Conversion of cellulosic materials to sugar

Patent · Tue Aug 03 00:00:00 EDT 1976

OSTI ID:862609

Wilke, Charles R ^[1]; Mitra, Gautam ^[2]

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1. El Cerrito, CA
2. Berkeley, CA

A process for the production of sugar, mainly glucose, by the enzymatic degradation of cellulosic materials, particularly cellulosic wastes, which comprises hydrolyzing the cellulosic material in the presence of cellulase enzyme to produce a sugar solution and recovering from the hydrolysis products a major proportion of the cellulase enzyme used in the hydrolysis reaction for re-use. At least a portion of the required makeup cellulase enzyme is produced in a two-stage operation wherein, in the first stage, a portion of the output sugar solution is utilized to grow a cellulase-secreting microorganism, and, in the second stage, cellulase enzyme formation is induced in the microorganism-containing culture medium by the addition of an appropriate inducer, such as a cellulosic material. Cellulase enzyme is precipitated from the culture liquid by the addition of an organic solvent material, such as a low molecular weight alkyl ketone or alcohol, and the cellulase precipitate is then fed to the hydrolysis reaction.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 3972775
• OSTI ID: 862609
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

conversion
cellulosic
materials
sugar
process
production
mainly
glucose
enzymatic
degradation
particularly
wastes
comprises
hydrolyzing
material
presence
cellulase
enzyme
produce
solution
recovering
hydrolysis
products
major
proportion
reaction
re-use
portion
required
makeup
produced
two-stage
operation
stage
output
utilized
grow
cellulase-secreting
microorganism
formation
induced
microorganism-containing
culture
medium
addition
appropriate
inducer
precipitated
liquid
organic
solvent
molecular
weight
alkyl
ketone
alcohol
precipitate
fed
cellulase enzyme
cellulosic material
culture medium
cellulosic materials
organic solvent
molecular weight
cellulosic waste
major proportion
weight alkyl
stage operation
/435/