19 NEXT GEN SEQUENCING IS MAPPING MICROBIAL LIFE (Partners HAN, CNC Grondstoffen, ARN B.V., BIOMA Lab, Untamed Kombucha) Development of the circular economy involves va- lorization of organic waste streams such as animal manure, organic waste, and residual streams from the food industry. These waste streams are currently processed through anaerobic digestion, composted aerobically, or left untreated. In various projects, Next Gen Sequencing has been used at HAN BioCentre to investigate which microorganisms and properties are present. In a collaboration with CNC Grondstoffen, research was conducted into how the residual stream of horse and chicken manure is transformed into compost suitable for mushroom cultivation in CNC’s industrial process. The same technique was later applied in collaboration with ARN B.V., a waste processor for Nijmegen and surrounding area, to investigate their organic waste digestion process. Together with partners from BIOMA Lab and Untamed Kombucha, HAN BioCentre is currently working on the production of artificial leather, based on a residual stream from kombucha fermentation. For optimization, the fermentation conditions are exa- mined, as well as the composition and functions of the microorganisms present. METHANE TO MATERIALS (Partners HAN, Avans, Agrologistiek, Sweco) Over the last two centuries, methane concentrations in the atmosphere have more than doubled, largely due to human-related activities. Methane is a po- werful greenhouse gas and the Netherlands supports the global goal to reduce these by 30% within 10 years. But how can methane emissions be reduced? And what are the benefits? “Waste processing contributes about 20% to total global methane emissions and is the focus of our research”, explains Nardy Kip, lecturer-researcher at HAN BioCentre. Methane gas from landfills can be used to generate heat or energy. But after decades, this is no longer possible because the methane concentrations in the gas drop too low. From that moment the landfill gas is an unutilized waste stream which can be flared off up to certain methane concentrations or just emitted to the atmosphere. Bacteria are able to consume the methane from landfills and convert it into biological products such as bioplastics. HAN BioCentre demonstrated on a small scale this is possible. By bubbling methane gas from landfills through a liquid medium containing methane-consuming bacteria, the methane concentration can be halved within a few days. The bacteria convert it into the bioplastic PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate). A potential application for this bioplastic is pack- aging. In the Netherlands, 200,000 tons of plastic are used for food and beverage packaging. Partner Sweco’s calculations indicate that more than 90% of this bioplastic packaging could be derived from methane side streams. If this potential is extended to the global production of bioplastics, a huge impact can be made on reduction of greenhouse gasses. At HAN University of Applied Sciences, this research project continues through the Biotech Booster project ‘Reduce and use landfill methane’, in collaboration with partners at Avans University of Applied Sciences, Agrologistiek B.V. and Sweco.
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