GC wins award for Bio‑Muconic Acid made from agricultural waste
- Bio‑Muconic Acid produced from sugarcane bagasse and cassava pulp as bio‑based feedstock.
- More than 200 lab experiments led to scale‑up to a 50,000‑liter semi‑industrial fermentation tank in 2025.
- Process uses synthetic biology, precision fermentation, and developed separation methods to achieve high purity.
- Collaboration with Toray targets conversion of bio‑muconic acid to bio‑adipic acid for bio‑nylon 6,6 applications.
Award
PTT Global Chemical (GC) received the Outstanding Technology Award for 2026 for its project “Innovation in Bio‑Muconic Acid Production through Synthetic Biology and Precision Fermentation to Build Thailand's Bio‑based Economy.” The recognition was presented at the Outstanding Technologist Awards and TechInno Forum 2026.
Feedstock and product scope
The programme converts agricultural residues—specifically sugarcane bagasse and cassava pulp—into bio‑muconic acid, a platform chemical that can be processed into specialty chemicals and materials, including feedstock for bio‑adipic acid and bio‑nylon 6,6 used in fibers and industrial applications.
Technology and scale‑up
The research combined engineered microorganisms (synthetic biology), precision fermentation control, and downstream separation methods to reach high purity. After more than 200 laboratory experiments, GC scaled production to a 50,000‑liter semi‑industrial fermentation tank in 2025, marking a step toward commercialisation.
Industry linkage
GC has entered a collaboration with Toray Industries to advance conversion of bio‑muconic acid to bio‑adipic acid for bio‑nylon 6,6, aiming to connect agricultural feedstocks with higher‑value manufacturing and reduce reliance on fossil feedstocks.
Source: GC