End of November, the CLOSECYCLE partners organized a very interesting project meeting about the possible analyses which can be carried out within the project.
Within CLOSECYCLE, potential organic waste streams are defined. In the 16 showcases, spread over the participating countries, different interesting waste streams will be used: biobin waste streams, organic green material, leaves, material from nature reserves, mud from channels and ditches, and apple pomace. Together, the partners of the consortium, are able to carry out an extensive range of analyses to characterize the bioorganic waste streams and the output streams. These analyses can also be used for defining the end products and for measuring the effects of application on soils. Characterization is important for different reasons:
- Establish preventive measures to minimize waste production and regularly assess the impact of their implementation
- Determine the proportion and nature of impurities in sorted waste and the capacity of products to be used in recovery chains
- Choose waste management and treatment methods
- Minimize risks (to health and the environment) and nuisances (odors)
- Communicate with citizens and local and national authorities on the various aspects of bio-waste management
As there is a quite extensive range of analyses possible, the challenge is to make the right choices. Within the Territorial Biorefinery Networks (or in other words, the regional network of organisations around a chain of a specific potential waste stream) project partners will define the needs for information about a specific waste stream and the suitable analyses. For example the following analyses are possible:
Overall physico-chemical parameters:
- Dry matter content
- Elemental chemical composition
- pH
Parameters related to aerobic/anaerobic biodegradability:
- Total or soluble Chemical Oxygen Demand
- Bio Methane Potential
- Biochemical fractionation: sugars, lipids, fats, hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin
- Microbial ecology: genes DNA analysis
Parameters linked to agronomic quality (nutrients);
- Nitrogen, potassium, calcium, phosphate, trace elements
Parameters related to environmental and/or health quality;
- Heavy metal content
- Pathogen content
The results of the characterization of waste streams and individual elements can be found in the BritTool, This tool is further developed in the project. The information will also be used for decision making around the production and use of end products. More information will follow!
See also: https://brit.bioresource-tools.net/home/
For the analyses the sample material has to be homogenized. That is why she is grinding the samples with a cryo-mill.
For the analyses the sample material has to be homogenized. That is why she is grinding the samples with a cryo-mill.
Thy Pyrolysis-GC/MS is used for analysing e.g. solid samples like wood, paper as well as dried extracts. It is as well used for analysing microplastics, biodegradable plastics, paper additives.
There are two autosamplers mounted on the GC. One is for analysing liquid samples like extracts from lignocelluloses
We put some of the small pyrolysis cups (crucibles) into the autosampler. Therefore we use tweezers.
Samples ready to be analysed for microplastics