Water-Soluble Protein Additive Suppresses Enzyme Adsorption to Lignin

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing enzymatic saccharification methods for producing glucose-rich saccharides from biomass are hindered by non-productive adsorption of enzymes to lignin, leading to reduced enzyme effectiveness and increased costs due to the use of expensive additives like BSA and surfactants.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the preparation of water-soluble proteins by reacting animal or vegetable proteins with aqueous sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide solutions, which are then added to biomass slurries to suppress non-productive enzyme adsorption to lignin, allowing for efficient enzymatic degradation of cellulose and hemicellulose.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If BSA or surfactant is added to suppress non-productive enzyme adsorption to lignin, then enzyme effectiveness is improved, but production cost increases due to high unit prices of these additives

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenzyme effectivenessVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive BSA or surfactant with a cheap protein additive that can be derived from inexpensive sources. The protein additive performs the same function of suppressing non-productive enzyme adsorption to lignin but at a significantly lower cost, making the process economically viable while maintaining enzyme effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the system by introducing a protein additive with specific properties (amino group content, molecular weight, isoelectric point) that optimizes its ability to suppress enzyme-lignin adsorption. By controlling parameters such as additive concentration (0.01-10 g/L) and selecting proteins with specific characteristics, the patent achieves effective enzyme protection at low cost

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If enzyme is added to degrade cellulose and hemicellulose, then saccharide production is improved, but enzyme is lost through non-productive adsorption to lignin reducing overall efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesaccharide productionVSAvoidenzyme loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a protein additive as an intermediary substance that mediates between the enzyme and lignin. This additive binds to lignin or creates a protective environment that prevents direct enzyme-lignin interaction, thereby reducing non-productive adsorption and enzyme loss while maintaining saccharide production efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by adding the protein additive before or during the enzymatic hydrolysis process to preemptively block the harmful enzyme-lignin adsorption. The additive is introduced in advance to occupy binding sites on lignin or create a protective barrier, preventing enzyme molecules from being trapped in non-productive adsorption before they can perform their useful function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach effectively reduces non-productive enzyme adsorption to lignin, enhancing the production of glucose-rich saccharides while lowering costs compared to conventional methods using BSA or surfactants, by improving enzyme efficiency and reducing the amount of additives required.

Implementation Method 1

adding at least any one of an animal protein and a vegetable protein to an aqueous sodium hydroxide solution or an aqueous calcium hydroxide solution to react with each other

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical reaction: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

the mechanism of adsorption of the enzyme to the lignin is based on the hydrophobic adsorption

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 3

producing saccharides having glucose as a major component by adding a degrading enzyme to the slurry for at least any one of a cellulose or a hemicellulose included in the biomass to be degraded by the degrading enzyme

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEnzymatic hydrolysis: Hydrolysis

Data Source

PatentUS10612062B2Method of producing saccharides from biomass with lesser amount of saccharifying enzyme inexpensively

Publication Date: 2020.04.07 JGC CORP

AI summary

A method of efficiently producing saccharides having glucose as the major component by inexpensively suppressing the non-productive adsorption of the enzyme to lignin is provided. The method of producing saccharides includes: a first step of preparing a water-soluble protein by adding at least any one of an animal protein and a vegetable protein to an aqueous sodium hydroxide solution or an aqueous calcium hydroxide solution to react with each other; a second step of adding the water-soluble protein to a slurry including a biomass; and a third step of producing saccharides having glucose as a major component by adding a degrading enzyme to the slurry for at least any one of a cellulose or a hemicellulose included in the biomass to be degraded by the degrading enzyme simultaneously with addition of the water-soluble protein to the slurry or after addition of the water-soluble protein.