Lignosulfonate (LS), one of the byproducts
of the paper and pulp
industry, was mainly used as an energy source in the last decade until
the valorization of lignin through different functionalization methods
grew in importance. Polymerization using multicopper oxidase laccase
(from the
Myceliophthora thermophila
fungus) is one of such methods, which not only enhances properties
such as hydrophobicity, flame retardancy, and bonding properties but
can also be used for food and possesses pharmaceutical-like antimicrobial
properties and aesthetic features of materials. Appropriate downstream
processing methods are needed to produce solids that allow the preservation
of particle morphology, a vital factor for the valorization process.
In this work, an optimization of the enzymatic polymerization via
spray-drying of LS was investigated. The response surface methodology
was used to optimize the drying process, reduce the polymerization
time, and maximize the dried mass yield. Particles formed showed a
concave morphology and enhanced solubility while the temperature sensitivity
of spray-drying protected the phenol functionalities beneficial for
polymerization. Using the optimized parameters, a yield of 65% in
a polymerization time of only 13 min was obtained. The experimental
values were found to be in agreement with the predicted values of
the factors (
R
2
: 95.2% and
p
-value: 0.0001), indicating the suitability of the model in predicting
polymerization time and yield of the spray-drying process.