Sugar-loving microbes could help power future cars, study shows

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Petrochemicals · 03 April, 2022

Sugar-loving microbes could help power future cars, study shows

Sugar-loving microbes could help power future cars by turning glucose into molecules found in gasoline, a new study suggests.

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Petrochemicals

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Sugar-loving microbes could help power future cars by turning glucose into molecules found in gasoline, a new study suggests.


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Researchers report using biology and chemistry to turn glucose into olefins – a type of hydrocarbon, and one of several types of molecules that make up gasoline.

Olefins make up a small percentage of the molecules in gasoline as it is currently produced.

But the scientists say it is possible the process could be adjusted in the future to generate other types of hydrocarbons as well, including some of the other components of gasoline.

The researchers also note that olefins have non-fuel applications, as they are used in industrial lubricants and as precursors for making plastics.

The study involved feeding glucose to strains of E.coli that do not pose a danger to human health.

Zhen Wang, a biochemist, at the University at Buffalo, led the study with Michelle Chang, at the University of California, Berkeley.

Prof Wang said: “These microbes are sugar junkies, even worse than our kids.”

In terms of value, the global petrochemicals market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 4.3% from 2020 to 2030. Petrochemicals are an important part of commodities that are used in daily lives. Petrochemical products are used in various end-use industries, ranging from manufacturing to consumer goods. These chemical compounds are derived from petroleum as well as other hydrocarbons, which are obtained from natural gas and crude oil. Petrochemical products are primarily used as chemical building blocks in various applications and materials. Various organic chemicals are manufactured in the petrochemicals industry. These include methanol, ethylene, butadiene, propylene, benzene, xylene, and toluene. Ethylene, butadiene, and propylene, along with butylene, are collectively called olefins. These belong to a class of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons with chemical formula CnH2n. Benzene, xylene, and toluene are commonly referred to as aromatics. These are unsaturated cyclic hydrocarbons containing multiple rings. Olefins, methanol, and aromatics are precursors to various chemical products; and are generally referred to as primary petrochemicals.

Side Effects of Magnesium Stearates to Hamper Petrochemicals Market

Significant steps are being taken around the world to move from the current fossil-based economy toward a more sustainable economy based on biomass. The transition to a bio-based economy has multiple drivers: need to develop environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable global economy; anticipation that oil, gas, coal, and phosphorus would reach peak production in the near future and prices would rise; global issue of climate change; and the need to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A large part of the world is slowly transitioning from a fossil fuel dependent economy to one that is more environmentally sustainable, centered around biomass. Countries are striving to manufacture bio-based chemicals from various biomass sources in order to achieve this. The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) has highlighted a dozen platform or base chemicals that could possibly replace fossil or petroleum-based building blocks in value-added chemicals. These include carboxylic acids, isoprene, ethanol, amino acids, vitamins, and industrial enzymes. Thus, rise in use of bio-based chemicals as alternatives to petrochemicals is expected to hamper the petrochemicals market in the near future.

In terms of product, the global petrochemicals market has been divided into methanol, ethylene, propylene, c4 stream, benzene, toluene, and xylene. Ethylene is projected to be a highly lucrative segment of the global petrochemicals market during the forecast period. It is likely to expand at a CAGR of 4% from 2020 to 2030. Ethylene is a key petrochemical used in the production of various derivatives and end-use products. The three key chemical processes in ethylene production are dehydration of ethanol, steam cracking of oil and gas-based feedstock, and methanol-to-olefins. Ethylene is employed in a wide range of end-use industries and applications such as chemical, food & beverages, medical, and rubber & plastics. This can be ascribed to high usage of petrochemicals as raw materials in the manufacture of products mentioned above. This is expected to boost the global petrochemicals market from 2020 to 2030.

Building & Construction End-use Industry to Dominate Petrochemicals Market

In terms of end-use industry, the global petrochemicals market has been segregated into aerospace, agriculture, automotive, building & construction, consumer & industrial goods, electrical & electronics, food & beverages, healthcare, marine, paints & coatings, power & utilities, pulp & paper, textiles & leather, and others. The building & construction segment is anticipated to dominate the global petrochemicals market during the forecast period. The building & construction segment accounted for a major share of the global petrochemicals market in 2019. In terms of volume, the segment is anticipated to expand significantly during the forecast period. The segment is projected to account for more than 25% share of the global petrochemicals market by 2030. This is estimated to boost the global petrochemicals market in the near future.

The globalShe added: “We combined what biology can do the best with what chemistry can do the best, and we put them together to create this two-step process.

“Using this method, we were able to make olefins directly from glucose.”

The experiments used genetically engineered E.coli to produce a suite of four enzymes that convert glucose into compounds called 3-hydroxy fatty acids.

As the bacteria consumed the glucose, they also started to make the fatty acids.

To complete the transformation, the researchers used a catalyst to cut off unwanted parts of the fatty acids in a chemical process, generating the olefins.

The enzymes and catalyst were identified through trial and error, with researchers testing different molecules with properties that lent themselves to the tasks at hand.

Prof Wang said: “Making biofuels from renewable resources like glucose has great potential to advance green energy technology.

“Glucose is produced by plants through photosynthesis, which turns carbon dioxide (CO2) and water into oxygen and sugar.

“So the carbon in the glucose – and later the olefins – is actually from carbon dioxide that has been pulled out of the atmosphere.”

The scientists say more research is needed to understand the benefits of the new method and whether it can be scaled up efficiently for making biofuels or for other purposes.

The study is published in Nature Chemistry. petrochemicals market has been split into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific dominated the global petrochemicals market in 2019. The trend is projected to continue during the forecast period. 

By PA Science / 22nd November 2022