| Ref.No: | 61518200 |
| Start date: | 17.07.2024 |
| End date: | 16.06.2026 |
| Approval date: | 10.07.2024 |
| Department: | CHEMICAL ENGINEERING |
| Sector: | SYNTHESIS AND DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES |
| Financier: | 5η ΠΡΟΚΗΡΥΞΗ ΕΛΙΔΕΚ Υ.Δ., ELIDEK |
| Budget: | 20.700,00 € |
| Public key: | 90Ο646ΨΖΣ4-1ΝΔ |
| Scientific Responsible: | Assoc. Prof. TOPAKAS |
| Email: | vtopakas@central.ntua.gr |
| Description: | THE ONGOING RESEARCH FOCUSES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF PLASTIC POLLUTION THROUGH THE DISCOVERY OF ENZYMES CAPABLE OF DEGRADING PLASTIC MATERIALS, AIMING AT THE DESIGN OF A CIRCULAR, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT PROCESS. MOST PARTICULARLY, THE RESEARCH WILL DEAL WITH THE DISCOVERY OF ENZYMES OF DIFFERENT FAMILIES WITH THE ABILITY TO DEGRADE POLYESTERS AND POLYOLEFINS, FOCUSING ON PET AND PE, RESPECTIVELY. A FURTHER MODIFICATION OF THE DISCOVERED ENZYMES, THROUGH PROTEIN ENGINEERING, WILL AIM TO THE INCREASE OF THEIR EFFICIENCY, A HIGHLY NECESSARY CONDITION FOR THE DESIGN OF A CIRCULAR LARGE-SCALE PLASTIC DEGRADATION PROCESS. IN ADDITION, THE PROCESS WILL BE DEVELOPED FOCUSING ON THE VALORIZATION OF THE MONOMERS RESULTING FROM THE ENZYMATIC DEPOLYMERIZATION, TO HIGH VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS, PROPOSING A REAL INDUSTRIAL SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. MOREOVER, THE ENZYMATIC POLYMERIZATION OF MONOMERS IN PLASTICS WILL BE INVESTIGATED, LEADING TO THE CREATION OF A COMPLETE "GREEN" LIFE CYCLE OF PLASTICS. |
