Biofuel research could lead to new source of ingredients

Published: 21-Apr-2011

Biproducts of bio-ethanol production from rye-grass could lead to useful to pharma ingredients


Researchers at Glyndwr University looking at the commercial potential of high-sugar perennial rye-grass as feedstock for the production of bio-ethanol and other chemicals will also consider the fibre’s potential for pharmaceutical applications.

High-sugar perennial rye-grass has the potential to provide an ideal feedstock for the production of bio-ethanol and other materials. The grass is high yielding (ca.15 tonne dry wt/hectare/year) and is ideally suited to UK climatic and soil conditions. It can grow on marginal land that will not support the growth of cereal crops and hence will not jeopardise future food supplies.

A grass biorefinery based on ethanol and bulk chemicals as well as biocomposites production alone, however, is unlikely to be economically viable and so it is necessary to produce additional high value chemicals from the fructan molecules isolated. The research aims to utilise the diverse range of fructan molecules found in the ryegrass, as well as novel molecules created by the action of fructan hydrolysing enzymes on the fructans to produce novel high value chemicals.

The fructans will be separated into different classes according to their molecular size and will then be chemically modified to produce a range of high-value sugar-based polymer and surfactant molecules that can be used in the formulation of a broad range of commercial products, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, personal care, coatings, etc.

In addition to a high water soluble sugar content (up to 40%) rye grass also has the benefit of storing its carbohydrate reserves as the water-soluble sugar, fructan, rather than starch. Where starch requires heat/acid treatments and a series of enzymes, for conversion to a fermentable sugar, fructan can be converted through the use of a single enzyme.

For details visit www.glyndwr.ac.uk

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