JP7323084B1 - Manufacturing method of biochemical products - Google Patents

Abstract

The method for producing a bio-chemical product is a method for producing a bio-chemical product by culturing microorganisms in a semi-solid medium, wherein the semi-solid medium is a pellet manufacturing method in which pellets are produced from the first lignocellulose biomass. The liquid medium containing the components derived from the first lignocellulose biomass obtained in step (S10) and a carrier derived from the second lignocellulose biomass in contact with the liquid medium, wherein the components derived from the first lignocellulose biomass are It contains at least one of sugar obtained from the first lignocellulose biomass and glycerol produced from fats and oils of the first lignocellulose biomass.

Description

The present disclosure relates to methods for manufacturing biochemicals.

In recent years, the use of renewable energy such as biomass has been promoted in place of fossil resources such as natural gas in order to suppress the increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere.

In Patent Document 1, bacterial cells of the genus Streptomyces are cultured in a medium containing organic waste or residue or a mixture thereof as a carbon source and/or nutrient source, and lipids are recovered from the cells or the culture medium. A method is disclosed. The recovered lipids are used for biofuels or lubricants.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-529906

By the way, palm oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the fruit of the oil palm, and is used in many applications such as food and fuel. On the other hand, conventionally, old palm trees (OPT: Oil Palm Trunk), palm empty fruit bunches (EFB: Empty Fruit Bunch), pruned branches and leaves (OPF: Oil Palm Frond) and mesocarp fibers ( Lignocellulosic biomass such as MCF (Mesocarp Fiber) has been disposed of. While attempts have been made to use such lignocellulose biomass in the form of pellets, there is a demand for more effective use of the lignocellulose biomass used in the pellet manufacturing process.

Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for producing a biochemical product that can produce a chemical product using raw materials derived from lignocellulose biomass obtained in a pellet manufacturing process.

A method for producing a bio-chemical product according to the present disclosure produces a bio-chemical product by culturing microorganisms in a semi-solid medium. The semi-solid medium is in contact with the liquid medium containing the components derived from the first lignocellulose biomass obtained in the pellet manufacturing process for manufacturing pellets from the first lignocellulose biomass, and the liquid medium, and the carrier derived from the second lignocellulose biomass. including. The component derived from the first lignocellulose biomass includes at least one of sugar obtained from the first lignocellulose biomass and glycerol produced from fats and oils of the first lignocellulose biomass.

The component derived from the first lignocellulosic biomass may contain at least one element selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

The carrier may contain a fibrous material obtained from at least one selected from the group consisting of defruited oil palm, bagasse, straw, orange peel, apple peel and apple core.

The carrier may comprise fibrous material derived from the first lignocellulosic biomass obtained from the pelletizing process.

The pellet may contain a sterilized carrier after culturing the microorganism.

The bio-product may contain citric acid.

Microorganisms may have hyphae.

The liquid medium may contain a concentrate obtained by concentrating the sugar solution obtained from the first lignocellulose biomass by membrane separation.

Advantageous Effects of Invention According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a method for producing a bio-chemical product that can produce a chemical product using a raw material derived from lignocellulose biomass obtained in a pellet manufacturing process.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a method for producing a biochemical product according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of a method for producing a biochemical product according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of a method for producing a biochemical product according to one embodiment.

Several exemplary embodiments are described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for convenience of explanation, and may differ from the actual ratios.

[First embodiment]
First, a method for producing a biochemical product according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the method for producing a bio-chemical product according to this embodiment, microorganisms are cultured in a semi-solid medium to produce a bio-chemical product. A semi-solid medium includes a liquid medium and a carrier. In this embodiment, by using lignocellulose biomass as the raw material for the liquid medium and carrier, materials that have been disposed of until now can be used as natural culture medium. Therefore, it is possible to effectively use resources and reduce the equipment and energy required for waste treatment.

The liquid medium contains components derived from the first lignocellulose biomass obtained in the pellet manufacturing step S10 for manufacturing pellets from the first lignocellulose biomass. By using such components in the liquid medium, it is possible to effectively utilize the waste that has been discarded in the pellet manufacturing step S10.

The first lignocellulosic biomass is biomass comprising lignocellulose. Lignocellulose contains at least one selected from the group consisting of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. The first lignocellulose biomass may contain at least one selected from the group consisting of plant biomass, its processed products and waste. Vegetation biomass may include at least one of herbaceous biomass and woody biomass. Herbaceous biomass may contain at least one selected from the group consisting of oil palm, rice, wheat, banana, sugar cane, corn, cassava, sago palm, nipa palm, yam, sorghum and potato. The woody biomass may contain at least one selected from the group consisting of cedar, cypress, pine, eucalyptus, beech, apple and mandarin orange.

The first lignocellulosic biomass may comprise defruited oil palms. Specifically, the first lignocellulose biomass may contain at least one selected from the group consisting of old palm trees, empty palm fruit clusters of oil palm, pruned branches and leaves of oil palm, and mesocarp fibers of oil palm. good.

[Pellet manufacturing step S10]
Next, details of the pellet manufacturing step S10 will be described. The pellet manufacturing process S10 includes a crushing process S11, a squeezing process S12, an extracting process S13, a grinding process S14, a dewatering process S15, a drying process S16, and a forming process S17. In this embodiment, the crushing step S11, the squeezing step S12, the extracting step S13, the grinding step S14, the dehydrating step S15, the drying step S16, and the forming step S17 are performed in this order.

In the crushing step S11, the first lignocellulose biomass is crushed. Thereby, the first lignocellulose biomass can be made into a shape suitable for the squeezing step S12. For example, when the first lignocellulose biomass is an old palm tree, the log-shaped old palm tree may be crushed into chips having a maximum size of about 2.0 to 8.0 cm. The maximum size of the old palm tree after crushing may be 3 cm or more. Also, the maximum size of the old palm tree after crushing may be 5 cm or less. Through the crushing step S11, not only fibrous lignocellulose biomass but also lignocellulose biomass such as old palm trees can be used as a raw material for pellets. The crushing of the first lignocellulose biomass can be crushed using a common crusher. In addition, when the first lignocellulose biomass is fibrous lignocellulose biomass and the like, the first lignocellulose biomass need not be crushed, the crushing step S11 may not be performed. The first lignocellulose biomass crushed in the crushing step S11 is subjected to the squeezing step S12.

The squeezing step S12 is a step of squeezing the first lignocellulose biomass to obtain a sugar solution from the first lignocellulose biomass. In the squeezing step S12, the first lignocellulose biomass may be squeezed by at least one separator selected from the group consisting of a rotary screen, a centrifuge, a screw press and a filter press. The sugar concentration of the sugar liquid obtained in the squeezing step S12 is, for example, about 5% to 15% by mass. The solid content remaining after squeezing may be subjected to the extraction step S13.

In the extraction step S13, at least one of ash and sugar in the first lignocellulose biomass is extracted with an extract liquid containing water. When pellets are burned in a combustor, ash may adhere to the combustor and become a causative substance that reduces the combustion efficiency of the combustor. Therefore, by extracting the ash from the first lignocellulosic biomass before forming the pellets, pellets with less ash can be produced. In addition, since the extract contains water and the water can dissolve the ash, the ash can be efficiently extracted from the first lignocellulose biomass.

Further, the first lignocellulose biomass squeezed in the squeezing step S12 may contain sugar. When the first lignocellulose biomass contains sugars, in the extraction step S13, the sugars such as glucose, sucrose and fructose contained in the first lignocellulose biomass can be extracted into an extract liquid by osmotic pressure. . The extract may be fresh water such as tap water, ground water, river water, lake water or pure water. These waters can efficiently extract ash or sugar by osmotic pressure.

In the extraction step S13, ash and sugar may be extracted by immersing the first lignocellulose biomass in an extract liquid in a water tank. The amount of ash and sugar extracted from the first lignocellulose biomass tends to increase as the time of contacting the first lignocellulose biomass with the extractant increases. The immersion time of the first lignocellulosic biomass in the extract may be 10 minutes or longer. Although the upper limit of the immersion time is not particularly limited, the immersion time may be 24 hours or less, 12 hours or less, or 3 hours or less. From the viewpoint of suppressing the size of the device, the shorter the immersion time, the better. The temperature of the extract may be, for example, normal temperature such as 20°C or higher and 40°C or lower. By setting the extraction temperature to room temperature or higher, the extraction effect is enhanced. In addition, by setting the extraction temperature to 40° C. or less, the energy required for raising the temperature can be reduced, and equipment required for cooling can be simplified. The amount of the extract added to 1 g of the first lignocellulose may be 1 mL or more and 5 mL or less. In the extraction step S13, the ash and sugar may be extracted by pouring the extract over the first lignocellulose biomass. The solid content obtained in the extraction step S13 may be ground in the grinding step S14. Moreover, the liquid extract obtained in the extraction step S13 may be used as a raw material for methane fermentation in the methane fermentation step S18.

In the grinding step S14, the first lignocellulose biomass is ground. By grinding the first lignocellulose biomass, the vascular bundles and soft tissue of the first lignocellulose biomass are destroyed to form a slurry, and the dehydration efficiency of the first lignocellulose biomass can be improved in the dehydration step S15.

In the grinding step S14, the ash in the first lignocellulose biomass may be extracted with an extract liquid containing water. In the grinding step S14, similarly to the extraction step S13, ash-poor pellets can be produced by extracting ash from the first lignocellulose biomass before forming pellets. Further, in the grinding step S14, the sugar contained in the first lignocellulose biomass may be extracted into the extract liquid by osmotic pressure. In the grinding step S14, since the first lignocellulose biomass is ground and made fine, ash and sugar can be efficiently extracted. The extract may be fresh water such as tap water, ground water, river water, lake water or pure water, as described above. The temperature of the liquid extract may be, for example, normal temperature such as 20°C or higher and 40°C or lower.

In the grinding step S14, the first lignocellulose biomass may be ground with a stone grinder. The first lignocellulose biomass can be finely ground by using a stone mill grinder. The stone grinder may include an upper grinder and a lower grinder. The upper grinder and the lower grinder are arranged to face each other across a clearance, and one of the upper grinder and the lower grinder may be rotatably provided. The upper grinder and the lower grinder may have an annular shape with an opening in the center. When the first lignocellulose biomass is supplied from the opening in the center of the ring, the first lignocellulose biomass is ground within the clearance by rotation of either the upper grinder or the lower grinder, while It may be discharged as a grind. The clearance may be 50 μm or more and 1000 μm or less.

The milling may be wet milling or dry milling. In the case of wet milling, the mixture of the first lignocellulose biomass and the extract is milled so that the first lignocellulose biomass can be pulverized by milling and the ash and sugar can be extracted with the extract. In the case of wet milling, the amount of the extract added to the first lignocellulose biomass may be 1 or more and 5 or less in mass ratio. Also, the first lignocellulosic biomass may be ground continuously or intermittently.

In the dehydration step S15, the solid content of the first lignocellulose biomass and the extract, which is the liquid content containing ash and sugar, are separated. The moisture content of the first lignocellulose biomass after dehydration may be 40% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less. In the dehydration step S15, the liquid extract may be separated using at least one separator selected from the group consisting of a rotary screen, a centrifuge, a screw press and a filter press. The solid content contains at least one selected from the group consisting of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Also, the liquid contains ash and sugar. The first lignocellulose biomass, which is the solid content obtained in the dehydration step S15, may be dried in the drying step S16. Moreover, the liquid extract obtained in the dehydration step S15 may be used as a raw material for methane fermentation in the methane fermentation step S18.

In the drying step S16, the first lignocellulose biomass is dried. In the drying step S16, the first lignocellulose biomass is dried, for example, so that the moisture content of the first lignocellulose biomass is about 10% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less. By setting the moisture content of the first lignocellulose biomass within the above range, pellets can be easily formed from the first lignocellulose biomass in the forming step S17. The drying temperature in the drying step S16 may be around 100°C, for example. The drying time in the drying step S16 may be, for example, 1 to 2 minutes for flash drying and 10 to 15 minutes for drum drying.

In addition, when the influence of the ash in the pellet is small, the extraction step S13, the grinding step S14 and the dehydration step S15 may not be performed. Moreover, when the moisture content of the first lignocellulose biomass is sufficiently low, the drying step S16 may not be performed.

In the forming step S17, the first lignocellulose biomass dried in the drying step S16 is formed into pellets. Since the pellets molded in the molding step S17 are easy to carry, the distribution to the market is improved. In the forming step S17, the first lignocellulose biomass may be pressure-formed into pellets using a pelletizer. The pellets obtained in the molding step S17 may be used as a solid fuel, or may be used as a material for molding a compact.

As described above, pellets can be manufactured by the pellet manufacturing step S10 according to this embodiment. Further, as described above, the liquid extract obtained in the extraction step S13 and the liquid extract obtained in the dehydration step S15 may be used as raw materials for methane fermentation in the methane fermentation step S18. good.

In the methane fermentation step S18, biogas containing methane and carbon dioxide is generated from the extract containing sugar by the action of microorganisms such as methane bacteria. In addition, in the methane fermentation step S18, digestive juice is also produced by methane fermentation in the bioreactor. The digestive fluid can be treated by a known activated sludge treatment method. Electric power may be generated using the methane contained in the biogas produced in the methane fermentation step S18 as fuel. Electric power obtained by power generation may be used as driving energy in the production of biochemical products.

As described above, in the method for producing a bio-chemical product according to this embodiment, microorganisms are cultured in a semi-solid medium to produce a bio-chemical product. A semi-solid medium includes a liquid medium and a carrier. The liquid medium contains components derived from the first lignocellulose biomass obtained in the pellet manufacturing step S10 for manufacturing pellets from the first lignocellulose biomass.

The component derived from the first lignocellulose biomass may contain at least one of sugar obtained from the first lignocellulose biomass and glycerol produced from fats and oils of the first lignocellulose biomass. That is, the component derived from the first lignocellulose biomass may contain either sugar obtained from the first lignocellulose biomass or glycerol produced from fats and oils of the first lignocellulose biomass. In addition, the component derived from the first lignocellulose biomass may include sugar obtained from the first lignocellulose biomass and glycerol produced from fats and oils of the first lignocellulose biomass.

When the component derived from the first lignocellulose biomass contains sugar obtained from the first lignocellulose biomass, the sugar solution such as juice produced in the pellet manufacturing step S10 can be effectively used as a carbon source for microorganisms. The sugar may contain at least one selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. Monosaccharides may contain at least one selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, mannose and xylose. The disaccharide may include at least one of cellobiose and xylobiose. The oligosaccharide contains 3 to 20 monosaccharides and may contain at least one selected from the group consisting of maltotriose, raffinose and stachyose. Polysaccharides contain more than 20 monosaccharides and may contain water-soluble starch and/or xylan.

If the component derived from the first lignocellulosic biomass contains glycerol, glycerol that has hitherto been wasted can be converted into a useful material. For example, empty palm fruit clusters of oil palm contain a lot of oil, and biodiesel can be produced from this oil. When biodiesel is produced from fats and oils, glycerol is produced as a by-product in the biodiesel production process. On the other hand, there are microorganisms that produce biochemical products such as citric acid from glycerol. Therefore, by culturing microorganisms using a liquid medium containing glycerol, biochemical products can be produced from glycerol, which is a by-product of biodiesel.

The component derived from the first lignocellulosic biomass may contain at least one element selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These elements contribute to promoting the growth of microorganisms, and high productivity of biochemical products can be expected. In addition, the component derived from the first lignocellulose biomass may contain at least one of an organic acid and a fat. These compounds also contribute to promoting the growth of microorganisms, and high productivity of biochemical products can be expected.

In the present embodiment, the component derived from the first lignocellulose biomass is the juice obtained in the squeezing step S12. When the component derived from the first lignocellulose biomass contains sugar obtained from the first lignocellulose biomass, the undiluted solution of the squeezed liquid obtained in the squeezing step S12 may be directly used as a liquid medium, but the squeezed liquid is used as the undiluted solution. may be concentrated in the concentration step S19.

The concentration step S19 is a step of concentrating the sugar solution obtained from the first lignocellulose biomass. Specifically, the concentration step S19 is a step of concentrating the sugar solution such as the squeezed juice obtained in the squeeze step S12 to obtain a concentrated liquid. As a result, a concentrated sugar solution having a higher sugar concentration than the squeezed juice obtained in the squeezing step S12 is obtained, so spoilage of the sugar solution can be suppressed. The sugar concentration of the concentrated sugar solution may be 20% or more, or 25% or more by mass. The upper limit of the sugar concentration of the concentrated sugar solution is not particularly limited, but the sugar concentration may be, for example, 90% or less, 60% or less, or 30% or less by weight. A method for measuring the sugar concentration will be described later.

The liquid medium may contain a concentrate obtained by concentrating the sugar solution obtained from the first lignocellulose biomass by membrane separation. As a result, the concentrated liquid can be continuously obtained from the sugar liquid, so that the production efficiency of the concentrated liquid can be improved. In membrane separation, a reverse osmosis membrane (RO membrane) may be used to concentrate the sugar solution. Moreover, before concentrating the sugar solution using the reverse osmosis membrane, the sugar solution may be filtered using an ultrafiltration membrane (UF membrane). As a result, particles having a large particle size can be removed, and lignin in the first lignocellulose biomass can be removed, so high productivity of biochemical products by microorganisms can be expected. However, concentration of the sugar solution is not limited to membrane separation, and may be carried out by methods such as vacuum evaporation concentration, heat concentration, vacuum concentration, and freeze concentration. A portion of the concentrated liquid may be used as a raw material for methane fermentation in the methane fermentation step S18.

The liquid medium is in contact with the liquid medium and contains a second lignocellulosic biomass-derived carrier. By using such a carrier as a scaffolding material for culturing microorganisms, high productivity of biochemical products by microorganisms can be expected. The carrier may comprise fibrous material. When the carrier contains a fibrous material, it may become easier for microorganisms to use the carrier as a scaffold.

The carrier may contain a fibrous material obtained from at least one selected from the group consisting of defruited oil palm, bagasse, straw, orange peel, apple peel and apple core. These fibrous materials are derived from lignocellulosic biomass and are readily available. In addition, by using these fiber materials, high productivity of biochemical products by microorganisms can be expected. The carrier may comprise a fibrous material obtained by drying the above materials. As described above, the oil palm from which the fruit has been removed may contain at least one selected from the group consisting of old palm trees, empty palm bunches, pruned branches and leaves, and mesocarp fibers. The straw may contain at least one of rice straw and wheat straw.

The carrier may contain fibrous material derived from the first lignocellulose biomass obtained in the pellet manufacturing step S10. Conventionally, unnecessary primary lignocellulose biomass generated in the process of producing pellets was disposed of. However, by using such a fibrous material as a carrier, the waste treatment amount of the first lignocellulose biomass can be reduced and the first lignocellulose biomass can be used more effectively.

The carrier may be immersed in the liquid medium, and the flowing liquid medium may pass through while contacting the carrier. Moreover, a liquid medium may be adsorbed on the carrier. In addition, voids may be formed between the carriers on which the liquid medium is adsorbed. In particular, when the carrier is a fibrous material and the liquid medium is adsorbed on the fibrous material, a plurality of voids are formed between the fibrous materials to which the liquid medium is adsorbed. Such voids increase the surface area of the carrier and increase the contact area between the liquid medium and air, so that a large amount of oxygen in the air can be dissolved in the liquid medium. Therefore, inhibition of oxygen respiration by microorganisms can be suppressed, and production of biochemical products can be promoted. In addition, even if the liquid medium is not stirred, the dissolved oxygen concentration in the liquid medium tends to increase, so damage to microorganisms can be reduced. Such gaps are particularly effective for microorganisms having mycelium, since the mycelium is easily cut by strong stirring.

The carrier content in the semi-solid medium may be, for example, 10% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less. By setting the content of the carrier to 10% by mass or more, the surface of each carrier can be uniformly covered with the liquid medium. Also, by setting the content of the carrier to 30% by mass or less, it is possible to suppress the flow of the liquid medium and improve the production efficiency of the biochemical product. Moreover, when fibers are used as the carrier, a structure can be formed in which a plurality of gaps are provided between the fibers to which the liquid medium is adsorbed. Therefore, the contact area between the liquid medium and air increases, and the dissolved oxygen concentration in the liquid medium can be increased. From the viewpoint of biochemical product productivity, the carrier preferably contains a plurality of fibers with different fiber lengths.

In the culture step S20, microorganisms are cultured in a semi-solid medium. The conditions for culturing the microorganism are not particularly limited, and the microorganism can be cultured under conditions suitable for the characteristics of the microorganism to be cultured. Therefore, the culturing temperature, culturing time, shaking speed and the like can be appropriately set to conditions suitable for the microorganism. Also, the culture of microorganisms may include at least one selected from the group consisting of continuous culture, fed-batch culture and batch culture.

Microorganisms may contain at least one selected from the group consisting of bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes. Bacteria may include, for example, at least one of Escherichia coli and actinomycetes. The archaebacteria may contain at least one selected from the group consisting of, for example, methanogens, halophiles and thermophiles. Eukaryotes may include, for example, fungi. Fungi may include, for example, filamentous fungi and/or yeast. Examples of filamentous fungi include Aspergillus, Penicillium, Acremonium, and Trichoderma. By culturing filamentous fungi such as these, biochemical products such as alcohols, organic acids, proteins and hormones can be produced. Microorganisms may include the filamentous fungi Aspergillus.

Microorganisms may have hyphae. Microorganisms having mycelia can extend their mycelium using the carrier as a scaffold. Also, such microorganisms are capable of releasing biochemicals from their hyphal tips. Therefore, by using such microorganisms, high productivity of biochemical products can be expected. Microorganisms having mycelium may include at least one of filamentous fungi and actinomycetes.

The pellet may contain a sterilized carrier after culturing the microorganism. As a result, the carrier discarded after culturing the microorganism can be reused. In particular, when the carrier contains a fibrous material, the production of pellets is facilitated in the pellet production step S10. Sterilization may be performed by drying the fiber material after culture in the drying step S16. This reduces the steps and energy required to dispose of the fibrous material.

Moreover, you may use the liquid medium after microorganisms culture as a raw material of methane fermentation by methane fermentation process S18. As a result, it is possible to reduce the disposal cost of the liquid medium after culturing the microorganisms. In addition, since components necessary for methane fermentation may remain in the liquid medium after culture, resources can be effectively used by using such a liquid medium as a raw material for methane fermentation.

Biochemical products are not particularly limited as long as they are obtained by culturing microorganisms. Biochemicals include organic acids such as citric acid, proteins such as antibiotics and enzymes, alcohols, and hormones. The biochemical product may contain, for example, citric acid, which is a type of organic acid. Citric acid is used in foods, detergents, and the like, and is a substance whose demand has increased in recent years. Citric acid can be produced, for example, by Aspergillus.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to Examples, but the present embodiment is not limited to these Examples.

[Example 1]
First, pellets were produced from old palm trees by the pellet production step S10. Moreover, the squeezed liquid obtained in the squeezing step S12 of the pellet manufacturing step S10 was obtained. The sugar concentration of glucose and fructose in the juice was 10% by mass. Sugar concentration was measured using HPLC (SHIMADZU Prominence, Nexera-i). In the sugar concentration analysis, a Shin-pack SCR-101H column (SHIMADZU, particle diameter 10 mm, size 7.9 mm×300 mm) was used, and an aqueous perchloric acid solution of pH 2.0 was used as the eluent. The sugar concentration was also analyzed using a PDA (photodiode array) detector (UV-254 nm) and an RI (differential refractive index) detector at a column temperature of 60° C. and a flow rate of 0.7 mL/min.

Next, the juice obtained in the squeezing step S12 was concentrated using a reverse osmosis membrane in the concentration step S19 to produce a concentrate. The sugar concentration of glucose and fructose in the concentrate was 16.7% by mass. Sugar concentration was measured in the same manner as above. Further, when the pH of the concentrate was measured, it was found to be 4-5. The concentrate thus obtained was used as a liquid medium.

Next, the fibrous old palm tree obtained in the drying step S16 of the pellet manufacturing step S10 was prepared as a carrier. The fibrous old palm trees were fibers with a length of about 5 mm to 30 mm and a diameter of about 1 mm to 2 mm.

3.9 g of the carrier obtained as described above was placed in a petri dish. Then, 15 mL of an OPT juice liquid medium containing the squeezed liquid and the concentrated liquid was dropped onto the carrier in the petri dish. A liquid medium was adsorbed on the carrier so that the surface of the carrier was sufficiently covered with the liquid medium to prepare a semi-solid medium. A plurality of voids were formed between the fibers that were the carrier.

Next, a predetermined amount of conidia of Aspergillus aspergillus was inoculated onto the carrier on which the liquid medium had been adsorbed, and the petri dish was closed with a lid. This petri dish was cultured at a temperature of 30°C for 4 days.

After the cultivation, the amount of citric acid produced by Aspergillus oryzae was measured, and the amount of citric acid produced by the culture method of Example 1 was 80.2%. The amount of citric acid referred to here means the ratio of the weight of citric acid to the weight of sugars (glucose and fructose) in the liquid medium. From these results, it was confirmed that the amount of citric acid produced could be increased by using a semi-solid medium. Moreover, the amount of citric acid produced by the culture method of Example 1 was larger than the theoretical value calculated from the sugar concentration in the liquid medium, and it was confirmed that an effect beyond expectations could be obtained.

Aspergillus produces citric acid from sugar, but some Aspergillus produces citric acid from glycerol. Therefore, even when a liquid medium containing not only sugar obtained from the first lignocellulose biomass but also glycerol produced from the oil of the first lignocellulose biomass is used, biochemical products can be produced by culturing microorganisms. can be generated.

In this example, the biochemical product was produced using Aspergillus oryzae.

[Second embodiment]
Next, a method for manufacturing a biochemical product according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The method for producing a bio-chemical product according to this embodiment differs from the method for producing a bio-chemical product according to the first embodiment in the method of obtaining a liquid medium. In the method for producing a biochemical product according to the first embodiment, the squeezed liquid obtained in the squeezing step S12 is concentrated in the concentration step S19, and the resulting concentrated liquid is used as a liquid medium. On the other hand, in the method for producing a biochemical product according to the present embodiment, the sugar-containing extract obtained in the extraction step S13 is concentrated in the concentration step S19, and the obtained concentrate is used as a liquid medium. The method according to this embodiment can also produce a biochemical product in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

In addition, in the method for producing a biochemical product according to the first embodiment, the liquid extract obtained in the extraction step S13 and the liquid extract obtained in the dehydration step S15 are used as raw materials for methane fermentation in the methane fermentation step S18. On the other hand, in the method for producing a biochemical product according to the present embodiment, the juice obtained in the squeezing step S12 and the sugar-containing extract obtained in the dehydration step S15 are used as raw materials for methane fermentation in the methane fermentation step S18. ing. Even with such a method, biogas can be produced by methane fermentation.

In addition, since it is the same as the manufacturing method of the biochemical product based on 1st Embodiment other than the above, description is abbreviate|omitted.

[Third embodiment]
Next, a method for producing a biochemical product according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The method for producing a bio-chemical product according to this embodiment differs from the method for producing a bio-chemical product according to the first embodiment in the method of obtaining a liquid medium. In the method for producing a biochemical product according to the first embodiment, the squeezed liquid obtained in the squeezing step S12 is concentrated in the concentration step S19, and the resulting concentrated liquid is used as a liquid medium. On the other hand, in the method for producing a biochemical product according to the present embodiment, the sugar-containing extract obtained in the dehydration step S15 is concentrated in the concentration step S19, and the resulting concentrate is used as a liquid medium. The method according to this embodiment can also produce a biochemical product in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

In addition, in the method for producing a biochemical product according to the first embodiment, the liquid extract obtained in the extraction step S13 and the liquid extract obtained in the dehydration step S15 are used as raw materials for methane fermentation in the methane fermentation step S18. On the other hand, in the method for producing a biochemical product according to the present embodiment, the juice obtained in the squeezing step S12 and the sugar-containing extract obtained in the extraction step S13 are used as raw materials for methane fermentation in the methane fermentation step S18. ing. Even with such a method, biogas can be produced by methane fermentation.

In addition, since it is the same as the manufacturing method of the biochemical product based on 1st Embodiment other than the above, description is abbreviate|omitted.

In addition, in the first to third embodiments, the juice obtained in the squeezing step S12, the extract obtained in the extraction step S13, and the extract obtained in the dehydration step S15 are concentrated in the concentration step S19. and an example of using the obtained concentrate as a liquid medium. However, the method for producing a biochemical product is not limited to such a form, and the squeezed liquid obtained in the squeeze step S12, the extract obtained in the extraction step S13, or the extract obtained in the dehydration step S15. may be used as a sugar solution as it is as a liquid medium. Therefore, it consists of the squeezed liquid obtained in the squeezing step S12, the extract obtained in the extraction step S13, the extract obtained in the dehydration step S15, and the concentrated liquid obtained by concentrating these in the concentration step S19. A mixed solution in which at least one selected from the group is mixed may be used as the liquid medium. In addition, the juice obtained in the squeezing step S12, the extract obtained in the extraction step S13, the extract obtained in the dehydration step S15, the concentrate obtained by concentrating these in the concentration step S19, or these A diluted solution obtained by diluting the mixed solution of may be used as a liquid medium.

As described above, the method for producing a bio-chemical product according to the present embodiment produces a bio-chemical product by culturing microorganisms in a semi-solid medium. The semisolid medium is in contact with the liquid medium containing the components derived from the first lignocellulose biomass obtained in the pellet manufacturing step S10 for manufacturing pellets from the first lignocellulose biomass, and the liquid medium containing the components derived from the second lignocellulose biomass. and a carrier. The component derived from the first lignocellulose biomass includes at least one of sugar obtained from the first lignocellulose biomass and glycerol produced from fats and oils of the first lignocellulose biomass.

According to the method for producing a bio-chemical product according to the present embodiment, a bio-chemical product is produced using the first lignocellulose biomass and the second lignocellulose biomass. Pellets are also produced from the first lignocellulose biomass by a pellet production step S10. Therefore, chemical products can be produced from the culture medium using the lignocellulose biomass-derived raw material obtained in the pellet production step S10.

The entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-055346 (filing date: March 30, 2022) are incorporated herein by reference.

Although several embodiments have been described, modifications or variations of the embodiments are possible based on the above disclosure. All the components of the above embodiments and all the features recited in the claims may be extracted individually and combined as long as they are not inconsistent with each other.

This disclosure is, for example, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) led by the United Nations, Goal 12 “Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns” and Goal 13 “Take urgent action to mitigate climate change and its impacts.” Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss and Goal 17 "Strengthen implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development".

S10 pellet manufacturing process

Claims (9)

A method for producing a bio-chemical product by culturing microorganisms in a semi-solid medium to produce a bio-chemical product,
The method for producing the biochemical product includes a pellet production step of producing pellets from the first lignocellulose biomass,
The method for producing a bio-chemical product comprises the step of bringing a liquid medium into contact with a carrier to produce the semi-solid medium ,
The method for producing the bio-chemical product includes the step of producing the liquid medium from the first lignocellulose biomass in the pellet production step of producing pellets from the first lignocellulose biomass ,
The method for producing the biochemical product includes the step of producing the carrier from a second lignocellulose biomass,
The semi-solid medium is in contact with the liquid medium containing the components derived from the first lignocellulose biomass obtained in the pellet manufacturing step of manufacturing pellets from the first lignocellulose biomass, and the second liquid medium. and said carrier derived from lignocellulosic biomass;
The component derived from the first lignocellulose biomass contains at least one of sugar obtained from the first lignocellulose biomass and glycerol produced from fats and oils of the first lignocellulose biomass,
Gaps are formed between the carriers to which the liquid medium is adsorbed,
A method for producing a biochemical product, wherein the first lignocellulosic biomass comprises defruited oil palms. 2. The method for producing a biochemical product according to claim 1, wherein the component derived from the first lignocellulose biomass contains at least one element selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. 3. The carrier according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the carrier comprises a fibrous material obtained from at least one selected from the group consisting of defruited oil palm, bagasse, straw, orange peel, apple peel and apple core. A method for producing the described biochemical product. 3. The method for producing a biochemical product according to claim 1 , wherein said carrier comprises a fibrous material derived from the first lignocellulose biomass obtained in said pellet production step. 3. The method for producing a biochemical product according to claim 1 , wherein said pellet contains said carrier that has been sterilized after culturing said microorganism. 3. The method for producing a bio-chemical product according to claim 1 , wherein said bio-chemical product contains citric acid. The method for producing a biochemical product according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the microorganism has mycelium. 3. The method for producing a biochemical product according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid medium contains a concentrate obtained by concentrating the sugar solution obtained from the first lignocellulose biomass by membrane separation. 3. The method for producing a bio-chemical product according to claim 1, wherein said bio-chemical product contains an organic acid, protein, or hormone.

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