Cargill and Novozymes to enable production of acrylic acid from renewable raw materials

Citation

(2008), "Cargill and Novozymes to enable production of acrylic acid from renewable raw materials", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 55 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.2008.12855cab.012

Cargill and Novozymes to enable production of acrylic acid from renewable raw materials

Article Type: Industrial news From: Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Volume 55, Issue 3.

Cargill and Novozymes have announced a joint agreement to develop technology enabling the production of acrylic acid via 3- hydroxypropionic acid (3HPA) from renewable raw materials. The project is supported by a US$1.5 million matching cooperative agreement from the US Department of Energy. The collaboration aims at enabling fermentation of sugar into 3HPA using a bioengineered microorganism. The 3HPA can subsequently be transformed into a range of valuable chemical derivatives including acrylic acid for use in paints and coatings. “Due to increasing oil prices, conversion of renewable raw materials to chemicals is becoming economically viable and holds significant commercial potential,” said Novozymes' Executive Vice President Thomas Videbaek. Cargill, a leading supplier to the bioindustry globally, already has patents relating to biobased 3HPA. Novozymes will contribute its technological platform in protein and pathway engineering, i.e. targeting microorganisms to produce a desired compound. The companies expect the technology to be ready within five years, at which time it will be made available for others to produce and sell 3HPA and its derivatives such as acrylic acid.

For more details, please visit: www.cargill.com