Extraction of Hydroxycinnamic Acid Derivatives from Ligno-Cellulose and Lignin with Greater Time-Efficiency

Optimizes Production Rate of Ferulic and Coumaric Acid

This extraction process produces ferulic and coumaric acid from either ligno-cellulose or carbohydrate-depleted ligno-cellulose (lignin) with a shorter hydrolysis process. Ferulic acid serves many industrial purposes with uses in food flavoring and preservation, packaging, cosmetics, and medications because of its antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Coumaric acid similarly plays a vital role in human health due to the same demonstrated activities. Available industrial hydrolysis processes are low-yielding and take as long as 20 hours to complete, thereby limiting production rates.

Researchers at the University of Florida have developed a high-yield extraction process that shortens the hydrolysis time down to two hours and down to 15 minutes in some cases, by combining the hydrolysis process with high pressure, ultrasound, or microwaves. This protocol works with both ligno-cellulose and cellulose-depleted biomass and uses common, environmentally friendly materials.

Application

Hydroxycinnamic acid extraction process that decreases hydrolysis time and increases yield

Advantages

• Repurposes green and common materials, such as agricultural waste, reducing environmental impact and increasing cost-effectiveness
• Shortens hydrolysis time and increases yield, increasing overall production rates of ferulic and coumaric acid
• Extracts from both ligno-cellulose and lignin, increasing product output and purity
• Scales to industrial volumes, increasing efficiency

Technology

This extraction process maximizes the efficiency of ligno-cellulose and lignin hydrolysis by combining the reaction with high pressure, ultrasound, or microwaves. The process involves loading ligno-cellulose or lignin into a glass vessel with sodium hydroxide along with the addition of one of the three reaction-assisting variables. Running the reaction at 150 °C results in the generation of 20 psi of steam pressure needed for the high pressure variation of the process. In conjunction with the 20 psi of steam pressure or ultrasound sonication, the hydrolysis process runs for two hours, while the combination that uses 50 watt microwaves at a maximum temperature of 90 degrees Celsius allows for a 15-minute process. After hydrolysis, acidifying the solution with hydrochloric acid produces the hydroxycinnamic acids, followed by additional extractions from the remaining solute as necessary using ethyl acetate as a safe and reusable solvent.