In Nevada, earth.com reported that a study by the University of Malaga found that the use of biofuels could lead to a dramatic reduction of over 90% in black smoke emissions from vehicles. The research, which was a collaboration with the Future Power Systems Group of the University of Birmingham, represents a significant discovery in […]
In the UK, Aston University scientists are to tackle some of the challenges of how to make inedible rice straw into the next generation of biofuels. In recent years, biofuels and biobased chemicals have been blended with petrol to create a more sustainable alternative. The Aston University researchers are to examine issues that currently hinder […]
In Germany, synthetic biology offers the opportunity to build biochemical pathways for the capture and conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2). Researchers at the Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology have developed a synthetic biochemical cycle that directly converts CO2 into the central building block Acetyl-CoA. The researchers were able to implement each of the three cycle modules […]
In the UK, a new study from Plymouth Marine Laboratory investigates what happens when biodegradable plastics enter the ocean, and whether these increasingly popular alternatives to conventional plastics are safer for marine ecosystems, or whether they come with their own risks. In response to concerns about fossil-based plastics, biodegradable plastics – that is, plastics that […]
In Washington state, a study from the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory details uptake of organic matter from algae and remineralization by 15 bacterial co-cultures and subsequent incorporation of the resulting nutrients by the algae Phaeodactylum tricornutum, a diatom. The work is published in the journal Nature Communications. Although algae are an essential part of primary […]
In the UK, Aston University scientists are to tackle some of the challenges of how to make inedible rice straw into the next generation of biofuels. In recent years, biofuels and biobased chemicals have been blended with petrol to create a more sustainable alternative. The Aston University researchers are to examine issues that currently hinder […]
In South Korea, synthetic, non-biodegradable plastics are major sources of environmental pollution and have prompted a rising interest in sustainable, biodegradable alternatives derived from natural polymers. “Tara gum,” derived from the seeds of the tara tree (Caesalpinia spinosa), stands out as a promising solution. This natural, water-soluble substance contains polysaccharides (complex carbohydrates), including the widely used […]
In New York state, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and Columbia University have developed a way to convert carbon dioxide (CO2), a potent greenhouse gas, into carbon nanofibers, materials with a wide range of unique properties and many potential long-term uses. Their strategy uses tandem electrochemical and thermochemical reactions […]
In Finland, renewable hydrogen produced by green electricity and carbon capture and utilization (CCU) play an important role in combating climate change. Low-emission e-fuels produced using these technologies are particularly suitable for segments that are difficult to electrify, such as aviation and marine. The joint E-Fuel research project demonstrating high temperature electrolysis (SOEC), carbon capture, […]
In the Netherlands, although efforts to improve the collection and recycling of plastics to achieve a circular economy are increasing significantly, some (synthetic) materials will eventually always end up in the environment due to e.g. littering, weathering and abrasion. In the project ULTRADREAM (funded by TKI-AF), which started in the summer of 2023, Wageningen Food […]
