The Biogas Research Team is upgrading to BioResources and Technology (From BRT to BRT)

We are pleased to announce our Biogas Research Team (BRT) rebranding to the BioResources and Technology (BRT) Division. Simply from BRT to BRT. This evolution marks a milestone in our journey, reflecting the broadening scope and increasing complexity of our research and development activities. While biogas remains at the heart of our work, our rebranding to BioResources and Technology better covers the diversity of our research, the projects and our commitment to sustainable solutions for a rapidly changing world.

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ) recently had the honor of hosting Prof. Tjandra Setiadi from the Department of Chemical Engineering of Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB). The purpose of this visit was to strengthen the bonds of friendship and explore opportunities for collaboration with the BioResources and Technology Division (BRT) team. During the discussions, several key areas of cooperation emerged, the application of bioprocess engineering in tackling industrial wastewater challenges, the production of biopolymers and lignocellulosic enzymes, and the development of bio-based products. This collaboration promises to open new doors for joint research and innovative solutions in sustainable technologies.

We look forward to this new cooperation, strengthening research ties between Indonesia and the Czech Republic!

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BRT Senior Researcher, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yelizaveta Chernysh recently had the opportunity to attend a training in Huelva, Spain to learn modern methods of phosphogypsum analysis with Prof. Jose Miguel Nieto Linán’s team, the Environmental Mineralogy and Geochemistry Unit, at the University of Huelva. The teams main research activities are aimed at investigating the sources and pathways of industrial and mining pollution in terrestrial, riverine and estuarine systems. The team is consistent of an interdisciplinary team with expertise in mineralogy, geochemistry, ore deposits, hydrogeology and ecotoxicology. They have many years of experience in studying the environmental impacts associated with the exploitation of massive sulfide deposits in the Iberian pyrite belt (found in Southern Spain). Recent projects in this area have focused on the development of laboratory tests and pilot field plants for the treatment of mining waste, the recovery of essential raw materials from mining waste, and regional studies on the dispersion and attenuation of pollutants in river and estuarine systems (Tinto, Odiel and Guadiana River basins). They are also studying the elemental composition of phosphogypsum.

The training, which was partly motivated by the environmental contamination in Huelva, where waste infiltrates local water systems, gave Dr. Chernysh the opportunity to broaden her expertise in addressing such environmental issues. Specifically, she conducted sample preparation of Ukrainian phosphogypsum. In addition, she familiarized herself with the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis protocol—a powerful technique used for detecting and measuring the concentration of metals and non-metals in samples. Moreover, Dr. Chernysh participated in actual sample analysis during the training, contributing to data that will inform future research. This data will play a vital role in the preparation of a scientific article, showcasing her growing expertise in this field and her contribution to important environmental research.

Thank you to Prof. Jose Miguel Nieto Linán and his research team for providing support and equipment for the training and we look forward to future collaboration!

This cooperation is based on the joint ERA-MIN3 action project - Phosphogypsum Processing to Critical Raw Materials (PG2CRM), which received funding from the European Union within the Horizon 2020 program. This training exists within the framework of the project "Phosphogypsum as a mineral resource for bioprocesses". Dr. Chernysh also acknowledges the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (MSCA-PF) with funding from the European Union under the MSCA4Ukraine framework.

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 Anaerobic digestion is an important renewable energy technology that has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the development of a sustainable energy system. However, as in many research fields, the research is extensive and fragmented, making it difficult to gain a comprehensive understanding of the technology and hindering progress.

Therefore, we concluded a large scoping review of the entire technology, from pretreatment to gas utilization, using a systematic PRISMA protocol, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of the anaerobic digestion process. In addition, this research serves to highlight issues in the current research environment, to identify limitations. This information can serve as the basis for future standardization of work to increase the efficiency of biogas research.

In this paper, we highlighted multiple issues. For one, the field suffers from a lack of standardization in reporting and no clear definitions for certain terms. This leads to confusion and issues classifying information. This problem is only exacerbated by an exponential growth in published research which indicates a larger issue in science.

Overall, there is an urgent need to harmonize work and facilitate knowledge transfer to go beyond the traditional paper system. We need to transition to a more updatable and modular workflow using modern technologies for the increase in the standards for accessibility and visibility of work. By using open science and working with modern scalable database systems, science could benefit by reducing the burden on researchers and facilitating progress.

Citation:  Bercy, A.; Roubík, H. A call for modernisation of science, the case of anaerobic digestion: A scoping review. Energy Conversion and Management. 2024. 316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2024.118816.

BRT Authors: Ing. Antoine Bercy and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hynek Roubík

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To broaden and develop our teams’ collaborative skills while offering visiting students the chance to expand their scientific networks and gain cultural experiences, BRT encourages students to join our team for internship opportunities. These internships aim to facilitate idea exchange, foster professional growth, and create opportunities for collaboration.

Meet our fall intern joining our team from the United States, Helen Traczyk!

Hi there, my name is Helen Traczyk. I recently graduated with a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. I grew up in Chicago, Illinois and currently live in Portland. I have a particular interest in using urban planning and sustainable public transportation to make cities great places to live!

My undergraduate program was an interdisciplinary approach to environmentalism, mostly based in humanities. I learned about environmental theory, policy, and research. For my senior thesis, I researched public transportation at my college and the reason behind why it was so difficult to reduce the number of students who came by car. I am particularly interested in the socioeconomic reasons behind environmental problems and believe that the environment includes people too! Understanding how and why people interact with the world around them is crucial in creating a sustainable and healthy world.

Outside of school and work, I am absolutely brimming with interests and hobbies. Right now, I do arts and crafts like sewing, knitting, drawing, and painting. Like other Portlanders, I spend a lot of time outdoors hiking, camping, and gardening. I also sing in my college’s community choir and have played classical piano for fifteen years. In the evenings, I love to read and watch rom coms.

I am very excited to be a part of the BioResources and Technology Division (BRT) this fall. I am especially looking forward to digging into each team members specific research. As an environmentalist, I am amazed at the many ways people from all over the world are working to create a more sustainable future. One of my goals as an intern here is to learn where I want to go next in my career, so being able to learn from all the members of the team is a fantastic opportunity.

During my time as an intern, I will primarily be assisting the Communications team while also shadowing various team members to see how the research group functions as a whole. I’m looking forward to learning a lot!

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