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In this project, we have studied recovery and fractionation of extracellular polymer substances (EPS) from wastewater in mixed microbial cultures. These EPS are intended for use as biobased flocculants, and further fractionation may unlock other potential uses. With the developed approach based on three phase partitioning, we enabled fractionation of the EPS into a fraction rich in polysaccharides and a fraction rich in proteins. This new fractionation approach may be further developed for bioproduction approaches that enable circular chemistry making use of waste fermentation.

After 20 years of research, bio-based plastics have failed to displace fossil plastics by achieving no more than 1% market share. The choice for expensive feedstocks (edible sugars) and comprehensive processing (via high-purity monomers and well-controlled polymerization) has made them uncompetitive and unsustainable for large-volume commodity applications. We aim at filling this gap by using cheap and abundant feedstocks (e.g. lignocellulose waste streams) and developing simple chemical processes that circumvent deep deconstruction of the feedstock. We have recently demonstrated this concept by producing a fully-recyclable thermoplastic composite by biomass liquefaction and further reinforcement with natural fibers. Building on this lead, we will broaden feedstocks pool and processing options (modification and functionalization) to produce low-cost circular composites and coatings (for wood and cardboard) for commodity applications. This approach integrates the concepts of carbon-neutrality and full circularity by design, by selecting a feedstock that has a negative carbon footprint (i.e. is sequestering CO2) and by selecting a process that can easily recycle spent product. These thermoplastic composites and coatings could transform the petrochemical industry by providing competitive circular materials for packaging and construction, which accounted for ~ 60% of the plastics demand in EU in 2018. This ambition will be tackled by interdisciplinary collaboration and continuous knowledge exchange between the consortium partners, which are active along the whole value chain of the product (feedstock suppliers, technology developers, end-users): University of Twente, Delft University of Technology, Avans Hogeschool, Shell, UPM, Xylotrade B.V., NPSP, Bodewes Materials Solutions and Staatsbosbeheer.