Source: UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT submitted to NRP
ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE PRODUCTS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
SPECIAL GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0207478
Grant No.
2006-34430-17458
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
2006-06073
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2006
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2009
Grant Year
2006
Program Code
[PE]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT
(N/A)
BURLINGTON,VT 05405
Performing Department
ADMINISTRATION
Non Technical Summary
Whey, iron slag, caustic cleansers, animal manure and plastics are waste materials that pose threats to environmental quality. This project will develop uses for waste materials as novel value-added products which are benign to the environment. We will also develop new strategies to reduce impacts of waste materials on lakes, streams and soils.
Animal Health Component
30%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
30%
Developmental
60%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1330399102030%
3050650104010%
3073410202015%
5113470205035%
7232299205010%
Knowledge Area
511 - New and Improved Non-Food Products and Processes; 133 - Pollution Prevention and Mitigation; 305 - Animal Physiological Processes; 723 - Hazards to Human Health and Safety; 307 - Animal Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
2299 - Miscellaneous and new crops, general/other; 0650 - Wood and wood products; 0399 - Watersheds and river basins, general; 3410 - Dairy cattle, live animal; 3470 - Other dairy cattle products;

Field Of Science
1040 - Molecular biology; 2020 - Engineering; 2050 - Hydrology; 1020 - Physiology;
Goals / Objectives
The objectives of this proposal are to develop new applications for "waste" products that may lead to new products or approaches to solving environmental problems. There are five specific objectives to this project: 1. Develop adhesive materials from whey that may be used in the wood composites industry, in the furniture industry and for household glue applications. 2. Test the efficacy of using iron slag waste as an absorptive material to remove phosphorus ions from agricultural run-off. 3. Develop products which induce resistance to mastitis in lactating cows. 4. Assess the effectiveness of recycled plastics as insulating materials in greenhouse design. 5. Develop non-caustic cleansers for the removal of scale material from maple evaporators.
Project Methods
1. We will explore the effect of various denaturants and chemical modification on the adhesive andviscoelastic properties of whey proteins. We will assess curing times, adhesive sheer strength and water resistance of the adhesive formulations. 2. We test the effectiveness of slag material to remove phosphorsus from dairy runoff in simple, cost-effective trench applications on operating commerical farms. We will mesure the phosphorus retention capacity of slag material. We will test the ability of recovered slag filter material to be reused as a fertilizer for horticultural applications. 3. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide will be used to induce a mastitis response in lactating cows. Biopsy material will be processed for RNA isolation to identify key genes induced in microarray analysis. Candidate genes will be identified for their role in resistance to mastitis. 4. Recycled plastics from a variety of sources will be tested for the their isulating and reflective capacities. Radiant manifolds will be tested for their ability to transfer heat from manure through greenhouse soils. 5. We will test a suite of environmentally benign agents for their ability to remove scale buildup from maple evaporator pans. This will obviate the need for acid-based cleansers.

Progress 09/01/06 to 08/31/09

Outputs
OUTPUTS: This project resulted in the design and development of several possible new product applications. These include: 1. The use of the cheese by-product whey for production of biodegradable plastics. Lactose and whey proteins in cheese whey are the two major components that impose environmental pollution. Biodegradable poly-L-lactic acidwas produced efficiently by fermentation. 2. The protein fraction of whey as the basis for a child-safe glue for paper and other light wood applications. Both of these products are currently under investigation for scale up studies in partnership with potential commercial partners. 3. Steel slag waste was optimized for use in a filter device to remove dissolved phosphorus from waste water. Findings: The research on dairy effluent treatment in several independent pilot scale projects has shown that steel slag filters are able to achieve 75-99% dissolved reactive phosphorus reduction from mixed dairy barnyard runoff and milk parlor effluent over prolonged periods of time (300-850 days); 75% DRP and 73% total suspended solids reduction from high strength milk parlor effluent when operating at subzero temperatures; and 90% to nearly 100% reduction in E. coli over 450 days from dairy effluent. 4. A new PARTICIPANTS: This work involved several external private sector partners with the University of Vermont. Most notable are the commercialization efforts with regard to the individual projects of Dr. Guo, Dr. Perkins and Dr. Drizo. Dr. Guo's efforts were coordinated with Vermont Natural Coatings LLC, Vermont Soy LLC, Green Mountain Coffee, Milbourne Farms, and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. Dr. Perkins has worked with the VT Maple Industry Council in the development of the new check valve maple tap. This product was licensed to VT companies (Leader Evaporator, and Progressive Plastics). Dr. Drizo has collaborated with Lane Industries in the scale-up testing of her phosphorus filter design for likely commercialization. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
This project developed several new innovative product lines that either: a) reduce impacts of waste materials, b) develop a sound and safe product that increases output per unit, c) replaces a toxic product, or d) solves an environmental problem. These efforts benefit the environment, benefit the consumer, and provide an economic opportunity for private sector companies in Vermont.

Publications

  • Drizo, A., Twohig, E. and Darby, H. (2007). Sustainable Technologies for Phosphorus Removal from Storm water. Oral presentation at the 2nd International Congress Smallwat07 on Wastewater Treatment in Small Communities, held in Seville, Spain, November 11th-15th, 2007.
  • Gao, Y., F. Zhao, A. Richardson, J. Mendes, D. Savin, and M. R. Guo. 2007. Poly-L-lactic acid production from whey permeate. J. Dairy Sci. 90 (Suppl. 1):275.
  • Weber, D., Drizo, A., Twohig, E., Bird, S. and Ross, D. (2007). Upgrading Constructed Wetlands Phosphorus Reduction from a Dairy Effluent using EAF Steel Slag Filters. Water Science and Technology 56 (3):135-143.
  • Gao, Y. and M.R. Guo. 2008. L-lactic acid production by batch fermentation of whey permeate using L. casei and L. lactis. China Dairy Industry 36(3): 4-9.
  • Chen, X., Y. L. Gao, L. H. Zhou, and M. R. Guo. 2009. Development and functionalities of milk protein-based paper glue. J. Dairy Sci. Vol. 92, E-Suppl. 1 361.
  • Drizo, A. (2008). Steel Slag versus other industrial by-products: overview and recommendations. EPA Region 3 Water Division Headquarters, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 18th, 2008.
  • Drizo, A., Cummings, J., Weber, D., Twohig, E., Druschel, G. and Bourke, B. (2008). New Evidence for Rejuvenation of Phosphorus Retention Capacity in EAF Steel Slag. Environmental Science and Technology 36, 4642-4648.
  • Lee, M., Drizo, A., Rizzo, D., Druschel, G., Hayden, N. and Twohig, T. (2008). Treating high BOD and Phosphorus concentrated dairy effluent with pilot-scale hybrid and integrated constructed wetlands. Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Constructed Wetlands for Water Pollution Control, to be held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India November 1-7th 2008.
  • Drizo, A. and Picard, H. (2008). (WO/2008/042768) System and Method for Removing Phosphorus from Non-point Pollution Sources.


Progress 09/01/07 to 08/31/08

Outputs
OUTPUTS: This project advanced in three discrete areas. All efforts were intended to design new products or procedures to mitigate environmental problems and develop value-added opportunities. One project developed a formulation as an in situ growth medium for fungi that can be employed to impart biological control of hemlock wooly adelgid or other insect pests. This approach has proved effective in both laboratory and forest field trials. An invention disclosure has been submitted for commercial application of this approach. A second project was used to develop several formulations of polymerized whey protein as binding agents in wood formulations. These initial formulations were assessed for the ability to scale up from lab bench formulations to industrial scale batch preparations. Patent applications have been submitted and this result of this effort is a line of commercial products licensed through a local Vermont company. Our third project developed an effective method to use waste iron slag as an absorptive material to remove phosphorus from wastewater effluent of dairy operaions. The most effective design, scale and application of phosphorus filters has been assessed in both lab and field trial prototypes. Patents to protect this technology are also under review for commercial application to mitigate the serious threat of nutrient pollution to our lakes and streams. PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Not relevant to this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
This project developed three important applications to significantly improve environmental water quality by employing waste products as the core ingredients for new environmentally-benign products. These products will benefit Vermont and the nation by improving environmental quality, and they have the potential to provide new business opportunities to Vermont companies engaged in the "green technology" sector. This project has resulted in four intellectual property disclosures and two patent applications.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period


Progress 09/01/06 to 09/01/07

Outputs
Delays in processing of this grant by USDA did not allow release of project funds by the University of Vermont until December 2006. We have initiated five project to develop and evaluate prototypes for promising new products that will minimize environmental waste. We have designed field site evaluations of our phosphorus-filter prototypes on several working dairy farms in Vermont We have initiated design on a solar greenhouse for winter-season vegetable production in cold climates. We have begun work to test agents which boost the bovine immune system to treat or prevent mastitis withou use of antibiotics We have designed formulations of whey-based wood adhesives which will be tested during the life of this project for their suitability as non-toxic binding agents for wood composite materials.

Impacts
This project will provide value-added revenue opportunities for Vermont's agricultural sector and provide meaningful opportunities to enhance environmental stewardship.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period