Processing biomass

Abstract

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, microbial, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as food products and amino acids.

1 . A method of preparing a feed material, the method comprising;
 changing the molecular structure of polysaccharides of a biomass comprising polysaccharides in the form of cellulose, hemicellulose, or starch to produce a feed material having a nutrient availability greater than the nutrient availability of the biomass.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising providing the feed material to an animal. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal is a human. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising utilizing the feed material in agriculture. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the feed material is delivered to a crop. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the feed material is utilized in a hydroponic solution. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising utilizing the feed material in aquaculture. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the feed material further comprises an enzyme. 
     
     
         9 . A composition comprising saccharide units arranged in a molecular chain, wherein from about 1 out of every 2 to about 1 out of every 250 saccharide units comprise a carboxylic acid group, or an ester or salt thereof, the composition being suitable for consumption as a feed material. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the composition includes a plurality of such chains. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein from about 1 out of every 5 to about 1 out of every 250 saccharide units of each chain comprise a carboxylic acid group, or an ester or salt thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein from about 1 out of every 8 to about 1 out of every 100 saccharide units of each chain comprise a carboxylic acid group, or an ester or salt thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein from about 1 out of every 10 to about 1 out of every 50 saccharide units of each chain comprise a carboxylic acid group, or an ester or salt thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein each chain has between about 10 and about 200 saccharide units. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein each chain comprises hemicellulose or cellulose. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein each chain also includes saccharide units that include groups selected from the group consisting of nitroso groups, nitro groups and nitrile groups. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the saccharide units comprise 5 or 6 carbon saccharide units. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the average molecular weight of the composition relative to PEG standards is from about 1,000 to about 1,000,000, wherein the molecular weight is determined using GPC, utilizing a saturated solution (8.4% by weight) of lithium chloride (LiCl) in dimethyl acetamide (DMAc) as the mobile phase. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the average molecular weight of the composition relative to PEG standards is less than about 10,000. 
     
     
         20 . A method comprising:
 converting a processed material, using a microorganism, to produce an edible material, the processed material having been produced by processing a biomass comprising polysaccharides in the form of cellulose, hemicellulose, or starch, having a first recalcitrance level, using at least one of radiation, sonication, pyrolysis, and oxidation, to produce a processed material having a recalcitrance level lower than the recalcitrance level of the first material, wherein recalcitrance is determined by incubating in the presence of a cellulase.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising isolating and/or purifying the edible material. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the edible material is digestible and/or absorbable. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the biomass is selected from the group consisting of paper, paper products, paper waste, wood, particle board, sawdust, agricultural waste, sewage, silage, grasses, rice hulls, bagasse, cotton, jute, hemp, flax, bamboo, sisal, abaca, straw, corn cobs, corn stover, switchgrass, alfalfa, hay, rice hulls, coconut hair, cotton, seaweed, algae, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the edible material is selected from the group consisting of pharmaceuticals, nutriceuticals, proteins, fats, vitamins, oils, fiber, minerals, sugars, carbohydrates and alcohol. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the biomass has internal fibers, and has been sheared to an extent that the internal fibers are substantially exposed. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the biomass has a BET surface area greater than about 0.25 m 2 /g and a bulk density of less than about 0.5 g/cm 3 . 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein processing comprises irradiating with ionizing radiation. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising subjecting the processed material to enzymatic hydrolysis. 
     
     
         29 . A method of producing an amino acid or a derivative thereof, the method comprising:
 converting a processed material, using a microorganism, to produce an amino acid or a derivative thereof, wherein the processed material has been provided by processing a biomass comprising polysaccharides in the form of cellulose, hemicellulose, or starch, and having a first recalcitrance level, using at least one of radiation, sonication, pyrolysis, and oxidation, to produce a processed material having a recalcitrance level lower than the recalcitrance level of the biomass, wherein recalcitrance is determined by incubating in the presence of a cellulase.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the amino acid or derivative thereof is selected from the group consisting of  L -amino acids and  D -amino acids such as  L -glutamic acid (monosodium glutamate (MSG)),  L -apartic acid,  L -phenylalanine,  L -lysine,  L -threonine,  L -tryptophan,  L -valine,  L -leucine,  L -isoleucine,  L -methionine,  L -histidine, and  L -phenylalanine,  L -lysine,  DL -methionine, and  L -tryptophan. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid bacteria (LAB),  E. coli, Bacillus subtilis , and  Corynebacterium glutamicum.    
     
     
         32 . A method of producing an antibiotic, the method comprising:
 converting a processed material, using a microorganism, to produce an antibiotic, wherein the processed material has been provided by processing a biomass comprising polysaccharides in the form of cellulose, hemicellulose, or starch, and having a first recalcitrance level, using at least one of radiation, sonication, pyrolysis, and oxidation, to produce a processed material having a recalcitrance level lower than the recalcitrance level of the biomass, wherein recalcitrance is determined by incubating in the presence of a cellulase.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the antibiotic is selected from the group consisting of tetracycline, streptomycin, cyclohexamide, Neomycin, cycloserine, erythromycin, kanamycin, lincomycin, nystatin, polymyxin B, and bacitracin. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the one or more microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of  Streptomyces remosus, Streptomyces griseus, Streptomyces frodiae, Streptomyces orchidaceus, Streptomyces erythreus, Streptomyces kanamyceticus, Streptomyces, Streptomyces noursei, Bacillus polymyxa , and  Bacillus licheniformis.    
     
     
         35 . A method of producing a immunostimulatory material, the method comprising:
 converting a processed material, using a microorganism, to produce an immunostimulatory material, wherein the processed material has been provided by processing a biomass comprising polysaccharides in the form of cellulose, hemicellulose, or starch, and having a first recalcitrance level, using at least one of radiation, sonication, pyrolysis, and oxidation, to produce a processed material having a recalcitrance level lower than the recalcitrance level of the biomass, wherein recalcitrance is determined by incubating in the presence of a cellulase.   
     
     
         36 . An absorbent comprising a processed biomass material comprising saccharide units arranged in a molecular chain, wherein from about 1 out of every 2 to about 1 out of every 250 saccharide units comprise a carboxylic acid group, or an ester or salt thereof. 
     
     
         37 . The absorbent of  claim 36  wherein the processed biomass material has been treated with a silane to render the absorbent lipophilic. 
     
     
         38 . A filter material comprising an irradiated cellulosic or lignocellulosic material. 
     
     
         39 . A product comprising a converted material formed by converting a processed material, using a microorganism, to produce the converted material, the processed material being produced by processing a biomass comprising polysaccharides in the form of cellulose, hemicellulose, or starch, having a first recalcitrance level, using at least one of radiation, sonication, pyrolysis, and oxidation, to produce a processed material having a recalcitrance level lower than the recalcitrance level of the first material, wherein recalcitrance is determined by incubating in the presence of a cellulase.