Biotouch

Biotechtouch activation

2011-12-25T03:23:00.001-08:00

Biotechtouch activation
Originally uploaded by Helge V. Keitel

Biotechtouch activation 2012. We've a great team and there is a huge amount of work to be don.

Open innovation and collaboration isn't an easy task in an environment where IPs and non-disclosure agreements are highly valued.

It will take some time for both partners and cliets to understand the value of openess, crowdsourcing and social intelligence.

Anyway, we've all the time in the world to make a change. I've been working for years to get "the channels" working.

Finally, I feel that the understanding of open innovation is growing.

2011-12-23T01:36:00.001-08:00

Irja Kallio
Helge V. Keitel

Happy Christmas to all of you

2011-12-23T00:07:00.001-08:00

Happy Christmas to all of you
Originally uploaded by Helge V. Keitel

Happy Christmas to all of you from Irja Kallio and Helge V. Keitel.

The picture to the right was taken this morning and shows that we're going to have a White Cristmas in Sotkamo.

I've been busy shopping all day but everything should be ready now.

Year 2012 Biotechtouch will be taken to a new level.

There's a lot to do in this field and KK-Net is going to contribute.

Olkiluoto

2011-11-28T10:22:00.001-08:00

Olkiluoto
Originally uploaded by Helge V. Keitel

Olkiluoto is Finland's 5'th nuclear power plant, still under construction.

More information in English.

The parliement has decided that two more plants will be built.

In Sotkamo Finland at Talvivara the mine is going to process uranium.

The amount nearly covers the needs of Finnish nuclear power plants.

New Microbiological Methods for P&P Industry

2011-11-04T04:25:00.000-07:00

It seems that new methods for P&P microbiology are needed.

After discussions in PulPaper Congress in Helsinki, June 2010, it is obvious that traditional colony count methods cannot tell the truth about process problems.

These methods, originally developed for clinical microbiology, seem to have too high nutrient content. They cannot, therefore, select the "troublemakers" from the process samples. Bacteria like Gram-negative rods and Bacillus sp. are overestimated in these analyses but eg. filamentous bacteria cannot grow on common, commercial agar media.

Identification of bacteria can be important in some cases. Food poisoning species from the genuses Bacillus, Staphylococcus and Clostridia and hygiene indicators like coliforms, E.coli and Enterococci should be found in raw material control in the production of high hygiene products (LPB, other food-grade cartonboards and papers as well as tissue-type products). If not covered by other bacteria, they can be found with CC analyses. PCR also gives a good way to distinct them among other bacteria.

These methods cannot reveal some severe problems, however. Biofilm formation and comparative biocide testing are two types of investigations which cannot be performed with agar cultivations or molecular biology methods. They should be done either in machine trials or simulations. PMEU methods seem to be the best alternatives for rapid evaluation of biofilm formation and biocide testing today because they exclude all artefacts, caused by artificial growth medium (in colony counts) or too high selection of microorganisms (in PCR). CC's and PCR can be adopted to certain tests but when the subject of the study is to see, what happens in the real paper processes, simulation methods like PMEU shall be chosen.

PMEU toxicity test methods for environmental and industrial microbe control

2011-10-18T04:32:00.000-07:00

PMEU Spectrion ® can be applied as a rapid tool for two types of biocide testing.

GROWTH PREVENTION TEST shows the ability of the biocides to prevent microbial growth in processes. Short detection times (typically under 10 hours) indicate poor or lacking effect of the active compound. Long detection times (over 10 hours) show that the biocide can prevent the microbial growth in the target.

This test can be performed in aerobic, microaerophilic or anaerobic conditions.

Temperature control of PMEU unit allows testing of psycrophilic, mesophilic and thermophilic microorganisms.

Turbidity of the test syringes, caused by microbial growth, will be documented automatically and growth curves will be drawn for every syringe. Detection time
(= the moment of the test, counted from the beginning, when the turbidity has increased by a certain factor) can be seen from these growth curves.

PMEU KILL TEST bases on the biocide-dependent change of microbial count. ATP Assay is the fastest method to detect the quantitative increase and the decrease of microbial cells in the samples and is therefore chosen to assist PMEU biocide testing in cases where both the growth prevention and the death of microbes shall be evaluated.

Results of these two types of biocide tests have a significant correlation.

GROWTH PREVENTION TEST can visualize some microbial processes which cannot be detected with traditional colony count method, eg. it shows the prevention of spore germination to vegetative cells by an effective biocide.

All PMEU Spectrion® methods have one excellent property: they indicate the effects of biocides in the original samples, and recovering effect of colony count methods are totally excluded. The user can focus the attention to the biocidic effects which really take place in the paper machine processes.

Modifications of PMEU biocide testing for biofilm control are also available.

New biotechtouch ideas

2011-09-01T12:02:00.001-07:00

The biotechtouch team was re-started as an attempt to spend more time on environmental issues and less in the office shuffling papers.

We're looking into mining, chemical effluents, toxic residuals, dust and other environmental effects.

Sotkamo and Kainuu provides a good and practical starting point.

We've new mining operations and new starts waiting around the corner.

The need of bacterial identifications in the paper industry?

2009-07-24T07:40:00.001-07:00

IM has discussed about alternative methods for the detection of hazardous or harmful bacteria with Dr. Elias Hakalehto.

It is most important to know the pathogens which will appear in patient samples. Clinical microbiologists shall know who are the enemies of the ill people: their metabolic capabilities, antibiotic resistence patterns etc. Their overall features are easy to find from literature or internet whenever the name of the species is known. This identification can be performed by selective cultivations on agar plates or in PMEU incubator, and further tests like microscopic examinations, API ID systems, immunological tests and/or PCR can be done to confirm the basic identification.

Paper mill is definitely another challenge for microbiologist. In some (relatively rare cases) the names of microorganisms are important to know: if the product shall have high hygiene quality (like LPB and other food-grade cartonboards) or questions about bioterrorism have been arisen (spore-forming Bacillus anthracis as an example). The occurrence of Legionella pneumophila is also a risk in the waste water treatment of paper industry today. Selective cultivations, either on plates or in PMEU, are the solid solutions for continuous microbiological control in those cases. PMEU is preferred because its speed (hours, compared to days with colony count analyses).

Papermakers shall focus more on the metabolic activities than the names of bacteria which they are living with in paper mills, however. Continuous inoculation of the paper production processes by contaminants, delivered with incoming lots of starches, mineral fillers, raw water, dry pulp etc. shall be controlled to avoid spoilage (amylolytic activity as an example), biofilm and slime growth, tastes and odours, spots and colours in the product etc. Because the wide range of bacterial species and their origin from the nature itself, clinical methods do not suit very well for this monitoring. There is no time to start labourous cultivations, pure cultures and identifications when the bacterial input continues day and night, "7/24". PMEU seems to be an excellent tool to check the basic features of process populations, their biocide resistence patterns included.

One important fact must also be taken into account. There are a lot of harmful microbes which actually cannot be cultivated on agar at all. One example are certain filamentous bacteria which may cause biofilm layers into the processes. They can be cultivated in some broths, however, but the usage of the original samples as the growth medium is the best way to detect them all. This can be done with ordinary mb laboratory equipment or with PMEU incubator.

Identification of bacterial species is still needed when the mapping of contamination routes into the processes is the subject of the study. IM will discuss about the microbiological mapping in his next posts (please see http://industrymicrobiologist.blogspot.com/).

Testing E71 photo delivery from ChemBio 09

2009-06-08T07:15:00.000-07:00

I'm testing the delivery of pics to this blog. The picture comes from a brochure I grasped during my visit to BioChem in Helsinki May29, 2009. I'd been invited by Industrial Microbiologist. Below is his blog from the event.

IM wrote, "There was a certain drop in the number of visitors, speakers and companies with exhibition desks in the annual Congress "BioChem" in Helsinki, 27.-29.5.2009. It was a pity to see that a lot of paper industry-associated companies did not arrive to show their products. The depression of global economy was very easy to sense. After all: there were still active participants left, eg. the novel company SAMPLION Ltd. which is now distributing PMEU system for all areas of microbiological control."

Latest post by "Industrial Microbiologist"

2009-06-07T04:40:00.000-07:00

After a most busy period in May 2009, IM would like to write something (partly because his insomnia - a common symptom during light & bright Nordic summer nights) to the readers of his blog.

Several seminars for the rise of Nordic forest industry have arranged and will be arranged before Finland "will be closed" for summer holidays. - This is, by the way, a common feature of Finnish lifestyle, and easy to understand: you shall first work in dark and rain for months, the temperature drops well below 0 oC, and you should try to be active all through the winter. But when the summer comes, everybody will wake up again and "see a light at the end of a tunnel" (which was the title in the annual meeting of Finnish Paper Engineer's Association). And then, during the summer months, citizen tend to move to their summer cottages and villas to just rest and collect forces to tolerate the next winter..

Back to the topic:

There was a certain drop in the number of visitors, speakers and companies with exhibition desks in the annual Congress "BioChem" in Helsinki, 27.-29.5.2009. It was a pity to see that a lot of paper industry-associated companies did not arrive to show their products. The depression of global economy was very easy to sense. After all: there were still active participants left, eg. the novel company SAMPLION Ltd. which is now distributing PMEU system for all areas of microbiological control.

Positive attitudes were obvious also in the annual "Summer Summit" by AEL, the major education company for adult professionals, paper industry ones included.

What will happen next? A conference, discussing of future forecasts of forest industry, will be held in the middle of June in Jyväskylä, Finland. After that the annual PIRA congress will be held in Barcelona, Spain, in October.

If only the paper industry research will be activated again..It is, of course, a question of money, but, after all: to leave brilliant Finnish researchers without work is really a vast of excellence. It has be proven several times that the rebuilding of research groups after a depression is a much harder work than to start those activities from zero. It would therefore be better to keep such organisations in work over the bad periods.

IM is looking forward to the next Autumn! A most interesting thing to see what are the forecasts of Nordic P&P industry when the summer is over!

Local Harvest / Farmers Markets / Family Farms / CSA / Organic Food

2009-05-23T02:05:00.000-07:00

Local Harvest / Farmers Markets / Family Farms / CSA / Organic Food: "The best organic food is what's grown closest to you. Use our website to find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area, where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies. Want to support this great web site? Shop in our catalog for things you can't find locally!"

The future of P&P industry?

2009-03-17T11:28:00.001-07:00

IM is wondering, what will the future of P&P be like.

Referring his ideas, five major topics are needed:

1 PRODUCT: you shall have some product which is really needed among customers. An example: LPB (everybody will buy milk and juice in carton packages every day during her/his lifetime).

2 PERSONNEL: persons on all levels of the company, interested to sell good products.

3 MARKET: the only question: are the customers well aware about your product? If not, why?

4 RESEARCH: R&D in P&P is not a region of "sunset". A lot can be done to improve the quality of products, production etc. It would be possible to find even new products: why not to sell motor oil in LPB containers?

5 DEVELOPMENT. This is the most difficult issue. R&D is interested to develop new ideas but the economists do not see any forecasts for the innovations - why?

- O.K. IM is just a microbiologist and do not understand the global economy. He is still asking, however: where is the development and optimistic forecasts in P&P industry?

IM will also ask: are the Asian people more enthusiastic to develop P&P industry? Not only economically but also in their minds?
POSTED BY JUHA V. MENTU AT 11:01 AM 0 COMMENTS
LABELS: CHINA GLOBAL, DEVELOPMENT, MARKET, PERSONNEL, PRODUCT, RESEARCH

Challenges of Biotech

2009-02-09T10:54:00.001-08:00

IM will refer the excellent book "The Biotech Investor" by Tom Abate (Owl Books, 2003, New York) again. IM also tries to reserve his time to read it through, no matter it is a dense collection of biotech and marketing facts.

In the preface of this book Tom Abate says:

"Biotechnology is an experimental field. Only a handful of of biotech companies currently have products on the market. The vast majority of biotech firms run at a loss during long developmental cycles aimed at proving their founding thesis. Experiments take time, and they often fail. Even when experiments have been done, and their results analyzed and presented at scientific meetings, biotech medicines undergo an excruciating process of regulatory review the can lead to approval, rejection or demands for more testing...In biotech time, development horizons strech for years, even decades."

This is familiar for every modern biotech researchers. Dr. Abate refers medicine research but relatively similar problems may arise when a novel microbiological analyse method is the subject of the research. Approval is then depending not on the health of the customers but the potential markets (IM's opinion). IM still thinks that such a development task can be fulfilled in only years, but marketing may be a challenging task, indeed.

Contacts between paper industry personnel and biotech researchers shall be developed. There are other alternatives than the traditional fairs and exhibitions: discussions in Internet blogs, nings etc. would help significantly to present all modern microbiological tools and evaluate their use in paper industry microbiology. Unfortunately the main problem, time, still stays, even gets worser: people tend to be in a hurry in their working life today. To reserve a period, even short, to investigate new methods will still be worth to do!

The need of paper industry biocides: alternative prospects.

2009-01-28T04:44:00.000-08:00

IM is wondering: are there any other sector of process industry, where microbes are allowed to grow like in paper industry?

Biotechnological processes, of course. But their populations are carefully selected and controlled. And they are employers of the company, not criminals trying to cause harm to the company.

Some significant changes in paper industry processes have taken place after the rise of active environmental care. Both the closure of water circulation and the cancelling of biocides having mercury as an active incredient are favorable for the environment, of course. But the microbial growth inside the paper machines has activated at the same time.

The beginning of neutral paper production led to an "ecocatastrophe" inside paper machines. The rise of pH value (as well as the rise of temperature, caused by the extended recirculation of water) was fatal for slow, acid-loving fungal growth. New mineral additives are an important source of certain types of bacteria, causing severe problems like production of slime, spoiling of the process compounds and hygiene faults of the products.

IM has published an article "Paper Machine: an Ecosystem and a Bioreactor" (INOCULA 1/2007. Helsinki, Finland). Many readers agree: paper machines offer ecological niches for bacteria, and the controlled environments of wet end circulations are very much similar with those of biotechnical processes, based on chemostatic fermentors.

A lot could be do to make paper machines more unfavorable growth environment for microbial contaminants. Very good results have been achieved in some projects where ecological aspects have been taken into account. These issues will be discussed later in this blog.

But the main question is: how much biocides we still need to control the microbial growth in all regions of a paper machine?

Incoming raw materials, sorry to say, may be very contaminated: the highest value of total count during IM's career has been over 100 000 000 cfu/g in a mineral slurry (which was fortunately replaced by a fresh lot by the supplier!). It is therefore obvious that a continuous control - both analytical and practical - is needed for starches, mineral pigments and other contaminated raw materials. This does not mean that all lots are spoiled: there are suppliers which know their response to deliver pure products to the mills but all kind of errors in biocidic pre-treatment, transport and storage of these products may happen.

Certain sites of paper machines also need biocidic treatments all the time. Chosing proper solutions for biocide programs (type of biocide, active compound, dosing sites, timing etc.) of a paper machine is a challenging tasks. In best cases, both the paper mill and biocide personnel are sitting down and discussing of the individual problems of the paper process hygiene.

When specified laboratory services, having tools like PMEU and biofilm microscopy, are included, the final result can be optimal one. Paper industry microbiologists can also help significantly by declaring the effects of process parameters on the growth of planktonic and biofilm bacteria.

The more competence is included, the better solution will be find.

Updating our biotechnology forecasts - some practical topics.

2009-01-27T06:49:00.000-08:00

I will come back to the future of biotechnology.

The economical figures of traditional industries seem to be awful. We will see, what is the condition of such branches like paper, automobile and communication enterprises in 2010.

The optimistic view into biotechnology, presented by Osmo Kuusi in 1991, should be reviewed soon.

Another positive attitude has been presented by Tom Abate in "The Biotech Investor", published in 2003 and found by me under a layer of dust in the library of Jyväskylä University (Tom Abate 2003. The Biotech Investor: how to profit from the coming boom in biotechnology. Owl Books, New York).

Tom Abate tells about sectors of biotechnology like the previous authors, discovering this area. He calls them "The Genomics Wave", "The Proteomics Wave" , "The Biotech Toolmakers", "Green Genes", "The New Factories", "Brave New Worlds" and "The Biotech Clusters".

What these titles include, I'll try to explain whenever I have red this interesting book.

Before that, I have good news:

The leading newspaper in Central Finland, Keskisuomalainen, tells about the manufacturers of small-scale waste water treatment plants. Finnish legislations says that all small houses shall update their ww treatment systems before the end of 2013.

The count of these households is est. 300 000 in Finland!

Not to name the individual enterprises, there are a couple of small companies manufacturing/importing batch-type activated sludge systems in a small scale in our country. Two larger companies, having Finnish background, also exists.

Novel ideas to control the effluents of these mini-plants, like PMEU, already exist, but the questions of evaluation, standardization etc. will have a sever effect on the application of these methods.

I think that it is now time for the Finnish government to accept these analytical methods to be applied by small-scale treatment plant producers.

Colony counts, developed in the beginning of 20th century, are valuable. But what we are needing today are the rapid methods for the control of both activated sludge itself and the effluents of these equipments.

Verenium to launch largest commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant; $250 million 36 Mgy Florida project starts this year : Biofuels Digest

2009-01-16T08:18:00.000-08:00

I haven't written a lot about biofuels this year. The decreasing price of oil is an influential factor. Certainly, the economic crisis has impacted investments in the field of biofuels production. But that area isn't completely dead. Things are happening.

Verenium to launch largest commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant; $250 million 36 Mgy Florida project starts this year : Biofuels Digest: "In Florida, Verenium announced that it would commence construction of what it termed the first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant. The facility will be located in Highlands County, between Orlando and Lake Okeechobee.

The company said that it would receive $7 million in support for the project from the state of Florida’s Farm-to-Fuel fund, and expected to break ground on the 36 Mgy facility in the second half of the year. The project will cost between $250 and $300 million and will use non-food grasses as feedstock.

The company’s 1.4 Mgy demonstration-scale plant in Jennings, Louisiana commenced production this month , and capping off an excellent start to the year was news from NASDAQ that the company was once again in compliance with the exchange’s minimum market cap of $50 million. The company announced $133 million in losses in the third quarter."

2009-01-05T00:27:00.000-08:00

I am starting my working again after a several days' flu by reading "The Paper Index Times". Updating the current situation in P&P is easiest by this way.

The columns by Jim Thompson, writing "Nip Impressions" (see http://news.paperindex.com/category/Blogs_Columns) are always very interesting. I would like to refer a chapter of his last issue here:

You may think it is self-serving (read: old Jim does not want the competition) to tell you to avoid consulting, but my real reason for saying this is consulting, unless you have some very special well known skills, is a daunting business to enter and be successful. I tell people coming to me seeking advice on this subject the following: If you like to write, and can do so quickly and expertly, and you like to be on job interviews, come on in, the water's fine. General consulting consists of two activities: writing and interviewing for your next assignment. It is hard work. On the other hand, if you have a particular exquisite skill and are well known, you can be a success. I once knew a gentleman capable of making any old winder run, no matter how decrepit. He was in high demand, so high of demand he decided to double his rates to see if he could reduce his workload. All he did was double his income. If he had thought, there was a hint of his "problem" staring him in the face: when the mill I worked at needed him, corporate would send their private jet to fetch him, no matter where he was, and bring him to our mill. This is a reputation you can retire on.

This is something which I have wondered over a period of several years.

Consulting, performed by individual specialists or small, private institutions would be very favorable for big companies today. As discussed several times in my blog before (and is worth to repeat) is the challenge of big P&P companies to have benefit by buying rapid services from independent sector of R&D.

All the sad news about closing R&D centres give an impression of fatal view ito future: nothing can be developed anymore. Research is all in vain. But this is not the truth.

There are always ideas growing on among researchers, no matter economical situation is alarming. And it is easy to understand: researchers have adopted a positive view also in problem situations during their studies and career. Just thinking about trouble shooting of machines which would not run: you will continue your task until you find some solution. This IP is something which should be valuated and used today, no matter your "Profit 200X did not have any significant success.

If you are working for P&P, you have to be optimistic. Otherwise you do not survive.

SUCCESSFUL, COOPERATIVE NEW YEAR 2009!

2008-12-31T12:04:00.000-08:00

There are only a couple of hours left in 2008. I am sitting in the middle of a snow storm in Central Finland, suffering of a flu which I have got as a souvenir from my Latvian visit (Riga is a beautiful city but as cold as Finland during Christmas time).

Looking back to 2008: what has happened on the area of paper industry microbiology?

It seems that certain depression has been obvious in R&D of paper industry - and especially in D. Activities of chemical suppliers will be asked by paper makers to fulfill trouble shooting tasks. Smaller private labs have also been active to assist to solve microbiological problems like H2S production by SRB's, spoilage of raw materials and biofilm formation.

Novel methods - like PCR and PMEU - are on the threshold of applications.

I have only one wish for 2009 regarding paper industry microbiology:

I wish that all partners of the joint activities, intended in securing paper process runnability, will have time and interest to build up cooperation. All elements for this are already available:

* experienced personnel of paper mills

* biocide suppliers, having response to help in mb problems

* novel, rapid analytical tools for P&P microbiology

* private, active research institutes

I therefore wish every one

SUCCESSFUL, COOPERATIVE NEW YEAR 2009!

and promise to myself to be more active as a blog writer for Paper Industry Microbiology!

Macarena, Juha and Elias a writing challenge

2008-12-02T05:36:00.000-08:00

Hello Macarena, Elias and Juha! I've a great idea. We should approach Pulp and Paper International and suggest a blogging deal about Scandinavian Pulp and Paper Industry

Local news: the good, bad and the ugly
Research reports and industrial innovations
Rumors and tales from the country of Father Christmas

We could create a writing team consisting of a network of bloggers. Our service could provide new insights from Europe.

There are also other areas that need to be covered:

PMEU and Waste Water Treatment
The long and bumpy road towards a bio-based economy
Food, Packaging and Supply Chain Management

Let me know what you think. We've a a team of four:

Macarena
Elias
Juha
Helge

We can cover these industries from very different points of view.

Deirdre Rawlings

2008-11-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Deirdre Rawlings: "Meet Deirdre Rawlings ND, MH, MS, CNC: Deirdre Rawlings is a board-certified doctor of naturopathy, certified nutritionist counselor, health and wellness coach, author, and nationally known expert on nutrition and diet. She speaks to groups and organizations across America providing the latest health and nutrition information and strategies for individuals to thrive and shine. Deirdre leads and inspires individuals with her dynamic and engaging presentations and her sound health wisdom and practical tools, empowering people to take control of their health."

Helge: We're friends at Your Inner CEO Community.

Her book, “Food that Helps to Win the Battle against Fibromyalgia”, (published by Fairwinds Press in July 2008), is loaded with dozens of healthful tips on healing fibromyalgia through foods and nutrition and contains 100 easy-to-make recipes for fast results. Leading health authorities and experts in the world of integrative medicine and nutrition including Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, Dr. Stephen Sinatra, and Dr. Jonny Bowden have endorsed Deirdre’s latest book.

Helge: In the Bio-based economy food is produced and distributed in a way that takes in account how to live a healthier life.

With her combined background in nutrition, health and public relations spanning more than twenty years, Deirdre has been featured in and contributed material to a variety of health publications and has been guest speaker on national radio and local television. She is the founder and director of Nutri-Living Corporation specializing in nutrition..."

Helge: Would that mean locally, ecologically and more sustainably produced food?

Mr. Gregory Louie's Exploring Biotechnology Website

2008-10-18T06:36:00.000-07:00

Here is a short profile of a new KK-Net(worker). The Biotouch movement is getting larger.

Mr. Gregory Louie's Exploring Biotechnology Website: "Mr. Gregory Louie's Exploring Biotechnology Website. Course Description. The word 'bio-technology' merges two words, biology and technology. Biology is the study of life and technology is the practical application of the science. Biotechnology, then, is the practical application of biology for the discovery of cures for diseases and for the production of better varieties of crops and farm animals. Our course is designed to introduce you to some basic concepts of biotechnology. You will gain an understanding of the fundamental science and an appreciation for what it takes to have a deeply interesting, financially rewarding career in this rapidly growing area of North Carolina's high tech economy."

I had a chat with Gregory a few minutes ago and he is now a member of the KK-Net(work).

Guest: Hi Helge, Are you online?

me: Yes

Guest: I am a middle school biotechnology teacher and have a few questions. Do you have 10 minutes or so to talk?

me: Sure

Guest: OK. After the financial crisis resolves in a few years, biofuels processing will undoubtedly expand. Accompanying that expansion will be the need for a trained workforce. Agree? Sent at 4:21 PM on Saturday

me: That's true. Biofuel can be made from many things and there is a need improve the yield of eg. cellulosic biofuel

Guest: In preparation for that future, I'm looking for ways to train middle school students using the latest control technology for bioreactors.

me: Okay. Sent at 4:22 PM on Saturday

Guest: So I'm looking for contacts with people who know which bioprocess control vendors might release a simple bioreactor control package without the bioreactor to be used in schools.

me: I'd like you to come to this open innovation platform to have a long term continuous discussion http://kknetwork.ning.com/
Sent at 4:24 PM on Saturday

me: We've microbiologists, biotechnologists and the Groups are open for all. Our idea is to use Social Media to improve global collaboration on matters that are very new or were experience is thin.

Guest: OK. Should I start a new forum topic?

me: That sounds great. Sent at 4:26 PM on Saturday

me: Ask for Juha Mentu, Elias Hakalehto, Macarena Pallares etc as your friends and me Helge. I also represent KK-Net

Guest: OK Thanks for your time.

me: You're welcome. Are you from Raleigh? Sent at 4:28 PM on Saturday

A new beginning of P&P industry - in Africa?

2008-10-17T04:37:00.000-07:00

I would like to share my new post (from www.industrymicrobiologist@blogspot.com) with the readers and participant of BIOTOUCH concept. Sometimes it is very refreshing to have some time for thinking about an utopia: "What if everything could be started again, taking into account the best, current knowledge of technical, physical, chemical, microbiological and energy topics in paper industry - what would the paper mills be like?"

- Here is my post:

"IM follows frequently the bright blog written by Jim Thompson (http://www.nipimpressions.com/).

His last post discusses about the dark future of Finnish P&P. In opposite, he gives an optimistic forecast: the promising region for the manufacture of pulp and paper could be Africa! After reading his points of view - short but comprehensive - I must agree. Everything could begin once more on this huge continent if only social and political confusions can be won there.

Sitting and thinking - what else? What about a new way to construct paper and board machines? To take into account not only technical issues, but also all chances to have machines which were easier to control and keep clean/safe than these old ones, we are still driving?

There are a lot of relatively simple solutions which can improve the hygiene of raw materials as well as keep wet end area, white water circulation, pulp towers and broke systems cleaner. These ideas were discussed during the professional career of IM and very many wise men (and women) agreed. It has been the question of reconstruction costs which has prevented the realisation of the progress in paper machine development towards cleaner production and processes.

But: what about starting everything once more? To build up machines with clever ON LINE process control and alarm systems? Machines which were easier to clean during production? Machines which even have self-cleaning constructions?

Ozzy Osbourne sings: " I'm a Dreamer" - but what we are lacking just now are the dreams, aren't we?"

Forecasts of U.S. Science Policy

2008-09-26T06:20:00.000-07:00

Another, interesting letter by SIM was received by me today. It concerns a meeting, discussing U.S. Science Policy:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SEPTEMBER 25, 2008

Presidential candidates invited to discuss science policy at the National Press Club; DC think tank convenes election forum

National leaders on science and technology policy will meet Friday in Washington to discuss the #1 issue facing America. Senator McCain will be represented by longtime adviser and policy expert Floyd DesChamps. Senator Obama has yet to respond to the invitation.

Science and technology drive the economy and are the keys to our security. Every facet of the future will be shaped by the options they offer. The Center for Policy on Emerging Technologies, lead sponsor of the forum, has been established with wide bipartisan support and participation from corporate, policy and civil society sectors - to raise the profile of S and T policy and especially the long-term transformational significance of “emerging technologies” such as biotechnology and nanotechnology, and applications such as artificial intelligence and robotics.

One panel will address the federal role in S and T policy. It will be led by David Goldston (former staff director of the House Science Committee) and include Phillip Bond (former Undersecretary of Commerce and currently president of a lead technology trade group) and Reece Rushing (Center for American Progress).

Space policy experts include NASA’s Planetary Protection Officer Cassie Conley and former Chief Medical Officer Arnauld Nicogossian.

The Emerging Technologies panel brings together bio and nano experts including former CEO of AVANTI Immunotherapeutics Una Ryan and Intellectual Property lawyer Jennifer Camacho.

“We face two huge issues, both of them neglected by leaders of all parties,” says Nigel Cameron, C-PET President and Illinois Institute of Technology Research Professor; “the general state of US science, technology and engineering is worrisome as our spending needs to be more intentional and the long-term prospects of trends in education are dire for American leadership. Side by side, the implications of tomorrow’s technologies for every aspect of our society have yet to be taken seriously. Science needs a much higher profile in the policy community. That’s why we have started a new think tank – and invited the presidential candidates to lay out their wares for us at Friday’s National Press Club forum.”

Co-chairing the forum with with Nigel Cameron will be Jonathan Moreno (University of Pennsylvania and Center for American Progress), and University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute President Jennie Hunter-Cevera. “It is very timely to have our leaders in the country discuss the current needs and gaps in education, science and technology to keep our country competitive at the global level. Science on the front end of discovery is moving ahead very fast while the back end on regulatory and policy issues are still catching up and presenting barriers to moving the technology out to end users.’, state Jennie Hunter-Cevera, president of UMBI and past-president of SIM.

The forum is co-sponsored by the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute and the Society for Industrial Microbiology.

National Press Club, Washington, DC Friday 9/26, 9.30-5.00

Inquiries: Nigel Cameron 847 452 8144

www.c-pet.org

WIREC USA and Finnish Biofuel collaboration

2008-09-20T06:16:00.000-07:00

Minister Mauri Pekkarinen participated in the WIREC 2008 conference in Washington, March 2008. The blog post below was posted March 5, 2008. Pekkarinen spoke about R&D collaboration between USA and Finland. Finland is taking steps towards increased production of Biodiesel from non-food biomass. Neste Oil is a leading company in this field with projects in Finland, Singapore, and Central Europe.

Stora Enso and Neste Oil are building a pilot plant for cellulosic biodiesel production from forestry residuals and waste wood. Full scale operations will start in Finland in the time bracket of 2010 to 2015. UPM has a somewhat different approach. The newest sign for that is the pleriminary announcement about a bio-oil production from low value wood in Kajaani.

We'll learn more about the Kajaani project in the near future. Below is information from the Wirec conference.

Update from WIREC 2008 | reegle Blog: "WIREC 2008 is underway, and it’s off to a great start. United States Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte welcomed the participants and gave a call to action for the three conference days ahead. He was followed by United States Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer, who laid out the opportunities presented by renewable energy and the challenges ahead.

WIREC 2008 is enjoying exceptionally high attendance, with nearly 3000 participants registering for the ministerial conference. More than 100 official country delegations sent over 600 official party delegates, including more than 100 Ministers.

In conjunction with the ministerial-level plenary sessions and discussions, ACORE’s business conference also began today. The trade show opened this morning to over 5000 registered participants. CEOs and other high level executives from every renewable energy sector were in attendance, mingling with official government delegations from the ministerial conference.

The night will close with a reception sponsored by BP, bringing the first night of the conference to a successful end. Tomorrow the breakout sessions on each of the focal points begin, and conference participants are excited to have a chance to discuss the specific challenges they see ahead."

Team Ethanol Journy Sponsors

2008-09-19T03:06:00.000-07:00

Team Ethanol: "Jane's Blog. As the Team packs up this morning and flies and drives off in their various directions, our journey through the outback and our participation in the World Solar Challenge would not be complete without a few worthy 'thank you's'

This is no ordinary challenge, and this is no ordinary car. From 21 to 28 October, 2007, follow Team Ethanol as we journey 3,500 km (2,200 miles) from Darwin to Adelaide through the Australian outback in the World Solar Challenge.

THANK YOU to all our sponsors (see their links on the right hand side) for their belief in our Team. We mentioned you at all and every opportunity and hope you will stick with us for Team Ethanol 2009. We will be in touch with you when we return to Mackay, Queensland for individual feedback."

Helge: How could we get sponsors for the Biotouch project? Here is one example.

Peak Energy blog about the soil

2008-09-12T22:29:00.000-07:00

Peak Energy: "Terra Preta: Biochar And The MEGO Effect. This month's edition of National Geographic has a feature article on 'Soil', which looks at the steady degradation of agricultural land and the problem this poses in world where the population is heading for 9+ billion people - effectively calling attention to the 'peak dirt' problem (however soil is renewable, so any 'peak' should be able to be reversed if sufficient time and effort is put into doing so).

The article uses an acronym I've never come across before to describe the problem faced by those trying to draw attention to the issue: MEGO (My Eyes Glaze Over) - a phenomenon which should be familiar to anyone who has ever talked about peak oil, global warming or any of the other 'limits to growth'."

Health, Wellness, Nutrition, Biotouch and Microbiology

2008-09-09T21:17:00.000-07:00

Health, Wellness & Nutrition: "Health, Wellness & Nutrition Passion. Back in 1987 I was listening to a health, wellness and nutrition doctor on the radio," writes Barbie Perkins.

Barbie_Perkins, aka Barbie Perkins, has been a member since August 26 2008, has rated 0 lenses, favorited 0, and has created 1 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "Health, Wellness & Nutrition".

I learned about her this morning through Twitter and decided to post it on this blog. Below is more about her thoughts. What do our biotech and microbiology experts to say about Barbie Perkins comments?

"The health, wellness and nutrition doctor was talking about the effects of soda pop and sugar on our health. The doctor said that the phosphoric acid in Pepsi and other soda pop products took the calcium out of bones. The doctor spoke of one of her patients who was a young wife and mother of three (ages 9, 7, and 2 years). The bones in her feet were soft and deteriorating. When The doctor asked the young woman what her other doctor thought caused her problem, the young woman said. 'I'm a Doctor Pepper freak. I have one on the hour every hour I am awake.' The health, wellness and nutrition doctor said that if this young woman continues her soft-drink habit, it wouldn't be long till she was wheel chair bound. By the way, this young woman was only 37 years old.

That scared me because I was almost 37 years old, the mother of two (ages 12 and 10) and had been consuming a minimum of three - sixteen ounce bottles of Pepsi cola a day for about the past 17 years. I didn' t want to wind up in a wheel chair from over consumption of soft drinks. The health, wellness and nutrition doctor spoke of a Green Drink so I ordered the Green Drink and Book and started taking the Green Drink on a daily basis."

There is a flair of network marketing in the blog. I've seen that among others GNLD is profiling itself as a wellness and nutrition company. How much is actually happening in the field of nutrition? What about the role of Finnish, Nordic, European scientists?

How to evaluate paper industry biocides?

2008-08-20T04:25:00.000-07:00

The following post was sent to "industrymicrobiologist.blogspot.com" but I think that it may interest also the readers of BIOTOUCH blog (and comments, of course, are more than welcome!).

Before referring the originat text, I would like to add some ideas about evaluation of biocides.

As known by microbiologists, traditional plate count methods cause bias into the biocide test results. No matter the active compounds are added to the process samples for KILL tests, final results are still derived by colony count analyses.

To have faster and more reliable evaluation (no need to dose every alternative into the process for days..weeks) a novel test method, which performes the biocide evaluation in original samples all over the test, is needed. PMEU method seems, until now, definitely to be the best choose.

And then the original post:

What should an ideal biocide be like?

* effective against a variety of microbial species
* effective in different process environments (temperature, pH, RO potential, solid concentrations etc.)
* both fast and conserving type of action
* not harmful for employers of paper machine
* not harmful for paper machine
* not harmful for products of the paper machine
* not harmful for environment
* (something else?)

As far as I know, no such ideal biocide has been developed yet. "Tailored" biocide products shall therefore be combined to fight against raw material contamination, microbial activity in large process water and pulp systems, fiofilm producers...

The rapid development of fast-acting oxidative agents (chlorine-and bromine-based compounds, PAA, ClO2 and even O3) is very promising, but they have limited success as storing agents. Their broad-spectrum influence on even bacterial spores should be taken into account when planning biocide programs, which also should contain compounds to prevent biodegradation during storage periods and formation of biofilms on wet surfaces of the machine.

In some cases, activity of alternative biocides against certain hazardous bacteria are also worth to evaluate.

easternblot.net about BioBarCamp

2008-08-19T22:11:00.000-07:00

easternblot.net: "BioBarCamp is full. Posted on Thursday 24 July 2008 by Eva @ 12:18 pm. Filed under: BioBarCamp and Site Updates.

BioBarCamp

"BioBarCamp is officially full as of a few days ago. It had to be capped off at 75 because the IFTF doesn’t actually fit 100 people as well as was initially hoped. I will be there, even though I feel highly incompetent compared to the rest of the guest list. Some people who are going to SciFoo are attending BioBarCamp the day before, which accounts for the high number of talented and awesome people. I’m there in the middle of my California vacation, so I’m probably exhausted by that time (Trips organized by me always strongly resemble The Amazing Race. I would be so good on that show…," writes Eva.

She continues on her blog:

"I’m going to pre-blog a bunch of things before I leave next week, so you won’t even know that I’m gone. It’s not like there has been much action on this blog lately anyway. If you leave a comment during that time and it needs moderating, I might be a bit slower in approving it. (Your comments are auto-approved if you use the same name and e-mail address as you use on a previously approved comment. ) I am staying with friends a couple of times during my trip, but other days I am spending almost entirely on Greyhound buses, so my internet access will be intermittent."

Who is Eva?

Easternblot.net is owned, edited, and mostly written by Eva, a PhD candidate in Biochemistry. Eva writes original articles that bring a scientific twist to topics such as carrots , cats , CSI, fringe theatre, or musicians. She also obsessively surfs the internet to find interesting websites and visits local science/culture events. Eva also writes for other publications, including Hypothesis Journal, for which she is an editor. She volunteers for the outreach programs Let’s Talk Science and Kids Science. She also plays violin and takes photos, but rarely finds the time to write handwritten letters or watch TV anymore.

Helge: I blogged about BioBarCamp to make a note that we could arrange such an event in Finland to discuss the Biotouch themes.

Gina Smith about Tech and Biotech

2008-08-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

gina smith: "gina smith about herself: I am an author and a journalist specializing in tech and biotech -- I consult, write and love to hear from you all via email."

Contact Gina Smith:

* Her Website is: http://www.ginasmith.com
* Location: United States

One-Line Bio: I am an author and a journalist specializing in tech and biotech -- I consult, write and love to hear from you all via email.

Biography: Gina Smith is a career technology and science journalist and author.
She is the New York Times Best-Selling Author (with Steve Wozniak) of iWOZ: From Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-founded Apple and Had Fun Along the Way.

Her previous book: The Genomics Age, explained DNA and stem cell science to investors and interested lay people. Barron's named it one of the top 20 books of 2005. Gina was on air as ABC News' first technology correspondent. She appeared several times weekly on Good Morning America and World News Tonight with Peter Jennings from 1995 to 2000.

From 1990 to 2000, she authored Inside Silicon Valley, an award-winning column in the San Francisco Sunday Chronicle. In that time period she also cohosted and solo hosted On Computers with Gina Smith (later Connected with Gina Smith on ABC), a syndicated tech-help talk show. She does lots of other things -- freelance writing and..."

Helge: Learned about this on Twitter and would like to invite her to our Ning network.

BIOTECHNICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL PRODUCTION METHOD AND EQUIPMENT

2008-08-15T23:14:00.000-07:00

(WO/2008/081082) BIOTECHNICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL PRODUCTION METHOD AND EQUIPMENT: Background for the invention

Helge: I found this information on Internet. Would you Elias like to comment? What are the practical implications?

Pub. No.:		WO/2008/081082		International Application No.:		PCT/FI2008/000001
Publication Date:		10.07.2008		International Filing Date:		04.01.2008

IPC:

C12M 1/04 (2006.01), C12M 1/12 (2006.01), C12P 1/04 (2006.01), C12P 39/00 (2006.01), C12Q 1/02 (2006.01)

Applicant:

HAKALEHTO, Eino, Elias [FI/FI]; Kasarmikatu 12 C 1, FIN-70110 Kuopio (FI).

Inventor:

HAKALEHTO, Eino, Elias; Kasarmikatu 12 C 1, FIN-70110 Kuopio (FI).

Priority Data:

20070008

04.01.2007

Title:	BIOTECHNICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL PRODUCTION METHOD AND EQUIPMENT
Abstract:	A method and an apparatus enabling the simultaneous cultivation and product formation in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions of microbes or other production organisms in the same bioreactor. The used microbes may be facultatively anaerobic bacteria, for example.

In utilizing and studying microbes in industry or medicine or in environmental cleaning, the used microbiological and bacteriological methods in most cases call for the culturing of cells or equivalent in a nutrient substrate before being able to show them, clarifying the effects of their action or getting to a desired production result. This production result may be a cell growth, e.g. for feed or protein, or the formation of one or several desired metabolic products.

LIQUID OR GAS FORM

These products can be in liquid or gas form or they can be separated from a production liquid into solid form by precipitation. The production result of a microbiological reaction can also be the cleaning of environment, like soil or water, or the elimination of a harmful substance from an organism.

NUTRIENT SUBSTRATES

Nutrient substrates contain vital nutrients for microbes and they are designed to be as suitable as possible for the microbes and other organisms to be studied. Plant and animal cells have been started to generally be cultivated with similar methods as microbes.

Conventionally, nutrient substrates are divided into general nutrient substrates and selective nutrient substrates. In the former many different microbes can widely be cultivated whereas selective nutrient substrates choose or enrich selective species or strains. Studied microbes may be for example single cell bacteria or yeasts, or filamentous molds, or algae or protozoa.

MICROBE CULTIVATION

Microbe cultivations and studies may be related to projects for example in medicine, health care, pharmaceutical industry, food, chemistry or cosmetics industries or forestry industry. They may also be part of the control of building mold damage or the follow-up of environmental condition to find out the quality of water, air or other environmental quality.

FINNOFLAG AND ELIAS HAKALEHTO

Normally these cultivations take place in thermostatically controlled cabinets (thermal cabinets or incubators) or rooms, which thermostated cabinets are located in laboratories or equivalent. Often there is need to collect microbe samples or equivalent in the field or as part of field experiments or on site for example in production processes, different locations in hospitals or canteens. Large quantities of microbe cells are generally tried to be cultivated in different kinds of bioreactors, fermentors. Microbiological production reactions often also take place in these. In studies performed by Finnofiag Oy (Kuopio and Siilinjarvi, Finland), it has been shown that microbes can efficiently be cultivated in controlled environments in a cultivation case in a way that air or gas is led into the sampling and cultivation syringes in the case (Finnish patent no FI 106561).

FERMENTATION

In the biotechnical industry fermentation has conventionally been used for cultivating microbes or carrying out a production method by them. Although "fermentation" has originally meant anaerobic fermentation, this concept nowadays includes all microbe action that is carried out in bioreactors. This action may happen just as well in the presence of oxygen, aerobically, or without oxygen, anaerobically. In this application the term "reactor" means bioreactor.

Biotouch and the price of oil

2008-08-07T01:50:00.000-07:00

Macarena, Elias, Juha, and Bitouch readers, we're now heading towards the second phase with this open innovation platform for Biotouch. Macarena did a great work to get Biotouch started and attracted readers from all over the world. She used some new tools like Yahoo Answers to get more visitors to this blog.

Now I try to attract more readers, commentators, and co-writers. We need to get this waggon moving. A lot of work has been done for years. I hope this will lead to something we couldn't imagine before. Taking this business process to the open is a new and bold move. The social media provides new windows of opportunities for complex issues like Biotech.

We're still struggling with how to turn great innovations like PMEU and the knowledge within the team to Biotouch projects with a solid Financing but time will tell if we're heading in the right direction.

The price of oil is now high, even though it has declined a little from $150 peak prices. But there is still a long way to go before we're down at $50 per barrel. As an evidence, take a look at Elias' email comment and we can see that one of the resasons for the high price of oil is the lack of investments in refinery capacity. Take a look at this quote "There will be no new refineries by Giuseppe Marconi - 2008/07/23" below.

Giuseppe Marconi's comment is two weeks old. Here is Elias' comment.

Hello!

Thank you for the message. I have adjoined here one comment related to the inadequasy of crude oil preventing the planning of new refineries. I think that this is rather indicative also pricewise.

I would be glad to contribute on "Biotouch" especially since I was generating the concept in the spring in some of our fruitful telephone conversations. It is essentially a way to act in a new direction in order to gain understanding on the microbes.

Tried to call Hannu today, after his message. We will be in touch hopefully on tomorrow.

With best regards,

Elias

There will be no new refineries by Giuseppe Marconi - 2008/07/23

Oil companies won't be building more refineries, because there won't be enough oil left to refine by the time new refineries could pay for themselves.

There hasn't been a new refinery built in the US since 1976. In 1982, there were 301 operable refineries in the U.S and they produced about 17.9 million barrels of oil per day. Today there are only 149 refineries, and they're producing 17.4 million barrels. This increase in efficiency is impressive but not a miracle. As with everything these outputs are carefully calculated to optimize profitability. Let me explain.

Truth be told, new refineries require tremendous financial commitments which take anywhere from 15 to 25 years to amortize. With record oil prices it would make perfect sense to invest in a few refineries today, except... for the lack of oil to be refined 20 years from now.

Trends have predicted that peak oil production, where the production of oil starts to decline, will be reached around 2007-2010. After that, there will be less and less oil to refine no matter where drillers look. In this context, building expensive new refineries does not make a lot of sense as existing ones will be sufficient to process whatever little oil is left. So forget about new refineries, except for a few in the northern midwest to process the heavy oil from Canada.
refinery tank.

Crude oil is a finite resource more and more depleted. As such, an increasing demand put on this finite supply necessitates careful management in order to stretch its lifespan and profitability.

2008/8/5 Helge V. Keitel

Biotouch discussing ATP's from algae and energy derived from it

2008-08-04T01:15:00.000-07:00

I want to share the exchange of email postings with you. It crossed my mind that we could talk about technical and biotech stuff like we follow soap operas. The power of social media is better demonstrated if we follow a continuous process, the evolution of things, how a project started, etc. Now we are at the very beginning...

The next step of BIOTOUCH is to continue our open innovation and collaboration. Macarena Pallares did a great work to get this blog started. She returns to Mexico but I think it's a good idea to to keep this blog alive. I noticed that Juha posted a new post to mark the continuation of the dialog.

At the end of last month we had an interesting distributed discussion with a student from Jaipur India. Below is the content of that discussion. It would be nice to see that also this dialog continues.

At the same time we can think about tactical means of using a social media and blogs to boost lead generation. We would like to see more people participating. Biotouch is still looking for investors and partners who want to take a serious move towards the bio-based economy.

But let's get to the Indian-Finnish biofuel discussion.

Here is how it all started. You can follow how the questions and answers criss-crossed and at this point we can see the starting point of Rajesh's project.

I'd like to invite more people to participate in this cross-border learning process.

We've a case in India but there are certainly hundreds of new initiated projects around the globe. How could we join forces and get more people involved?

The biggest challenge is to get the investors to move into this space.

Rajesh Kumar Sharma

"Sir, I'm a student of B.Tech-M.Tech Int. prgramme in converging technologies at UNIVERSITY OF RAJASTHAN, Jaipur, India. I have to make a project for a scholarship programme for which i need your help. My idea is to take ATP's from algae and use the energy derived from it to run a vehicle or some other process. It will be a pollution free and cost effective fuel(I think so).But the problem is that I don't know how can this be done. So I wan't to know that how can we take out ATP's from it. Please help me in making this project and give me advise regarding how should I proceed for this project."

Thank you!

Yours Sincerely,
Rajesh Kumar Sharma
rks.9690 at gmail.com

Date: 2008/7/31
From: Helge V. Keitel
To: Rajesh Kumar Sharma,

Rajesh Kumar Sharma,

I sent a copy of your email to the microbiologist Juha Veikko Mentu and to biotechnologist Elias Hakalehto.

Also take a look at these blogs:

http://industrymicrobiologist.blogspot.com/
http://biotechtouch.blogspot.com/
http://smartroad.blogspot.com/

Juha Veikko Mentu's Pulp, Paper, Board and Packaging Microbiologist blog statement:

"This blog contains novel ideas for the development of paper industry microbiology. Traditional methods, despite their important role in the selection of harmful microbes from process and product samples, does not fulfil the needs of modern HACCP and process stability control. Faults in the process management as well as in the QC of products can cause hazardous situations for the economy of production as well as for the safety of employers, customers and environment."

Dear Rajesh Kumar Sharma;

I am very pleased to hear about your interest in ATP.

I have performed practical experiences with ATP. Luminometric ATP assay has been most important tool for the estimation of bacterial loads in paper industry processes since late 80's for me, too. In addition, I know two researchers in Jyväskylä, Finland, who have performed basic research of ATP biochemistry.

ATP is defenitely a biochemical "battery" in all living cells. If the high-energy bond between phosphate groups will be opened, active phosphate group will thereafter give energy for several biochemical reactions.

I have two questions concerning your idea:

- how to transform this biochemical energy into other, practical forms of energy?
- how to avoid the breakdown of ATP (by temperature, ATPase etc.)?

Your idea, however, is very interesting, and I am looking forward to hear more about it. I will also give my (relatively humble) knowledge of ATP to you when needed.

- I have participated a project at the end of 70's where the usage of cyanobacteria as fertilizers was the subject of the study. I learned a lot about the beneficial effects of these organisms on rice fields of India - as an example, their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen.

With best regards,
Juha Mentu
--
Juha Mentu
Environmental and paper industry microbiologist
juha.veikko.mentu at gmail.com
http://industrymicrobiologist.blogspot.com
tel: +358(0)468973426

From: Elias Hakalehto
To: Juha, rajesh, Helge, Macarena
Date: Jul 31, 2008
Subject: Reply

Dear Rajesh,

Greetings from Kuopio, Finland! I think that you are having some clue in this reasoning. Nature provides us with an excellent machinery to be fuelled with ATP - the cell metabolism.

The chemical energy in the form of ATP is most important power source of the cells on the molecular level as we know.- However, there is a point in thinking how to get the ATP to work the best. In bacterial cells the catabolic pathways will often end up with exploitable chemical substances like ethanol, butanol, or organic acids. They are containing in a way the "ATP energy" in them, and are exploitable as such.

One way to continue our mental excercise is to reason where the ATP is generated in the cells and where it is functional = is delivering its energy content to another chemical compounds. In this way we can at least try to deduce which is the most energy effective solution for the cell, and try to check if it is actually working accordingly.

To isolate and use ATP in a functional form is then another thing as Juha wrote. For that to be effective we have to make "the vehicle" that you had mentioned. We will come to that later.

Thank you very much for taking up this inspiring topic.

With best regards,

Elias Hakalehto, PhD, MSc(Agr.Sci)
Microbiologist, Biotechnologist
Docent in Biotechnical Microbe Analytics
Internat.Postgrad.Diploma in Biotechnology
+358-500-574 289
elias.hakalehto at gmail.com
www.finnoflag.com

From: Helge V. Keitel
To: Elias, Juha, rajesh, Macarena
Subject: Reply to all

Hello everybody,

This collaboration shows the power of open social networking on a global scale. Rajesh, it would be interesting to expand this discussion with the teachers/professors and to have a continuous dialog about your work. Would it be possible to exchange some kinds of progress reports?

A continuous dialog would show us the power open innovation and the use of social media to advance global collaboration.

I think that the society at large is still quite clueless about how we should proceed on the bumpy road towards a less oil dependent and towards a bio-based economy.

Dr. Elias Hakalehto at Finnoflag Oy, Finland, has been thinking about ways to get industrialists, innovators, the research community, and financiers to collaborate around themes leading to cost-effective biorefineries, but there is still a lot of work to be done to get down to soundly financed projects.

So, let's continue the talk. We never know what "The Wisdom of the Crowd" can bring to the table.

Rajesh, I wish you success with your project and keep us informed.

Br
Helge

Terveisin, Best Regards, Med Vanliga Halsningar, Mit Freundlichen Grüßen, A Bientot,

Helge V. Keitel
KK-Net
Kuningattarenkatu 13 B, 07900 Loviisa, Finland
Skype: visualradio

Phone: + 358 50 309 2021
Home: http://wwww.kknet.fi
Business Development: http://digitalvillages.net/
Blog: http://digitalvillages.blogspot.com/
Wiki: http://www.digitalvillages.net/global.htm
Email: helgekeitel@gmail.com

Social Collaboration & Virtual Organizations | Open Innovation & Global Networking | Biotech, Biotouch, Bioenergy and Health Care

PMEU Incubator as a tool for fast evaluation of slimicides.

2008-08-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Time series of steel coupons are the common method to evaluate the effects of biocides against slime-forming bacteria in paper machine processes.

The installation of coupons inside the machine may not be the main problem. Two other aspects will limit the value of this method:

* only one slimicide (= the current slimicide used in the machine) can be tested
* duration of the evaluation may take days...weeks

PMEU Incubator (by FINNOFLAG Oy) has been adopted into biocide and slimicide testing because it gives chance to

* evaluate several biocides/slimicides
* only hours to days are needed to have the results of evaluations

Picture (above) shows a bacterial population, attached on the surface of a PMEU test coupon, with fibres, minerals and starches. These bacteria stand washing of coupon with water after testing which means that they are "primary attachers" on the surface of steel when immersed in process water of a paper machine.

More about this issue: http://www.industrymicrobiologist.blogspot.com/.

How Biotouch Started and Oil Price $ 600 prediction!

2008-06-30T09:41:00.000-07:00

There were rumors today that a barrel of oil might jump to 600 dollars per barrel.

A few weeks ago a Gazprom executive predicted that the oil price might climb to $ 250 per barrel.

But $ 600 per barrel means the real beginning of a bio-based economy.

Biotouch is a conceptual approach with tools and ideas for better handling of the post-oil-period. But changes might happen very soon.

The current news are scaring. How well are we prepared? Read this blog about oil-price!

The YouTube video to the right is representing another extreme: the man is explaining, "there is no peak-oil" in his own words.

"One of the funniest videos in months," comments one YouTube commentator.

The other comment says, "He is right about the oil. First off we have a 100 biliion barrels of untapped reserves in the US that include off shore anwar and shale deposits in Colorado. You people can laugh at this guy but for an idiot he isn't a sheep like most people who laugh at this video are. Our Liberal congress refuses to drill or use these deposits if people would wake up and vote these politicians out we wouldn't be paying 4.00 gas. wake up people the Government is Screwing us."

Anyway, oil is becoming a real big issue. The price of the dollar is anohter. What happens in Iran in the coming months is a determining factor. Let's wait and see...

Biotouch PMEU Conference Call Today

2008-06-27T08:11:00.000-07:00

We'd an interesting Biotouch Conference Call Today. The participants:

Macarena Pallares
Juha Mentu
Helge Keitel

I'd a separate discussion with Elias Hakalehto after our online meeting. Elias hopes that the traditional paper forestry industry would understand the deeper meaning of "bio" in future biorefineries.

"The present biorefinery technology is based on one hundred years old inventions. We do have the tools and intellectual property for a radical modernization of how we use and monetize future fiber processing. But we need partners with a deeper understanding about the added values that the Biotouch-approach can deliver," Elias said.

We discussed the Biotouch PMEU biotech service concept and its wide range use on a global scale. Juha informed about a recent problem solving case in southern Europe where PMEU proved its value as a problem solving tool.

The other thing is the combination of Luminometry and PMEU in paper / board machine microbial online activity control with PMEU as an added value "disease determination."

Luminometry and ATP as a "thermometer" to indicate what's happening (fever)
PMEU is the tool for in depth determination of the cause of the "sickness"
The Biotouch concept provides a methodology for standardized problem solving

The Porvoo community water supply reported about a problem during our meeting. PMEU would be the tool for fast determination of malicious microbial presence. Let's hope it isn't a new Nokia Water Case.

Macarena told about the the strong food processing industry in Mexico. Another case where the Biotouch approach could be used is in the Mexican world class cement industry.

Financing of a world wide operation to promote Bitouch and PMEU solutions were discussed.

We do have a revolutionary biotechnological solution - comparable with microscopy - for rapid microbe growth determination, but we would need a partner with deeper pockets to support the globalization of Biotouch-operations.

"A company in the USA called QuoNova has started to attack the problem of biofilms as a health problem and they are developing products that allow combating biofilms in wounds and in cystic fibrosis in lungs," writes Macarena in her previous posting.

I'd like to have your comments about this.

Biofilms

2008-06-25T05:25:00.000-07:00

A biofilm is a structured community of microorganisms encapsulated within a self-developed polymeric matrix and adherent to a living or inert surface. Biofilms have a large and varied role in human activities from being responsible for a number of diseases in humans and animals to also being invaluable in the treatment of domestic sewage and industrial wastes. (Cambridge Journals) The study of biofilms represents a radical new way of understanding the microbiology of virtually everything around us, from problems that afflict industry to serious public health issues. (Montana State University).

oajsopjqowhndklsjfnhweifjekwjfsjloq Image by http://i.treehugger.com/files/th_images/biofilm.jpg

So the basic questions to ask are: When do biofilms cause problems to humanity? And when are biofilms helpful?

The propensity of biofilms to attach can cause many problems for a wide range of industries. An example of these problems is the contamination that biofilms cause in the pulp and paper manufacturing, and the water and treatment distribution. Biofilms are responsible for billions of dollars in lost industrial productivity, as well as product and capital equipment damage each year. That is why some companies have already started programs of R&D in this area. An example of one of these companies is Finnoflag OY which is developing a product called PMEU that allows the detection of microbes in the wood processing and food industries.

kSHOWHDILKNFEKNEFKN mkw Image by http://www.siblarch.net/images/Storbranna3%202006.JPG

Biofilms can also cause many infections in human beings, and can be really dangerous. Biofilm infections form preferentially on foreign surfaces as well as dead or damaged tissue. These infections develop gradually and may be slow to produce overt symptoms. Once established, however, biofilm infections persist. They are rarely resolved by host defense mechanisms, even in individuals with healthy innate and adaptive immune reactions. (Montana State University). A company in the USA called QuoNova has started to attack the problem of biofilms as a health problem and they are developing products that allow combating biofilms in wounds and in cystic fibrosis in lungs.

Although biofilms sound really harmful, they also have some benefits. For example: they may be used for the self-purification of streams and rivers, in the treatment of waste and pollution and/or the generation of electricity. This is made possible by the protective slimy matrix that prevents attack from the immune system and antibiotics, as well as toxic contaminants while breaking down waste or effluent. (European Research Comission).

It is really good that some companies have already started the R&D of products to combat biofilms, or to enhance their beneficial properties but much more investment should still be done in this area.

Have a great Biotech Midsummer!

2008-06-19T01:28:00.000-07:00

Hello, I spoke with Elias today and we try to arrange a Skype conference after the midsummer about the next step in Biotouch.

We'll have a meeting with Seppo, Pekka, a third person and myself in Helsinki June 26. We talk about how to attract financing for Biotouch, and how to build a structure and become more organized.

The Finnish forestry industry is in trouble with excess capacity, high cost of raw materials, energy and the low value of US dollar. We are going to see more closures of mills in the coming months.

Kemira is downscaling and concentrating on WATER. 1 000 employees has to go out of ten thousand globally.

We need a new biotech industrial base. The traditional pulp and paper could benefit from biotech and microbiology based innovative approaches. We've ideas, tools, and concepts but need to get a stronger organization to transfer the promises to real functional processes and services.

Have a great midsummer!

Campaign Spotlight - An Emotional Urge to Get Up and ‘Gro’ - NYTimes.com

2008-06-16T22:33:00.000-07:00

Campaign Spotlight - An Emotional Urge to Get Up and ‘Gro’ - NYTimes.com: "An energetic new campaign that urges consumers to go outdoors and get their hands dirty looks and sounds as if it could be promoting brands like Gore-Tex, Jeep, North Face, Range Rover or Patagonia.

The actual sponsor can be inferred from the upbeat theme, “It’s Gro Time.”

Helge: I'm not sure if this blog post is placed in the right place. Gardening is probably closer to agriculture than biotechnology but even in the garden microbes are at work. I write about this campaign because gardening seems to be a growing free-time activity. There are lots of gardening programs on TV today. Is this indicating a return to old traditions? Are we doing this to get better and less processed food?

Indeed, the Miracle-Gro line of gardening products, sold by the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, is behind the emotional campaign. That is surprising because until now its marketing efforts have been sedate, even a bit stodgy.

Helge: Another point is that equipments and materials for gardening are a growth business. In Finland the Kemira Grow-How product line is popular.

The new campaign is by the same creative agency that Miracle-Gro has used for several years, ML Rogers in New York. And Mediaedge:cia in New York, part of the GroupM division of the WPP Group, remains the media agency.

Helge: First I thought Miracle-Gro is Irish? Ireland is peat country. But no, it's an American company based in Ohio.

But the more assertive attitude and younger tone for the campaign represent a sea change — or, in this instance, maybe a land change is a more accurate way to put it."

Helge: Yes, I see the same trend here. Go to It's Gro-Time website.

For decades, ads for Miracle-Gro were focused on product attributes and benefits, making claims about the size and robustness of the flowers and vegetables that could be grown by using its garden soil, potting mix and other plant foods.

Helge: Mother Nature seems to be back in business.

“What we’re trying to do now is attract more people to the activity of gardening,” says Jan Valentic, senior vice president at Scotts Miracle-Gro in Marysville, Ohio, with the message that Miracle-Gro “is a product that helps Mother Nature be all she can be, and more so.”

Helge: There is a parallel with popular cooking and kitchen programs on TV.

“We want to get people to think of gardening as a great pastime,” Ms. Valentic says. “Ideally, I’d love to have gardening considered, regarded as sexy as cooking.”

Helge: As you know, Irja K. is very fond about everything related to gardening and the use of home grown stuff for food.

About Us

"It's Gro Time" is our call to action and rallying cry for consumers to go outside, get their hands dirty and discover the wonders that only a garden can provide. As a cornerstone of our marketing efforts, "It's Gro Time" encourages people to enjoy all that the outdoors and their backyard have to offer.

Biofuel made from Wood

2008-06-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

Another good alternative to produce Biofuel is to use wood as the raw material. There are three basic approaches that are the most promising for making liquid fuels from wood. These are producing: methanol, ethanol, and diesel fuel (of course other liquid fuels from wood are possible to produce).

Currently Shell and Choren Industries finished building a manufacturing plant for BTL (biomass-to-liquid). In this plant forest residues, waste wood, fast-growing timber and agricultural residues can be used as biomass for production purposes (Choren).

There are four significant reasons why wood fuel has been proven to be beneficial (LC Energy):

• It is inexpensive (cheaper than domestic gas, oil, LPG and electricity).

• It will not run out if it comes from sustainable woodlands.

• It is carbon neutral (90% less than when burning fossils).

• It reduces the dependence on fuel imports and price uncertainty

Is it good for the environment? lJOkdnhkelifhjkndskhsidndslifdfhd Image by http://www.mass.gov/
As said before, wood burning doesn’t release more CO2 than when it biodegrades; therefore it doesn’t add more pollution to the environment.

A problem that might rise, if biofuel from wood is mass-produced, is that the companies have to be aware that they should cut trees sustainably. Because if all the forest where felled, it will lead to deforestation and habitat destruction. As a result of that possibility there has to be a conservation plan in all companies that allows chopping some trees to produce biofuels, but then re-foresting the area and taking care of the animal and plant species that live there.

The Stockholm Water Front

2008-06-14T06:16:00.001-07:00

The Stockholm Water Front is a forum for global water issues No 1, April 2008:

15 000 liters of water for 1 kg of beef
40 liters of water for 1 slice of wheat bread
5 000 liters of water for 1 kg of cheese

Water is the key to climate change adaption. A changing climate will have increasingly grave consequences for the world's poorest, most vulnerable people.

Water is central to both climate change and human development, and most of the effects of climate change will hit us through water.

The developed countries, mainly responsible for historic greenhouse emissions, have not yet delivered on the real commitment. Action of mitigation is too slow, and promises to finance adaption have been largely ignored.

"If we are to tackle climate change, ample and additional resources are needed", writes Karin Laxén, Swedish Water House in the Stockholm Water Front.

Bioremediation

2008-06-10T07:05:00.000-07:00

Of all the different technologies that have been explored as a solution for the waste cleaning problem, Bioremediation has come out as the most attractive approach to clean many environmental pollutants. This technology uses naturally occurring microorganisms to degrade toxic substances into less-toxic or no-toxic materials. The microorganisms break down contaminants by using them as a food source. Bioremediation seems to be a cost effective, natural process that can be applicable to many common organic wastes and that can be helpful in the elimination of different waste in a lot of areas.

But how does it work?
Microorganisms must be active and healthy in order for bioremediation to take place. Bioremediation technologies assist microorganisms' growth and increases microbial populations by creating optimum environmental conditions for them to detoxify the maximum amount of contaminants (Bioremediation Inc.).
Generally, bioremediation technologies can be classified as in situ or ex situ. In situ bioremediation involves treating the contaminated material at the site while ex situ involves the removal of the contaminated material to be treated elsewhere.

Bioremediation can be applied in a lot of areas: water and soil cleaning (Aster Bio), elimination of textile (African Journal of Biotechnology) and paper effluents…

Image by http://www.innovations-report.de/

I hope this field keeps growing and that the areas of application of this technology increase. There has to be inversion in the current studies for developing products that make easier to find the waste and develop the potential microorganism that will be able to clean the pollutant, so let’s hope that more companies do R&D in this field.

World Water Week, Stockholm, August 17 - 23, 2oo8

2008-06-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

In the fast growing urban areas of the developing world, clean, efficient infrastructure and management of sanitation and waste facilities will require considerable up-front financial investments.

The economic, social and environmental benefits down the road will far outweigh this initial expenditure.

The World Water Week will take place in Stockholm, August 17 - 23, 2oo8. For a staggering 2,6 billion people, lack of access to adequate sanitation is a major and daily threat to their health and well-being.

This bears tremendous social and environmental costs, of which premature deaths, degradation of living quarters and the environment, and reduced access to education are but the few.

Parallell global trends - population and economic growth, increasing energy demand, changing diets, etc. - increase the amount of water required for development.

While increased agricultural production for food and bioenergy represent interesting new sources of income for rural farmers all over the world, these opportunities must take into account the water-constrained biophysical reality of the planet.

Reducing fossil fuel use will increase demand for bioenergy production. While the second generation of bioethanol may be produced on wastelands or from cellulose, croplands may also be converted for their production.

This increases competition for land and water resources. Climate change mitigation will increase the demand for biomass-based carbon sequestration.

Source: www.worldwaterweek.org

Juha Mentu's blog is getting attention

2008-06-07T01:33:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Juha Mentu. He is also one of the Biotuch co-writers. I got a separate posting to my gmail and decided to post the information here as well. It's true, there isn't many well written blogs about the paper industry. I guess, the same goes for biotechnology and microbiology in general.

Macarena, I see that Yahoo Answers is a very good tool to attract readers to the Biotouch. Thanks for actively promoting the Biotouch blog. The blog already has a growing global readership, although, it's been around since last week of May 2008.

The Industry microbiologist blog is very focused. I think the feedback will motivate Juha to write more.

Anonymous to helge.keitel

show details 10:21 AM (1 hour ago)

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Microscopy as an analytical tool for paper industr...":

Hi,

It's nice to see a well-written blog on pulp and paper industry technical issues. There are not many blogs in our industry.

We have a popular pulp and paper industry news website (http://news.paperindex.com) where we have started covering blogs too. We have posted headline and snippets of your latest blog post on our website. Hope this will help you generate good traffic to your blog.

If you would like to publicize your blog, you can post your new blog posts on our news website. If you are interested, please send an email to news at paperindex dot com. We will create your account to enable you post your blog headlines and snippets to generate traffic to your blog.

For blogs, we have a dynamic news content display using which blog writers can display pulp and paper industry news headlines on their blogs. Dynamic news headlines make blogs more interesting to users. If you would like to display FREE pulp and paper news headlines on your blog, please click this URL: http://www.paperindex.com/general/freecontent.aspx

Our website pulp and paper marketplace website www.paperindex.com too has some interesting links, which your readers may find useful. For useful links for your blog, please visit this URL: http://www.paperindex.com/general/linktous.aspx

Thank you,
Kannan

Posted by Anonymous to Pulp, Paper, Board and Packaging Microbiologist at June 7, 2008 12:21 AM

Marketing Opportunities for Biotouch

2008-06-05T09:02:00.000-07:00

From my point of view, an important way for the enterprise to sell its product and look for potential investors is to participate in events that allow the firm to exhibit its products and make the brand be known and recognized. This way potential investors or customers get to know the product that the brand is offering, and the applications of it. An important event that is coming soon is the EFIB2008, this could be a great opportunity for the enterprise to market itself and demonstrate the organization’s expertise in the field of biotechnology. What a better place to promote the product than these two days where most of the investors and customers will be gathered? I think this is a great opportunity to build networks and market the brand. The EFIB has opportunities for placing exhibition areas or sponsorship, this way the company profile could be raised and market opportunities could be created.

Industry Biotech

2008-06-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

The so called “White Biotechnology” is the use of living cells—from yeast, moulds, bacteria and plants—and enzymes to synthesize products that are easily degradable, require less energy and create less waste during their production (Embo).

Some examples of industrial biotechnology are: Bio-based polymers (can be used to create more environmental friendly plastic), biological processes for vitamin production, or the use of enzymes for industrial textiles. The existing scope of the Industrial Biotechnology includes:
· Biological feedstock as a renewable resource
· Industrial processes using biological systems
· Biological remediation technologies
This means that Industrial Biotech will have an impact in the raw materials, the industrial production, and the waste management.

Industrial Biotechnology can be really helpful to diminish the environmental problems present in our world. Some of the environmental benefits due to the use of Industrial Biotech are shown in the following table:

osufpowejofjowjfojgojre Image by http://www.europabio.org/TPWhite/2Bio4EU_industrial_OW_Apr07.pdf
As shown before, biotechnology can be applied in areas diverse areas such as textile, paper and cleaning industries, and will have positive environmental impacts. Enzymes offer a biological route and often cleaner solution for industry than the traditional chemical processes to make products.

The application of biotechnology to industrial production is shows a lot of potential but still many products are not yet economically viable to be launched to the market. Research & Development in this area is still reduced, and a lot of investment is needed to make the break through between scientific discoveries to product launching.

Want to know more about this topic?
The European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology 2008 will take place from the 15-17 September in Brussels, Belgium. If you are able to go, don’t miss it! It sounds really promising.

The Project Biotouch

2008-06-03T09:45:00.000-07:00

Macarena, here are some thoughts about the "The project Biotouch." The idea with this wiki is to present and profile your project.

http://digitalvillages.pbwiki.com/Biotouch

The wiki can be used to collect and integrate essential information to one page:

Describing your project
A profile about you
Short description of Elias, Juha and Helge
A short presentation about your University
The objectives of your project
We could import Google Maps information
Google Calendar (a Google Calendar script could be added to the Biotouch blog)
Maybe a Google Powerpoint as a final presentation (Google Apps.)
Links to Yahoo Answers

The "Biotouch" wiki can be edited on a continuous basis. Take your time to add information.

New information can be added when you want
You can use the wiki and blog to present your project

We can ask Juha an Elias to send their comments to be published in the Wiki.

Bioheapleaching?

2008-06-02T04:17:00.000-07:00

Sounds like a really complicated term and until yesterday I had no idea of what it meant. It looks like some Finnish and Australian companies have been developing a new technology that might be a key factor for the exploitation of mines, and it might start a revolution on mining. It sounds like microbes again are opening new frontiers in another field.

Pacific Ore Limited is an Australian based company that has developed and patented a bacterial leach process for the extraction of base metals from sulphide ores stacked in pre-prepared heaps. On the other hand, Talvivaara Mining Company Plc. is currently developing and exploiting polymetallic deposits, in Sotkamo, Finland, with the use of its new bioheapleaching. According to MineWeb:
“Talvivaara aims to become an internationally significant base metals producer with its primary focus on nickel and zinc using a technology known as bioheapleaching to extract metal out of low grade ore. Bioheapleaching makes extraction of metals from low grade ore economically viable.” HERE IT COMES THE IMAGETHERE SHOULD BE MORE SPACE Image by http://www.warwick.ac.uk

Both companies are doing breakthrough developments in the biotechnology area, applying the use of bacteria to the mining field.

But how does bioheapleaching works?
Microbes are used in extracting minerals because they have the ability to oxidise ferrous iron to ferric iron, and sulphur to sulphates. The resulting oxidising conditions dissolve the target metals out of the ore into a solution, from which they can be recovered using conventional methods (HighTech Finland).

IMAGE SHOULD GO HERE Image by http://www.pacificore.com.au/?page=29

The technology enables cost effective and environmentally friendly exploitation of the resource using locally occurring bacteria. Pacific Ore claims that this technology has many advantages such as:
· Reducing the environmental impact
· Being simpler to operate
· It is well suited to remote locations
· Producing high value products

The time will let us know if this technology is as useful and advantageous as it is presented, meanwhile let’s wait for new discoveries introducing the use of microbes to technology.

Solar Energy: The Spanish and German Competition

2008-06-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

The solar photovoltaic energy presents itself as one of the most benevolent energies with the environment. The capacity to convert solar light directly into electricity, without emissions of CO2, allows us to visualize a potential solar era to mitigate the global warming.

Nowadays solar energy faces several challenges, the biggest one is decreasing the price per kWh since it is quite high compared to other technologies. According to the ASIF inform each time that the production is doubled the installation cost is reduced in 18%, which means that this issue can be solved by increasing the production of solar photovoltaic energy. Spain and Germany had already started to take measures and they position themselves as the leading countries in the development of solar energy.

Image by http://www.solarbuzz.com

These countries seem to have a competition of who has the largest PV power plant in the world. Germany has a project at Branden where juwi company is installing a 40-megawatt solar power plant using state-of the-art thin-film technology. The juwi group’s philosophy is to produce as quickly as possible solar-generated electricity at competitive prices independently of promotion schemes.

“Within just a few years the price of solar electricity produced on your own rooftop will be cheaper than the power supplied by the energy utilities” says juwi co-founder.

But Spain is striking back, this year a 60 MW solar field is being built in Olmedilla de Alarcón, near Cuenca. The company in charge of this development is NOBESOL, which divided this project in 2 phases: in the first phase they will install 24 MW in a period of 9 months and in the second phase they will install 36 MW in a period of 7 months.

Image by http://www.nobesol.com/

As these countries continue their race to be the world’s leader in production of solar energy other countries seem to be left behind. Maybe is time for more countries to join this promising way of producing energy.

Biofuels made from bacteria a great advance in alternative energy

2008-05-29T03:57:00.000-07:00

This whole year a lot of research and discoveries where done in the field of bacteria-based biofuels. This form of producing biofuels present and advantage since bacteria grow faster that common crops and it can be continuously harvest, plus it contains a higher concentration of fat that can be burned to energy.

At the end of the year 2007, researchers from Finland, Iceland and Taiwan published a paper: “Bioprospecting Thermophilic Microorganisms from Icelandic Hot Springs for Hydrogen and Ethanol Production” where they explain about their scientific exploration of the hot springs in Iceland. In this exploration they identified bacteria that can be candidates to be used as biofuels since they hold potential for producing hydrogen an ethanol fuels from wastewater.

Image by http://www.4x4offroads.com/image-files/

Later on, at the beginning of this year, researchers at the UCLA discovered that by modifying the E. Coli bacteria they could start producing biofuels. The following text was published by the ScienceDaily:
“The research team modified key pathways in E. coli to produce several higher-chain alcohols from glucose, a renewable carbon source, including isobutanol, 1-butanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol and 2-phenylethanol.
This strategy leverages the E. coli host's highly active amino acid biosynthetic pathway by shifting part of it to alcohol production. In particular, the research team achieved high-yield, high-specificity production of isobutanol from glucose.
This new strategy opens an unexplored frontier for biofuels production, both in coli and in other microorganisms.”

Image by http://www.astrographics.com/

At the end of April researchers at the University of Texas at Austin developed a microbe that secrete glucose and cellulose, and that can be turned into ethanol and other biofuels. The name of this microbe is: cynobacterieum or blue-green algae. Researchers at the UT at Austin think these bacteria could have a great potential:
"The cyanobacterium is potentially a very inexpensive source for sugars to use for ethanol and designer fuels," says Nobles, a research associate in the Section of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. "The huge expense in making cellulosic ethanol and biofuels is in using enzymes and mechanical methods to break cellulose down. Using the cyanobacteria escapes these expensive processes."

Image by http://science.kennesaw.edu/

Finally Arizona State University, BP Energy and Science Foundation of Arizona are currently building “photobioreactors” to grow the cynobacteria. With this research they hope they can prove that bacteria can be raised on commercial scale. The Science Daily published the following:
“Instead of needing fertilizer, which is costly and requires energy to produce, researchers hope to feed the bacteria the carbon dioxide released from electric power plants.
That is an increasingly popular idea in the energy industry, where carbon-dioxide emissions are getting increased scrutiny for their contribution to global climate change.”

These discoveries could lead to mass production of biofuels, since both bacteria algae have high energy potential, require little space to grow and can thrive in marginal water.

These investigations have become a competition between enterprises-universities researchers since having an exclusive license of these technologies could implicate a huge competitive advantage to the company that discovers it. This will be the key to produce a renewable resource-based fuel and address the issues of climate change and future energy needs.

Are paper industries a global environment menace?

2008-05-28T03:50:00.000-07:00

Every day we consume paper, most of us don’t even realize how much amount we use. But also quite often we see criticism published towards the paper industry, and how it is becoming a huge global warming menace. Here are some usual facts that appear in the reports about paper industry as this one seen on the Daily Green:

Forests store 50% of the world's terrestrial carbon.
Half the world's forests have already been cleared or burned, and 80% of what's left has been seriously degraded.
42% of the industrial wood harvest is used to make paper.

After reading these facts and reading a lot of magazines that talked about paper industries killing the rainforest I got really disappointed at their not-green practices. But then I read the article “Communicating the value of paper” by Mark Rushton in PPI Magazine, where he talks about the horizon that paper industries are facing:
“Paper, in this modern age, is still seen by the general public – despite billions of dollars of effort worldwide – as a tree killing, planet polluting industry that is adding to global warming. Another problem is the serious pressure that margins are under, increased energy prices, future wood procurement issues, even the fight for land. And then there is the new media problem, let’s face it, even us people in the paper industry now use the Internet everyday, sometimes all day.
An example of the dilemma facing paper producers was highlighted in no uncertain terms by one of the guest speakers at the Lisbon conference, a fiery lady called Sally Cartwright, the Publisher at Large of Hello! Magazine – and a significant buyer of magazine grade paper. She lectured the assembled industry people: “I know you paper makers are doing all you can on the environment, I have been around some of your mills, but you are rubbish at getting your message across to the masses, they all still think that paper comes from the rainforests.” ”

So I noticed that I didn’t really know how paper is produced and if it really harm the environment as published in a lot of articles. I found a video from Stora Enso where they explain how their paper is produced and where the raw material comes from:

Not all the paper companies worldwide are a threat to the environment. There are some companies that are responsible, that have certified forestry practices, paper recycling and recovery programs, and that are making a shift toward clean production that reduces bleach and toxin emissions; with the aid of some biotechnology . These companies also provide jobs and help the economies. The WWF recently published its guide to buying “green” paper which can be useful when choosing which company you select to buy paper from. Also you can check for FSC certified products, companies that have been certified provide incentives for responsible forestry.

I think that before making a generalized comment of how harmful paper companies are we should investigate their processes. Maybe there are some companies that are not doing the harm we all thought.

George Soros: rocketing oil price is a bubble - Telegraph

2008-05-27T22:55:00.000-07:00

George Soros: rocketing oil price is a bubble - Telegraph: George Soros says, "Rocketing oil price is a bubble."

By Edmund Conway, Economics Editor | Last Updated: 12:53am BST 27/05/2008

Speculators are largely responsible for driving crude prices to their peaks in recent weeks and the record oil price now looks like a bubble, George Soros has warned.

There is a video on the The Telegraph site.

The billionaire investor's comments came only days after the oil price soared to a record high of $135 a barrel amid speculation that crude could soon be catapulted towards the $200 mark.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Mr Soros said that although the weak dollar, ebbing Middle Eastern supply and record Chinese demand could explain some of the increase in energy prices, the crude oil market had been significantly affected by speculation."

What are the implications on biorefinery and biodiesel projects if oil price drops down to normal levels?

BIOTOUCH / PMEU for Paper and Biocide Industries.

2008-05-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

Rapid PMEU incubator can help paper industry microbiology in many ways. It has already been used for testing of biocides against sessile process bacteria and biofilms on test coupons, for selective detection of certain bacterial species from process samples as well as for activated sludge control.

Short incubation times are one beneficial feature of PMEU. Biocide tests can be performed even in one working day, and spare of time is obvious also in storage and biofilm tests, which need only a couple of days to be done by this method.

Another feature of PMEU is its "ecological" way to fulfil all analytical needs. Everything happens in original samples, which secures the presence of all stimulating and inhibiting factors in tests. Refreshments of samples can easily be added daily during several days's incubation periods. Everything happens in conditions which simulate the real conditions in paper machine: chemistry, temperature, redox potential...

PMEU Service by BIOTOUCH also contains all know-how of paper industry microbiology. Experienced microbiological laboratories can apply PMEU method relatively easily, after short training period, but paper mills without microbiological laboratory activities can order "full service": PMEU, its professional operation and conclusive reporting by BIOTOUCH.

Bioenergy Today

2008-05-27T04:21:00.000-07:00

From today until the 29^th of May Sweden will be hosting the 3^rd edition of the World Bioenergy Conference in the city of Jönköping. Today’s conferences will cover the topics about US-Sweden bioenergy cooperation and Brazil-Sweden bioenergy cooperation. These conferences are of great importance since US and Brazil are the world largest producers of ethanol and Brazil is considered as the world's first sustainable biofuels economy and the biofuel industry leader. Let’s hope that these conferences will reduce the criticism that some sceptics have about ethanol who argue that it takes too much fossil fuel to produce this alternative fuel. For more information on the conference visit:
http://www.elmia.se/en/World-Bioenergy/

Definiton of Biotouch

2008-05-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

Hi Biotouch-bloggers, below is Juha Mentus definition of his blog Industy Microbiologist, but we need a more "generic definition" for BIOTOUCH.

Please, post new ideas that could be used to define the content of the BIOTOUCH blog.

This blog contains novel ideas for the development of paper industry microbiology. Traditional methods, despite their important role in the selection of harmful microbes from process and product samples, does not fulfill the needs of modern HACCP and process stability control. Faults in the process management as well as in the QC of products can cause hazardous situations for the economy of production as well as for the safety of employers, customers and environment.

Helge suggests a small revision, but I guess this isn't complete yet:

This blog contains novel ideas for the development of biotechnology and microbiology. Traditional methods, despite their important role in the selection of harmful microbes from process and product samples, does not fulfill the needs of modern HACCP and process stability control. Faults in the process management as well as in the QC of products can cause hazardous situations for the economy of production as well as for the safety of employers, customers and environment.

We should include aspects of risk management in eg. water treatment and fresh water supply, etc. I also spoke with Elias over the phone about how to present a biorefinery innovation project to investors and sponsors.

I'm happy for your comments. Macarena will make the changes in "settings" when we have a good definition that helps to profile BIOTOUCH. Also, send pictures to Macarena or me to be added to the posts to visualize our messages.

Personal pictures needed for interviews
Process pictures
Product pictures of PMEU and how it's used

Make sure that you are the copyright owners of the pictures.

Best regards,
Helge

Introducing Biotouch

2008-05-25T04:32:00.000-07:00

Hello Macarena Pallares, and welcome on board. This is a new communication channel that will cover trends and opportunities in the field of biotechnology and microbiology.

Blog opens today
Basic tools are installed
Macarena starts writing next week
Information will be personalized next week

Elias Hakalehto, Juha Veikko Mentu and myself will be co-writers. The objective is to create an interactive environment where decision makers, students, innovators, investors and the general public can discuss technology and business models.

Here are some general guidelines for the new blog. We might expand it to Wiki and some other social networking applications. Macarena did already mention the use of Yahoo Answers. It might be a good idea to add "Answers to the toolbox" within a week or two when we get more questions about the topics we're covering.

The BIOTOUCH communication channel will be moderated by Macarena. Below are some of the areas this blog is going to cover.

Paper and board
Biorefineries
Water
Food
Health Care

BIOTOUCH is intended for executives, decision makers and the general public. The style of the communication channel will be:

A personal diary based on discussions with specialists
Personalized style
Global point of view
Generic presentation

The idea is to take out the complexity from biotech and microbiology. We'll add interesting links to guide Macarena's blogging. Domestic Fuel is an interesting source of information.

Macarena, Elias and Juha, we'll start with a Skype Conference Call in the beginning of next week. We could chat for 30 to 60 minutes to introduce ourself and to outline the goals for the Biotouch communication channel.