CYAN2BIO

Description

Microalgae-based wastewater treatment systems have demonstrated that microalgae can recover nutrients from wastewater and produce valuable biomass for agricultural and food applications while recovering energy through the anaerobic digestion of residual biomass. In the Cyan2Bio project, we will move a step forward in the valorization of microalgal biomass to obtain biopolymers suitable to be transformed into bioplastic along with pigments and therefore replace fossil-based materials.

In Cyan2Bio, we will determine the engineering and biological aspects of the microalgal valorization process and, more specifically, we will determine the molecular basis undergoing the biological phenomena. Firstly, optimal strains and operational conditions must be carefully selected to scale up the technologies and processes.

 A biorefinery concept will be applied to maximize the entire system’s social, environmental, and economic sustainability. Biopolymers are the target products, but after their extraction, other valuable compounds will be evaluated from the residual biomass: pigments, biostimulants, biopesticides, and biogas.

Objectives

The Cyan2Bio project aims to develop and demonstrate a sustainable process for the production of bioproducts from cyanobacteria, including biopolymers (PHB), pigments (phycobiliproteins), biostimulants, biopesticides, and biogas.

More specifically the objectives

• Isolate, screen and culture cyanobacteria strains for the production of biopolymers
• Develop a process for large-scale production of cyanobacteria and valorization of the biomass
• Evaluate the final bioproducts by end-users
• Evaluate the environmental and social impacts of the bioproducts production process

Impact

The Cyan2Bio project aims to enlarge the portfolio of products and services already obtained from microalgae and contribute to the replacement of conventional and less sustainable land-based materials. Moreover, the Cyan2Bio project will support the scaling-up of the microalgae sector by demonstrating the production of green, sustainable, and safe microalgae-based products.

Funded by: Programa Estatal de I+D+i. Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades.

Duration: September 2022 – September 2025