The Catalysis team, led by Professor Tom Schwartz, designed a way to extract glucose sugares from sawdust and burning (s) -3-hydroxy-γ-butirolacton (HBL), transmits the CircularnaEkonomija.org portal.
It is an important raw material for numerous pharmaceutical products, including drugs to lower cholesterol, antibiotics and HIV inhibitors, the University of Maine said.
According to the researcher’s analysis, the new process could reduce HBL production costs and up to 60%, because it does not require heating fuels to high temperatures, but uses water temperature and bicarbon.
“We found a way to use what nature already offers in wood sugar,” said Professor Schwartz.
Oil is most commonly used in pharmaceutical production
The key to success is hidden in the molecular structure of wood glucose, states in a statement. Unlike oil, which is most often used in pharmaceutical production, biomass naturally contains hydrial centers – parts of molecules that are crucial in drug synthesis, and otherwise they are difficult to get them from fossil springs.
Scientists also emphasize the environmental benefits of a new procedure.
“Facial remains often leaving that rotten on the forest ground, and now we can turn them into high-value products,” Clayton Wheeler, director of the Institute for Bioprododes from Umain forestry.
Lower drug prices and waste reduction from forestry
The process is still in the development phase, but opens up wide opportunities for future application. Schwartz and associates are now looking for partners from the industry to help the technology be transferred from the laboratory to practice.
If he succeeds, this approach could contribute at the same time to reduce the price of drugs and reducing waste from forestry, which combines economic and ecological benefits, concludes in a statement.
By the way, members of the research team are already exploring the potential of wood for the production of bioplastics and sustainable air fuel.
(Vijesti.ba)
