中欧组织间合作研究项目MIX-UP助力实现“碳中和”

MIXed plastics biodegradation and UPcycling using microbial communities: the NSFC-EU 2019 project MIX-UP to help achieve “carbon neutrality”

摘要:

随着全球塑料循环体系的变革升级，提高塑料的回收利用不仅可以减少塑料在生命周期中的碳排放，还可以解决废塑料潜在的生态环境危害。文中介绍了2019年国家自然科学基金组织间国际 (地区) 合作研究项目“废塑料资源高效生物降解转化的关键科学问题与技术 (MIXed plastics biodegradation and UPcycling using microbial communities，MIX-UP)”。该项目聚焦“塑料污染”这一全球化的问题，围绕中欧双方确定的“塑料生物降解菌群”研究领域，联合中欧双方14家优势科研单位，开展实质性的重大前沿合作研究。针对废塑料生物降解中存在的解聚与重塑两个难题，项目以难降解石油基塑料 (PP、PE、PUR、PET和PS) 以及生物可降解塑料 (PLA和PHA) 的混合废塑料作为研究对象，从塑料微生物降解途径解析及关键元件的挖掘与改造、塑料高效降解混菌/多酶体系的构建与功能调控、塑料降解物的高值化炼制途径设计与利用策略3个方面展开研究。本项目将突破废塑料生物降解转化中高效降解元件挖掘、塑料降解物高值化利用的关键科学问题与技术，探索一条废塑料资源化、高值化、循环化、低碳化的新塑料循环路线，建立以“降塑再造”为核心理念的废塑料生物炼制体系，丰富我国固废资源化生物技术利用平台。项目的实施不仅有助于提升我国塑料 (生物) 循环经济的理论基础和关键技术水平，还可以推动我国与国际科研院所的多边交流与合作，促进我国在生物技术领域的创新发展，助力我国碳中和目标的实现。

Abstract:

With the transformation and revolution of the global plastics recycling system, recycling and upcycling of mixed plastics waste not only reduces the carbon emissions of plastics during its life cycle, but also addresses its potential ecological and environmental hazards. This article summarizes an international cooperation project, “MIXed plastics biodegradation and UPcycling using microbial communities” (MIX-UP) which was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the European Union (NSFC-EU) in 2019. The consortium of MIX-UP consists of 14 partners from European Union and China. Focusing on the global issue of “plastics pollution”, this Sino-European MIX-UP project took the mixed waste of petroleum-based plastics (PP, PE, PUR, PET and PS) and bio-based plastics (PLA and PHA) as starting materials for biotechnological conversion into value-added, sustainable biomaterials. MIX-UP has three subprojects: 1) identification of plastics biodegradation pathway and design & engineering of key degrading elements, 2) construction and functional regulation of microbial consortia/enzyme cocktails with high-efficiency for degradation of plastics mixtures, 3) strategy of design and utilization of plastics degradation products for production of high value materials. Through NSFC-EU complementary and cross-disciplinary cooperation, MIX-UP proposes the engineering of a new-to-nature biological route for upcycling, a low carbon and sustainable bio-treatment that is different from the traditional physico-chemical treatment, which will empower the recycling industry to a new dimension. The implementation of the project will not only help to promote innovation and development in the field of biotechnology in China, but also contribute to the achievement of China’s carbon neutral goal.