ANR project
Intensified process combining reaction and separation based on the use of enzyme-functionalized membranes for the recovery of biomolecules from microalgae
Dates:
January 2024 – June 2027
Project coordinators:
Estelle Couallier (GEPEA) and Agnès Schulze (IOM, Germany)
Partner laboratory:
IMN
IMN staff involved:
Patricia ABELLAN, Philippe MOREAU, Nicolas STEPHANT
Microalgae are a valuable and promising bioresource for nutrient and chemical recovery, with very high production yields compared to higher plants. Unfortunately, most of the biomolecules released gather in aggregates, which currently limits separation efficiency. The ambition of the PREMIUM international collaborative project is to tackle this major industrial limitation by developing a biocatalytic membrane reactor for efficient biomolecule recovery. The process will be based on membranes onto which enzymes will be grafted, in order to couple enzymatic reaction and membrane filtration. In this context, the main objective of the work at IMN is to develop pioneering cryo-electron microscopy methods for membrane characterization, in order to assess enzyme availability and filtration properties at the nanoscale. This information, currently unavailable, is crucial for designing a new generation of biocatalytic membrane reactors that could enable the valorization of microalgal biomass and accompany a transition towards sustainable growth and development, with potential impacts in the food sector to ensure access to healthy and safe food for future generations, sustainable energies, and green chemistry and engineering.
This project will bring together GEPEA’s expertise in chemical engineering applied to microalgae biorefining, IOM’s expertise in membrane engineering and functionalization, and IMN’s and IOM’s expertise in membrane characterization using electron microscopy and complementary techniques.
