DuPont Industrial Biosciences, a division within the US-headed global chemical and biological engineering company DuPont has announced a new enzyme product designed to improve biogas production during anaerobic digestion (AD) in the wastewater industry: DuPont OPTIMASH AD-300. The announcement comes at the Aquatech Amsterdam conference, where DuPont will be launching the enzyme offering to the industry. The enzyme is immediately available to producers in markets around the world.
According to a statement, Optimash AD-300, a protease-only product, is effective at breaking down organic materials that contain protein, such as wastewater sludge, food waste, animal and farm wastes. It functions by breaking down the protein polymers into soluble amino acids that are more suitable for biogas-producing organisms.
By incorporating the protease into their digester, biogas plant operators can expect numerous benefits, including more efficient use of proteinaceous materials; increased biogas production; increased fermentation rate and shorter residence time; greater feedstock flexibility; increased process robustness and further reduction of volatile solids.
From conception through development, we have prioritized our customers’ desire for increased production and efficiency, and as the sole protease-only product on the market, we are able to deliver. Our approach with this enzyme is to offer a specific and targeted product that biogas producers can dial in based on their needs, instead of buying a costly packaged enzyme solution, said Dr Sandra Hinz, senior scientist at DuPont Industrial Biosciences.
The enzyme can be introduced into any biogas process, including in a pretreatment, separate hydrolysis step, as well as directly into a primary fermenter.
In recent years, DuPont Industrial Biosciences has focused its biotechnology expertise and robust enzyme portfolio in the realm of biogas. In August, the company received a grant from the European Commission (EC) to demonstrate high-efficiency enzyme production to increase biogas yields as part of the DEMETER project.
Funded from the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation program, DEMETER aims to demonstrate the enzyme technology’s ability to improve biogas yields and process robustness, ultimately increasing customers’ revenue and profitability, while increasing offerings in renewable energy.
