The present invention discloses an intelligent device for composting organic waste by using larvae of saprophagous insects, comprising an outer casing which delimits an inner compartment suitable for accommodating an inner container coaxially placed inside the outer casing and suitable for accommodating organic waste and larvae of saprophagous insects; said inner container is provided with a plurality of through holes on its upper portion for allowing the migrating larvae to pass from the inner container to a migration pipe, and a lower collection compartment placed between the outer casing and the bottom of the inner container, suitable for collecting the percolate and the migrating larvae. The device according to the present invention is also provided with optoelectronic sensor means suitable for detecting the passage of at least one migrating larva from the inner container, through the pipe, up to the lower collection compartment, and a control unit provided with software means. This invention also discloses a process for monitoring bioconversion quality, by counting the number of larvae of migrating saprophagous insects, identifying the larval stage of the larvae of migrating saprophagous insects, and assessing the environmental conditions present inside the device.

The present invention relates to novel proteases, more particularly to protease variants having improved thermostability compared to the protease of SEQ ID NO: 1 and the uses thereof for degrading polyester containing material, such as plastic products. The proteases of the invention are particularly suited to degrade polylactic acid, and material containing polylactic acid.

The invention provides an integrated solution to the processing of the major portion of household waste comprising organic matter and plastics in an integrated way that produces useful products from both streams.

A method for depolymerizing a mixture of plastics is described. The method comprises (a) providing a composition comprising two of more plastics, (b) introducing a solvent comprising an ionic liquid (IL) or deep eutectic solvents (DES) and optionally water to the composition to form a solvent-plastic composition, such as an aqueous solvent-plastic composition, and (c) incubating the solvent-plastic composition for a period of time to produce a depolymerized composition such that at least portions of the two of more plastics are depolymerized into monomers. The produced monomers can be used as a carbon source for microbes to produce bioproducts.

Clean, safe and efficient methods and systems for utilizing thermolysis methods to recycle end of life solar cells and panels to remove fluorine and other hazardous materials while collecting valuable recoverables are provided. The methods and systems beneficially convert the solar cells and panels into a Clean Fuel Gas and Char source. The methods and systems further provide the ability to recover valuable components from the Char, wherein the highly valuable recoverables can be used for further applications and uses.

The present invention relates to a chemical and biological integrated degradation process for PET, for recycling PET, and, more specifically, the present invention provides a PET upcycling technique for producing a high-value product via a chemical pretreatment process of PET, a TPA and EG production process using an enzyme, and a process for converting TPA and EG to PCA and GLA, respectively.

The present invention relates to the fields of life sciences, micro-organisms and degradation of hydrocarbon chains such as plastics or synthetic polymers. Specifi-cally, the invention relates to an isolated specific enzyme, or a fragment thereof, wherein said enzyme or fragment is capable of degrading a hydrocarbon chain, and to a micro-organism or a host cell comprising the enzyme or a fragment thereof. Also, the present invention relates to a polynucleotide encoding the enzyme or fragment thereof, and to an expression vector or plasmid comprising the polynucleotide of the present invention. And still, the present invention relates to use of the enzyme, fragment, micro-organism, host cell, polynucleotide, expression vector or plasmid of the present invention for degrading a hydrocarbon chain; to a method of degrading a hydrocarbon chain with the specific enzyme or a fragment thereof; and to a method of producing the enzyme or fragment thereof of the present invention.

The present invention relates to the fields of life sciences, micro-organisms and degradation of hydrocarbon chains such as plastics or synthetic polymers. Specifi-cally, the invention relates to an isolated specific enzyme, or a fragment thereof, wherein said enzyme or fragment is capable of degrading a hydrocarbon chain, and to a micro-organism or a host cell comprising the enzyme or a fragment thereof. Also, the present invention relates to a polynucleotide encoding the enzyme or fragment thereof, and to an expression vector or plasmid comprising the polynucleotide of the present invention. And still, the present invention relates to use of the enzyme, fragment, micro-organism, host cell, polynucleotide, expression vector or plasmid of the present invention for degrading a hydrocarbon chain; to a method of degrading a hydrocarbon chain with the specific enzyme or a fragment thereof; and to a method of producing the enzyme or fragment thereof of the present invention.

A composition and method for application on plant stubble or plant residue left on a field after harvest wherein the composition comprises a blend of water, ammonium sulfate, anti-foam and alkyl polysaccharide in an approximate range of 10 to 30% alkyl polysaccharide in 0.1 to 3.4 lbs. of ammonium sulfate per 1 gallon of the blend and a bacteria spore blend or a blend of non-spore forming bacteria comprising bacteria suitable for degrading plant residue.

A composition and method for application on plant stubble or plant residue left on a field after harvest wherein the composition comprises a blend of water, ammonium sulfate, anti-foam and alkyl polysaccharide in an approximate range of 10 to 30% alkyl polysaccharide in 0.1 to 3.4 lbs. of ammonium sulfate per 1 gallon of the blend and a bacteria spore blend or a blend of non-spore forming bacteria comprising bacteria suitable for degrading plant residue.