Fontys en Avans hebben in de afgelopen twee jaar onder meer laagdrempelige test- en onderzoeksmogelijkheden geboden, bijvoorbeeld in de vorm van afstudeerstages. Daarnaast hebben de beide kennisinstellingen een (regionaal) kennisnetwerk voor het MKB gefaciliteerd dat de mogelijkheid biedt om op nieuwe ontwikkelingen te anticiperen. Het is nu mei 2011 en het project loopt ten einde. In de afgelopen twee jaar is er veel bereikt: bedrijven en onderwijsorganisaties hebben elkaar gevonden, er is veel onderzoek gedaan naar nieuwe toepassingen van biopolymeren, aannames zijn getoetst en in het groeiende netwerk van producenten, leveranciers en consumenten van bioplastics is veel kennis gedeeld en uitgewisseld.
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MULTIFILE
Traces of condom lubricants in fingerprints can be valuable information in cases of sexual assault. Ideally, not only confirmation of the presence of the condom but also determination of the type of condom brand used can be retrieved. Previous studies have shown to be able to retrieve information about the condom brand and type from fingerprints containing lubricants using various analytical techniques. However, in practice fingerprints often appear latent and need to be detected first, which is often achieved by cyanoacrylate fuming. In this study, we developed a desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) method which, combined with principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis (PCA-LDA), allows for high accuracy classification of condom brands and types from fingerprints containing condom lubricant traces. The developed method is compatible with cyanoacrylate (CA) fuming. We collected and analyzed a representative dataset for the Netherlands comprising 32 different condoms. Distinctive lubricant components such as polyethylene glycol (PEG), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), octoxynol-9 and nonoxynol-9 were readily detected using the DESI-MS method. Based on the analysis of lubricant spots, a 99.0% classification accuracy was achieved. When analyzing lubricant containing fingerprints, an overall accuracy of 90.9% was obtained. Full chemical images could be generated from fingerprints, showing the distribution of lubricant components such as PEG and PDMS throughout the fingerprint, while still allowing for classification. The developed method shows potential for the development of DESI-MS based analyses of CA treated exogenous compounds from fingerprints for use in forensic science.
MULTIFILE
Chemical preservation is an important process that prevents foods, personal care products, woods and household products, such as paints and coatings, from undesirable change or decomposition by microbial growth. To date, many different chemical preservatives are commercially available, but they are also associated with health threats and severe negative environmental impact. The demand for novel, safe, and green chemical preservatives is growing, and this process is further accelerated by the European Green Deal. It is expected that by the year of 2050 (or even as soon as 2035), all preservatives that do not meet the ‘safe-by-design’ and ‘biodegradability’ criteria are banned from production and use. To meet these European goals, there is a large need for the development of green, circular, and bio-degradable antimicrobial compounds that can serve as alternatives for the currently available biocidals/ preservatives. Anthocyanins, derived from fruits and flowers, meet these sustainability goals. Furthermore, preliminary research at the Hanze University of Applied Science has confirmed the antimicrobial efficacy of rose and tulip anthocyanin extracts against an array of microbial species. Therefore, these molecules have the potential to serve as novel, sustainable chemical preservatives. In the current project we develop a strategy consisting of fractionation and state-of-the-art characterization methods of individual anthocyanins and subsequent in vitro screening to identify anthocyanin-molecules with potent antimicrobial efficacy for application in paints, coatings and other products. To our knowledge this is the first attempt that combines in-depth chemical characterization of individual anthocyanins in relation to their antimicrobial efficacy. Once developed, this strategy will allow us to single out anthocyanin molecules with antimicrobial properties and give us insight in structure-activity relations of individual anthocyanins. Our approach is the first step towards the development of anthocyanin molecules as novel, circular and biodegradable non-toxic plant-based preservatives.
The valorization of biowaste, by exploiting side stream compounds as feedstock for the sustainable production of bio-based materials, is a key step towards a more circular economy. In this regard, chitin is as an abundant resource which is accessible as a waste compound of the seafood industry. From a commercial perspective, chitin is chemically converted into chitosan, which has multiple industrial applications. Although the potential of chitin has long been established, the majority of seafood waste containing chitin is still left unused. In addition, current processes which convert chitin into chitosan are sub-optimal and have a significant impact on the environment. As a result, there is a need for the development of innovative methods producing bio-based products from chitin. This project wants to contribute to these challenges by performing a feasibility study which demonstrates the microbial bioconversion of chitin to polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). Specifically, the consortium will attempt to cultivate and engineer a recently discovered bacterium Chi5, so that it becomes able to directly produce PHAs from chitin present in solid shrimp shell waste. If successful, this project will provide a proof-of-concept for a versatile microbial production platform which can contribute to: i) the valorization of biowaste from the seafood industry, ii) the efficient utilization of chitin as feedstock, iii) the sustainable and (potentially low-cost) production of PHAs. The project consortium is composed of: i) Van Belzen B.V., a Dutch shrimp trading company which are highly interested in the valorization of their waste streams, hereby making their business model more profitable and sustainable. ii) AMIBM, which have recently isolated and characterized the Chi5 marine-based chitinolytic bacterium and iii) Zuyd, which will link aforementioned partners with students in creating a novel collaboration which will stimulate the development of students and the translation of academic knowledge to a feasible application technology for SME’s.
On a yearly basis 120 million kg of spent coffee ground (SCG) is disposed as waste. Two partners in the project have the intension to refine the valuable compounds from this coffee residue. One of these compounds is the group of melanoidins. It is proven that these natural polymers, with polyphenols incorporated, can be applied as colourant to textiles. These colourant compounds can be extracted from the SCG. In this project an industrial feasible dye recipe for SCG extract to cotton will be developed. This twostep dye method consists of a mordanting step and a colour uptake step. Both will be optimised to colour intensity and light and wash fastness. Parameters as cycle time and energy and water consumption, will be take into account to make the dye recipe applicable for industrial standards. Chemical analysis of mordant compounds (tannins) and colourants (polyphenols) will be carried out to quantify and qualify the uptake by cotton. With the results of this project, the partners will be able to support their customers of the SCG extract with a scientific based advise about the application as a textile dye to ensure a solid market acceptance of SCG extract. With the SCG extract as a professional biobased colorant in the market, companies in textile industry will have a wider choice in using environmental friendly products. At the end, this will lead to complete biodegradable products for consumers.
