Researchers Develop Chemoenzymatic Technique to Extract Precursor for Biofuel from Agricultural Waste
by Park Sae-jin (Aju Business Daily) For the first time in the world, researchers from a state-run institute have found a chemoenzymatic technique to convert a material extracted from biomasses into an important eco-friendly precursor for biofuel and bioplastic. The method uses agricultural wastes such as rice straws and corncobs as feedstock.
Bio-refinery technologies concentrate on the extraction of renewable materials for biofuel and bioplastic from biomass including wastes and byproducts produced in the agricultural industry. The alternate for petro-refinery technology has the potential to greatly reduce pollution through valorization, the recycling of composting waste materials.
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Because there is no naturally occurring substance that can hydrogenate LA, researchers focused on finding enzymes that can valorize acetoacetic acid that had a similar chemical structure to that of LA. KIER said that the newly-developed enzyme requires lower energy levels than the conventional catalyst-based valorization method that uses ruthenium, a rare metal, as a catalyst. Also, hydrogen was co-produced in the chemoenzymatic process as a byproduct.
“We think that this research for the enzyme-based bio-refinery technology will contribute to the realization of the future carbon-neutral society,” KIER’s head researcher Min Kyung-sun was quoted as saying. READ MORE
