TOMSK, Dec
10 – RIA Tomsk. Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) scientists are testing
technology of waste recycling after biofuel production; thanks to silver and
gold catalysts it will be possible to produce substances ten times more
expensive than raw materials, the professor of TPU Research School of Chemistry
& Applied Biomedical Sciences Alexey Pestryakov told RIA Tomsk.
"We
began testing of the technology of waste processing generated after the
production of biofuels from biomass. It is based on the use of catalysts made
of silver and gold nanoparticles developed at (Tomsk) Polytechnic
University", – Pestryakov said.
He
explained that this is a pressing problem for the whole world: after biomass is
processed into biofuel (in America, for example, it is made from corn, in
Europe - from rape, in South America – from oranges, tangerines, bananas) a
large number of waste is formed. For example, glycerin – many thousand tons
remained, the cosmetic industry cannot absorb such volumes. Or – botulin.
© РИА Томск. Павел Стефанский
"Not
only betulin itself, but its derivatives – betulon, betulone aldehyde,
betulonic acid – are in demand as precursors (intermediate substances) for
creating of medicines. Moreover, they cost tens of times more than the price of
the original product, that is, there is the process of valorization, or
increase the value of the product", – Pestryakov said.
According
to him, TPU scientists proposed a technology in which waste from biomass
production is processed using polytechnic catalysts under conditions close to
"green chemistry" – without toxic solvents, oxidizers (for oxidation,
for example, oxygen or air is used). The process occurs at low temperatures, which
reduces energy consumption.
"On
this technology we have many publications in leading scientific journals, which
speaks of the relevance of research. Now we are working it out in the
laboratory, in a few years, with sufficient funding, we can talk about pilot
industrial parties. Also we have good experience of developments introduction
in the industry: back in Soviet times I introduced my catalysts at a number of
enterprises", – Pestryakov said.