Sustainable manufacture of biodegradable film packaging from recalcitrant waste streams

我们的目标是通过将一种新的微藻-细菌处理方法与用于生化分离和聚合物合成的离子液体萃取相结合，将示例性液体流出物中的复杂化学品混合物转化为生物基和可生物降解的聚合物复合材料。我们将为材料合成创造一种新的叙述，其中微生物细胞的化学组成将通过操纵培养条件来控制，从而决定提取的生化物质的大分子组成和结构。我们将针对两个典型的废物流，存在大量和不同程度的可降解性：生活渗滤液（来自垃圾填埋场）和工业渗滤液（来自堆肥）。尽管每天产生大量的沥滤液，但它们不被视为原料，因此其中的资源仍未开发。由此产生的化学原料将被转化为包装用阻隔涂料。目前还没有从废物流出物（如沥滤液）中生产材料的工艺。将这些具有成本效益的新技术与全面的技术经济评估（TEA）相结合，将使我们能够验证这一新生产线的可持续性和碳足迹。

We aim to convert complex mixtures of chemicals in exemplar liquid effluents into bio-based and biodegradable polymer composites by combining a new microalgal-bacterial treatment method with ionic liquid extraction for biochemical separation and polymer synthesis. We will create a new narrative for material synthesis, where the chemical make-up of microbial cells will be controlled through manipulation of the cultivation conditions, and thereby dictating the macromolecular composition and structures of extracted biochemicals. We will target two exemplar waste streams, present in large volumes and with varying degrees of recalcitrancy: domestic leachate (from landfills) and industrial leachate (from composting). Despite the huge volumes of leachates produced each day, they are not considered a feedstock, and therefore the resources within them remain untapped. The resulting chemical feedstock will be converted into barrier coatings for packaging. There is no process currently in place to manufacture materials from waste effluents such as leachates. Integration of these novel cost-effective technologies and a comprehensive technoeconomic assessment (TEA) will allow us to validate the sustainability and carbon footprint of this new manufacturing pipeline.