Project: Optimized laccase systems for high-value bio-plastics production from biomass
These days, the bio-based plastics market is in rapid growth, and bio-based plastic products will more and more replace petroleum-based plastic products, leading to reduced CO2 emissions and therewith a positive environmental impact. The use of biocatalysts (enzymes) in the bio-plastics production value chain has the potential to add largely to this positive impact as it may substitute toxic chemical catalysts in processes using to produce polymers from bio-based feedstock. Lignin is the largest available source of aromatic building blocks for bio-based aromatic derivatives, and its abundance, e.g. from the pulp and paper industry, makes it a highly interesting potential source for novel aromatic chemicals and polymer precursors that may be polymerized by chemical and biocatalysts. The OXYPOL project addresses the bio-based plastics value chain using biocatalysis for the degradation of lignin into aromatic building blocks and the subsequent controlled polymerization of these aromatic precursors into bio-based polymers. Highly efficient laccase mediator systems (LMS) based on abundant potential low-cost mediator compounds directly derivable from selected lignin preparations will be developed, applying enzyme engineering strategies. In combination with improving enzyme-recycling approaches for LMS involving immobilization on polymer particles and whole-cell biocatalysis, we aim at breaking crucial bottlenecks in the application of LMS based biocatalysis towards large scale industrial applications in bio-plastics production. OXYPOL is a pan-European endeavour integrating complementaryscientific excellence and market driven R&D competence of the totally 8 academic, institutional and commercial project partners, aiming at making an impact on the biocatalysis-based bio-plastics production, with positive implications for the European bio-economy.
| Acronym | OXYPOL |
| Website | visit project website |
| Network | ERA-IB-2 |
| Call | ERA-IB 5th joint call for proposals: Industrial biotechnology for Europe: an integrated approach |
Project partner
| Number | Name | Role | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberystwyth University | United Kingdom | ||
| Autodisplay Biotech | Germany | ||
| Fundación CIDETEC | Spain | ||
| Niost LLC - SIBUR R&D Centre | Russia | ||
| Norner Research | Norway | ||
| SINTEF | Coordinator | Norway | |
| University of Groningen | Netherlands | ||
| University of Oviedo | Spain |