New BIOtechnologiCaL approaches for biodegrading and promoting the environmEntal biotrAnsformation of syNthetic polymeric materials

Project Information

BIOCLEAN

Grant agreement ID: 312100

Project closed

Start date 1 September 2012

End date 31 August 2015

Funded under

• Specific Programme "Cooperation": Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology

Total cost € 3 925 096,90

EU contribution € 2 995 988,00

Coordinated by

ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA
Italy

Exploitable results

Exploitable results – Pilot scale pre-treatments to improve the potential of plastic degradation mechanisms

Result description

New, pilot-scale thermal, O3-, gamma- and UV-based pretreatments lowering molecular weight and improving bioavailability and biodegradability of polyethylene (PE; and its variants Low Density PE - LDPE - and Linear Low Density PE - LLDPE), polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) plastics.

Result type

* exploitable scientific result

Link to result

References

Exploitable results – New understanding of the potential of fungi and bacteria to degrade plastics

Result description

Biodegradation potential and specificity towards polyethylene (PE; and its variants Low Density PE - LDPE - and Linear Low Density PE - LLDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polystyrene (PS) plastic films and their additives by newly enriched/isolated, naturally-occurring bacteria and fungi obtained from plastic waste from landfills, industrial sites, composting and anaerobic digestion facilities as well as from the Aegean and the Northern seas.

Result type

* exploitable scientific result

Link to result

References

Exploitable results – Scientific understanding to develop tailored mechanisms to degrade plastics

Result description

Degradation mechanisms and potential towards polyethylene (PE; and its variants Low Density PE - LDPE - and Linear Low Density PE - LLDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polystyrene (PS) plastic films and their additives by newly enriched/isolated, naturally-occurring bacteria and fungi obtained from plastic waste coming from landfills, industrial sites, composting and anaerobic digestion facilities as well as from the Aegean and the Northern seas. The mineralization of PS by Penicillium variabile was demonstrated using 14C-labelled PS.

Result type

* Scientific Publication

Link to result

References

Exploitable results – Pilot scale biological and hybird physical/chemical-biological processes to biodegrade plastics

Result description

Pilot-scale biological or hybrid chemical/physical-biological processes for the degradation of polyethylene (PE; and its variants Low Density PE - LDPE - and Linear Low Density PE - LLDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polystyrene (PS) films. Remarkable biodegradation rate and extents were observed on PVC and, to less extents, on PE (LDPE, LLDPE) and PP plastic films.

Result type

* exploitable scientific result

Link to result

References

Exploitable results – Novel plastic-degrading bacteria/fungi

Result description

Novel robust bacteria and fungi able to partially degrade/transform films of plastics of polyethylene (PE)(5 cultures), polypropylene (PP)(5 cultures), polyvinyl chloride (PVC)(14 cultures) and polystyrene (PS) (1 cultures) as well as some of their additives (3-4 cultures).

Result type

* product

Link to result

References

Exploitable results – Site-specific measures for mitigating plastic pollution in the Aegean Sea

Result description

Site-specific measures for mitigating plastic pollution and improving the environmental status of Aegean Sea.

Result type

* guidelines/standards

Link to result

References

Exploitable results – Lab- and pilot-scale bioaugmentation protocols to improve native biodegradation of plastics under actual site terrestial and marine conditions

Result description

Lab and pilot-scale bioaugmentation protocols for intensifying (micro) plastics biodegradation in soils, composting/anaerobic waste treatment facilities and marine environments. Some protocols displayed limited or no bioremediation enhancements but the protocols developed for assessing the activity deserve scientific and technological interest.

Result type

* RTD protocol/technical manual

Link to result

References