Improved Methods For Deriving Green Adhesives From Biowaste
There is little doubt that clean technology will revolutionize our plant. The current employment of microorganisms, including algae, for industrial purposes including, biofuels productions, CO2 sequestration and wastewater recondition is one such example. However, the primary obstacle to broad utilization of these technologies is the cost. If marketable, value-added co-products can be made from residual biowaste, this would serve to dramatically increase the economic attractiveness of clean technologies. This is esp true of the tonnage of proteinaceous algae “cake” waste let over from biofuel production. Researchers at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) have discovered such a solution: converting biowaste into bio-adhesives or binders for composite materials. Unique to this process is the absence of any polymer purification steps – the entire biowaste is utilized.
