Production of functional chemicals using wood-biomass and development of new sustainable chemistry

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16H02978
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Environmental engineering and reduction of environmental burden
• Research Institution: Nihon University
• Principal Investigator: IWABUCHI Noriyuki 日本大学, 生物資源科学部, 准教授 (90328708)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 片山 義博 日本大学, 生物資源科学部, 教授 (10214339) ; 松藤 寛 日本大学, 生物資源科学部, 教授 (70287605)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: リグニン / 有機蛍光物質 / 未利用バイオマス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We recently reported that Pseudomonas sp. ITH-SA-1 can transform lignin-derived aromatic, syringaldehyde (SYAL), into non-aromatic polymeric substances with fluorescent activities (NAPSFA). The NAPSFA are particularly rare organic fluorescent substances despite the absence of aromatic rings in its molecules. In this study, we examined a formation mechanism and simplification of production process of the NAPSFA. When a 3-O-methyl gallate (3-MGA) was added to LB medium and then the sample was incubated, fluorescence activity was observed without bacteria. These results suggested that fluorescent substances were produced from 3-MGA by non-biological process. The fluorescent substances produced from non-bio process have excitation/emission peaks at 370/505 nm, respectively. The NMR analyses revealed that aromatic rings were not detected in the molecules. In this study we demonstrated that non-aromatic fluorescent substances can be synthesized by an easy chemical reaction.

Free Research Field

環境微生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

申請者らは、これまでに、有機蛍光物質でありながらその構造中にベンゼン環構造を有しない世界初の有機蛍光物質を発見した。本蛍光物質は廃木材等に含まれる低分子成分を微生物が変換して出来ることから、本研究では、その効果的な生産方法を検討した。その結果、微生物を使わない非バイオプロセスでも生産できることが明らかとなり、大量生産への道筋を立てた。本有機蛍光物質は、その性質から幅広い応用の可能性が見出されており、本研究成果は、学術的、産業的に重要な意義をもつものと考えられた。