Process for the production of cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes using distillation residues from the ethanolic fermentation of enzymatic hydrolyzates of (ligno)cellulosic materials

• US 7,494,792 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2006
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Institut Francais Du Petrole
• Original Assignee: Institut Francais Du Petrole
• Inventors: Warzywoda, Michel, Ballerini, Daniel, Monot, Frédéric
• Primary Examiner(s): Lilling; Herbert J.
• Application Number:
  US11/349,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20060177917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 435/165
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2437 Cellulases (3.2.1.4; 3.2.1.74; 3.2.1.91; 3.2.1.150)
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2477 Hemicellulases not provided in a preceding group
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 21/00 Preparation of peptides or proteins single cell protein C12N1/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12Y 302/01004 Cellulase (3.2.1.4), i.e. endo-1,4-beta-glucanase
• CPC Class Codes: C12Y 302/01074 Glucan 1,4-beta-glucosidase (3.2.1.74)
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

A process for producing cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes uses the residue from the ethanolic fermentation of enzymatic hydrolyzates of cellulosic or ligno-cellulosic materials. This process may be integrated into a process for the production of ethanol from cellulosic or ligno-cellulosic materials which comprises the following steps:

• • 1) chemical and/or physical pre-treatment of a cellulosic or ligno-cellulosic substrate;
  • 2) enzymatic hydrolysis of the pre-treated substrate using cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes;
  • 3) ethanolic fermentation, by a suitable alcohologenic microorganism, of the hydrolyzate from step (2) and production of a fermentation must; and
  • 4) separation of the alcohologenic microorganism used in step (3), separation/purification of the ethanol and production of an aqueous phase constituting a residue;
    and in which said residue serves for the production of the cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes used in step 2).

Claims

1. In a fermentation process for producing cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes by a cellulolytic microorganism in the presence of inducing carbon, the improvement wherein the inducing carbon, comprises a residue from the ethanolic fermentation of enzymatic hydrolyzates of cellulosic or ligno-cellulosic materials, said residue being separated from ethanol.

2. A process according to claim 1, in which said residue comprises a source of carbon for growth of the cellulolytic microorganism and the production of cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes.

3. A process according to claim 1, in which the residue comprises a source of inducing carbon as a complement to other sources of carbon used for growth of the cellulolytic microorganism.

4. A process according to claim 1, in which the residue is the sole source of carbon for growth of the cellulolytic microorganism and production of cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes.

5. A process according to claim 1, in which the cellulolytic microorganism is a fungi from the genii Trichoderma, Aspergillus, Penicillium or Schizophyllum.

6. A process according to claim 5, in which the cellulolytic microorganism comprises the species Trichoderma reesei.

7. A process according to claim 1, in which the cellulosic or ligno-cellulosic materials comprise at least one of straw, wood, forest culture, alcohologenic residues from plants, sugar refineries and cereal producers, and residues from the paper industry.

8. A process according to claim 1, wherein said residue is obtained from a process for producing ethanol from cellulosic or ligno-cellulosic materials comprising:

1) chemical and/or physical pre-treating of a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate;

2) enzymatically hydrolyzing the pre-treated substrate using cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes;

3) ethanolic fermenting by a suitable alcohologenic microorganism of the hydrolyzate from (2) and producing a fermentation must; and

separating the alcohologenic microorganism of (3), separating/purifying the ethanol and obtaining an aqueous phase constituting said residue.

9. A process according to claim 8, in which, the ethanol is separated by distillation and the residue is constituted by distillation slops.

10. A process according to claim 2, in which the cellulolytic microorganism comprises fungi from at least one of the genii Trichoderma, Aspergillus, Penicillium or Schizophyllum.

11. A process according to claim 3, in which the cellulolytic microorganism comprises fungi from at least one of the genii Trichoderma, Aspergillus, Penicillium or Schizophyllum.

12. A process according to claim 4, in which the cellulolytic microorganism comprises fungi from at least one of the genii Trichoderma, Aspergillus, Penicillium and Schizophyllum.

13. A process according to claim 5, in which the cellulolytic microorganism comprises the species Trichoderma reesei.

14. A process according to claim 10, in which the cellulolytic microorganism comprises the species Trichoderma reesei.

15. A process according to claim 11, in which the cellulolytic microorganism comprises the species Trichoderma reesei.

16. A process according to claim 12, in which the cellulolytic microorganism comprises the species Trichoderma reesei.

17. A process according to claim 8, in which the cellulosic or ligno-cellulosic materials comprise at least one of straw, wood, forest culture, alcohologenic residues from plants, sugar refineries and cereal producers, and residues from the paper industry.

18. A process according to claim 8, further comprising producing said cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes of step (2), by a fermentation step wherein said residue provides inducing carbon.

19. A process according to claim 8, in which, the ethanol is separated by distillation and the residue is constituted of distillation slops.