Journal of Bioprocessing & Biotechniques

Biotechnological Generation of Value Added Products from Spent Pulping Liquors: Assessing the Potential of Extremophiles

Abstract

Michaela Weissgram, Christoph Herwig and Hedda K Weber

Carbon rich industrial waste streams are interesting raw materials for biorefineries, due to their high abundance and relatively low price. However, they are a challenging habitat for microorganisms, due to extreme pH and temperature levels, as well as high abundance of inhibiting substances. Extreme conditions call for extreme microorganisms.

This contribution aims to show the potential of extremophilic bioprocesses for the generation of valuable products from industrial waste streams on the example of the pulping waste streams Spent Sulfite Liquor (SSL) and Black Liquor (BL). It provides an overview of products, which can be produced biotechnologically by extremophilic organisms and compares their performance to benchmark biotechnological processes. Furthermore it elucidates the factors to be considered for bioprocesses on industrial waste streams, thereby providing a toolset for selecting a bioprocess based on the waste stream. Finally bioprocesses are proposed for SSL and BL, two of which are already investigated in our workgroup.