Circular Economy Case studies

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  Searching for a Sustainable Solution to the Seaweed Inundations on Caribbean Beaches

  This case study is written by Dr Debbie Bartlett, Principal Lecturer in Environmental Conservation at the University of Greenwich. It details the collaborative effort to tackle the massive inundations of seaweed on beaches that has occurred throughout recent years, impacting on the Caribbean’s white sandy beaches.

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  Geoengineering the ocean – a viable solution to our climate crisis?

  This case study is written by Dr Elena Kazamia, who is a Research Scientist at the Institut de Biologie de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS) and a member of the Microbiology Society. It focuses on her research on the response of diatoms – the most prolific group of ocean microalgae – to different iron sources.

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  Cyanobacteria: A promising solution ensuring a circular economy to shape up a sustainable future

  This case study is written by Tharangika Bowange who is a postgraduate student at the National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS), Sri Lanka and a member of the Microbiology Society, and Dr. Renuka Ratnayake is a Senior Research Fellow. It focuses on cyanobacteria, which could be promising solution to ensuring a circular economy and establishing a sustainable future.

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  AgroCycle – For a Circular Economy

  This case study is written by Dr Simon Jeffery, Reader in Soil Ecology and Dr Marie Kirby, Senior Lecturer at Harper Adams University, UK. It details how the Horizon 2020 AgroCycle consortium has developed a protocol for the application of the circular economy across the agri-food sector.

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  Using bacteria to develop sustainable infrastructure

  This case study is written by Dr Susanne Gebhard, who is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Bath, UK. It focuses on using bacteria to develop sustainable infrastructure.

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  Bio-upcycling of plastic waste

  This case study is written by Tanja Narancic, Assistant Professor at the University College Dublin, Ireland. It focuses on the bio-upcycling of plastic waste.

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  Microbial biominerals for metal catalyst recovery from whisky distillery by-products

  This case study is written by Richard Kimber, a Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, UK. It focuses on microbial biominerals for metal catalyst recovery from whisky distillery by-products.

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  Demonstrating a material making process through the cultivation of fungal growth

  This case study is written by Dilan Ozkan, who is a PhD student at Newcastle University, UK. It focuses on his research working towards demonstrating a material making process through the cultivation of fungal growth.

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  The PET-biodegrading potential of the Plastisphere

  This case study is written by Dr Robyn Wright, who is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Dalhousie University, Canada, and a member of the Microbiology Society. It focuses on the PET-biodegrading potential of the Platisphere.

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  Using wastes to enhance bioremediation of oil-contaminated sites

  This case study is written by Dr Angela Sherry, Vice Chancellor’s Senior Fellow at the Department of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, UK, who is a member of the Microbiology Society, and Sola Olawuyi, PhD student at the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, UK. It focuses on using wastes to enhance bioremediation of oil-contaminated sites.

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  Microbial biotechnologies enabling living construction

  This case study is written by Dr Angela Sherry, Vice Chancellor’s Senior Fellow in the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment, Department of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, UK. She is also a member of the Microbiology Society. It focuses on microbial biotechnologies enabling living construction.

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  From the recovery of copper from malt whisky distillery wastewater to an integrated system for distillery waste management and minimisation

  This case study is written by Dr Beate Christgen, Professor Ian Head, Professor Eileen Yu and Dr Ronald Daalmans, as part of their work on the Microbial Electrochemical Technology for Resource Recovery (MeteoRR) project. It focuses on the recovery of copper from malt whisky distillery wastewater to an integrated system for distillery waste management and minimisation.

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  Circularising the Bioeconomy

  This case study is written by Louise Horsfall, Professor of Sustainable Biotechnology at the University of Edinburgh, UK. It focuses on the circular bioeconomy.

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  Micro-organisms and novel biochemistry are the future of the acrylic plastic production

  This case study is written by Eilidh Terras, a PhD student at the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences (SIPBS), University of Strathclyde, UK. She is also a member of the Microbiology Society. it focuses on how micro-organisms and novel biochemistry are the future of the acrylic plastic production.

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  Plastic plankton: Long term study of zooplankton’s microplastics uptake in the Northumberland coast

  This case study is written by Dr Priscilla Carrillo-Barragán, a Research Associate at the Dove Marine Laboratory, Newcastle University, UK. It focuses on the long term study of zooplankton’s microplastics uptake in the Northumberland coast.

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  Engineering Micro-organisms for Green Chemical Synthesis

  This case study is written by Dr Stephen Wallace, a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Biotechnology at the University of Edinburgh, UK. It focuses on engineering micro-organisms for Green Chemical Synthesis.

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  Engineering lignocellulosic degrading bacteria to utilise waste from bioethanol production

  This case study is written by Dr James Williamson, who is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Warwick, UK. It focuses on engineering lignocellulosic degrading bacteria to utilise waste from bioethanol production.

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  Sustainable solutions to provide food safety

  This case study is written by Franziska Wohlgemuth, a PhD student at the University of Nottingham, UK. It focuses on looking at sustainable solutions to provide food safety.

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  Painting with bacteria could capture carbon and yield biofuels for a sustainable energy supply

  This case study is written by Joseph Keddie, Professor of Soft Matter Physics and Dr Suzie Hingley-Wilson, a Lecturer in Bacteriology, both based at the University of Surrey, UK. It focuses on how painting with bacteria could capture carbon and yield biofuels for a sustainable energy supply.

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  PHB bioplastic production from waste methane

  This case study is written by Benedict Claxton Stevens, a PhD student at the Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), University of Nottingham, UK, and a member of the Microbiology Society. It focuses on PHB Bioplastic Production from waste methane.