Objective Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), naturally produced polyesters, are gaining attention in the biodegradable polymer market due to their high biodegradability and versatility. They display sufficient functional properties to replace some of the 250 MTs of plastics used worldwide today, especially in the substitution of PET, which is widely used in soft drink bottles to electronics casing. A key challenge is in producing PHAs that are cost and performance competitive with conventional fossil-based polymers. Recent research has discovered that PHA polymers are naturally produced by some bacteria within the bacterial cell and can be extracted or processed for use in many applications-packaging, moulded goods, adhesives, films, etc. Work has been underway to determine if they can be grown in genetically modified plants. Despite positive results, many publications and patents on eco-compatible packaging materials, the production of biopolymers from natural sources has been limited, mainly due to difficulties in processing of natural materials, incompatibility at the interface natural fillers-polymeric matrices, poor mechanical properties, possible toxicity due to natural material degradation and moisture sensitivity, high raw material cost, etc. This project will build on promising preliminary research results into the growth of genetically modified cyanobacteria in wastewaters to produce PHAs. Cyanobacteria are a group of oxygen-evolving photosynthetic bacteria with short generation time, and are the sole prokaryotes that accumulate PHA by oxygenic photosynthesis, having potential for PHA cultivation in wastewaters. Olive oil wastewater will be recovered and reused to obtain PHA biopolymers for use as advanced packaging material. A valorisation of the waste materials will be obtained for using the leftover biomass (from biopolymer production) for biodiesel production and for the extraction of chemicals and natural fillers for Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)-based composites. Fields of science engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processeswastewater treatment processesnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologynatural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciencesengineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbioplasticspolyhydroxyalkanoatesengineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbiofuels Programme(s) FP7-NMP - Specific Programme "Cooperation": Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies Topic(s) NMP.2011.2.3-1 - Advanced packaging materials from renewable biogenic resources Call for proposal FP7-NMP-2011-SMALL-5 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme CP-FP-SICA - Small/medium-scale focused research project for specific cooperation actions dedicated to international cooperation partner countries(SICA) Coordinator IRIS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, SOCIEDAD LIMITADA EU contribution € 528 212,00 Address CARRETERA D ESPLUGUES 39 41 08940 CORNELLA DE LLOBREGAT Spain See on map Region Este Cataluña Barcelona Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Administrative Contact Digby Colm (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (13) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all CONSORZIO INTERUNIVERSITARIO NAZIONALE PER LA SCIENZA E TECNOLOGIA DEI MATERIALI Italy EU contribution € 582 860,00 Address VIA GIUSTI 9 50121 Firenze See on map Region Centro (IT) Toscana Firenze Activity type Research Organisations Administrative Contact Alessandro Barbieri (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data CENTRO DE INVESTIGACION CIENTIFICA Y DE EDUCACION SUPERIOR DE ENSENADA, BAJA CALIFORNIA Mexico EU contribution € 261 821,00 Address Carretera Ensenada - Tijuana 3918 22860 Ensenada See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Leonor Falcon (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data CONSEJO NACIONAL DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS Y TECNICAS (CONICET) Argentina EU contribution € 188 617,00 Address GODOY CRUZ 2290 C1425FQB Buenos Aires See on map Activity type Research Organisations Administrative Contact Vera Alvarez (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data NORMEC OWS Belgium EU contribution € 367 270,00 Address PANTSERSCHIPSTRAAT 163 9000 GENT See on map Region Vlaams Gewest Prov. 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