Page 156 - CW E-Magazine (18-6-2024)

News from Abroad

WHITE BIOTECHNOLOGY
BASF and partners research fermentation route

to make fumaric acid

BASF is collaborating with Saarland print of fumarate made
University, University of Marburg with biotechnology
and the University of Kaiserslautern- methods and compare
Landau in a joint research project entitled this to petrochemi-
‘FUMBIO’ (FUMarsäure BIObasiert), cal-based production.
which will focus in using the bacterium The cooperation part-
Basfia succiniciproducens to transform ners expect the carbon
sugar and carbon dioxide into fumaric footprint will be signi-
acid, an important intermediate for ficantly lower – or
chemical production. even negative, thanks
to the use of CO as a
2
The bacterium, which was isolated raw material.
in 2008 from the rumen of a Holstein
cow, will be genetically modified by re- ble,” said Dr. Barbara Navé, head of The CO that the bacteria will use
2
searchers so that it produces large quan- the FUMBIO project and responsible as a source of carbon, in addition to
tities of bio-based fumaric acid, also for the evaluation and coordination of sugar, in the fermentation process
known as fumarate, during fermenta- new white biotechnology projects will come from exhaust gas streams at
tion. With this intermediate, BASF can at BASF. chemical production plants. “Carbon
make a wide range of products with a dioxide is an important raw mate-
low carbon footprint, including addi- The research project also focuses rial for us in the chemical industry.
tives for food and animal feed, starting on the subsequent refinement of If we recycle CO from industrial
2
materials for medication, or building fumarate by enzymes – also known off-gas, this will help us to reduce
blocks for polymers and detergents and as bio-catalysis – into biodegradable emissions of this greenhouse gas and
formulators. industrial products. Fumaric acid is achieve our climate targets by 2050,”
very common in nature and is an Dr. Navé explained.
“Together with our cooperation intermediate product in many metabolic
partners, we are taking a closer look processes in humans, animals and The FUMBIO project receives
at the fermentation process. We want plants. In the chemical industry, it has financial support from Germany’s
to optimise it in such a way that the traditionally been produced primarily Federal Ministry for Education and
bacteria use renewable raw materials, from fossil-based raw materials, such Research. In total, the Ministry is pro-
such as sugar, and carbon dioxide to as crude oil. The FUMBIO research viding around €2.6-mn to the project
produce as much fumarate as possi- project will measure the CO foot- partners.
2

QatarEnergy, Idemitsu Kosan sign 10-year naphtha
supply deal

QatarEnergy has entered into State for Energy Affairs, the President
a long-term agreement to supply and CEO of QatarEnergy, said: “We are
Japan’s Idemitsu Kosan with a total delighted to further strengthen almost
of up to six million tons of naphtha to 50-years of partnership with Idemitsu,
be delivered to Japan over ten years the leading Japanese refining and petro-
starting in July 2024. chemicals company, with this landmark
agreement, which will bring further
Mr. Saad Al-Kaabi, the Minister of benefits to both sides.”

156 Chemical Weekly June 18, 2024

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