"To produce plastic with Euglena" - Companies and university etc. collaborate

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

“ミドリムシでプラスチック生産へ” 企業や大学などが連携

2021年3月29日 20時06分

プラスチックの生産にともなう二酸化炭素の排出量を減らそうと企業や大学などが連携し、微生物のミドリムシから抽出した成分でバイオマスプラスチックを量産する技術の開発に乗り出すことになりました。

 石油を原料とする従来のプラスチックは生産の過程で二酸化炭素を多く排出していて脱炭素社会の実現に向けて課題となっています。

こうした中、ベンチャー企業のユーグレナとセイコーエプソンやNEC、それに東京大学などが連携して新たな組織を立ち上げミドリムシの成分からプラスチックを量産する技術の開発に乗り出すことになりました。

具体的にはミドリムシの体内から抽出した「パラミロン」という成分を化学反応させて作った樹脂を使ってバイオマスプラスチックを量産することを目指します。

ミドリムシが光合成することで二酸化炭素を吸収する効果も期待され、石油から生産するよりも二酸化炭素の排出量が抑えられると見込まれています。

ユーグレナなどは2030年には年間20万トン規模で生産し、石油を原料とするプラスチックの生産量の削減につなげたい考えです。

開発に携わる東京大学の岩田 忠久教授は「プラスチックは生活を豊かにしてきた材料であり、バイオマスプラスチックの生産に向けて企業が結集し、新たな産業を創出する必要がある」と述べました。

Translation

Companies and universities had collaborated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions associated with the production of plastics, and decided to develop a technology for mass-producing biomass plastics by using components extracted from the microorganism Euglena​.

Conventional plastics made from petroleum could emit a large amount of carbon dioxide in the production process, which could be an issue for the realization of a carbon-free society.

 Under these circumstances, the venture companies Euglena Co., Seiko Epson, and NEC, together with the University of Tokyo collaborated to set up a new organization and would embark on the development of technology for mass-producing plastics from the components of Euglena.

 Specifically, they aimed to mass-produce biomass plastics by using a resin made to produce chemical reaction with a component called "paramylon" that was extracted from the body of Euglena.

Euglena was also expected to have the effect of absorbing carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, and was expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from producing petroleum.

Euglena and other companies might produce 200,000 tons per year in 2030, which could lead to a reduction in the production of petroleum-based plastics.

Professor Tadahisa Iwata of the University of Tokyo, who had been involved in this development said, "Plastic is a material that has enriched our lives, and it is necessary for companies to come together to create a new industry for the production of biomass plastic."

              So, Japanese private companies and University of Tokyo are working on solutions to reduce carbon dioxide emissions associated with the production of plastics. They are trying to develop a technology for mass-producing biomass plastics from the microorganism Euglena. Such effort will help our battle in fighting against global warming.

Note

a. Euglena is a genus of single cell flagellate eukaryotes. It is the best known and most widely studied member of the phylum Euglenozoa (also known as Euglenophyte). Species of Euglena can be found in fresh and salt waters. In quiet, inland waters they may bloom in numbers sufficient to color the surface of ponds and ditches into green or red.

b. Euglena Co., Ltd. (株式会社ユーグレナ) is a bio-venture with its headquarters in Minato district, Tokyo. It engages in research and development, production control, quality control, sales, etc. of microalgae centering on Euglena.