Exploring the social dimension of biorefineries
Description of project
Background
Currently, biorefinery development focuses on substituting fossil-based materials and products with bio-based alternatives as well as on establishing a robust bio-based industry. However, the social dimension of biorefineries has rarely been addressed despite of its potential for rural development. Biorefineries may, for instance, contribute to the development and exchange of non-monetary, “intangible assets” such as information, ideas and innovations. By contrast, mobilizing biomass for biorefineries may provoke conflicts between the actors involved.
Research Objectives
- Analyze the social network of at least two purposefully selected biorefineries
- Reveal the multiple functions of biorefineries as well as their innovation potentials in rural areas
- Reveal social relationships indicative of perceived resource use conflicts
- Compare the social networks of the two case studies to derive fields of action towards sustainable rural transition
Methods
At least two biorefinery case studies will be purposefully selected based on criteria such as major inputs (i.e., lignocellulose or starch), major outputs or potential adverse side-effects. Actors of the regional social networks relevant to these biorefineries will be identified and their relations will be mapped and characterized using social network analysis. Data will be collected in semi-structured interviews and by applying the method of concentric circles. Qualitative content analysis will be used to identify structural conditions that are likely to enable innovations or reduce the perceived conflict potential.
Qualifications & Profile requirements:
- Diploma/Master degree in: (agricultural/environmental/rural) sociology, agricultural and food economics, environmental system sciences, environment and bio-resources management and associated fields, spatial planning, human geography or associated fields
- Very good theoretical and methodological knowledge in your discipline
- Experience in applying quantitative or qualitative methods of empirical social research
- Eligible as a graduate student at the University of Graz (Austria)
- Proficiency in German and English (written and oral)
- Knowledge of Portuguese (desirable)
- Intercultural competence (desirable)
Main supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Hermine Mitter
Co-supervisors: Associate Prof. Johannes Schmidt, Associate Prof. Karl-Heinz Erb
Location: University of Graz
Submission Deadline: 31.03.2025
Mass spectrometry methods for assessment of the impact of raw materials an products from circular bioengineering on the aquatic environment
Description of project
This project aims at the development and implementation of analytical methods for the assessment of raw materials and products from circular bioengineering regarding emissions into the aquatic environment.
Background:
The concept of precautionary thinking is key, when aiming at the development of novel bio-based materials. Clearly, the sustainable raw materials, products and circular processes, will lead to (un)intentional emissions into the environment. To address the fate and transformation of the designed materials and compounds in freshwater and marine systems, fit-for-purpose analytical methods need to be designed. High-resolution mass spectrometry coupled with multi-dimensional chromatographic separation strategies as well as ion mobility will enable the
detection and identification of compounds and compound classes of respective transformation and breakdown products of selected key materials from Program 1, including their leachable and extractable components.
- Kutlucinar, K. G., Hann, S. (2021) Comparison of preconcentration methods for nontargeted analysis of natural waters using HPLC-HRMS: Large volume injection versus solid-phase extraction. Electrophoresis, 42:490–500. DOI:10.1002/elps.202000256
- Mairinger, T., Loos, M., Hollender, J. (2021) Characterization of water-soluble synthetic polymeric substances in wastewater using LC-HRMS/MS. Water Research, 190:116745. DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2020.116745
- El Abiead, Y., Milford, M., Salek, R. M., Koellensperger, G. (2021) mzRAPP: a tool for reliability assessment of data pre-processing in non-targeted metabolomics. Bioinformatics, 37:3678–3680. DOI:10.1093/bioinformatics/btab231
- Guijas, C., Montenegro-Burke, J. R., Domingo-Almenara, X., … Siuzdak, G. (2018) METLIN: A technology platform for identifying knowns and unknowns. Analytical Chemistry, 90:3156–3164. DOI:10.1021/acs.analchem.7b04424
Research Objectives:
- Design of model experiments allowing to anticipate environmental impact of bio-based materials upon end-of-life service
- Setting up a mass spectrometry portfolio for investigation of transformation and breakdown products of selected key materials from Program 1, including their leachable and extractable components.
Methods:
LC-HRMS/MS and LC-IM-QTOFMS will be employed for non-targeted analysis for investigation of degradation/transformation products from weathering experiments. In addition to separation methods combined with high resolution mass spectrometry with different fragmentation methods, ion mobility mass spectrometry will be utilized to generate CCS values to characterize unknown molecules. For tracking of non-volatile organic leachable and extractable in the aquatic environment targeted mass spectrometry-based methods will be applied.
Main supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Stephan Hann
Co-supervisors: Univ.-Prof. Gunda Koellensperger, Univ.-Prof. Antje Potthast
Location: BOKU University (Vienna)
Submission Deadline: 31.03.2025
