In Germany, the plastic materials polyurethane and polyvinyl alcohol can now be degraded under mild conditions with the help of enzymes as biocatalysts. Scientists from the University of Greifswald have developed corresponding methods together with the German company Covestro and teams from Leipzig and Dublin, as recently published in the journal Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., […]
In Germany, researchers asked how can chemicals for the bioeconomy be produced on a large scale from regional residues. This question is being investigated by a team of researchers from the Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum (DBFZ) and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) together with industrial partners in the new “CapUp” project. The aim of the […]
In Massachusetts, recently, the possibility of removing carbon dioxide directly from ocean water has emerged as another promising possibility for mitigating CO2 emissions, one that could potentially someday even lead to overall net negative emissions. But, like air capture systems, the idea has not yet led to any widespread use, though there are a few […]
In Belgium, the team behind LIFE Biomass C+ has developed a new way of producing sustainable biofuel. Instead of land, they used existing and underused infrastructure and water resources. They grew an aquatic plant called the southern cattail in channels, ponds, and lagoons. These water bodies contained wastewater from various industries and farms. The team […]
In Finland, Nord News reported that Finnish universities and companies are currently working towards sustainable fiber fabrics in the SUSTAFIT research project. “It is vital to build a comprehensive understanding of sustainable development issues in the nonwovens industry. More public research is needed to increase the use of bio-based and recycled materials,” said Virpi Rämö […]
In Canada, researchers at the University of Saskatchewan revealed that canola and mustard meals have some special chemical characteristics that allow them to convert into an oil product that is potentially useful. A problem, though, is that the oil produced is thick and doesn’t blend easily with petroleum, which is necessary for use in machinery […]
In Illinois, a common environmental bacterium, Comamonas testosteroni, could someday become nature’s plastic recycling center. While most bacteria prefer to eat sugars, C. testosteroni, instead, has a natural appetite for complex waste from plants and plastics. In a new Northwestern University-led study, researchers have, for the first time, deciphered the metabolic mechanisms that enable C. […]
In Brazil, scientists at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) and the Federal University of the ABC (UFABC) in São Paulo state, Brazil, have successfully produced biogas from apple pomace, the pulpy residue remaining after the fruit has been crushed to extract its juice. An article describing the research is published in the journal Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery. […]
In South Korea, paper straws that are currently available are not entirely made of paper alone. Straws made with 100% paper become too soggy when they come in contact with liquids and cannot function as straws. Accordingly, their surfaces should be coated. The joint research team of Dr. Oh Dongyeop and Dr. Kwak Hojung of […]
In Texas, Texas A&M University reported that Mark Holtzapple, professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University, has spent more than three decades creating a method to convert biomass into essential fuels and chemicals, such as jet fuel and acetic acid. “Rather than disposing of biomass waste in a landfill, […]
