METHOD FOR PRODUCING GLYCERIN FROM TOBACCO

• US 20120260929A1
• Filed: 04/18/2011
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Original Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Inventors: Coleman, William, Dube, Michael Francis
• Granted Patent: US 9,458,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 131/353
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/24 by extraction; Tobacco extracts
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 1/10 by extracting
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/20 Glycerol
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/64 Fats; Fatty oils; Ester-type waxes; Higher fatty acids, i.e. having at least seven carbon atoms in an unbroken chain bound to a carboxyl group; Oxidised oils or fats

Abstract

A method for producing glycerin from one or more plants of genus Nicotiana is provided. The glycerin can be derived inter alia from Nicotiana species biomass or from seed. In certain embodiments, the glycerin is produced by either acid-catalyzed hydrolysis or base-catalyzed hydrolysis of acylglycerol-containing starting material derived from tobacco biomass or seed. The invention also provides articles and compositions including smoking articles and smokeless tobacco compositions that include glycerin produced from one or more plants of genus Nicotiana.

Claims

1. A method for producing glycerin from one or more plants of genus Nicotiana, the method comprising contacting an acylglycerol-containing starting material derived from one or more plants of genus Nicotiana with a composition comprising an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkaline earth oxide or hydroxide, a mineral acid, or an esterase for a period of time sufficient for at least some of the acylglycerol contained in the starting material to be hydrolyzed, thereby producing fatty acids and glycerin.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the acylglycerol-containing starting material is derived from tobacco.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the acylglycerol-containing starting material is derived from tobacco biomass.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the acylglycerol-containing starting material is derived from tobacco seed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the alkali metal hydroxide comprises at least one member of the group consisting of:

sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the alkaline earth oxide or hydroxide comprises at least one member of the group consisting of:

magnesium hydroxide, magnesium oxide and calcium hydroxide.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mineral acid comprises at least one member of the group consisting of:

sulfuric acid;

phosphoric acid;

nitric acid;

chloric acid;

hydrofluoric acid;

hydrochloric acid;

hydrobromic acid;

hydroiodic acid;

chromic acid;

sulfurous acid;

phosphorous acid;

nitrous acid;

a halogensulfonic acid HSO₃X wherein X is halogen;

perchloric acid;

perbromic acid;

periodic acid;

hydrogen sulfide;

hypophosphorous acid;

tetrafluoroboric acid; and

hexafluorophosphoric acid.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the mineral acid comprises at least one member of the group consisting of:

sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the esterase comprises at least one member of the group consisting of:

EC 3.1.1.1 (carboxylesterases);

EC 3.1.1.3 (triacylglycerol lipases);

EC 3.1.1.6 (acetylesterases);

EC 3.1.1.23 (acylglycerol lipases).

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the esterase comprises a triacylglycerol lipase.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the esterase comprises an acylglycerol lipase.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the acylglycerol-containing starting material comprises triacylglycerol.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the acylclycerol-containing starting material comprises diacylglycerol.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the acylglycerol-containing starting material comprises monacylglycerol.

15. An article of manufacture comprising glycerin produced by a method according to claim 1 and biomass from one or more plants of genus Nicotiana or reconstituted tobacco.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the biomass from one or more plants of genus Nicotiana comprises tobacco biomass.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the biomass from one or more plants of genus Nicotiana comprises tobacco leaf.

18. A smokeless tobacco composition comprising glycerin produced by a method according to claim 1, a flavorant, and biomass from one or more plants of genus Nicotiana or reconstituted tobacco.

19. The smokeless tobacco composition of claim 17, wherein the biomass from one or more plants of genus Nicotiana comprises tobacco biomass.

20. The smokeless tobacco composition of claim 17, wherein the biomass from one or more plants of genus Nicotiana comprises tobacco leaf.