Capabilities

Centre for Environmental Biotechnology – CEB

CEB is located in recently refurbished laboratories equipped with the most advanced systems, which are utilised to address a range of applications. These include single-cell imaging and manipulation instrumentation e.g. Zeiss Palm Combi system and Cubre8 Cell sorter, liquid handling robotics for high throughput cloning and expression of proteins, protein purification workstations, small-to-microscale bioreactors, Illumina MiSeq and Oxford Nanopore sequencing facilities, and a state-of-the-art mass spectrometry facility with nanoLC – high resolution accurate mass (HRAM) MS, LC-HRAM MS with ion mobility spectrometry and triple quadrupole LC-MS for targeted metabolomics. http://environmental-biotechnology.bangor.ac.uk/facilities.php.en

Henfaes Research Centre

The Henfaes Research Centre is the site of the long-term micro-plastics soil health experiment. Henfaes Research Centre, is located at Abergwyngregyn, 7 miles from Bangor and totals an area of 252 hectares. It offers unrivalled opportunities to study diverse environments from sea-level to amongst the highest land in Snowdonia, all on one farm. The lowland area provides facilities for research on cut and grazed grassland as well as arable crops and forestry. Current field research, funded by UKRI, Defra, Industry, Welsh Government and the EU, includes projects to improve nutrient use efficiency using soil and canopy sensors, enhanced efficiency fertilisers (including inhibitors), advanced slurry processing (acidification and anaerobic digestion), and novel plant varieties. The Centre also has bespoke laboratories, including automated measurement systems for measuring greenhouse gases from soils and small ruminants, temperature-controlled glasshouses, an automatic weather station with telemetry data transfer, and the Bangor silvo-pastoral agroforestry experiment. Henfaes is a LEAF Innovation Centre, and Innovation Site for the Welsh Government’s Farming Connect Programme, and a site in the Global Farm Platform Network.

RV Prince Madog

A state-of-the-art, purpose built 35 m shelf sea research vessel commissioned by Bangor University with multibeam capability.

Microscopy

Wide-range of different microscopes and microscopy techniques for microplastic and nanoplastic identification.

The Bangor Wetlands Group

BWG is a group of Bangor University academics and students focussed on wetland science. Some of their work involves quantifying and analysing microplastic pollution in a range of wetland, freshwater and coastal habitats. They are also interested in the use of Constructed Treatment Wetlands (CTWs) for microplastic removal. They were the first research group to identify microplastics were present in all UK inland waters, and developed an affordable methodology for microplastic identification, which they plan on using for citizen science projects. Alongside skills and equipment for microplastic identification from water and substrate the Bangor Wetlands Group has a fully equipped environmental science laboratory.

BioComposites Centre

Plastics Expertise and Equipment

15 years of know and expertise in the compounding and extrusion of conventional plastics and biobased plastic systems. Development of biobased additives to improve performance such as biobased antibacterials for surface coatings, antioxidants, fillers and high heat deflection for a range of applications in food packaging and industrial applications (agriculture, construction and automotive).

The centre has polymer processing capability:

  • Polymerisation capability- 5 litre to 50 litre reactive capability for PLA production (TRL1-5)
  • Compounding- 30g (Brabender mixer) to 30Kg per hour compounding of polymers (twin screw extruder) (TRL1-5)
  • Extrusion- cast film and pelleting capability at 30kg per hour (TRL 3-5)
  • Data monition of energy (TRL 3-5)

Plastic applications:

  • Thermoformer with range of tools for trays and lids
  • Injection moulder for production of test samples for mechanical analysis
  • K-bar coating of plastic films

Polymer and plastic testing and analysis:

  • Barrier performance
  • Instron mechanical testing
  • Thermal analysis (DSC and TGA)
  • Microscopy (light microscopy & SEM)
  • FTIR assessment
  • Accelerated weathering
  • Rapid Biodegradation testing (soil block tests)

Paper and Pulp Moulding Expertise and equipment

20 years of know-how and expertise in pulp and paper. Fibre refining and pulp production capability handsheet laboratory. Expertise in refining of wood, agri-fibre and recycled biomass using mechanical and chemical pulping technologies. Expertise in a range of applications in food packaging and industrial (e.g. construction and agriculture).

The centre has fibre processing capability:

  • Handsheet lab for fundamental studies linked to equipment for determining pulp characteristics (Canadian Standard Freeness/ Bauer McNutt and Kajaani analysis)
  • Mechanical pre-processing equipment (forage chopper, hammer and disc mill, three deck vibrating sieve, colloidal wet mill)
  • Atmospheric disc refiner- 1kg -5kg per hour (TRL3-5)
  • Valley beater (up to 1 Kg/  batch)
  • Pressurised disc refiner- up to 50Kg per hour thermo-mechanical pulping (TRL3-6)
  • Data monition of energy (TRL 3-5)
  • Wet fractionation line consisting of stirred, jacketed tanks (2 x 150L), centrifugation (decantor and clarifier), screw press, ultrafiltration and spray drying

Pulp and paper applications

Pulp moulding/ thermoforming capability to produce moulded pulp products:

  • 20 items per run  with range of tools ( flat bottom punnet, four -piece hard fruit tray, four piece egg box) (TRL 3/4)
  • K-bar coating of materials

Pulp and paper testing and analysis:

  • Barrier performance
  • Instron mechanical testing
  • Thermal analysis
  • Microscopy
  • FTIR assessment
  • Accelerated weathering
  • Rapid Biodegradation testing (soil block tests)

LCA expertise

All research projects at the Centre utilise an LCA as part of the research strategy. This experience has enabled the centre to develop a key understanding of the benefits and challenges of undertaking an LCA such as data collection. 

  • Up to date licence on SimaPro coupled to the EcoInvent database
  • Over 10 years experience over a wide range of projects
  • Gas and electricity  monitoring of all pilot scale facilities
  • Expert in on site monitoring of production processes (WPC to film laminating)
  • EPD experience

Follow the link for more information on the BioComposites Centre.