Title：PHB Production from Hot-Water Hardwood Extract Hydrolysates
Speaker：Prof. Shijie Liu, Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering，SUNY ESF，New York State University.
Time：2015年6月27日 9:00AM
Location：Rm 306, State Key Lab. of Pulp and Ppaer Engineering

Abstract: Polyhydroxylbutyrate (PHB) is one of the important Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) that are a promising alternative to conventional, fossil fuel derived plastics. Plastic is placing a burden on the environment by polluting ecosystems, overwhelming landfills, using finite oil resources, and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. PHAs are polyesters created by microorganisms intracellularly under limited nutrient growth conditions as carbon and energy storage compounds. PHAs are not yet widely accepted and produced because of their high production costs, specifically the carbon source and recovery method, compared to those of petroleum based plastics. In addition, present technology in recovery PHA is not environmentally friendly, leading to whether PHA is a sustainable bioproduct. This presentation shows some of our research efforts in utilizing renewable carbon source. Hardwood, like Paulownia elongata and sugar maple, was subjected to hot-water extraction. Hemicellulose was extracted with hot-water. The hot water wood extracts were concentrated with nanofiltration membrane, acid hydrolyzed and then purified with nanofiltration membrane. The hydrolysate was employed to produce droxybutyric acid. Butyric acid can be polymerized to produce PHB. The production of butyric acid and polymerization to PHB enables the desired biodegradable plastics to be recyclable.