Microwave and Ultrasound for Process

Intensification of Biocatalysis in Bioethanol and

Biodiesel Production

M. Sc. Camilo Barroso Teixeira

Food Engineer, Ph.D. Food Science Fellow
Bioprocess Laboratory, School of Food Engineering, University of
Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
 World Context

• Biorefenery and biobased-economy

• Biodiesel and Bioethanol (first and second generation)
• Process intensification: Bioprocess performance enhacement
• Physical technologies combined with bioprocess: Green
engineering
• Microwave and ultrasound: Improve catalysis and
biocatalysis
 Microwave
• Electromagnetic radiation between 300 MHz and 300 GHz,
• Provides energy to carry out chemical reactions,
• Improves homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis in organic
reactions,
• More efficient for energy transfer than conventional heating,
• Reduces reaction time and energy cost,
• Common in such areas as organic chemistry, analytical chemistry,
biochemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis, photochemistry, and the
inorganic chemistry of materials
Ultrasound
• Acoustic waves
• Improves mass transfer in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems;
• Cavitation provides high localized energy for catalysis;
• Improves conversion rates, short reaction times with mild reaction
conditions;
• Permits application on food bioactive compounds extraction;
enzymatic and chemical catalysis;
Biodiesel

• Alkyl fatty esters derived from vegetable oils and animals fats;
• Produced mostly by alkaline alcoholoysis;
• Ultrasound and microwave showed to improve conversion rate and
reaction time;
• Synergistic effect between the two Technologies;
• It also showed good results in biodiesel enzymatic transesterification;
Documents published in Scopus database
Alkaline Catalysis (KOH)
Reaction Time
Correlation Energy x Reaction time
Synergistic effect
Microwave-assisted enzymatic catalysis
• 90% conversion yield with Liposyme RM at 60ºC, 100W ultrasound
irradiation and 4 hours of reaction
 Bioethanol (first and second generation)

• First generation: Produced by sucrose fermentation;

• Second one: Produced firstly by cellulose hydrolysis followed by
sucrose fermentation;
• Simultaneous saccharifaction and fermentation (SSF)
• Microwave and ultrasound application for enhance cellulose
hydrolysis rate;
Ultrasound-assisted fermentation enhances bioethanol
productivity (3.5-fold than control))
Bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass
Ultrasound enhanced cellulase production by T. reesei
Ultrasound enhanced ethanol production by S. cerevisiae
 Conclusions
• Microwave and ultrasound may be the next generation of industrial
technologies for heat and mass transfer;
• Its robustness permits applicattion in many industrial reaction processes;
• The two Technologies have showed excelent results in bioethanol and
biodiesel processes;
• The two Technologies have showed excelent results in enzymatic and
microbial catalysis
• Physical Technologies which contributes for green intensification
process;
• It reduces energy cost and enhances productivity;
Thank You!