Lignin is an alkyl-aromatic polymer present in plant cell walls for defense, structure, and water transport. Despite exhibiting a high-energy content, lignin is typically slated for combustion in modern biorefineries due to its inherent heterogeneity and recalcitrance; however, it is critical for the economic success of third-generation biorefineries to valorize lignin alongside polysaccharides. This talk presents an integrated strategy that employs biological conversion, separations, and catalysis to convert lignin-derived species into renewable plastics, fuels, and polymer precursors. Native and engineered strains of Pseudomonas putida were utilized to produce (1) intracellular medium chain length polyhydroxyalkanoic acids (mcl-PHAs) for direct use as renewable plastics or for subsequent catalytic conversion to hydrocarbon fuels, and (2) extracellular cis,cis-muconic acid for subsequent catalytic conversion to adipic acid, a nylon 6-6 precursor. Shake flask and fed-batch biological conversion studies were conducted with model lignin monomers, as well as with a depolymerized lignin stream derived from alkaline pretreatment of corn stover. Downstream processing strategies were examined to selectively recover target metabolites, and subsequent catalytic processing was demonstrated with a wide range of chemical catalysts. Collectively, this effort provides a path forward towards valorizing lignin to renewable fuels and chemicals through an integrated scheme of biological funneling and chemical catalysis.

Valorization of lignin to renewable fuels and chemicals through biological funneling and chemical catalysis

249th National Meeting (2015)

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