Questions and answers from the webinar "What the tree can do!"
Quote from Hanna Mellin on August 10, 2020, 1:00 pmIn collaboration with the Dutch Hub the Nordic Hub organized “What the tree can do” as the second webinar of the BLOOM Bioeconomy Webinar Series. In the webinar we met four top researchers in the different fields of forest bioeconomy. They talked about opportunities related to wood fibers and lignin as well as perspectives of future research, forest availability and the role of bioeconomy in a sustainable future.
Below are all the webinar participants' questions, answered by the researchers.
In collaboration with the Dutch Hub the Nordic Hub organized “What the tree can do” as the second webinar of the BLOOM Bioeconomy Webinar Series. In the webinar we met four top researchers in the different fields of forest bioeconomy. They talked about opportunities related to wood fibers and lignin as well as perspectives of future research, forest availability and the role of bioeconomy in a sustainable future.
Below are all the webinar participants' questions, answered by the researchers.
Quote from Hanna Mellin on August 10, 2020, 1:01 pmQ: What about lignin, which is currently mostly used for energy in the pulp industry? I was once told: one can do everything out of ligning but money. Is it still valid now ?
A: We truly believe that it is possible make money out of lignin in future. There is already great potential applications were we see it in demonstration phase.
Q: What about lignin, which is currently mostly used for energy in the pulp industry? I was once told: one can do everything out of ligning but money. Is it still valid now ?
A: We truly believe that it is possible make money out of lignin in future. There is already great potential applications were we see it in demonstration phase.
Quote from Hanna Mellin on August 10, 2020, 1:01 pmQ: How is the nanocellulose produced? From what resource?
A: It can be produced from many different kind of biomass sourches and produced by mechanically, chemically or enzymatically.
Q: How is the nanocellulose produced? From what resource?
A: It can be produced from many different kind of biomass sourches and produced by mechanically, chemically or enzymatically.
Quote from Hanna Mellin on August 10, 2020, 1:01 pmQ: How much are the prices of the new products competitive to the non-sustainable ones?
A: That is the aim of innovations that costs should be competitive.
Q: How much are the prices of the new products competitive to the non-sustainable ones?
A: That is the aim of innovations that costs should be competitive.
Quote from Hanna Mellin on August 10, 2020, 1:01 pmQ: What would you like to see in the upcoming EU Forest Strategy?
A: I would like to see a holistic view: so that aspects and needs of biodiversity, carbon sinks, climate change hurdles and also economics and possility to increase innovations and investments based on forests and create jobs to Europe.
Q: What would you like to see in the upcoming EU Forest Strategy?
A: I would like to see a holistic view: so that aspects and needs of biodiversity, carbon sinks, climate change hurdles and also economics and possility to increase innovations and investments based on forests and create jobs to Europe.
Quote from Hanna Mellin on August 10, 2020, 1:02 pmQ: How can we use fibers in Agriculture Field? (This question has been moved from the Chat to Q&A)
A: If they are not competing with food-chain. For example grass biorefiniries are in the research & development phase.
Q: How can we use fibers in Agriculture Field? (This question has been moved from the Chat to Q&A)
A: If they are not competing with food-chain. For example grass biorefiniries are in the research & development phase.
Quote from Hanna Mellin on August 10, 2020, 1:03 pmQ: I know the paper industry and the pulp waste stream that is a big problem for them. How do you get the lignin out of that waste stream? Or is it just dry streams that you can use?
A: There are technologies, like LignoBoost, to precipitate the lignin from black liquor by lowering the pH (CO2/acid).
Q: I know the paper industry and the pulp waste stream that is a big problem for them. How do you get the lignin out of that waste stream? Or is it just dry streams that you can use?
A: There are technologies, like LignoBoost, to precipitate the lignin from black liquor by lowering the pH (CO2/acid).
Quote from Hanna Mellin on August 10, 2020, 1:05 pmQ: There is a fear that everything which is nano might be risky (a bit like asbestos being the invisible enemy). Any study on the health impacts of nanocellulose?
A: One example of a study is found here https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2019/en/c9en00184k#!divAbstract . The authors found no toxic effects, but more studies are needed.
Q: There is a fear that everything which is nano might be risky (a bit like asbestos being the invisible enemy). Any study on the health impacts of nanocellulose?
A: One example of a study is found here https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2019/en/c9en00184k#!divAbstract . The authors found no toxic effects, but more studies are needed.
Quote from Hanna Mellin on August 10, 2020, 1:06 pmQ: As it can hold a lot of water and forms into a gel, could nanocellulose perhaps replace superabsorbent, which used in diapers etc.
A: That would be a really interesting alternative, since the superabsorbents today are based on fossil resources. There are some research projects on this.
Q: As it can hold a lot of water and forms into a gel, could nanocellulose perhaps replace superabsorbent, which used in diapers etc.
A: That would be a really interesting alternative, since the superabsorbents today are based on fossil resources. There are some research projects on this.
Quote from Hanna Mellin on August 10, 2020, 1:07 pmQ: What applications are there for the "stronger than spider silk" aligned nanocellulose fibrils?
A: Some examples could be for medical implants (as cellulose is biocompatible) and light-weight materials for use in e.g, windmills, or trains.
Q: What applications are there for the "stronger than spider silk" aligned nanocellulose fibrils?
A: Some examples could be for medical implants (as cellulose is biocompatible) and light-weight materials for use in e.g, windmills, or trains.