Deslignificación enzimática de materiales lignocelulósicos de interés industrial

Abstract

The present Thesis deals with the development of enzymatic treatments (based on the use of laccases in the presence of redox mediators) aimed at the removal/modification of the lignin and/or lipids present in lignocellulosic materials of industrial interest, in order to achieve a more efficient and rational use of these materials for the production of both, cellulose and second generation biofuels (bioethanol). The importance of lipids in the raw materials lays in the fact that they are responsible for the formation of the so-called pitch deposits during pulp and paper manufacturing, drastically reducing the quality of the final product and producing important economic losses. Moreover, the content, composition and structure of the lignin have a significant effect on the delignification process of the lignocellulose, affecting both the cooking and bleaching processes (during the production of cellulose) or the enzymatic saccharification (during the production of bioethanol).