Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Methanotrophy (METHANE MANAGEMENT USING METHANOTROPHIC BACTERIA)
Reporting period: 2022-06-01 to 2023-05-31
The overall goal of the project is the commercialization of the methanotrophic bacteria (MB) biotechnology developed by prof. Zofia Stępniewska which allows for turning waste methane into high-grade, ecological products with the help of the bacteria. Putting this technology in widespread use would lower methane emissions to the atmosphere, diminish its load on the greenhouse effect and therefore climate change and at the same time, it would allow for the production of highly ecological materials like: polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), ectoine or high-protein components for animal feed.
Within this project, the goals are validation of the technology and business model, company organization and determining its financing path.
Methane is a threat to both people and the climate. It is an explosive gas when its volume concentration in the air is 4.5-15%, therefore it must be removed from the places where it appears by ventilation, e.g. in coal, salt or copper mines. It is a greenhouse gas whose greenhouse potential is 25 times greater than that of carbon dioxide on a 25-year scale. Disposal by incineration is difficult due to the necessity to bring to the appropriate concentration (35-40%) or the use of expensive high-temperature solutions. At concentrations below 0.2%, the devices used so far do not capture methane at all.
The use of MB bio-filters allows for solving or significantly alleviating these problems because it leads not only to the absorption of methane by bacteria, but also to a substantial binding of carbon in the bacterial biomass or synthesized products, therefore it also reduces CO2 emissions, compared to methane combustion. The biomass can be used as a valuable raw material, e.g. for animal feed or for the production of bio-degradable plastics (PHB) or cosmetics and medicines (ectoine).
The purpose of this project is to evaluate the ability to produce bioplastic by the methanotrophic bacteria in the lab and prepare business plans for its potential commercialization.
Within this project, the goals are validation of the technology and business model, company organization and determining its financing path.
Methane is a threat to both people and the climate. It is an explosive gas when its volume concentration in the air is 4.5-15%, therefore it must be removed from the places where it appears by ventilation, e.g. in coal, salt or copper mines. It is a greenhouse gas whose greenhouse potential is 25 times greater than that of carbon dioxide on a 25-year scale. Disposal by incineration is difficult due to the necessity to bring to the appropriate concentration (35-40%) or the use of expensive high-temperature solutions. At concentrations below 0.2%, the devices used so far do not capture methane at all.
The use of MB bio-filters allows for solving or significantly alleviating these problems because it leads not only to the absorption of methane by bacteria, but also to a substantial binding of carbon in the bacterial biomass or synthesized products, therefore it also reduces CO2 emissions, compared to methane combustion. The biomass can be used as a valuable raw material, e.g. for animal feed or for the production of bio-degradable plastics (PHB) or cosmetics and medicines (ectoine).
The purpose of this project is to evaluate the ability to produce bioplastic by the methanotrophic bacteria in the lab and prepare business plans for its potential commercialization.
Main activities:
Mentoring and coaching objectives were fully achieved and presented in the respective documents. All of the learning, market knowledge, product options etc. results have been gathered and presented in the deliverables D1-D7. However, additional work is needed to identify the extraction process suitable for volume productions. That aspect keeps still the business plan built on some assumptions and requires further research to complete with higher confidence.
The bioreactor was purchased and delivered. We managed to set up the whole bioreactor system and perform the planned tests till the end of the project. The results of the tests are presented in the D8. They show that the methanotrophic bacteria were active and can efficiently consume methane. Biomass sediment was extracted from the bioreactor cultivation.
Mentoring and coaching objectives were fully achieved and presented in the respective documents. All of the learning, market knowledge, product options etc. results have been gathered and presented in the deliverables D1-D7. However, additional work is needed to identify the extraction process suitable for volume productions. That aspect keeps still the business plan built on some assumptions and requires further research to complete with higher confidence.
The bioreactor was purchased and delivered. We managed to set up the whole bioreactor system and perform the planned tests till the end of the project. The results of the tests are presented in the D8. They show that the methanotrophic bacteria were active and can efficiently consume methane. Biomass sediment was extracted from the bioreactor cultivation.
It was confirmed that methanotrophic bacteria strains are alive, are consuming methane and produce desired product.
It is necessary to conduct research in the area of PHB extraction from biomass - some methods are used in industry and presented in papers, nevertheless we need to select the best one with potential to scale.
It is necessary to conduct research in the area of PHB extraction from biomass - some methods are used in industry and presented in papers, nevertheless we need to select the best one with potential to scale.