Innovative catalytic conversions to produce high value-added chemicals from cell-wall polysaccharides

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K18852
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 27:Chemical engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: Kochi University
• Principal Investigator: Onda Ayumu 高知大学, 教育研究部総合科学系複合領域科学部門, 准教授 (80335918)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 平岡 雅規 高知大学, 教育研究部総合科学系黒潮圏科学部門, 教授 (30380306) ; 今村 和也 高知大学, 教育研究部総合科学系複合領域科学部門, 助教 (30750624)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞間多糖 / 海藻 / 固体触媒 / ヘミセルロース

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Seaweed has many advantages as a sustainable resource. The main component of seaweed is intercellular mucilage polysaccharides, which are heteropolysaccharides containing acidic functional groups and metal cations. In this study, we focused on the green algae Enteromorpha, which grows more than twice per day. Approximately 2 kg (drying, weight) of seaweeds was clonally cultured and produced using tank culture methods, and ulvan polysaccharides were extracted with a high yield using a hydrothermal method. The molecular weight was evaluated to be approximately 800,000. In the catalytic hydrothermal decomposition, the molecular weight and sulfation degree of ulvan were controlled by the reaction temperature and catalyst. In addition, structural analysis showed that the basic tetrasaccharide unit is "sulfated xylose-rhamnose-glucuronic acid-sulfated rhamnose".

Free Research Field

触媒化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

細胞間多糖の低分子量多糖やオリゴ糖の生産増による生理活性機能（抗ウイルス作用など）に関する研究開発加速。陸上植物のヘミセルロースに適用し、セルロース以外の様々な未利用バイオマスから有用な有機化合物への選択的な低分子化プロセスの構築。光触媒と熱触媒の新たなハイブリッド型固体酸触媒系の開拓。