Project duration: 2019-2022
Funding: BMBF (033RC002)
Principle investigator of the subproject at E3T
- Prof. Dr. Henner Hollert
- Dr. Thomas-Benjamin Seiler
Coordination of the subproject at E3T
- Dr. Jacob Ouellet
- Carina Lackmann, M.Sc.
- Marc Wollenweber, M.Sc.
Cooperation partners
- Covestro Deutschland AG
- CAT Catalytic Center RWTH
- LTT Chair of Technical Thermodynamics RWTH
- TU Berlin
Project description
The objective of the DreamResourceConti Project is to increase resource efficiency, broadening of the resource base as well as to improve the environmental friendliness of fatty alcohol ethoxylates, poloxamers and hard foam polyols. The results of the predecessor project 'Dream Resource' lay the basis for this project where the usage of CO2 as a main building block was assessed. DreamResourceConti will investigate the usage of ethylene oxide and CO2 as a precursor for high-volume applications. Within this project, the biodegradability and ecotoxicity of newly synthesized polymeric surfactants will be examined using a Green Toxicology approach. A compound-specific bioassay battery will be used to investigate and compare the newly developed products relative to conventional reference products. Namely, biodegradability, toxicity tests across a range of trophic levels, toxicity tests at the sediment water interphase, and possible endocrine activity with cell-based assays will be investigated. Specifically, ready biodegradability (OECD 301F), algae inhibition test (OECD 201), acute immobilization with Daphnia magna (OECD 202), reproduction test with D. magna (OECD 211), the Fish Embryo Toxicity (FET) test with Danio rerio (OECD 236), ER(α) CALUX® assay, Ames assay, NfkB-based assays, and the Nrf2 CALUX® assay are being performed with the newly synthesized surfactants and the reference surfactants. Using this bioassay battery, a high number of compounds will be assessed and a short feedback loop established to forward the information gained through the ecotoxicological assessment to improve the developmental process and produce green products.
