Manure could be used in a new way and become a “prospective bio-based and biodegradable material of the future”, according to scientists at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).
A study conducted by the college, in collaboration with the universities of Edinburgh and Bristol, reviewed recent research into the development of high-value manure-derived materials from ruminant animals like cattle.
The scientists said the study proved that cow dung has been largely overlooked for these materials, despite the “staggering” variety of different applications for recycled ruminant waste biomass (RWB).
Although livestock dung is typically used as a fertiliser or as a source of biogas for green energy applications, scientists said it could be used to create the next generation of cellulosic materials.
Examples of cellulosic materials include fibre, paper and wood.
Currently, as there is a trade-off between the performance of the material and the amount of processing required to achieve this, the capacity of RWB to replace conventional materials on a commercial level is limited.
However, senior challenge research fellow at SRU Vijai Kumar Gupta, said that, given the demand for sustainable materials, it is “highly likely that it will soon be brought out of the lab and into factories and everyday products”.
“Ruminant waste biomass could be instrumental for the transition of nanocellulose production to large and economically viable scales,” he said.
Professor Vijay Kumar Thakur, head of SRUC’s biorefining and advanced materials research centre, added: “Nanocellulose, in combination with other materials such as polymers, metals and ceramics, has huge potential for use in antibacterial agents, antioxidants, sensors, electromagnetic shielding devices, adsorbents in water treatment, fuel cells, electrochromic and in biomedical applications.”
From trash to treasure: Sourcing high-value, sustainable cellulosic materials from living bioreactor waste streams is part of a research project by Thomas Harrison, a PhD student at SRUC and the University of Edinburgh, and was published by ScienceDirect.