Anodic production of biochemicals based on Pseudomonas sp.

Short description of my topic:

My research project is about to produce valuable biochemicals (e.g. polyhydroxyalkanoate and muconic acid) using cultures of Pseudomonas sp. growing on aromatic waste streams in the anodic chamber of an electrochemical bioreactor. Lignin model compounds frequently found in the liquor waste streams of lignin depolymerization processes are used as substrate. These streams are considered difficult to degrade as they contain a complex variety of toxic aromatic compounds. Nevertheless, they could be better catabolized and transformed into valuable products by some strains of Pseudomonas sp in a bioelectrochemical system. In this way, it could be possible to contribute to a waste-lignin valorization and stablish a novel bioelectrochemical production platform and more sustainable industrial biotechnological process.

My progress / state of the art:

My research proposal is divided into different serial stages. Briefly, they consist on selecting suitable aromatic waste streams and microbial hosts, genetic and metabolic engineering of the selected strain(s), demonstration of the bioproduction concept and product recovery. In this moment, a Pseudomonas strain was selected for the first tests using a biolelectrochemical system. In parallel, new strains are being engineered for product accumulation and new methods for product separation are under evaluation.