Comparative Life Cycle Assessment and Technoeconomic Analysis of Biomass-Derived Shikimic Acid Production

Shikimic acid (SA) is a critical starting material forproductionof the anti-influenza drug oseltamivir phosphate. In this study, microbialproductions of SA from corn grain and corn stover are compared usinglife cycle assessment (LCA) and technoeconomic analysis (TEA). Thelife cycle impacts considered in the study include global warmingpotential, eutrophication potential, water usage, and land usage.Results of LCA depended on assumptions of allocation. As a waste product,stover contributed 15% more than grain to global warming, 86% lessto eutrophication, 96% less to water usage, and 69% less to land usage.With allocation based on the economic value of the feedstocks, stovercontributed 33% more than grain to global warming and had eutrophication,water usage, and land usage impacts that were over 2-fold higher thanthose of corn grain. TEA indicated that both biorefinery models wereprofitable. SA sourced from corn grain is more profitable than SAsourced from corn stover. This work quantifies improvements neededto make the market for stover-derived glucose and xylose mixturesmore competitive than that for grain-derived glucose. Minimizing theeconomic gap between these processes requires higher sugar yieldsfrom milled corn stover and improved SA yields from stover-derivedsugar feeds. LCA and TEA are used to assessthe feasibility of sustainableshikimic acid synthesis from corn stover versus corn grain.