Details of the Initiative
Plastic is an indispensable material in modern society, but it also causes major environmental problems. Replacing 30% of petroleum-derived plastic materials with biomass is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 5 million to 18 million tons
Succinic acid and lactic acid are known as raw materials for bioplastics, but many issues remain, including high production costs, low production efficiency, and separation and refining technologies. Therefore, focusing on photosynthesis of microalgae such as blue-green algae and Euglena, we aim to develop low-cost culture systems and new technologies for highly efficient production of succinic acid and lactic acid.
We also focus on lectures on environmental technologies. In the fall semester of 2020, we gave lectures on technologies closely related to environmental issues, such as genome editing, genetically modified crops, hydrogen energy, biodiesel, bioplastic materials, and life cycle assessment.
