Fungi waste treats water waste
Water pollution is a growing problem that affects both the environment and our health. Harmful chemicals like pesticides, medicines, PFAS and textile dyes are contaminating our water, leading to serious health issues such as cancer and high cholesterol. Traditional water treatment methods often struggle to remove these pollutants, and this is making clean water harder […]
Reduce and use landfill methane
Reduce and use landfill methane Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and about 20% of the emissions caused by humans originatefrom waste, such as landfills. Landfills containing organic matter produce methane-rich landfill gas over a long period of time, up to a hundred years. This landfill gas can be captured and channeled into electricity and […]
FUNGAL Colorants
Within the FunBLueZ project we want to explore the commercial potential of fungal colourant for application in solar cells. In recent years, research has increasingly focused on sustainable, natural product-derived materials for organic electronics. At MNEXT Avans we have obtained a fungal colourant that demonstrates promising properties as an organic semiconductor, with notable charge carrier […]
Biocircular Plastic Initiative
Ever thought your old bioplastic cup or t-shirt could be part of something bigger? Right now, most biodegradable plastics end up burned or composted, releasing CO2 into the air and missing their chance to shine. But, this bioplastic waste could become the start of something new—thanks to some incredible bacteria! At Wageningen University, we’ve developed […]
Shikimax
SHIKIMAX addresses the critical need for sustainability in the chemical industry, particularly in the production of aromatic compounds found in everyday products, from food additives to polymers. Traditional production methods of aromatics rely heavily on fossil fuels, resulting in substantial greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation. In response, we harness advanced metabolic engineering to develop […]
AMOXENSE: Ammonia biosensing in wastewater treatment using bacteria
The goal of wastewater treatment is the conversion and removal of pollutants from water. Ammonium is one such pollutant which can be converted into harmless N2 by bacteria. However, at present, ammonium is often not fully converted into N2 in our wastewater treatment plants due to poor monitoring systems of the process of ammonium removal. […]
Microalgal glycogen
Upscaling microalgal glycogen production for natural cosmetics The cosmetic industry is increasingly turning to eco-friendly ingredients made from renewable materials to meet consumer demand for natural and sustainable products. One promising cosmetic ingredient is glycogen, a glucose polymer produced by various microorganisms. Glycogen is biocompatible, retains moisture well, and is derived from natural sources, making […]
Super Mendelian Microfactories
Yeast has been used for centuries to make bread, beer, and wine. Since the late 20th century, it has also been used to produce important medicines like insulin. For the bioeconomy, where biological processes create sustainable products, yeast can be harnessed to make a wide range of products, from flavours and fragrances to materials and […]
NICy
Plants produce a highly diverse scala of natural molecules that have significant value in products used in daily life. These molecules, including aromatics, terpenoids, cannabinoids, and lipophilic molecules, are high value products and are currently extracted from plants or are chemically synthesized. Both methods negatively affect the environment, thus we need cost-effective, sustainable alternative production […]
Evoducta
Many everyday products are produced through fermentation by microorganisms—some obvious, like the yoghurt you have for breakfast; others less obvious, like the citric acid in your favourite soda. The long list of industrial fermentation processes continues to grow for two key reasons: (1) They can produce complex substances that are otherwise difficult or impossible to […]
