BIO-QED – Demo Workshop, 12.04.2017 at Fraunhofer CBP (Leuna, Germany)

“Quod erat demonstrandum: Large scale demonstration for the bio-based bulk chemicals BDO and IA aiming at cost reduction and improved sustainability”

The Demo Workshop was organized by Fraunhofer IGB/CBP together with the Association of German Engineers (VDI) and addressed students and representatives of industry and research.

Focus of the workshop was to present the European project Bio-QED, especially the itaconic acid value chain, with highlights of the project results and the impact achieved – including production of sugars from lignocellulosic material with the Organosolv process developed by Fraunhofer (Dr. Christine Roßberg, Fraunhofer CBP), using white biotechnology for the production of base chemicals (Dr. Susanne Zibek, Fraunhofer IGB), Scale-Up of the fermentation process to produce itaconic acid using the filamentous fungi Aspergillus terreus as well as product recovery and purification by crystallization (Dr. Katja Patzsch, Fraunhofer CBP). Secondly, examples from research and industry were presented – purification processes by membrane filtration technology (Prof. Gerd Braun, TH Köln), fermentative production of carotenoids (Prof. Reinhard Pätz, HS Anhalt), Scale-Up of the process for the direct fermentation of isobutene from sugar and construction of a pilot plant (Tino Elter, Fraunhofer CBP) as well as the production of bio surfactants and epoxides from plant oils (Dr. Susanne Zibek, Fraunhofer IGB).

The workshop was completed by a round tour through the pilot facilities of the Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes CBP and a get-together for discussion of current topics within research and development of bioeconomy.

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