Project description
Unlocking value from waste through anaerobic digestion
Anaerobic digestion can be used to extract volatile fatty acids (VFAs) from municipal solid biowaste. These VFAs are valuable as feedstock and carbon sources. The EU-funded VOLATILE project aims to develop an innovative VFA platform that will be integrated into anaerobic digestion processes. This platform will facilitate the bioconversion of the municipal solid biowaste fraction as well as sludgy biowaste from other industries. The key feature of the platform is its ability to up-cycle heterogeneous biowaste streams via the recovery of VFAs through the use of advanced membrane technology. This recovered VFA stream can then be used in value-added fermentation approaches. The VFAs obtained through this process can serve as the raw material for various applications such as the production of PHA biopolymers, single cell oil or Omega-3 fatty acids.
Objective
VOLATILE aims in the development of an innovative Volatile Fatty Acids Platform for the bioconversion of municipal solid bio-waste fraction and sludgy biowaste from other industries. The platform will be integrated in anaerobic digestion. The volatile fatty acids will be recovered continuously using sophisticated membrane technology and will be provided as feedstock / carbon source for value added fermentation approaches such as biopolymer PHA to be tested in material applications, single cell oil as precursor for oleochemical industry as well as long chain unsaturated health-promoting Omega-3 fatty acids to be used as food ingredient or nutraceutical. PHA will be obtained by bacterial fermentations, single cell oil from yeast cultivation and Omega-3 fatty acids via heterotrophic microalgae. The process development will be accompanied with sophisticated LCA study in order to ensure environmental friendly process design.
The project will also work on solutions to typical barriers beside others such as quality requirements, continuous and sufficient feedstock supply or interaction between members of value chain using agent-based modelling. Also the effect of legal stimuli and restrictions and subsidies and taxes will be studied and a link between product requirements and markets will be established. VOLATILE will prepare a Roadmap indicating future research needs but also giving suggestion for legislative improvements. A CEN workshop will be initiated to discuss with external stakeholders rules for the VFAP & to set up standard requirements in the form of a CEN workshop Agreement.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental biotechnologybioremediationbioreactors
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculeslipids
- engineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologies
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbioplasticspolyhydroxyalkanoates
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybioprocessing technologiesfermentation
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
20009 DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIAN (GIPUZKOA)
Spain
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Participants (21)
9000 GENT
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
3060-197 Cantanhede
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
4704 553 Braga
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27572 Bremerhaven
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
157 80 ATHINA
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13678 ACHARNAI
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2630 Aartselaar
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7554 RT HENGELO OV
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28050 Madrid
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2160 WOMMELGEM
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4050 145 PORTO
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540297 TARGU MURES
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Participation ended
6700 ARLON
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1180 Wien
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01004 VITORIA GASTEIZ
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
9820 Merelbeke
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EN5 5RN London
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
86479 Aichen
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
60486 Frankfurt
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400642 Cluj Napoca
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
6700 Arlon
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