Advanced bio-based, biodegradable polymers are vital to a circular material economy for the agriculture system, while also minimizing global plastic pollution, high energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions associated with synthetic polymer production via petroleum-based feedstocks. Many studies bio-based polymers also exhibit superior performance relative to petroleum-based equivalents. We have developed an innovative thermo-biochemical approach to produce biofunctionalized advanced platform chemicals by leveraging oxidative hydrothermal dissolution (OHD) and engineered microbes. First, we developed an OHD process to depolymerize biomass and synthetic polymers into simple aliphatic and aromatic compounds without using expensive catalysts or harsh solvents. For instance, we are able to solubilize &gt;90% of carbon in corn stover and polyethylene terephthalate into microbially accessible substrates. Next, we engineered the robust none-model microbial host P. putida EM42 and the novel catabolic powerhouse, E. aphidicola LJJL01, to biofunnel the heterogeneous organics present in the OHD streams into high-value platform chemicals. We metabolically engineered the strains to expand substrate utilization, enhance chemical toxicity tolerance, and produce tailored advanced platform chemicals such as cis,cis-muconate, β-keto adipate, and 2,3 butanediol from OHD-derived substrates. The developed novel Thermo-bio hybrid process enables the efficient valorization of waste carbon generated in the agricultural system and enables a circular material economy with profound environmental, energy, and economic impacts.

Biofunneling and functionalization of agricultural waste polymers to advanced platform chemicals

ACS Spring 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.