Levulinic acid from fungal biomass

摘要

Systems and methods for producing levulinic acid from fungal biomass are disclosed. In one implementation, a method for distilling levulinic acid from a glucosamine-containing feedstock is disclosed that yields a relatively pure (e.g., 90% or greater) levulinic acid product from an otherwise problematic waste stream.

主权项

1. A method for producing levulinic acid, comprising:
forming a glucosamine-containing feedstock comprising levulinic acid and at least 0.1 wt % glucosamine by
providing a chitin-containing fungal biomass,treating the chitin-containing fungal biomass with an acid having a concentration from 5 to 25 weight percent under reflux conditions to provide a glucosamine composition, andextracting the glucosamine composition to provide crystallized glucosamine and a supernatant, wherein the supernatant is the glucosamine-containing feedstock; distilling the glucosamine-containing feedstock in a first distillation at a first distillation temperature that is no greater than 110° C. to yield a first product fraction and a first distillate fraction, and wherein the levulinic acid concentration of the first product fraction is higher than the levulinic acid concentration of the glucosamine-containing feedstock; and thereafter, distilling the first product fraction in a second distillation at a second distillation temperature that is between 110° C. and 150° C. to yield a levulinic acid product and a residual product, the levulinic acid product comprising at least 60 wt % levulinic acid.