Solvents are central chemicals in many manufacturing processes in the chemical industry. They are used to dissolve starting materials at the beginning of a production process, but also to isolate and condition the desired compound from the reaction mixture at the end. However, most solvents have been based on petroleum. The international DECADES research project funded by the European Commission is therefore now looking for bio-based alternatives.
Nature is once again the model: Many chemical reactions require a lot of energy to take place quickly or even at all. Living cells have solved this by enzymes that act as catalysts for the reactions. Often, these enzymes carry metal ions in their reactive center. A new research alliance now wants to mimic this principle in order to reduce the need for energy and raw materials for important chemical reactions. The project, called BioOxCat, is funded by the German Research Foundation with 3.3 million euros for four years.
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.
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.
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.
The marine bacterium Vibrio natriegens is faster than any other: No known organism that is harmless to humans multiplies faster. This makes it a potentially highly interesting tool for biotechnology. A research team from TU Munich has investigated this question and used the microbe to produce succinic acid. Their research is presented in the journal „Microbial Biotechnology“.
Market analyses show: Fossil plastics are slowly becoming less common. Even if products made from bioplastics are still a niche, experts expect significant growth in the coming years. But bioplastics are only sustainable if they are made from renewable raw and residual materials.
In September 2020, process engineer Anne Lamp founded the start-up Traceless Materials in Hamburg together with Johanna Baare. The idea: to turn agricultural residues into a biomaterial that can be biodegraded in a short time and is particularly suitable for packaging and disposable products.
Whether dishwashing detergents, laundry producte or household cleaners: When it comes to dirt, manufacturers rely on surfactants. Until now, the majority of these surfactants have been produced synthetically. They are based on petroleum, are often not very skin-friendly and usually pollute the environment. But the trend is moving toward biosurfactants. These are produced by microorganisms from renewable raw materials and are biodegradable.