Bioplastic polymers based on aromatic dicarboxylic acids derived from lignin
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Warwick
Department Name: Chemistry
Abstract
Aromatic chemicals are crucial in bioplastics to convey functionality, including strength and flexibility. Currently, these
aromatic chemicals can only be sourced from fossil based inputs, limiting applications, increasing the cost and
environmental impact. Lignin, the 2nd most abundant organic polymer in plants, is one of the few potential natural sources
of aromatic chemicals. Building on a successful feasibility study that proved that the aromatic diacids inherent within lignin
could be extracted and substituted in polyester based plastics, this project aims to demonstrate that these metabolites can
be produced in a commercially viable manner by the innovative use of modified bacteria to selectively control lignin
disintegration when matched with novel chemical processes in scalable batch/continuous reactors. Larger trials will convert
the resultant kg quantities of diacids into novel block copolyesters, for evaluation in a high value global bioplastics market
of value >£150m.
aromatic chemicals can only be sourced from fossil based inputs, limiting applications, increasing the cost and
environmental impact. Lignin, the 2nd most abundant organic polymer in plants, is one of the few potential natural sources
of aromatic chemicals. Building on a successful feasibility study that proved that the aromatic diacids inherent within lignin
could be extracted and substituted in polyester based plastics, this project aims to demonstrate that these metabolites can
be produced in a commercially viable manner by the innovative use of modified bacteria to selectively control lignin
disintegration when matched with novel chemical processes in scalable batch/continuous reactors. Larger trials will convert
the resultant kg quantities of diacids into novel block copolyesters, for evaluation in a high value global bioplastics market
of value >£150m.
Planned Impact
Academic Impact
This work will be of interest to academic & industrial scientists working in the areas of bioenergy & biorefinery research. There is considerable academic interest in the conversion of lignocellulose into biofuels and renewable chemicals, as evidenced by the BBSRC BSBEC Centre and the BBSRC IBTI Biorefinery Club, of which TDHB has been a member. Hence, the identification of a new process for conversion of lignin into bio-based plastics will be of considerable interest to academics working in biotechnology around the world. The results arising from the project will be published in international scientific journals, after protection of intellectual property with Biome Bioplastics.
Commercial Impact
The major aim of the project is the development of a new process for conversion of lignin into a new bio-based plastic. This discovery will make a major impact on the industrial biotechnology sector in the UK, and will strengthen the bio-based plastics industry across Europe. This process will be commercialised by Biome Bioplastics Ltd, and an agreement between Biome and the University of Warwick will be put in place to recognise the contribution made by the University of Warwick to the process.
Dissemination to schools and general public
The work will also be of interest to the wider public. There is considerable public interest in "green" issues, and the use of biotechnology to convert biomass into renewable chemicals (i.e. useful products from agricultural or even domestic green waste) will be of considerable interest. The results of the project will also be disseminated to the general public and local community through a range of Outreach schools events, and press briefings.
This work will be of interest to academic & industrial scientists working in the areas of bioenergy & biorefinery research. There is considerable academic interest in the conversion of lignocellulose into biofuels and renewable chemicals, as evidenced by the BBSRC BSBEC Centre and the BBSRC IBTI Biorefinery Club, of which TDHB has been a member. Hence, the identification of a new process for conversion of lignin into bio-based plastics will be of considerable interest to academics working in biotechnology around the world. The results arising from the project will be published in international scientific journals, after protection of intellectual property with Biome Bioplastics.
Commercial Impact
The major aim of the project is the development of a new process for conversion of lignin into a new bio-based plastic. This discovery will make a major impact on the industrial biotechnology sector in the UK, and will strengthen the bio-based plastics industry across Europe. This process will be commercialised by Biome Bioplastics Ltd, and an agreement between Biome and the University of Warwick will be put in place to recognise the contribution made by the University of Warwick to the process.
Dissemination to schools and general public
The work will also be of interest to the wider public. There is considerable public interest in "green" issues, and the use of biotechnology to convert biomass into renewable chemicals (i.e. useful products from agricultural or even domestic green waste) will be of considerable interest. The results of the project will also be disseminated to the general public and local community through a range of Outreach schools events, and press briefings.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Timothy Bugg (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Bugg T
(2021)
Microbial hosts for metabolic engineering of lignin bioconversion to renewable chemicals
in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
Mycroft Z
(2015)
Biocatalytic conversion of lignin to aromatic dicarboxylic acids in Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 by re-routing aromatic degradation pathways
in Green Chemistry
Rahmanpour R
(2016)
Structure of Thermobifida fusca DyP-type peroxidase and activity towards Kraft lignin and lignin model compounds.
in Archives of biochemistry and biophysics
Spence EM
(2020)
The Hydroxyquinol Degradation Pathway in Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 and Agrobacterium Species Is an Alternative Pathway for Degradation of Protocatechuic Acid and Lignin Fragments.
in Applied and environmental microbiology
Spence EM
(2021)
Metabolic engineering of Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 for production of pyridine-dicarboxylic acids from lignin.
in Microbial cell factories
| Description | We have developed new genetic tools for genetic modification in Rhodococcus jostii, and we have used these tools to insert genes into the chromosome of Rhodococcus jostii, to enable this organism to produce pyridine-dicarboxylic acids from lignin feedstocks. We have also identified two competing pathways for lignin degradation in Rhodococcus jostii. |
| Exploitation Route | The development of engineered Rhodococcus jostii strains for production of pyridine-dicarboxylic acids from lignin allows the production of a monomer that can be used to make a new bio-based plastic, which will be done by Biome Bioplastics (Biome Technologies). We hope this will lead to a new process for production of a new renewable bioplastic. |
| Sectors | Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Description | Patent application "Process for the preparation of 2,4 or 2,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid and copolymers derived therefrom" Inventors: P. Law, P. Mines, T.D.H. Bugg Disclosure P62672GB filed by Biome Bioplastics (via Kilburn & Strode, London) in June 2015, describing bio-based polymers from 2,4-PDCA and 2,5-PDCA derived from lignin. P62672WO/ECC filed with European Patent Office on 15th June 2016 (application number PCT/EP2016/063779, European patent application 16728995.8). US patent application 15/580,254 filed on 6th December 2017, published as EP3307901A1, WO2016202875A1, US2018148752A1. Approved after revision on 14th January 2020. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2015 |
| Sector | Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Description | Microbial conversion of lignin to monomers for bio-based plastics using synthetic biology (MILIMO) |
| Amount | £461,622 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/T010622/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2020 |
| End | 02/2023 |
| Description | Collaboration with Biome Bioplastics to generate monomers for bioplastic production from lignin degradation |
| Organisation | Biome Technologies plc |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | My research group has collaborated with Biome Bioplastics to develop a new process for generation of pyridine-dicarboxylic acids from lignin, by metabolic engineering of lignin degradation pathways in bacteria such as Rhodococcus putida and Pseudomonas putida. In 2015 we published the feasibility of this approach, which was also patented in 2015, and which has led to further collaborative projects. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Biome Bioplastics are interested in making new bio-based plastics from raw materials derived from lignin. They have brought prior knowledge in renewable bioplastics to the collaboration, and they hope to use the outputs of the project to develop a new process for production of a new bioplastic to the market. |
| Impact | Journal publications have been reported elsewhere in Research Fish. A patent application was also made in 2015. |
| Start Year | 2013 |
| Title | New polymers and methods |
| Description | "New polymers and methods", later filed as "Process for the preparation of 2,4 or 2,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid and copolymers derived therefrom" Inventors: P. Law, P. Mines, T.D.H. Bugg Disclosure P62672GB filed by Biome Bioplastics (via Kilburn & Strode, London) in June 2015, describing bio-based polymers from 2,4-pyridinedicarboxylic acid and 2,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid derived from lignin. P62672WO/ECC filed with European Patent Office on 15th June 2016 (application number PCT/EP2016/063779). European patent application 16728995.8. US patent application 15/580,254 filed on 6th December 2017. Published as EP3307901A1, WO2016202875A1, US2018148752A1. Approved in revised form on 14th January 2020. |
| IP Reference | P62672GB filed June 2015 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2015 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | Biome Bioplastics have set up further collaborations related to this patent, and have filed one further patent with a group at the University of Liverpool. |
| Description | British Science Festival, evening session 10th September 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | General public understanding of science session |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Green Alliance workshop March 2016 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Participated in Green Alliance workshop "Bioplastics and the Circular Economy", 11th March, The Studio, Birmingham. The workshop discussed attitudes towards bio-based plastics by policy-makers, local/regional industry, and research taking place in Midlands Universities. Resulted in a policy document designed for Parliament. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | International Guest Lecture at Brawijawa University, Malang, Indonesia 27th March 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 300 undergraduate and postgraduate students from Brawijaya University attended, and there was a subsequent discussion of areas of joint research interest |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Invited lecture at Lignin Gordon Research Conference, Stonehill College, Easton MA, USA, 2nd August 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I gave an invited lecture at the 2022 Lignin Gordon Conference, which is the leading international conference in the lignin valorisation field. The conference was attended by about 120 scientific researchers and industrialists in the lignin field. My presentation led to a number of questions, and one exchange of materials since the conference. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.grc.org/lignin-conference/2022/ |
| Description | Invited seminar at International Conference on Environmental Catalysis, 6th-9th September 2020, University of Manchester |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I was invited as a plenary speaker to this International Conference, which due to the COVID-19 pandemic was run online rather than in-person. There was an audience of 100-150 conference delegates from many different countries, made up of postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers, research academics, and industry representatives. There were a number of questions after my seminar, which were discussed at the time. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Keynote lecture at Lignocost conference, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 2nd June 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Gave an invited keynote lecture to the LignoCost network conference, attended by 120 participants from around Europe, mainly academic researchers working in the lignin field, and several industrialists from European companies. My presentation led to several conversations with academic groups, and one company from Finland, with whom I exchanged contact details. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Plenary lecture at Frontiers in Biorefining Conference (Nov 2016, USA) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 9th November 2016 Plenary lecture at Frontiers in Biorefining (FIB) Conference, 8th-11th Nov 2016, King & Prince Resort, St. Simons Island, GA, USA. Title: "Bacterial Enzymes for Lignin Degradation: Production of Aromatic Chemicals from Lignocellulose" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Press briefing on bioplastics at Science Media Centre, London on 4th July 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | The press briefing led to articles in national newspapers (The Guardian, The Telegraph, the Daily Mail) on 5th July 2018, and several web-based scientific media. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | School visit (Abingdon School) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | 19th September 2016 Visited Abingdon School, talked to 6th form students Talk: "Renewable chemicals from plant biomass: a challenge for the 21st century" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Seminar at Lignocost online meeting 26th April 2021 "Bioconversion of polymeric lignin to target bioproducts using engineered microbes" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 60-70 researchers in the Lignocost network (EU COST Action) attended an online research workshop Lon lignin valorisation, where Prof Bugg presented an invited seminar. The seminar led to further questions from participants. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Seminar at University of Madison-Wisconsin July 2016 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 19th June 2016 Seminar at Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Madison-Wisconsin, USA Title: "Bacterial enzymes for lignin degradation" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Talk at Warwick Industry Day, The Slate, University of Warwick, September 19th 2018 (with Krisztina Kovacs-Schreiner) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk at University of Warwick Science Faculty Industry Day, as an example of a successful academic-industrial collaboration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Talk at ZELCOR Summer School. 3rd-4th September, Wageningen University, Netherlands "Potential of bacteria and synthetic biology for conversion of lignin" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Participation in summer school for ZELCOR EU project |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Visit to National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Colorado, USA |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 21st July 2016 Seminar at National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado, USA. Title: "Bacterial enzymes for lignin degradation" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |