Using macroalgae as bio-feedstock for the bio-based plastic industry is a developing process that possesses inherent comparative advantages with regard to its environmental impacts compared to using other bio-feedstock sources. Thus, research effort is considered necessary to improve its competitiveness and resolve the technical challenges that it is currently facing. Within this context, this thesis aims at improving existing knowledge on ecotoxicity impacts from metals found in macroalgae tissue to microbes used within bio-reactors for their fermentation. The basis for a novel impact pathway within LCA methodologies is provided according to a fate- exposure-effect approach. Namely: microbial biota within a bio-reactor is exposed to metal that is bioaccumulated by macroalgae tissue from background sea water, which derives into potential ecotoxicity effects. This pathway can be further studied to incorporate microbial ecotoxicity in bio- reactors within current LCA practices. Under this approach, two data sets have been analysed to evaluate levels of pollution of metals in macroalgae feedstocks against their potential ecotoxicological effects in biochemicals producing microbes: one concerning metal uptake by macroalgae, including measurements on algae tissue and background sea water; and a second one including metal ecotoxicity measurements on relevant microbial species used in biochemicals production processes. As a result of this analysis, it is concluded that there is basis for including microbial ecotoxicity from macroalgae feedstock as a relevant criterion within decision-making in the bio-based plastic industry. Moreover, input for the industry is obtained as direct recommendations and score tables that can be used under case-specific scenarios for macroalgae and microbial species selection. The conducted project should be regarded as a first iteration to the problem. Further work is required in order to refine the outcome of research and maximise input recommendations for the bio-based plastic industry.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:kth-235713 |
| Date | January 2018 |
| Creators | López i Losada, Raül |
| Publisher | KTH, Hållbarhet och miljöteknik |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| Relation | TRITA-ABE-MBT ; 18460 |
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