Oxygen functionalities are key functional groups in many of today’s chemicals and materials. The efficient introductions of oxygen-functionalities into raw materials are key chemical transformations in bulk and fine chemicals. Innovative bio-catalytic oxidation routes using molecular oxygen (from air) under benign and mild (pH) conditions such as ambient temperature and pressure can greatly improve the sustainability and economics of processes, but are so far mainly been applied in the pharma segments. In this segment, the enzyme-catalyzed step often represents the highest added value and the high price of the end-product (> €1000/kg) justifies less than optimal enzyme production and limitations in its catalytic efficiency. In order to achieve the widening of industrial application of enzymatic bio-oxidation processes to also larger volume but lower price chemical markets, ROBOX will demonstrate the techno-economic viability of bio-transformations of four types of robust oxidative enzymes: P450 monooxygenases (P450s), Baeyer-Villiger MonoOxygenase (BVMOs), Alcohol DeHydrogenase (ADH) and Alcohol OXidase (AOX) for which target reactions have already been validated on lab-scale in pharma, nutrition, fine & specialty chemicals and materials applications.
The introduction of ROBOX bio-oxidation processes is expected to bring substantial reductions in cost (up to -50%), energy use (-60%), chemicals (-16%) and GHG-emissions (-50%).
The ROBOX project has an integrated work-flow structure of 7 work packages.
The intensive networking with our scientific partners enables us to keep at the front line of top-level research and strengthens the knowledge base in the field of industrial biotechnology.
Read articles from our news archive, newsletters and brochures, ROBOX publications, and deliverable reports.
The new product biopropane (biopropane liquid gas- bioLPG) has just come onto the market as a large scale product. Neste has started up the world’s first large-scale renewable propane production facility in Rotterdam with their new facility having a production capacity of 40,000 tonnes per year. BioLPG can be used within a full range of…
Corinne Baumgartner describes how green production values drive Givauden production of flavor and fragrance compounds
Purifying water is one of the great challenges facing society and now biotechnology is being used to improve water purification techniques. This is very important for removing pollution and producing water thst is safe to drink (desperately needed in poorer countries). Aquaporin is a Danish company named after a protein that transports water molecules across…