United Arab Emirates University

Bart Van Der Bruggen

Emad Elnajjar

Boguslaw Kruczek

Sulaiman Al Zuhair

Yaser Mohamed Greish

Saleha Al-Mardeai

Babatunde Ogunbadejo

Saleha Almardeai

Shadeera Rouf

Sulaiman Al-zuhair

The present invention pertains to novel system and methods for the streamlined and efficient continuous production of cyclodextrins by utilizing lignocellulosic wastes. The system comprises a tubular membrane bioreactor where enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose into glucose is conducted continuously. The method comprises a first part where cellulose is hydrolyzed to pure glucose and a second part where the pure glucose reacts with to CGTase enzyme to obtain pure cyclodextrins.

System and methods for continuous production of cyclodextrins from cellulose

There is disclosed a highly stable biocatalytic multi-enzyme system on hydrophobic support for the efficient and continuous hydrogenation of carbon dioxide (CO) to formate. The system immobilizes formate dehydrogenase (FDH), glucose dehydrogenase (GDH), and carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzymes on a hydrophobic surface-modified metal-organic framework (MOF), SA-HKUST-1. The hydrophobic surface modification with stearic acid enhances the enzyme stability and reusability, maintaining 95% activity after four cycles. The hydrophobicity of SA-HKUST-1 improves COdiffusion to the immobilized enzymes, significantly boosting the formate production. Enzyme specificity ensures selective reactions, with FDH facilitating CObioconversion, CA accelerating COhydration and GDH facilitating cofactor regeneration within the system. The system demonstrates superior performance, producing 255.8 mM formate per gram of MOF per hour. Operating under mild conditions with simple equipment, it reduces costs and eliminates harmful by-products. This invention offers an eco-friendly, sustainable approach for COmitigation, with potential applications in industrial COconversion processes.

System and method for COhydrogenation using multi-enzyme immobilization on modified metal-organic framework (MOF)

The membrane bioreactor for simultaneous enzymatic cellulose hydrolysis and product separation is a vessel having a lower hydrolysis reaction chamber and an upper distilled water chamber separated by a semipermeable membrane attached to the top of the lower reaction chamber. The membrane is supported on a stainless steel mesh and sealed to the mesh by epoxy glue to prevent leakage. A peristaltic pump is connected to the reaction chamber and maintains a flow of distilled water through the membrane and the upper chamber, the effluent being collected in a beaker or other product collection vessel. The reaction chamber is agitated at a moderate rate by a magnetic stirrer, and the upper chamber is agitated more rigorously by a mechanical stirrer. A thermocouple and temperature controller and a buffer solution, respectively, maintain temperature and pH in the reaction chamber optimal for enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose.

Simultaneous enzymatic cellulose hydrolysis and product separation in a radial-flow membrane bioreactor

Growing community of inventors

AL AIN, United Arab Emirates

Bart Van Der Bruggen