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Commercial Success of ECLAIR Programme
AGRE-0007: Production and utilization of D-galacturonic acid as a basic chemical substrate |
AGRE-0007: Production and utilization of D-galacturonic acid as a basic chemical substrate
Science Background
Plant material derived from agricultural crops is largely composed of carbohydrates of varying complexity in the form of cellulose, hemicellulose and various storage compounds such as starch and inulin. These may be used as starting materials for industrial processes. One route to added value products is through hydrolysis in order to release lower molecular weight compounds, such as D-galacturonic acid, the subject of this project. This six-carbon sugar (galacturonic acid) derivative may be obtained by hydrolysis of pectin, in which it is present as polygalacturonic acid. Sources of pectin include materials such as beet and apple pulp. Galacturonic acid may be interconverted into related compounds, including surface active agents (surfactants).
Objectives
The primary objective was to obtain galaturonic acid at low cost by purification of hydrolysates obtained from plant roots. This would then be converted into products that could be used as nonionic or anionic biodegradable surfactants, as calcium sequestrant for use in washing powders or as food ingredients (lower calorie products or acidifying agents).
Significant changes and results since ECLAIR
The coordinator of this project, ARD (France), is also coordinating a FAIR project in order to demonstrate the technical feasibility and economics of producing surfactants at pilot plant scale. The commercial partner in this project, Ecover Products NV (Belgium), has carried out tests and trial and expects to market products in early 2000.
Results
At the end of this ECLAIR project
The concept of enzymatic liquefaction technologies and its application in fractionation of whole plant roots had been demonstrated, by the coordinator (Sucre Industrie Recherches et Developpements, France). This was a collaboration between Sucre Union and Champagne Cereales of France, also referred to as ARD (Agro Industrie Researches et Developpments). An operational procedure that gave batches of 100kg of D-galacturonic acid at high purity (99%) had been developed. However, the yield from beet pulp needed to be improved. Development of methods for producing L-galactose were not developed sufficiently, while several hundred kg of galactaric acid had been produced by oxidation of galacturonic acid. Chemical methods of production of a large range of surface active products had been demonstrated.
Current position
ARD subsequently were funded to develop the concept further under FAIR4-CT96-3130: Production of environmentally-friendly surfactants from agricultural coproducts of large-scale farming: Agrisurfactants. The objective was to demonstrate the technical feasibility and economics of producing surfactants from pectins of beet pulp and citrus peel, as well as from the hemicellulose fraction of wheat bran (xylose and arabinose) at pilot plant scale. This project includes a potential end-user in Ecover Products NV (Belgium). These organisations have taken the project towards an anticipated marketing of products, early in the year 2000. At present (early 1999) a pilot production of around 100 tonnes per annum capacity is in construction, while various products and formulations have been used to initiate environmental tests and set specifications.
Impact
Commercial
The ECLAIR project produced sufficient information to establish the principles and provide the background for further development, including the work funded under FAIR, which should result in marketed products in year 2000.
Associated
Further research is being funded in a FAIR project (see above) under the Fourth RTD Framework Programme.
Contacts
ARD
Author
Ecover Products
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Updated
by CPL Press:
03/07/2007
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