Bioreaction engineering to maximize mixed microbial systems that convert wastes into value added

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This grant will continue to develop the applicant's highly successful program in Environmental Bioprocess Engineering, which involves using biological materials and biocatalysts for processes that benefit the environment. In order to have a sustainable future, Canada needs to produce more of its energy and chemicals using processes based on renewable materials that utilize the latest advances in technology; Canada also needs to train people that can develop and operate these processes. An essential part of that future will rely on using modern biotechnology to develop and operate processes that employ biomass acted upon by microbial communities in flocs and/or biofilms. The long term objectives of this project are: A) To optimize the production, extraction and utilization of bioproducts from biosolids; B) To explore the role of additional carbon sources in enhancing treatment system robustness and performance in challenging environments; and, C) To understand algal-bacterial structures (e.g. films, flocs) to optimize carbon sequestration. The work will involve five projects that are worked on by four Ph.D. students and one postdoctoral fellow and between 5 and 10 undergraduate students. The work will employ lab-scale bioreactors using biosolids and wastewater from operating industrial/municipal processes as well as state of the art biomolecular methods to probe the microbial community and discover novel enzymes for industrial applications. The work will take place in BioZone, an innovative, collaborative bioengineering research facility at the University of Toronto. The training of the students involved will enable them to have rewarding careers in industry or academia in bioengineering and the environment. Though each person has an individual project and background (e.g. chemical engineer, microbiologist, chemist) all of them will actively learn about bioprocess engineering in real systems from the biomolecular/microbial level through to the industrial process scale and each student will also develop high level critical thinking and communication/team skills.