Developing novel biodegradable biopolymers with superior barrier properties for use within the drinks industry

开发具有卓越阻隔性能的新型可生物降解生物聚合物，用于饮料行业

• 批准号: 2777114
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Bath
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2777114
• 关键词: Developing; novel; biodegradable; biopolymers; superior

The aim of my PhD is to establish the end-of-life behaviour of Professor Chris Chuck's biopolymers. This includes investigations of the microorganisms responsible for the degradation in soil environments, as well as determining the biproducts of this process.The hope is to reduce plastic litter in the environment. The biopolymer will readily decompose, leaving no toxins, making it marine-safe.The PhD is a collaboration with Diageo, a global leader in the alcohol industry. Diageo's plan 'Society 2030' is designed to create a more sustainable world, hoping to ensure 100% of plastics are recycled/reused/compostable by 2030.To begin my PhD I have investigated the affect of cellulase on some of the common materials found in our biopolymers. From these results I now wish to investigate how we can cleave the sugar-acid bond. I will use lipases to test this. The next step in my PhD is to set up compost plots containing our biopolymers to monitor the degradation over time. I will take samples from the biopolymers and use 16s/28s rRNA sequencing to investigate the microorganisms which are responsible for the degradation. I will set this experiment up within the next few weeks and then again during the summer months to compare the affects of temperature on degradation.Alongside these experiments I will grow 3 different microorganisms known to produce the cellulase enzyme, under lab conditions using the biopolymers as a sole carbon source. I will measure the release of glucose via a DNS assay to assess the breakdown of the biopolymers.An additional experiment I wish to set up will investigate whether the biopolymers are edible. I will use stomach enzymes at a low pH to mimic the stomach environment.Another potential area of interest could be to investigate the breakdown in marine environments.

我博士学位的目的是确定克里斯·查克教授的生物聚合物的临终行为。这包括对土壤环境中负责降解的微生物的调查，以及确定这一过程的双产物。希望能减少环境中的塑料垃圾。这种生物聚合物很容易分解，不会留下任何毒素，对海洋是安全的。博士学位是与全球酒类行业的领导者帝亚吉欧合作的。帝亚吉欧的“2030社会”计划旨在创造一个更可持续的世界，希望到2030年确保100%的塑料被回收/再利用/可堆肥。为了开始攻读博士学位，我研究了纤维素酶对生物聚合物中一些常见材料的影响。从这些结果出发，我现在想研究一下我们如何能够切断糖-酸键。我将使用脂肪酶进行测试。我博士学位的下一步是建立含有我们的生物聚合物的堆肥地块，以监测随着时间的推移降解。我将从生物聚合物中提取样本，并使用16s/28s rRNA测序来研究负责降解的微生物。我将在接下来的几周内建立这个实验，然后在夏季的几个月里再一次比较温度对降解的影响。除了这些实验，我将培养三种不同的微生物已知生产纤维素酶，在实验室条件下使用生物聚合物作为唯一的碳源。我将通过DNS测定来测量葡萄糖的释放以评估生物聚合物的分解。我希望进行的另一项实验将调查生物聚合物是否可食用。我将使用低pH的胃酶来模拟胃部环境。另一个潜在的兴趣领域可能是调查海洋环境中的分解。