Adaptive processing of natural feedstocks
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Begbroke Directorate
Abstract
Natural factories / plants / are capable of synthesising very complex functional molecules, which are then often mimicked for their function (as a drug, a fragrance, etc) through chemical synthesis. Such syntheses are not always feasible. In most cases the required transformations cannot be readily achieved due to the labile nature of the functional groups on the molecule of interest. Hence, using natural feedstocks as libraries of unique high-value molecules, and as factories that can be optimised to produce higher quantities of the desired molecules, is the approach that is potentially hugely rewarding, leading to creation of new markets. This route may also lead to the reduction of environmental impact of chemical technologies through avoiding the use of non-renewable feedstocks, complete utilisation of plant biomass and integrating plant feedstocks utilisation with energy and fertiliser technologies. This project will develop new adaptive processing technologies tackling main factors inducing variability in the overall process and consecutively affecting primary plant processing as well as downstream biodigestion and separation processes.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Ian Thompson (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Johnson AC
(2011)
An assessment of the fate, behaviour and environmental risk associated with sunscreen TiO2 nanoparticles in UK field scenarios.
in The Science of the total environment
Ortega-Calvo JJ
(2011)
Bacterial tactic response to silver nanoparticles.
in Environmental microbiology reports
Angel Siles López J
(2010)
Biorefinery of waste orange peel.
in Critical reviews in biotechnology
Kumaresan D
(2011)
Earthworm activity in a simulated landfill cover soil shifts the community composition of active methanotrophs.
in Research in microbiology
Héry M
(2008)
Effect of earthworms on the community structure of active methanotrophic bacteria in a landfill cover soil.
in The ISME journal
Harbottle MJ
(2009)
Enhanced biodegradation of pentachlorophenol in unsaturated soil using reversed field electrokinetics.
in Journal of environmental management
Brown JR
(2009)
Enhanced biotransformation of TCE using plant terpenoids in contaminated groundwater.
in Letters in applied microbiology
Barnes RJ
(2010)
Inhibition of biological TCE and sulphate reduction in the presence of iron nanoparticles.
in Chemosphere
Song Y
(2009)
Optimization of bacterial whole cell bioreporters for toxicity assay of environmental samples.
in Environmental science & technology
Huang WE
(2009)
Resolving genetic functions within microbial populations: in situ analyses using rRNA and mRNA stable isotope probing coupled with single-cell raman-fluorescence in situ hybridization.
in Applied and environmental microbiology
Li Q
(2010)
Succinic acid production from orange peel and wheat straw by batch fermentations of Fibrobacter succinogenes S85.
in Applied microbiology and biotechnology
Barnes RJ
(2010)
The impact of zero-valent iron nanoparticles on a river water bacterial community.
in Journal of hazardous materials