Finding plastic alternatives that are environmentally, practically and economically viable is arguably one of the biggest challenges today - and a way now seems to have been found: a robust material has been developed with the same properties as conventional plastics, but with natural degradability in as little as 2 and 9 weeks, depending on the conditions and thickness of the plastic.
Natural cosmetics are in vogue. According to the German Federal Statistical Office, sales in Germany have risen steadily since 2007, roughly doubling to around 1.46 billion euros by 2020. The trend toward sustainability is driving companies to expand their portfolio of sustainable products - and so is BASF. The relevant division of the Ludwigshafen-based chemical group has added a biosurfactant to its product range, as the company announced in a press release at the end of March.
With the first sunny days, the gardening season has begun for many. This includes growing herbs and vegetables in plant pots - but these are usually made of plastic and often end up in the trash after repotting. A research team led by Norbert Weber from the Technical University of Dresden has set itself the goal of avoiding these mountains of waste from plastic pots when gardening. As part of the EU project Dendromass4Europe, innovative products are to be created from the wood and bark of the poplar - including biobased and biodegradable plant pots.
Chitin is the second most common polysaccharide on earth after cellulose and a major component of the shell of many insects such as beetles and flies. The biopolymer is often used as a starting material for the technical production of chitosan, which in turn is used to manufacture fibers, foams or films. Because of its structuring and biocompatible properties, however, it is of particular interest for medical products - for example, for replicating organs or as a carrier material for drugs.
Consumers' desire for environmentally friendly products is increasingly prompting companies to put the issue of sustainability on the agenda. This also includes the challenge of producing less plastic waste. Alternatives to plastic packaging do exist. Recycled paper fibers, for example, are the basic material from which the Cologne-based start-up PAPACKS offers a wide variety of packaging solutions. The range extends from egg boxes and cream jars to inlays and cardboard packaging for industry.
Blueberries are in demand: their acreage has more than doubled in recent years to over 3,000 hectares. However, as with many perennial plants, insect pests are causing difficulties for fruit growers. The cherry vinegar fly, for example, lays its eggs in the berries, rendering the fruit unusable for trade. And the larvae of the chokecherry weevil and white grubs eat the blueberry roots, causing the plants to suffer or even die. The HOPE collaborative research project aims to develop sustainable, non-chemical solutions to both problems.
Soil is not only a significant carbon sink, but also one of the most important natural sources of CO2. Bayreuth geoecologist Johanna Pausch wants to explore biological mechanisms that influence the carbon storage capacity of soils. She was recently awarded a Starting Grant from the European Research Council ERC for a new research project on the role of root fungi and their effect on soil carbon turnover.
Archaea are among the oldest living organisms on earth. The single-celled organisms are undemanding and often live in extreme environments such as hot springs, salt lakes or the deep sea. Researchers have now also detected a globally distributed species that can convert ammonium in Europe's third largest inland lake, Lake Constance.
For several years now, the CRISPR-Cas gene scissors have provided molecular biologists with a tool that enables targeted changes to the genome. The potential for plant breeding in particular is enormous. Genetic information of important crops can be modified to make them more resistant to pests, diseases or extreme climatic conditions. Holger Puchta from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is one of the pioneers worldwide who first used the CRISPR-Cas gene scissors on plants.