated spruce wood hydrolysate were mixed, 63% decrease in the enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency was observed compared to when Avicel was hydrolyzed in aqueous citrate buffer. In addition, the acid hydrolysates were essentially non-fermentable. Therefore, the associated problems of lignocellulose conversion can be addressed either by using feedstocks that are less recalcitrant or by developing efficient pretreatment techniques that do not cause formation of inhibitory byproducts and simultaneously give high sugar yields. A variety of lignocellulose materials including woody substrates (spruce, pine, and birch), agricultural residues (sugarcane bagasse and reed canary grass), bark (pine bark), and transgenic aspens were evaluated for their saccharification potential. Apparently, woody substrates were more recalcitrant than the rest of the species and bark was essentially amorphous. However, the saccharification efficiency of these substrates varied based on the pretreatment method used. For instance, untreated reed canary grass was more recalcitrant than woody materials whereas the acid treated reed canary grass gave a higher sugar yield (64%) than the woody substrates (max 34%). Genetic modification of plants was beneficial, since under similar pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis conditions, up to 28% higher sugar production was achieved from the transgenic plants compare to the wild type. As an alternative to the commonly used acid catalysed pretreatments (prior to enzymatic hydrolysis) lignocellulose materials were treated with four ionic liquid solvents (ILs): two switchable ILs (SILs) -SO2DBUMEASIL and CO2DBUMEASIL, and two other ILs [Amim][HCO2] and [AMMorp][OAc]. viii After enzymatic hydrolysis of IL treated substrates, a maximum amount of glucan to glucose conversion of between 75% and 97% and a maximum total sugar yields of between 71% and 94% were obtained. When using acid pretreatment these values varied between 13-77% for glucan to glucose conversion and 26-83% for total sugar yield. For woody substrates, the hemicellulose recovery (max 92%) was higher for the IL treated substrates than compared to acid treated samples. However, in case of reed canary grass and pine bark the hemicellulose recovery (90% and 88%, respectively) was significantly higher for the acid treated substrates than the IL treated samples. To overcome the inhibitory problems associated with the lignocellulose hydrolysates, three chemical conditioning methods were used 1. detoxification with ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) 2. application of reducing agents (sulfite, dithionite, or dithiothreitol) and 3. treatment with alkali: Ca(OH)2, NaOH, and NH4OH. The concentrations of inhibitory compounds were significantly lower after treatments with FeSO4 and H2O2 or alkali. Using reducing agents did not cause any decrease in the concentration of inhibitors, but detoxification of spruce acid hydrolysates resulted in up to 54% improvement of the hydrolysis efficiency (in terms of sugar release) compared to untreated samples. On the other hand, application of detoxification procedures to the aqueous buffer resulted in up to 39% decrease in hydrolysis efficiency, thus confirming that the positive effect of detoxification was due to the chemical alteration of inhibitory compounds. In addition, the fermentability of detoxified hydrolysates were investigated using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The detoxified hydrolysates were readily fermented to ethanol yielding a maximum ethanol concentration of 8.3 g/l while the undetoxified hydrolysates were basically non-fermentable.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-04-26Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:14:42Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 martins_gm_me_sjrp.pdf: 665660 bytes, checksum: 5b5c535e4fd75d0fde776340d65eada3 (MD5) / Formas alternativas de produção de combustíveis estão sendo amplamente estudadas, entre as quais a utilização da biomassa lignocelulósica para a produção de etanol. Para que o processo seja viável, o microrganismo fermentador deve ser capaz de utilizar não apenas a glicose, mas também os outros açúcares presentes no hidrolisado desse material, como a xilose, presente em grande quantidade. O objetivo deste trabalho foi isolar e selecionar cepas de leveduras com capacidade de produção de etanol a partir de xilose. Para tanto, realizou-se coletas de amostras de diferentes materiais no ambiente e o isolamento de cepas foi feito em meio contendo xilose como principal fonte de carbono. Foram isoladas vinte cepas de leveduras, pertencentes aos gêneros Aureobasidium, Candida, Hanseniaspora, Issatchenkia, Metschnikowia, Pichia e Rhodotorula, as quais, junto com mais cinco cepas (Candida shehatae BR6-2AY e BR6-2AI, Trichosporon multisporon 1A-10, Trichosporon laibachii 1A-8 e Pichia ofunaensis 1A-14) pertencentes à coleção do laboratório de microbiologia do Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais do Instituto de Biociências da UNESP de Rio Claro foram cultivadas aerobicamente em meio nutriente basal composto de xilose ou glicose (30 g/L) como única fonte de carbono para avaliar a capacidade de assimilação desses açúcares. As melhores assimiladoras de xilose foram avaliadas quanto à capacidade de produzir etanol a partir de meio basal contendo xilose ou glicose (60 g/L) por meio de fermentação anaeróbia e, além disso, cultivos aeróbicos em meio YEPD (2% peptona, 1% extrato de levedura e 2% glicose) foram feitos sob diferentes condições de temperatura e pH para avaliar as condições que favoreciam o crescimento das cepas. Durante os experimentos, amostras foram tomadas periodicamente para avaliar o consumo dos açúcares redutores e do crescimento celular... / Alternatives forms of fuel production have been widely studied, including the use of lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol production. For the process to be possible, the fermenting microorganism must be able to utilize, beyond glucose, other sugars present in the hydrolysate of this material, such as xylose, present in large quantity. The objective of this research was to select yeast strains with ability to produce ethanol from xylose. The isolation of yeast strains was carried out from vegetal material samples using medium containing xylose as main carbon source. Twenty yeast strains isolated (of the genera Aureobasidium, Candida, Hanseniaspora, Issatchenkia, Metschnikowia, Pichia e Rhodotorula) and five strains (Candida shehatae BR6-2AY and BR6-2AI, Trichosporon multisporon 1A-10, Trichosporon laibachii 1A-8 and Pichia ofunaensis 1A-14) from work collection of the Microbiology Laboratory of Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais, Instituto de Biociências - UNESP/Rio Claro were studied. Strains were grown aerobically in basal nutrient medium containing glucose or xylose (30 g/L) as sole carbon source to evaluate the assimilation of these sugars and furthermore it was evaluated their ability to produce ethanol under anaerobic cultivations. In addition, aerobic cultivations in YEPD medium were performed under different conditions of temperature and pH. Samples were taken periodically to analyze the consumption of sugars and of cell growth. Ethanol production was evaluated by gas chromatography. All strains were able to assimilate xylose and glucose and majority showed good development at 32°C and pH 5. Four strains, Candida shehatae BR6-2AY and BR6-2AI, Rhodotorula sp G10.2 and Pichia gulliermondii G1.2, were able to produce ethanol from xylose with values of 0.63 to 3.15 g/L

Resumo: Formas alternativas de produção de combustíveis estão sendo amplamente estudadas, entre as quais a utilização da biomassa lignocelulósica para a produção de etanol. Para que o processo seja viável, o microrganismo fermentador deve ser capaz de utilizar não apenas a glicose, mas também os outros açúcares presentes no hidrolisado desse material, como a xilose, presente em grande quantidade. O objetivo deste trabalho foi isolar e selecionar cepas de leveduras com capacidade de produção de etanol a partir de xilose. Para tanto, realizou-se coletas de amostras de diferentes materiais no ambiente e o isolamento de cepas foi feito em meio contendo xilose como principal fonte de carbono. Foram isoladas vinte cepas de leveduras, pertencentes aos gêneros Aureobasidium, Candida, Hanseniaspora, Issatchenkia, Metschnikowia, Pichia e Rhodotorula, as quais, junto com mais cinco cepas (Candida shehatae BR6-2AY e BR6-2AI, Trichosporon multisporon 1A-10, Trichosporon laibachii 1A-8 e Pichia ofunaensis 1A-14) pertencentes à coleção do laboratório de microbiologia do Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais do Instituto de Biociências da UNESP de Rio Claro foram cultivadas aerobicamente em meio nutriente basal composto de xilose ou glicose (30 g/L) como única fonte de carbono para avaliar a capacidade de assimilação desses açúcares. As melhores assimiladoras de xilose foram avaliadas quanto à capacidade de produzir etanol a partir de meio basal contendo xilose ou glicose (60 g/L) por meio de fermentação anaeróbia e, além disso, cultivos aeróbicos em meio YEPD (2% peptona, 1% extrato de levedura e 2% glicose) foram feitos sob diferentes condições de temperatura e pH para avaliar as condições que favoreciam o crescimento das cepas. Durante os experimentos, amostras foram tomadas periodicamente para avaliar o consumo dos açúcares redutores e do crescimento celular... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Alternatives forms of fuel production have been widely studied, including the use of lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol production. For the process to be possible, the fermenting microorganism must be able to utilize, beyond glucose, other sugars present in the hydrolysate of this material, such as xylose, present in large quantity. The objective of this research was to select yeast strains with ability to produce ethanol from xylose. The isolation of yeast strains was carried out from vegetal material samples using medium containing xylose as main carbon source. Twenty yeast strains isolated (of the genera Aureobasidium, Candida, Hanseniaspora, Issatchenkia, Metschnikowia, Pichia e Rhodotorula) and five strains (Candida shehatae BR6-2AY and BR6-2AI, Trichosporon multisporon 1A-10, Trichosporon laibachii 1A-8 and Pichia ofunaensis 1A-14) from work collection of the Microbiology Laboratory of Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais, Instituto de Biociências - UNESP/Rio Claro were studied. Strains were grown aerobically in basal nutrient medium containing glucose or xylose (30 g/L) as sole carbon source to evaluate the assimilation of these sugars and furthermore it was evaluated their ability to produce ethanol under anaerobic cultivations. In addition, aerobic cultivations in YEPD medium were performed under different conditions of temperature and pH. Samples were taken periodically to analyze the consumption of sugars and of cell growth. Ethanol production was evaluated by gas chromatography. All strains were able to assimilate xylose and glucose and majority showed good development at 32°C and pH 5. Four strains, Candida shehatae BR6-2AY and BR6-2AI, Rhodotorula sp G10.2 and Pichia gulliermondii G1.2, were able to produce ethanol from xylose with values of 0.63 to 3.15 g/L / Orientador: Eleni Gomes / Coorientador: Daniela Alonso Bocchini Martins / Banca: Sandra Regina Ceccato Antonini / Banca: Crispin Humberto Garcia Cruz / Mestre

The sugarcane bagasse has a high content of lignocellulosic material, which enables the study for the production of second-generation ethanol, requiring the application of a pretreatment that promotes the rupture of the fiber, to make accessible sugars for fermentation. There are several pretreatments aimed at the break and in the search for the most productive one, it is applied severe conditions of temperature and pressure. This promotes the formation of undesirable products in the bioethanol production process, requiring detoxification step for removal of inhibitors. In this study, we used the detoxifying step for two pretreatments, hydrothermal and acid. The methodology raised the pH of the hydrolysates resulting from the acid pretreatment to 7.0 with calcium oxide and then decay to pH 4.0 with phosphoric acid. The hydrolysates of the hydrothermal pretreatment had its pH reduced to 4.0 by addition of phosphoric acid, both pretreated were subjected to adsorption on activated carbon (1% w /v , 100 rpm , 30 minutes at 50 ° C), conditions chosen after design 22 after triplicate with the center point. The evaluation of the efficacy of these procedures was made as to the removal of toxic compounds depending on the fermentation yield with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, hydrolysates with and without detoxification, assessing the amount of released sugars for conversion into second-generation ethanol. According to the results , the change of pH combined with activated carbon adsorption led to higher fermentation yields in both pretreated 38.51% acid and hydrothermal 44.85% hydrolyzed , when compared to the yield of samples not detoxified , these results may be associated with interference of lignin in the pulp, which can form condensation products able to interfere with the detoxification. However the best results were found in the hydrolysate hydrothermally pretreated with 87.94% efficiency and fermentation alcohol content of 7.41%, compared to the pre-treated hydrolysate with acid and 5.11% 75.05% respectively. / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O bagaço de cana-de-açúcar possui alto teor de material lignocelulósico, o que viabiliza o estudo para a produção do etanol de segunda geração, sendo necessária a aplicação de um pré tratamento que promova a ruptura da fração fibrosa, para tornar os açucares acessíveis para fermentação. Existem vários pré-tratamentos que visam essa quebra, e na busca pelo mais produtivo são aplicadas condições severas de temperatura e pressão. Isso propicia a formação de produtos indesejáveis ao processo de produção do bioetanol, sendo necessária a etapa de destoxificação para remoção os inibidores. Nesse trabalho, foi empregado a etapa de destoxificação para dois pré-tratados acido e hidrotérmico, na metodologia utilizada elevou-se o pH dos hidrolisados provenientes do pré-tratamento acido para 7,0 com oxido de cálcio e em seguida o decaimento ate pH 4,0 com acido fosfórico, os hidrolisados do pré-tratamento hidrotérmico tiveram seu pH reduzidos para 4,0 com a adição do acido fosfórico, ambos os pré-tratados foram submetidos a adsorção em carvão ativado (1% m/v, 100rpm, 30 minutos a 50°C), condições escolhidas apos planejamento 22 com triplicata no ponto central. Avaliação da eficácia destes procedimentos foi feita quanto a remoção dos compostos tóxicos em função do rendimento fermentativo com a levedura Saccharomyces cerevisiae, de hidrolisados com e sem destoxificação, avaliando a quantidade de açúcares liberados para conversão em etanol de segunda geração. De acordo com os resultados, a alteração de pH combinada a adsorção com carvão ativo propiciou maiores rendimentos fermentativos em ambos os hidrolisados pré-tratados acido 38,51% e hidrotérmico 44,85%, quando comparados ao rendimento de amostras não destoxificadas, a esses resultados pode estar associado a interferência da lignina no bagaço, que pode formar produtos de condensação capazes de interferir na destoxificação. No entanto os melhores resultados foram encontrados no hidrolisado pré-tratado hidrotémicamente com 87,94% de eficiência de fermentação e teor alcoólico de 7,41%, quando comparado ao hidrolisado pré-tratado com acido de 75,50% e 5,11%, respectivamente.

La contamination des surfaces par des bactéries et l’émergence de souches résistantes aux antimicrobiens sont des problèmes très préoccupants dans différents domaines tel que les domaines hospitalier et alimentaire. Cette contamination commence par l’adhésion de bactéries pathogènes sur une surface jusqu’à la formation de biofilms. Ces derniers contribuent à l’émergence de résistances de certaines souches bactériennes aux traitements conventionnels. Pour répondre à ces problèmes de contamination des surfaces, ces travaux de thèse portent sur le développement de nouveaux matériaux antibactériens à base de fibres de pâte à papier. Nous nous sommes intéressés, dans une première partie, à l’élaboration d’un papier antibactérien par le greffage, via un lien triazine, de deux composés d’huiles essentielles, le thymol et le carvacrol, connus pour leurs activités antibactériennes. L’évaluation microbiologique des matériaux élaborés, sur les deux souches bactériennes testées, E.coli et S.aureus, a montré un effet bactériostatique. Ces matériaux bloquent donc la croissance bactérienne empêchant ainsi la formation des biofilms. Une synergie entre le thymol et le carvacrol lorsqu’ils sont greffés sur les fibres de pâte à papier a également été montré. Dans une deuxième partie, notre étude s’est focalisée sur l’élaboration d’un papier antibactérien qui n’acquière son activité qu’après greffage et formation du motif actif « aryl-1,2,3-triazole ». Le greffage est réalisé par une réaction de « Click Chemistry », la cycloaddition de Huisguen catalysée par le cuivre I. Les tests antibactériens révèlent l’importance du substituant de l’aryle, l’influence du temps de contact et la pertinence d’utiliser des mélanges de matériaux. L’activité antibactérienne observée sur les fibres de la pâte thermomécanique est meilleure dans les deux parties. Les différents résultats obtenus sont décrits dans ce manuscrit. / The contamination of surfaces by bacteria and the emergence of antimicrobial resistant strains are very worrying problems in different areas such as hospital and food. This contamination begins with the adhesion of pathogenic bacteria on a surface until the formation of biofilms. These biofilms contribute to the emergence of resistances of certain bacterial strains to conventional treatments. To answer these problems of surface contamination, this thesis work focuses on the development of new antibacterial materials based on pulp fibers. In the first part, we focused on the development of an antibacterial paper by grafting, via triazine link, two essential oil compounds, thymol and carvacrol, known for their antibacterial activities. The microbiological evaluation of the developed materials against the two bacterial strains tested, E. coli and S. aureus, showed a bacteriostatic effect. These materials block the bacterial growth thus preventing the biofilms formation. Synergy between thymol and carvacrol grafted onto paper has also been shown. In a second part, our study focused on the development of an antibacterial paper that acquires its activity only after the grafting and formation of "aryl-1,2,3-triazole", the active motif. The grafting is carried out by a reaction of "Click Chemistry", the copper (I)-catalyzed Azide Alkyne Cycloaddition. The antibacterial tests reveal the importance of the aryl substituent, the influence of the contact time and the relevance of using mixtures of materials. The antibacterial activity observed on the thermomechanical pulp fibers is better in both parts. The different results obtained are described in this manuscript.