Enhanced upgrading of corncob to furfuryl alcohol with a novel silica-supported SO42−-TiO2 chemocatalyst and immobilized whole-cell biocatalyst

Abstract

Chemobiocatalytic synthesis is an effective approach to transform biomass into high-value products. Here, a novel and efficient route was proposed toward the preparation of furfuryl alcohol from corncob. A novel silica-supported SO₄²⁻-TiO₂ catalyst was prepared to convert corncob into furfural at 170 °C for 30 min using microwave heating, achieving a furfural yield of 73.3%. For the bioreduction of furfural to furfuryl alcohol, novel recombinant E. coli EF22 cells were successfully constructed and the most suitable parameters were identified. The immobilization was performed on E. coli EF22 to improve their stability and reusability and to determine the optimal parameters of the immobilization process. Subsequently, a chemobiocatalytic strategy combining the SO₄²⁻-TiO₂/SiO₂ chemocatalyst and EF22@SA/Fe₃O₄ biocatalyst was performed, achieving a furfuryl alcohol productivity of 0.5396 g FFAC per g xylan. This study not only provides a sustainable and efficient route for the synthesis of furfural and furfuryl alcohol but also highlights the applicability of chemobiocatalysis.