Lignocellulose Treatment Using a Flow-Through Variant of OrganoCat Process.

This study adapts the biphasic OrganoCat system into a flow-through (FT) reactor, using a heated tubular setup where a mixture of oxalic acid and 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MTHF) is pumped through beech wood biomass. This method minimizes solvent-biomass contact time, facilitating rapid product removal and reducing the risk of secondary reactions. A comparative analysis with traditional batch processes reveals that the FT system, especially under severe conditions, significantly enhances extraction efficiency, yielding higher amounts of lignin and sugars with reduced solid residue.

Redefine photoprotection: Sun protection beyond sunburn.

Excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light leads to acute and chronic UV damage and is the main risk factor for the development of skin cancer. In most countries with western lifestyle, the topical application of sunscreens on UV-exposed skin areas is by far the most frequently used preventive measure against sunburn. Further than preventing sunburns, increasing numbers of consumers are appreciating sunscreens with a medium- to high-level sun protective factor (SPF) as basis for sustainable-skin ageing or skin cancer prevention programs.

Skin optical properties from 200 to 300 nm support far UV-C skin-safety in vivo.

The growing threat of multi-drug resistant pathogens and airborne microbial diseases has highlighted the need to improve or develop novel disinfection methods for clinical environments. Conventional ultraviolet C (UV-C) lamps effectively inactivate microorganisms but are harmful to human skin and eyes upon exposure. The use of new 233 nm far UV-C LEDs as an antiseptic can overcome those limitations.

Cell wall composition and biomass saccharification potential of differ between genetically distant accessions.

Due to its ample production of lignocellulosic biomass, (Sida), a perennial forb, is considered a valuable raw material for biorefinery processes. The recalcitrant nature of Sida lignocellulosic biomass towards pretreatment and fractionation processes has previously been studied. However, Sida is a non-domesticated species and here we aimed at expanding the potential of such plants in terms of their processability for downstream processes by making use of the natural variety of Sida.

Sugarcane bagasse ash as fertilizer for soybeans: Effects of added residues on ash composition, mineralogy, phosphorus extractability and plant availability.

Sugarcane bagasse is commonly combusted to generate energy. Unfortunately, recycling strategies rarely consider the resulting ash as a potential fertilizer. To evaluate this recycling strategy for a sustainable circular economy, we characterized bagasse ash as a fertilizer and measured the effects of co-gasification and co-combustion of bagasse with either chicken manure or sewage sludge: on the phosphorus (P) mass fraction, P-extractability, and mineral P phases.

Optimizing nutrient removal and biomass production of the Algal Turf Scrubber (ATS) under variable cultivation conditions by using Response Surface Methodology.

This study investigated and optimized the nutrient remediation efficiency of a simple low-cost algal biofilm reactor, the algal turf scrubber (ATS), for wastewater treatment. Combined effects of three cultivation variables-total inorganic carbon, nitrogen-to-phosphorous (N:P) ratio, and light intensity-were examined. The ATS nutrient removal efficiency and biomass productivity were analyzed considering the response surface methodology (RSM).

AlgalTextile - a new biohybrid material for wastewater treatment.

Efficient nutrient extraction from wastewater and reuse as bio-fertilizer is an important task for reducing anthropogenic load toward circular economy. Inspired by microbial mats and biofilms, we developed a new material AlgalTextile (AT) that effectively absorbs nutrients from a medium. AT consists of three fully organic components: microalgae, alginate and textile.

Insights into cell wall disintegration of Chlorella vulgaris.

With their ability of CO2 fixation using sunlight as an energy source, algae and especially microalgae are moving into the focus for the production of proteins and other valuable compounds. However, the valorization of algal biomass depends on the effective disruption of the recalcitrant microalgal cell wall. Especially cell walls of Chlorella species proved to be very robust.

Fractionation of Lignocellulosic Biomass using the OrganoCat Process.

The shift from a petroleum-based to a more sustainable and bio-based economy requires the development of new refinery concepts to maintain the supply of raw materials and energy. For these novel and sustainable biorefinery concepts, it is important to use catalysts and solvents that are aligned with the principles of Green Chemistry. Therefore, the implementation of biogenic alternatives can be a promising solution.

Lignocellulose Fractionation Using Recyclable Phosphoric Acid: Lignin, Cellulose, and Furfural Production.

The conversion of lignocellulose into its building blocks and their further transformation into valuable platform chemicals (e. g., furfural) are key technologies to move towards the use of renewable resources.

Multiscale analysis of lignocellulose recalcitrance towards OrganoCat pretreatment and fractionation.

Background: Biomass recalcitrance towards pretreatment and further processing can be related to the compositional and structural features of the biomass. However, the exact role and relative importance to those structural attributes has still to be further evaluated. Herein, ten different types of biomass currently considered to be important raw materials for biorefineries were chosen to be processed by the recently developed, acid-catalyzed OrganoCat pretreatment to produce cellulose-enriched pulp, sugars, and lignin with different amounts and qualities.

Lignin Precipitation and Fractionation from OrganoCat Pulping to Obtain Lignin with Different Sizes and Chemical Composition.

Fractionation of lignocellulose into its three main components, lignin, hemicelluloses, and cellulose, is a common approach in modern biorefinery concepts. Whereas the valorization of hemicelluloses and cellulose sugars has been widely discussed in literature, lignin utilization is still challenging. Due to its high heterogeneity and complexity, as well as impurities from pulping, it is a challenging feedstock.

Biomass composition explains fruit relative growth rate and discriminates climacteric from non-climacteric species.

Fleshy fruits are very varied, whether in terms of their composition, physiology, or rate and duration of growth. To understand the mechanisms that link metabolism to phenotypes, which would help the targeting of breeding strategies, we compared eight fleshy fruit species during development and ripening. Three herbaceous (eggplant, pepper, and cucumber), three tree (apple, peach, and clementine) and two vine (kiwifruit and grape) species were selected for their diversity.

OrganoCat Fractionation of Empty Fruit Bunches from Palm Trees into Lignin, Sugars, and Cellulose-Enriched Pulp.

The palm oil industry produces large amounts of empty fruit bunches (EFB) as waste. EFB are very recalcitrant toward further processing, although their valorization could create novel incentives and bio-economic opportunities for the industries involved. Herein, EFB have been successfully subjected to the OrganoCat pretreatment-using 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid as the biogenic catalyst-to fractionate and separate this lignocellulosic material into its main components in a single step.

TRM4 is essential for cellulose deposition in Arabidopsis seed mucilage by maintaining cortical microtubule organization and interacting with CESA3.

The differentiation of the seed coat epidermal (SCE) cells in Arabidopsis thaliana leads to the production of a large amount of pectin-rich mucilage and a thick cellulosic secondary cell wall. The mechanisms by which cortical microtubules are involved in the formation of these pectinaceous and cellulosic cell walls are still largely unknown. Using a reverse genetic approach, we found that TONNEAU1 (TON1) recruiting motif 4 (TRM4) is implicated in cortical microtubule organization in SCE cells, and functions as a novel player in the establishment of mucilage structure.

One-Step Lignocellulose Fractionation by using 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid as a Biogenic and Recyclable Catalyst.

To develop novel biorefinery concepts, the use of bio-based catalysts and solvents must be aligned with the principles of green chemistry. In this context, biogenic 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is a very promising yet underused molecule with high potential for application as an acid catalyst, combining feasibility and sustainability with efficient and straightforward recovery. In this study, FDCA was evaluated as a catalyst in the recently developed OrganoCat pretreatment, a biphasic lignocellulose fractionation system.

OrganoCat pretreatment of perennial plants: Synergies between a biogenic fractionation and valuable feedstocks.

A successful biorefinery needs to align suitable pretreatment with sustainable production of biomasses. Herein, four perennial plants, (Sida, Silphium, Miscanthus and Szarvasi) regarded as promising feedstocks for biorefineries were subjected to the OrganoCat pretreatment. The technology was successfully applied to the different perennial plants revealing that pretreatment of grasses was more efficient than of non-grasses.

Insights into cell wall structure of Sida hermaphrodita and its influence on recalcitrance.

The perennial plant Sida hermaphrodita (Sida) is attracting attention as potential energy crop. Here, the first detailed view on non-cellulosic Sida cell wall polysaccharide composition, structure and architecture is given. Cell walls were prepared from Sida stems and sequentially extracted with aqueous buffers and alkali.

Cell wall modification in tobacco by differential targeting of recombinant endoglucanase from Trichoderma reesei.

Background: The development of transgenic plants as a production platform for biomass-degrading enzymes is a promising tool for an economically feasible allocation of enzymes processing lignocellulose. Previous research has already identified a major limitation of in planta production such as interference with the structure and integrity of the plant cell wall resulting in a negative influence on plant growth and development.

Results: Here, we describe the in planta expression of endoglucanase TrCel5A from the mesophilic fungus Trichoderma reesei with differential intracellular targeting and evaluate its impact on the tobacco cell wall composition.

Challenges and advances in the heterologous expression of cellulolytic enzymes: a review.

Second generation biofuel development is increasingly reliant on the recombinant expression of cellulases. Designing or identifying successful expression systems is thus of preeminent importance to industrial progress in the field. Recombinant production of cellulases has been performed using a wide range of expression systems in bacteria, yeasts and plants.

Expression of recombinant cellulase Cel5A from Trichoderma reesei in tobacco plants.

Cellulose degrading enzymes, cellulases, are targets of both research and industrial interests. The preponderance of these enzymes in difficult-to-culture organisms, such as hyphae-building fungi and anaerobic bacteria, has hastened the use of recombinant technologies in this field. Plant expression methods are a desirable system for large-scale production of enzymes and other industrially useful proteins.

Cellulases for biomass degradation: comparing recombinant cellulase expression platforms.

Improvement of cellulase expression has the potential to change the nature of the biofuel industry. Increasing the economic feasibility of cellulase systems would significantly broaden the range of practicable biomass conversion, lowering the environmental impact of our civilisations' fuel needs. Cellulases are derived from certain fungi and bacteria, which are often difficult to culture on an industrial scale.

Ethanol inducible expression of a mesophilic cellulase avoids adverse effects on plant development.

Background: Plant-produced biomass-degrading enzymes are promising tools for the processing of lignocellulose to fermentable sugars. A major limitation of in planta production is that high-level expression of such enzymes could potentially affect the structure and integrity of the plant cell wall and negatively influence plant growth and development.

Results: Here, we evaluate the impact on tobacco plant development of constitutive versus alcohol-inducible expression of the endoglucanase TrCel5A from the mesophilic fungus Trichoderma reesei.

Hyperthermophilic endoglucanase for in planta lignocellulose conversion.

Background: The enzymatic conversion of lignocellulosic plant biomass into fermentable sugars is a crucial step in the sustainable and environmentally friendly production of biofuels. However, a major drawback of enzymes from mesophilic sources is their suboptimal activity under established pretreatment conditions, e.g.