- Digestate characterization and pre‐treatment
Digestate will be collected and its physico-chemical characteristics will be determined to investigate the best way to process it further. - Microalgal cultivation
Ten microalgal and four cyanobacterial species will be evaluated in terms of their ability to grow in digestate, as well as in terms of their simultaneous accumulation of PHA. The mot promising specie will be cultivated in lab-scale, continuously stirred photobioreactors to optimize the proposed process. - Mathematical modeling
To simulate accurately the dynamic process of microalgae growth and PHA accumulation a mathematical model for microalgae‐based PHAs production in digestates will be developed. - Pigments production and analysis
Chlorophylls and carotenoids will be extracted with the appropriate solvent and quantified. - PHAs extraction, characterization and material testing for medical application
After pigment extraction, the produced bio‐polymer will be extracted and characterized. Lastly, the produced PHA will be tested as a novel carrier of bioactive compounds. - BMP‐test
Biochemical methane potential of the residual biomass will be determined through BMP‐assaying. - Process evaluation
