Project title: Innovative technologies for valorizing lignocellulosic waste to bioplastics
Acronym: LIGNOBIOPLAST
Contract no: TE37/2022
Contracting authority: Executive Unit for Financing Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation (UEFISCDI), Romania
Program 1 – Development of the national research and development system
Project type: Research projects to stimulate young independent teams (TE)
Abstract
A current problem of modern life is founding solutions to replace synthetic plastics with bioplastics, considering that removing millions of tons of plastics from the environment creates significant and unmanageable environmental problems. The present project aims to develop new environmentally friendly technologies regarding the lignocellulosic waste utilization in order to obtain bioplastics (PLA and PHA) by using supercritical CO2 pretreatment method for carbohydrate separation, fermentation with microbial strains, physical-chemical characterization of bioplastic obtained and quality determination. The lifecycle assessment (LCA) of new technologies will also be performed to ensure their sustainability for large-scale implementation. The new bioplastics and technologies to be developed will help to implement bioplastics, a useful tool in the prevention of damage and negative effects caused by conventional plastics. The proposed technologies will help to produce high value-added products that meet national and international standards.
Project objective
The major objectives of the LIGNOBIOPLAST project are (i) to develop innovative technologies for obtaining bioplastics (PLA and PHA) from lignocellulosic waste, (ii) characterization of bioplastics for establishing physical-chemical qualities.
Estimated results
- Study regarding the existing technologies to produce bioplastics from lignocellulosic wastes;
- Pretreatment method of lignocellulosic biomass;
- Technologies for bioplastics production (PHA and PHB) from lignocellulosic waste, using fermentation processes;
- Experimental data on the physico-chemical characteristics of the obtained bioplastics;
- Technical documentation of the LIGNOBIOPLAST technology;
- LCA analysis;
- National patent application;
- Communication – participation in international events;
- Scientific papers in WoS indexed journals.
Project start: 15.05.2022
Project end: 14.05.2024
Project duration: 24 months
Host institution:
National Institute for Research and Development in Optoelectronics INOE 2000
Subsidiary Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation Cluj Napoca
Adress: 67 Donath, Cluj-Napoca, RO-400293
Phone: +40-264-420590
Fax: +40-264-420667
E-mail: icia@icia.ro
Budget:
- Project budget: 450.000,00 RON
- Co-financing: 0,00 RON
Contact:
Project coordinator
Senior Researcher I Dr. Lacrimioara SENILA
Str. Donath 67, Cluj-Napoca, RO-400293
E-mail: lacri.senila@icia.ro; icia@icia.ro
Tel/Fax: +40-264-420590/+40-264-420667