Utilization of lignin in empty fruit bunch for production of fine chemicals: development of subcritical water technology and ΔpcaHG-ΔcatA Rhodococcus jostii RHA1

Abstract

Lignin is an alternative source of chemicals particularly phenolic compounds if it could broken down into smaller molecular units. Subcritical water (SCW) is a known technology that has the ability to break down lignin by hydrolysis. In this study, the SCW depolymerizes empty fruit bunch derived lignin into a mixture of aromatic compounds. The mixture, however, is impractical to be utilized and the cost to separate each of the components is relatively high. Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 is a bacterium that can degrade a wide range of aromatic compounds. Specific gene deletion of RHA1 has shown that the RHA1 loses its ability to catabolize specific chemicals. This research project aims to utilize empty fruit bunch derived lignin via SCW technology and subsequently biological process using mutant Rhodococcus jostii RHA1, ΔpcaHG-ΔcatA mutant RHA1.