The Biotechnology Unit has extensive experience in the use of biological systems, in suspension and supported, mainly for the production of proteins and chemical reactions, as well as in water treatment. Representative activities in this area include the following:

 

  • Obtaining and purifying proteins from recombinant microorganisms.
  • Design and scaling of biotechnological processes related to health or the environment (soil, water and waste).
  • Enzymatic synthesis reactions to obtain products of pharmaceutical interest and materials.
  • Development of models that describe the interactions between substrate/microorganism/products.
  • Development of methodology that allows characterizing the process, relating the evolution of biomass, the characteristics of the reactor (stirred tank, airlift) and operating conditions.
  • Extraction of components from different matrices.
  • Design of treatment processes for water contaminated with persistent organic matter (pesticides, PAHs, detergents, etc.), in which ozone/oxygenated water is used as an oxidizing system (AOP).

This area also provides extensive experience in the development of projects aimed at the research, development and improvement of new materials, especially polymers, integrating specialists from various specialties. The projects developed in the last 25 years are listed:

  • Design of drug delivery systems.
  • Synthesis of polymers for pharmaceutical use.
  • Development of new polymeric formulations for pharmaceutical use.
  • Synthesis and characterization of biopolymers.
  • Thermal analysis with DSC, TGA and Bomb calorimeter.
  • Polymer analysis using GPC.
  • Design and optimization of asphalt mixtures.
  • Characterization of bitumen.
  • Design and optimization of bitumen and bitumen emulsions.
  • Synthesis of modified bitumens.
  • Valorization of biomass and biomass waste.
  • Recovery and recycling of plastics into raw materials or fuels.
  • Recovery and recycling of domestic and industrial waste.
  • Thermal or microwave pyrolysis studies.
  • Design and study of final formulations of polymeric materials for construction.
  • Design, synthesis and study of adhesive properties.

Synthesis and reactivity of organometallic compounds with catalytic applications.