Meet IBET members at the 9th European Symposium on Biopolymers !

The 9th European Symposium on Biopolymers (ESBP) will be held on the 5-6-7 July in Toulouse in France. 

Partner IBET and J. C. Fradinho, F. Rabino, J. Almeida, J. P. Aranha, A. Oehmen and M.A.M. Reis from the UCIBIO-REQUIMTE research unit of the University NOVA of Lisbon, will give a presentation on the "Development of photosynthetic mixed culture systems for polyhydroxyalkanoates production for the valorisation of wastewater and agricultural wastes". 

Their presentation will deal with two recently funded Horizon 2020 European projects: INCOVER and NoAW. In these projects, IBET is carrying out studies on a new PHA producing system, in order to decrease the operational costs of traditional PHA production, using mixed microbial cultures (MMC). This new system consists in operating photosynthetic mixed cultures (PMC) and enriching them in PHA producing photosynthetic bacteria. These photosynthetic bacteria can obtain energy from light and therefore, do not require aeration. Since aeration is the parameter that most strongly contributes to operational costs in MMCs, its elimination from PMCs operation can lead to a more cost-effective PHA production system.

References :

Fradinho, J.C, Oehmen, A., Reis, M.A.M., 2013. Effect of dark/light periods on the polyhydroxyalkanoate production of a photosynthetic mixed culture. Bioresour. Technol. 148, 474–479.

Fradinho, J.C, Oehmen, A., Reis, M.A.M., 2016. Beyond feast and famine: Selecting a PHA accumulating photosynthetic mixed culture in a permanent feast regime. Water Research, 105, 421-428.

For more information see: https://esbp2017.sciencesconf.org/

Or contact : j.fradinho@campus.fct.unl.pt