Globally there is an immense need for sustainable solutions for plastic economy. The utilization of enzymes would offer an attractive environmentally friendly prospect to oxyfunctionalise hydrocarbons, derived from plastic wastes, with high specificity and without high energy input and use of toxic chemicals. Enzyme-aided recycling and even upcycling of hydrocarbons would contribute to a carbon-neutral society and resource-wise economy. In this research consortium the researchers from the University of Eastern Finland and VTT, Technical Research Centre of Finland, are studying peroxygenase enzymes for oxyfunctionalisation of hydrocarbon-based materials, either polymers or pretreated materials. The consortium members are well established in the research areas of protein structure determination, enzymology, enzyme engineering, and reaction analytics, and have also collaborated extensively for years.

2023

2025