Assessment of technological options and economical feasibility for cyanophycin biopolymer and high-value amino acid production

Abstract

Major transitions can be expected within the next few decades aiming at the reduction of pollution and global warming and at energy saving measures. For these purposes, new sustainable biorefinery concepts will be needed that will replace the traditional mineral oil-based synthesis of specialty and bulk chemicals. An important group of these chemicals are those that comprise N-functionalities. Many plant components contained in biomass rest or waste stream fractions contain these N-functionalities in proteins and free amino acids that can be used as starting materials for the synthesis of biopolymers and chemicals. This paper describes the economic and technological feasibility for cyanophycin production by fermentation of the potato waste stream Protamylassetrade mark or directly in plants and its subsequent conversion to a number of N-containing bulk chemicals.

Fig. 1

Chemical structure of the cyanophycin monomer

Fig. 2

Cyanophycin production in planta or by fermentation. Gray square: raw material costs, filled square: fermentation costs, open square: recovery and purification costs