Degradation and bioconversion of complex municipal solid waste streams into human biotherapeutics and biopolymers

Abstract

Linear consumption models in combination with the poor waste management results in negative impact upon the climate and environment. Here we show an advanced biorefinery concept to produce biopolymers and recombinant therapeutic proteins from municipal solid waste. Careful selection and metabolic engineering of Pseudomonas putida was employed to permit efficient co-utilisation of complex, heterogenous substrate compositions derived from the most abundant municipal solid waste fractions. Enzymatic pre-treatment of the feedstock was performed, which afforded sufficient carbon for growth and bio-production of value-added products. Unlike current waste processing methods and supply of feedstocks for bio-based manufacturing, this biorefinery concept re-directs the carbon away from direct emissions and creates a land-use negative feedstock ideal for advanced biomanufacturing. We envisage this demonstration will lead to the creation of circular consumption solutions for waste and bio-production of a range of chemicals and materials in future resource finite scenarios.