Overall scientific objectives:

1. Develop improved pretreatment-methods for European (and Asian/African) shell wastes with respect to eco-efficiency and sustainability.
2. Identify and evolve new enzymes for the depolymerisation of chitin/chitosan to monomeric units.
3. Develop cheap separation processes for proteinogenic and lipoid by-products.
4. Evaluate the potential of energy-rich by-products as feed for anaerobic biogas-production.
5. Establish a novel chemo-enzymatic/microbial route to synthesize N-containing bifunctional monomers starting from glucosamine.
6. Develop a fermentative production route for bifunctional olefins starting from glucosamine and/or N-Acetylglucosamine.
7. Upscaling of the full process chain to make needed enzymes/microbial strains available in kg-scale.
8. Separation of new monomers to polymer grade (minimum of 10 g for initial testing).
9. Synthesis of novel “sustainable” polymers and characterization of their physical properties.
10. Study the technical feasibility of new biotechnological methods and synthesise prototypes of the novel polymers for demonstration activities.
11. Perform process analysis, feasibility study and cradle-to-product life cycle analysis (LCA) of the entire process chain.
12. Establish a scientific advisory board including members from European fishery companies, peeling factories and enzyme producers.
13. In addition, ChiBio is aiming towards: broadcasting and dissemination of gained knowledge beyond the consortium to the public and other industrial communities.