FAIR-CT95-0191 A New Approach to Bacterial Cellulolysis to Improve Biogas Production From Cellulosic Materials in Agricultural and Municipal Solid Wastes

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Agricultural Residues : Agriculture : Biological Conversion : Biotechnology : FAIR Area 1.1 - Biomass and Bioenergy Chain : Liquid Biofuels and Biogas : Solid Biofuels

	Type of Project	Shared Cost
	Contract No	FAIR-CT95-0191
	Total Cost	412,000 ECU
	EC Contribution	383,000 ECU
	Start Date	01/01/1996
	Duration	36 Months

A new approach to bacterial cellulolysis to improve biogas production from cellulosic materials in agricultural and municipal solid wastes

Background

Cellulolytic clostridia are of main importance in the anaerobic digestion of agricultural raw materials, residues and municipal solid waste. To understand the biological lignocellulose degradation remains an important goal for optimising the anaerobic digestion of these materials either singly or in various combinations.

Objectives

Biomethanisation of urban waste is now an industrial reality but bacterial hydrolysis of cellulose fibrils remains a significant bottleneck. The objective of the proposed research is to remove this bottleneck by:

1. maintaining a active cellulolytic bacterial population
2. providing a stable, efficient population to be used in a bioreactor.

Technical approach

The most widely used methods of waste matter treatment are dumping and incineration, both of which cause environmental pollution and contribute to the greenhouse effect. In contrast, the closed carbon cycle of biomethanisation is one of the most promising ways for mitigating the increase of the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration that may result from the continued exploitation of fossil fuels for our energy needs. More detailed knowledge is needed concerning the key factors that direct the released, carbon-starved bacterial population towards viability and re-adhesion before the activity of cellulolytic clostridia during anaerobic digestion of lignocellulolytic materials in MWS can be optimised.

Expected Results

• Improved methods for growth of cellulose-degrading clostridia
• New methods for undertaking gene transfer to these organisms
• Improved understanding of bacterial physiology, especially
1. carbon metabolism
2. the cyclic process of colonisation / exploitation / release / re-colonisation that they undergo
3. bacterial responses to starvation stress
4. the transition state
• Generation of mutants and new strains with improved performance in the bioreactor
• Isolation and characterisation of genes that regulate the transition state and the accumulation of a storage polysaccharides in cellulose-degrading clostridia

Applications

Apart from the direct application of the results obtained to improve the treatment of municipal solid waste, the development of gene transfer methods for this group of organisms will, for the first time, open up the mechanism of bacterial cellulolysis (and the functioning of the cellulosome) to direct molecular genetic analysis in vivo.

Organic waste

Close up of anaerobic digestion plant

Anaerobic digestion plant

Contacts

Coordinator

• Michael YOUNG / University of Wales Institute of Biological Sciences / UNITED KINGDOM

Participant

• Helene FRUTEAU / Steinmuller-Valorga SARL FRANCE
• Henri PETITDEMANGE / Universite Henri Poincare - Nancy I Faculte des Sciences - Lab. de Chimie / FRANCE