The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) have outlined a grand blueprint for our shared future, calling
for global action to safeguard the planet while ensuring human
prosperity and peace. We are acutely aware that as young scientists, we
bear the social responsibility to respond to this call of the times with
innovative technologies. Vinasse from Baijiu (Chinese liquor)
production, a massive “burden” left behind by the traditional brewing
industry, serves as the starting point for us to fulfill this
responsibility. It not only represents a misallocation of resources and
an underlying environmental concern but also poses an industrial
challenge that urgently requires a responsible solution. Our iGEM
project is driven by a profound understanding of and passionate
commitment to addressing this challenge.
For Safeguarding the Planet:
Our project directly contributes to SDG 12 (Responsible
Consumption) by transforming vinasse from an environmental
burden into a resource. It aligns with SDG 13 (Climate
Action) by preventing methane emissions, and protects the
habitats of SDG 15 (Life on Land) by stopping pollution
at its source. 
For Fostering Prosperity:
Our project advances SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation) by
developing novel bio-solutions for vinasse upcycling, which in turn
supports SDG 8 (Decent Work) by creating sustainable
employment opportunities in green technology sectors. 
For Empowering People and Fostering Partnerships:
Throughout the project, we engage in public science communication and
exchange, which is a vivid practice of SDG 4 (Quality
Education). Meanwhile, our project has conducted in-depth
exchanges with various stakeholders—liquor companies, government
agencies, biotechnology firms, biodegradable plastics manufacturers, and
scientists—and facilitated mutual understanding and collaboration among
them. This perfectly embodies the spirit of SDG 17 (Partnerships
for the Goals). 
This chapter delineates how our project is committed to protecting planetary health by addressing SDG 12, 13 and 15. Conventionally, vinasse disposal through indiscriminate dumping or landfilling leads to severe soil degradation, water contamination, and methane emissions. Nevertheless, existing mitigation strategies often fall short by being energy-intensive, merely transferring the pollution, or failing to tackle the recalcitrant lignin component, thereby exacerbating the environmental burden. Our integrated bioprocess directly counters this by establishing a circular model for vinasse valorization, simultaneously preventing groundwater pollution and methane release, thus safeguarding both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
The core objective of SDG 12 is to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. It mandates that we decouple economic growth from environmental degradation. This can be achieved through a series of measures, including enhancing resource efficiency, minimizing waste generation, and effectively managing chemicals throughout their entire life cycles. By doing so, we can move towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly economic model.
In the context of the Baijiu (Chinese liquor) industry, a prevalent “high-consumption, high-waste” linear production model poses significant challenges to achieving SDG 12. Traditionally, vinasse from brewing have been regarded as waste that requires disposal, contributing to environmental pollution and resource inefficiency. This linear production approach not only fails to utilize resources optimally but also generates substantial waste, which runs counter to the principles of sustainable consumption and production.
Our project directly tackles this issue by proposing an innovative circular economy solution. Through synthetic biology techniques, we redefine vinasse as a valuable “resource” capable of producing high-value chemicals (such as succinate). This transformation not only reduces waste but also enhances resource efficiency, perfectly aligning with the spirit of SDG 12.4 (Sound management of chemicals and waste) and SDG 12.5 (Substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse). Our approach serves as a model for achieving “responsible production” within the industry.
Problem 1: Huge Waste of Resource Value and Inefficient Linear Production Approach
Baijiu (Chinese liquor) brewing consumes a large amount of grain. Generally, for every 1 ton of Baijiu (Chinese white liquor) produced, approximately 3 to 4 tons of fresh vinasse are generated. Therefore, the annual nationwide production of Baijiu vinasse is estimated to range between 20 million and 30 million tons[1]. Traditionally, vinasse has been regarded as waste, with its valuable organic components (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) not being effectively utilized. This represents an unsustainable linear production approach of “resource acquisition - product manufacturing - waste disposal,” which runs counter to the sustainable concept of “resource recycling.”
Problem 2: Environmental Risks and Unsustainability of Current Disposal Methods
For small distilleries, the common disposal methods for vinasse (such as selling them cheaply as low-quality feed, indiscriminate piling, or landfilling) pose significant environmental risks. Piling and landfilling can lead to leachate contamination of soil and groundwater, as well as the production of potent greenhouse gases like methane through anaerobic fermentation. This “end-of-pipe treatment” approach merely shifts the pollution rather than addressing the root cause, resulting in negative externalities for the environment and society.
Problem 3: Technological Bottleneck in Overcoming Lignin as a “Stubborn” Waste
Among the complex components of vinasse, lignin presents the greatest challenge for degradation and utilization. Its complex aromatic structure is difficult for most microorganisms to effectively break down, earning it the nickname “nature’s plastic.” Existing physicochemical treatment methods are costly, energy-intensive, and may generate secondary pollution. This technological bottleneck severely hinders the realization of full-component resource utilization of vinasse.
In the long run, promoting this technology will notably cut the Baijiu industry’s overall carbon footprints, eliminate land occupation and pollution risks from vinasse accumulation for river basin protection. Economically, it creates a new profit source (selling succinate) for the industry, especially small and medium distilleries, lowers compliance costs, boosts competitiveness, and may foster a local biomanufacturing sector based on agricultural waste. Socially, this approach improves the environmental quality of communities adjacent to distilleries, enhances residents’ health, and raises public awareness of the value of synthetic biology in solving real-world problems, thereby fostering positive interactions between technology and society.
Solution to Problem 1: Building a Circular Technology Platform from “Waste to Resource”
The fundamental innovation of our project lies in redefining the value chain of vinasse. The synergistic system of Trichoderma reesei - Pseudomonas putida we designed can utilize the main components (cellulose and lignin) in vinasse as substrates and efficiently convert them into the platform chemical succinate. This directly transforms the “waste endpoint” of the Baijiu (Chinese liquor) industry into the “raw material starting point” for green chemistry. It constructs a closed - loop of “grain for brewing → vinasse for succinate production,” significantly enhancing resource utilization efficiency and representing a crucial step towards achieving a circular economy.
Solution to Problem 2: Providing a Safe and Thorough Biodegradation Solution
Our system offers an in - situ and aerobic biotreatment solution. Through the action of microorganisms, the organic matter in vinasse is completely decomposed into CO₂, water, and cellular biomass, or converted into succinate products. This fundamentally avoids the risks of methane emissions and leachate pollution. This solution is particularly suitable for small distilleries lacking comprehensive environmental protection facilities, providing them with a safe, compliant, and revenue - generating alternative.
Solution to Problem 3: Innovatively Adopting a Dual - Strain Synergistic Lignin Degradation Strategy
To address the global challenge of lignin degradation, instead of relying on a single strain, we have mimicked the symbiotic strategy in nature. First, we use genetically engineered Trichoderma reesei to secrete laccase, which “cuts” large - molecule lignin into small - molecule aromatic hydrocarbons, solving the “decomposition” problem. Then, we introduce specially engineered Pseudomonas putida as a “scavenger” to efficiently absorb and utilize these aromatic hydrocarbons, solving the “utilization” problem. This “division of labor and cooperation” strategy breaks through the capability limitations of a single microorganism and opens up a new path for the high - value utilization of lignin.
The teachers in China who communicated with us have shown strong
support for our project.
Professor
Tang from Shanghai Jiao Tong University acknowledged the value of
our project, believing that we have precisely targeted the industry’s
pain points and demonstrated great strategic vision in topic selection.
He also provided us with substantial guidance on the construction of the
dual-strain system. Teachers from
Tibet
Agricultural and Animal Husbandry College similarly recognized our
attempt to identify valuable issues from real-world situations. They
also engaged in discussions with us about the challenges of scale-up
cultivation and separation that the project may encounter during its
future industrial development. These interactions have been highly
enlightening for us. 
Luzhou Laojiao, a large-scale Baijiu (Chinese liquor) enterprise in China, has recognized our innovation. In the field of agricultural waste treatment, both Bluepha and Kangfen have shown strong support for our project. They acknowledged the value of the project and offered excellent suggestions regarding the subsequent industrial processing procedures after extracting succinate from vinasse. Additionally, the Luzhou Municipal Ecological Environment Protection Bureau has also expressed approval of our project.
On the international front, we introduced and explored our project with local winery owners in Germany. They mentioned that the traditional method of directly returning pressed grape pomace (approximately 30 tons per 17 hectares annually) to the fields is commonly adopted locally. Although this approach is simple and easy to implement, it offers limited added value. This validates the market pain point targeted by our project: a large amount of agricultural by-products remains underdeveloped and underutilized. During our exchanges, the winery owners showed keen interest in our proposed technological pathway of converting “Trester” (grape pomace) into high-value products such as succinate, and explicitly expressed their support. Some even took the initiative to offer samples for R&D testing, providing a strong positive signal for the project’s raw material sourcing and cooperation feasibility.
This project has positive interactions with multiple SDGs. It is a prime illustration of how synthetic biology can drive the green transformation of traditional industries, aligning with SDG 9. Through aerobic treatment, it helps prevent methane emissions and replaces petrochemical products with bio-based ones, contributing to climate action under SDG 13. Moreover, the new technology’s industrial chain has the potential to generate new green jobs, in line with SDG 8’s goal of decent work.
However, there are potential negative interactions. Large-scale succinate production might lead to new waste problems from its downstream applications like plastics, conflicting with parts of SDG 12. To mitigate this, the biodegradability of succinate products should be prioritized in design, and their use in sustainable materials should be promoted to ensure a positive impact across their life cycle.
The core objective of SDG 13 is to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. It underscores the necessity of integrating climate change measures into policies and strategies, enhancing resilience and adaptive capacity, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Our project directly aligns with and contributes to this goal through an innovative bioprocessing solution.
Traditional approaches to treating vinasse (a by-product of Baijiu production) often result in the emission of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, exacerbating climate change. This represents a critical gap in current waste management practices, as it not only fails to mitigate pollution but also actively contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.
Our project addresses this issue by offering a two-pronged solution:
In doing so, our project not only tackles pollution but also proactively severs a significant pathway for greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with and advancing the core objectives of SDG 13.
Problem 1: Potent Greenhouse Gas Methane Generated from Anaerobic Degradation of Vinasse
This represents the most direct and severe climate issue. When vinasse is haphazardly piled up or treated through anaerobic landfilling, the organic matter within it undergoes decomposition by methanogens under oxygen-deprived conditions, resulting in the generation of substantial amounts of methane (CH₄). According to the assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), over a 100-year time horizon, methane’s global warming potential is 28-36 times higher than that of carbon dioxide (CO₂).[2]This non-point source, dispersed methane emission constitutes an underrecognized “black hole” in the carbon footprint of the Baijiu (Chinese liquor) industry.
Problem 2: Carbon-Intensive Production of Succinate via Traditional Petrochemical Routes
Currently, the majority of succinate on the market is produced through petrochemical routes. This process utilizes non-renewable fossil fuels (such as n-butane) as feedstock, undergoing catalytic oxidation under high temperature and pressure conditions. The entire process is extremely energy-intensive and directly generates carbon dioxide. Relying on this production method means that our demand for succinate will continue to drive the extraction and combustion of fossil fuels, exacerbating climate change.
Problem 3: High Energy Consumption and Secondary Carbon Emissions from Lignin Treatment
For the treatment of lignin, a recalcitrant component in vinasse, traditional methods such as incineration or high-temperature thermochemical conversion require substantial energy inputs (typically derived from coal or natural gas) and directly result in carbon dioxide emissions. This “energy-for-waste” approach essentially shifts the solid waste problem into a carbon emission issue, failing to achieve genuine environmental benefits.
The long-term and large-scale application of this project will bring about multi-dimensional positive impacts. Environmentally, it can significantly reduce methane emissions from the Baijiu industry, contributing to the reduction of non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases and lowering fossil carbon inputs in the industrial system. Economically, it can assist distilleries, especially small ones, in fulfilling their carbon reduction responsibilities at a low cost and avoiding future risks of carbon taxes or environmental levies. The established bio-based succinate industrial chain will also gain strong policy advantages and market competitiveness under China’s “dual carbon” goals.
On the social front, this project will enhance public and industry awareness of “hidden” carbon emissions, such as methane generated from waste treatment. It will demonstrate the crucial role of biotechnology in addressing climate change and boost societal confidence in achieving carbon neutrality.
Solution to Problem 1: Provide an Aerobic Biological Treatment Pathway to Fundamentally Eliminate Methane Production
Our dual-strain system operates under aerobic conditions. Both Trichoderma reesei and Pseudomonas putida are aerobic or facultatively anaerobic microorganisms. Through aerobic respiration, they ultimately convert the carbon sources in vinasse into CO₂, microbial biomass, and succinate. Although CO₂ is also produced, its global warming potential is two orders of magnitude lower than that of methane. This process fundamentally eradicates the anaerobic environment necessary for methane production, achieving a “dimensional reduction” in greenhouse gas emissions.
Solution to Problem 2: Pioneer a Low-Carbon Alternative Route for Bio-based Succinate Production
The succinate produced by our project derives its carbon source entirely from renewable agricultural processing waste (vinasse) rather than fossil fuels. This offers the potential for “carbon neutrality” or even “carbon negativity”: plants fix atmospheric CO₂ through photosynthesis during growth, and we transform their waste into products. If these products persist in materials (such as bioplastics) over the long term, they constitute a temporary carbon sequestration process. This approach directly reduces the chemical industry’s reliance on fossil resources and provides downstream industries with green raw materials.
Solution to Problem 3: Utilize Biocatalysis under Ambient Temperature and Pressure for Low-Energy Degradation
We employ a microbial enzyme system to degrade lignin under mild conditions of ambient temperature and pressure, in stark contrast to physicochemical methods that require high temperatures and pressures. Biocatalysis consumes extremely low energy, with the primary energy demand arising from aeration and agitation for microbial culture maintenance. Its carbon emission intensity is far lower than that of methods relying on fossil fuel combustion for thermal energy. This offers a sustainable, low-energy, and low-emission pathway to address the challenge of lignin treatment.
When discussing carbon reduction with Luzhou Laojiao, they mentioned that currently, an important method for treating vinasse is to heat it intensively in an air - isolated environment, converting vinasse into biochar for subsequent soil improvement and other uses. However, heating intensively in an air - isolated environment obviously consumes a large amount of fossil energy, resulting in significant greenhouse gas emissions and high energy consumption. In contrast, our project is more environmentally friendly, which is beneficial for energy conservation and carbon reduction
![The traditional method of heating and processing vinasse in a blast furnace [3]](https://static.igem.wiki/teams/5670/sustainability/fig7.webp)
We held in-depth discussions with Ms. Huang Lu, Section Chief of the Luzhou Ecological Environment Bureau, regarding carbon emission reduction in our project. Ms. Huang pointed out that pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction demonstrate significant synergistic effects. She emphasized that carbon reduction is essentially a profound economic and social transformation requiring multi-stakeholder collaboration - an objective highly aligned with our goal of driving systematic transformation in the Baijiu industry.
Regarding vinasse treatment, Ms. Huang provided us with a new perspective, suggesting we integrate our project with Baijiu production processes: Through aerobic fermentation generating heat, we can convert the thermal energy from vinasse degradation into alternative energy for boilers. This approach not only achieves thermal energy utilization but also partially replaces traditional fossil fuels, ultimately accomplishing the goal of no net increase in total carbon emissions. #### Positive/Negative Interactions with Other SDGs
The project has positive interactions with other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In terms of SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), the project’s low energy consumption reduces the overall energy demand. If renewable energy sources, such as solar energy, are used to power bioreactors in the future, its climate benefits will be even more significant. It is highly synergistic with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption). Climate action is an important manifestation of the project’s environmental benefits, and the circular economy model is the fundamental way to achieve these climate benefits. Regarding SDG 15 (Life on Land), reducing the occupation and pollution of land by vinasse accumulation helps protect terrestrial ecosystems, and healthy ecosystems are important carbon sinks.
The core objective of SDG 15 (Life on Land) is to protect, restore, and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss. It emphasizes the need to safeguard the Earth’s support systems for terrestrial life, which are crucial for maintaining ecological balance, providing essential ecosystem services, and ensuring the well - being of present and future generations.
In the Baijiu industry, improper handling of vinasse poses severe environmental challenges. When vinasse is indiscriminately piled up, organic acids and excess nutrients infiltrate the soil and contaminate groundwater, altering their chemical composition. These pollutants permeate through soil into aquifers while also entering nearby freshwater systems via surface runoff, triggering eutrophication. The excessive nutrient load stimulates rapid proliferation of aquatic plants and algae, whose subsequent decomposition consumes dissolved oxygen, creating hypoxic conditions that suffocate aquatic life. Furthermore, anaerobic decomposition of accumulated vinasse not only releases methane but also generates acidic leachate that persistently damages soil structure and pollutes groundwater sources. Our project addresses these issues by developing a biological treatment solution for vinasse, effectively blocking these pollution pathways at the source while actively contributing to the achievement of SDG 15 (Life on Land).
Problem 1: Land Occupation and Soil Degradation
The open-air accumulation of a large amount of vinasse requires vast tracts of land. Under the leaching action of rainwater, the high concentrations of organic matter and acidic substances in these accumulations can alter the physical and chemical properties of the soil. This leads to soil acidification and compaction, disrupting its inherent structure and fertility. As a result, the occupied land becomes difficult to use for agricultural production or natural vegetation restoration, effectively representing a loss and degradation of land functions.
Problem 2: Chemical Pollution of Groundwater and Soil
This poses the most direct ecological threat. The leachate generated during the accumulation of vinasse is rich in high concentrations of organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, and so on. Once this leachate seeps into the ground, it will severely pollute the groundwater. If it enters the surrounding soil and rivers via surface runoff, it can cause eutrophication and oxygen depletion in the water bodies. This directly poisons underground organisms such as soil microorganisms and earthworms, and endangers aquatic life.
Problem 3: Habitat Destruction and Biodiversity Threat
The vinasse accumulation sites and the pollution they cause create a localized “ecological desert.” The foul odors they emit and the pollution they generate drive away nearby animals, destroying their habitats. Meanwhile, the contaminated soil and water bodies directly lead to a decline in the diversity of microbial, insect, and plant communities, having a cascading negative impact on regional biodiversity.
In the long term, the project will bring about comprehensive impacts. Environmentally, it significantly improves local ecological conditions in major Baijiu-producing regions in China, safeguarding water quality in river basins and soil health, enhancing overall ecological service functions, and creating a more habitable space for wildlife. Economically, it reduces potential huge environmental compensation and remediation costs for liquor factories, while the restored land resources hold economic potential, as a healthy ecosystem underpins the sustainable development of agriculture and tourism. Socially, it upgrades the living environment quality of residents near liquor factories, mitigates health concerns and social conflicts from environmental pollution, promotes harmonious coexistence between industrial activities and nature, and boosts the public’s ecological well-being.
Solution to Problem 1: Achieving In-Situ Waste Reduction and Land Liberation
Our technology is designed to rapidly and efficiently convert solid vinasse into liquid succinate products and gases within bioreactors. This enables the complete decomposition and large-scale in-situ reduction of waste, fundamentally liberating the land that has been long occupied by vinasse. These liberated lands can regain their original ecological or agricultural functions, representing a direct action to reverse land degradation.
Solution to Problem 2: Eradicating Pollution Sources Through Complete Biodegradation
Instead of relocating or diluting pollution, we eliminate pollutants at the molecular level. By thoroughly degrading the organic components in vinasse (including the hard-to-degrade lignin) into CO₂, water, and succinate, our system blocks the generation of leachate at the source. This is akin to turning off the tap of pollution, directly preventing the occurrence of soil and groundwater chemical pollution and protecting the life forms beneath the ground and within the soil.
Solution to Problem 3: Eliminating Local Ecological Pressures and Promoting Natural Habitat Restoration
Eliminating Local Ecological Pressures and Promoting Natural Habitat Restoration By removing the artificial and persistent source of ecological pressure—vinasse accumulation—we create conditions for the natural restoration of surrounding ecosystems. Once the pollution dissipates and the foul odors fade away, native animals will return, soil microbial communities will transition towards a healthy state, and regional biodiversity will have the opportunity to recuperate and gradually recover. This maintains the integrity and resilience of the ecosystem.The Baijiu industry in Luzhou is distributed in several districts and counties, all of which are located along the sensitive water basins of the main stream of the Yangtze River(Long River in Chinese) and its tributaries. The water environment is highly sensitive, and traditional utilization methods inevitably have a certain impact on the water environment requirements.
We also had an in-depth discussion with Ms.Huang from the Luzhou Ecology and Environmental Protection Bureau. She mentioned that traditional methods of composting and direct landfill disposal of vinasse not only occupy a large amount of land resources but also lead to secondary soil and groundwater pollution. The leachate generated during the storage of vinasse often has high acidity and a low pH value. During the landfill or composting process, it inevitably causes acidification of the occupied land and water pollution. Moreover, the leachate has a high concentration of organic matter, posing high requirements for wastewater treatment. The Baijiu industry in Luzhou is distributed in several districts and counties, all of which are located along the sensitive water basins of the main stream of the Yangtze River and its tributaries. The water environment is highly sensitive, and traditional utilization methods inevitably have a certain impact on the water environment requirements.
Due to the above issues, some districts and counties have experienced pollution problems, including groundwater and soil pollution, as well as leachate leakage contaminating surface water bodies. Since groundwater pollution is difficult to track, once pollution is detected, the problems have often existed for a long time, resulting in significant difficulties in subsequent treatment and high restoration costs. Our project, however, avoids leachate pollution at the source, thereby protecting terrestrial ecosystems.
In addition, we also had a conversation with Ms. Niu, who has
attempted vinasse composting and shared her experience on the social
media platform Xiaohongshu. She mentioned that due to the anaerobic
environment in vinasse composting, foul odors and leachate are
generated, which significantly impact residents’ daily lives. The
situation only improves when the vinasse is thoroughly drained. This
also illustrates the destructive potential of vinasse to terrestrial
ecosystems and residents’ living environments. 
Our project demonstrates positive interactions with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It aligns closely with SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) by preventing leachate from contaminating groundwater and surface water, thus jointly safeguarding the health of aquatic ecosystems. There is also a strong synergistic effect between our project and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption), as SDG 12 emphasizes circularity at the production end, while our efforts under SDG 15 benefit from the ecological advantages of this circularity, with our project serving as a bridge between the two. Furthermore, protecting terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15) contributes to climate change mitigation (SDG 13) since healthy ecosystems act as significant carbon sinks.
This chapter discusses how our project is going to facilitate sustainable prosperity of human society in terms of SDG 8 and SDG 9. So far, resource waste and value depreciation exists in both traditional vinasse treatment and succinate recovery methods. However, fear for increasing employment due to new technologies and general decreasinhg interest in STEM seems to make the problems even worse.
SDG 8, Decent Work and Economic Growth, focuses on creating quality jobs, promoting entrepreneurship, and fostering economic growth that benefits everyone. To be more specific, our project pays special attention on its target 8.2 by achieving higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation including high-value added product, succinate, and labour-intensive sectors, plate-and-frame filter unit.
How can vinasse transfer from waste to economic benefits? Does the benifits share by everyone, or people as many as possible? Will new technology result in wores unemployment? These are basic questions when it comes to prosperty. This part suggests some contemporary problems considering these aspects.
Problem 1: Value Wasted in Traditional Vinasse Treatment
Each year, about 20~30 million t vinasse is producted in China only.[4] If the vinasse of similar composition throughout the world is considered, the amount would be rather shocking. This vinasse contains rich carbon source (Cellulose: 10.1~37.7%, Hemicellulose: 12.6~19.6%, Lignin: 11.2~21.3%). What’s more, lignin is one of the few unkown natural products which can naturally be transfered to aldehyde and promote sustainable production of high-value added chemical materials including succinate who has been listed in the US Department of Energy’s 12 top value-added chemicals from biomass based on its potential to be an important C4 building chemical (U.S. Department of Energy 2004). However, due to the degradation-resistance of the carbon source, vinasse from most winery today is treated by thermal cracking for compost and feed[5][6]which only takes 300-600 yuan each ton[6][7]. Not to mention thermal cracking is sure to consume much energy and cost unable to be afforded by most small and medium-sized wineries.Problem 2: Disparity and Vulnerability in the Labour Market
According to the statistics of the United Nations, while the unemployment rate fell to a record low of 5.0 per cent in 2024, nearly 58 per cent of workers remained informally employed, with persistently high rates in Least Developed Countries and sub-Saharan Africa. Actually, in 2024, nearly 9 in 10 workers in sub-Saharan Africa and Least Developed Countries were informally employed, meaning they were not adequately covered by social security arrangements, legal protection or workplace safety measures. Youth unemployment, while improving to 12.9 per cent in 2024, remains triple the adult rate of 3.7 per cent.[8] The responsible industry we need today should be able to provide enough job vacancies which requires low cost in training a skilled worker for the unemployed.
Our projects try to improve the situations by finding a top value-added product and adopting proper labor intensive production unit. This part explains the feasibility of our design.
Solution to Problem 1
Our project comes up with the idea to transfer the carbon resource in vinasse to value-added succinate who takes 12 (chemical synthesis) ~17 (biological fermentation) thousand yuan per ton according to experts from JOYOU CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING CO.,LTD. Actually, plastic made from succinate enjoys rather good properties compared to other materials besides its bio-degradability. According to the ESG reports from major Chinese wineries and model of our method, we are going to produce about 171.5 t succinate every year which means a value raise of at least 2.5 million yuan.
Solution to Problem 2
Instead of upgrading our inductrial line into complete automation solution, we adopt traditional manual operating plate-and-frame filter in the succinate purification unit to provide job vacancies. Each device needs at least 6 workers each day to operate in turn and it takes less than 2 weeks to train a killed worker who work can independently. We believe that good techonologies should take equal value distribution among people in consideration. The decision is also not significantly in conflict with environmentally protection and energy saving.
We spoke to experts from JOYOU CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING CO.,LTD., who have focused on biodegradable material and relavant plastic synthesis. Beside information on the market share, price, performance flaws, and post-degradation handling issues of major materials nowadays and their hope for new biodegradable material, they also provided us with the challenges in synthesizing plastic with succinate. So far, succinate takes a price significantly higer than other chemical raw material, with greener succinate produced by biological fermentation generally even more expensive than those produced by chemical synthesis. Even though we are able to produce succinate, factories may be unwilling to buy them to produce plastic out of cost considerations.
Therefore, the next problem we must face is how to ruduce the cost of the transfer from vinasse to succinate to cost of other chamical materials, so that our product can be accepted by the customer. We should also enhance environmental awareness of both manufactures and consumers. Although our major customers are manufactures, public supervision is valuable. When sustainability is the top priority, people may be willing to adopt greener method at the cost of some profits.
Producing high value-added products with more job vacancies will positively impact SDGs 1, 2, and 12. Economic profits distributing to the crowd brought about by new technologies will help reduce population in poverty. With sufficient income, the problem of hunger with no relation to food shortage can be solved to some extent. More profitable products will also stimulate people to recycle the waste.
The job vacancies we provided here are heavy physical work which means manufactures may think they are more suitable for men instead of women. Therefore, the design may be in conflict with SDG 5 because of the potential gender slectivity of these jobs.
for further information on our bussiness value, see entrepreneurship –>
SDG 9, industry, innovation and infrastructure, seeks to build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. Our projecte focus on resource-use efficient industry desigen, the reactive extraction method recycling organic extractants, and trys to set an example for teenagers’ innovation in real-life industry, which echos its target 9.4 and 9.5.
Will the processing procedure pollute the environment? Have people paied enough attention, or better, made sufficient efforts to upgrade our production? These are basic questions when it comes to industry. This part suggests some contemporary problems considering these aspects.
Problem 1: Resource Wasted in Traditional Succinate Purification
The separation methods studied for succinate recovery mainly include direct crystallization, precipitation, membrane separation, and chromatography. However, this unit still makes more than 50 % of the total costs in succinate’s microbial production and face many challenges.[10] In some medium, the purity and yield of succinate crystals were only 45 % and 28 %[11]. In precipitation,the dosages of Ca(OH)2, CaO, and H2SO4 are very large who also cannot be used repeatedly, which leads to high operation cost. Similarly, electrodialysisthe witness high cost of device and a low product yield due to loss of succinate (~60% recovery rate) during electrodialysis.[12] Due to low selectivity, ion exchange may be applied as an additional purification step for succinate recovery. No single method has proved to be simple and efficient and adopted as commen sence.
Problem 2: Talents Shortage in the Manufacturing Industry
Global expenditure on research and development (R&D) as a proportion
of GDP increased from 1.69% in 2015 to 1.93% in 2020. The number of
researchers per million inhabitants has increased worldwide from 1,022
in 2010 and 1,160 in 2015 to 1,342 in 2020. Despite the slight increase,
the share of manufacturing employment in total employment was 14.2 per
cent in 2024, down from 14.3 per cent in
2015.[9]
However, the share of STEM graduates has remained remarkbaly stable over
the past two decades, with upper-middle and high-income countries’
students slightly lose their favor in engineering, manufacturing and
constriction.
[13]
Talents in the manufacturing industry to conduct high-tech and
innovative research are in emergent need.
Our project tries to improve the situations by designing a resource-efficient processing unit. We hope our efforts may inspire more people. This part explains the details of our solution.
Solution to Problem 1
Our project adopts the newly studied reactive extraction for recovery of succinate from fermentation broth. The bonus is that organic extractants can be reused and the method requires only basic vessels which requires low cost and little skills in line with optimal utilization of resources and equal career market. What’s more, according to experts from JOYOU CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING CO.,LTD., similar method has been put to pilot plant test and is sure to save 3000-4000 yuan each batch.
Solution to Problem 2
Our project focus on solution to a industrial problem, the treatment of vinasse, and tries to apply it to the industry with regard to vineries throughout the world. We believe our actions can call for teenagers to devote in industry and prove that there’s something for the young to do, from environmental protection to recource efficiency, in the innovations in this field.
We spoke to staff from Bluepha who have been analyzed and designed biological processes at the genetic level, and created bio-based products for industrial and consumer applications. They were not interested in the post-treatment process of succinate production. Instead, they asked us to explain how the dual-microbes system run and they expressed their worries towards simple co-culture. We were inspired that for real-life industry, there’s many technic details to be considered. Therefore, we set down to design a complete industrial line and we decided to model the way for our microbes to bulid a symbiotic relationship.
We participated in the Luzhou Cultural Festival held on campus where local government leaders and business owners hunting for talents. With a few talks, we found that local gvernment and bussiness owners have been cooperating with each other to invite graduates throughout the country to devote in local development and research for local industry. Bonus includs funds, individual welfare and political support. Good news is that, creation from campus students is supported as well.
Adopting an more sustainable post-treatment method and call for the young to devote in similar innovations may positively interacte with SDGs 13, 14, and 15. Recycling and energy conservation are always beneficial to most living creatures in the world, for they can maintain the original state of nature to the greatest extent, not to mention extreme climates.
Despite our idea and efforts, our project is supported by the university and enterprises. The young with more finantial support may be more likely to devote themselves to such innovations and try to apply their idea into reality. This trend will pose negative impacts on SDG 10, for the invesment to science and technology in different countries and regions may vary a lot and result in more inequal development.
This chapter discusses how our project is going to enhance human well-being in terms of SDG 4 and SDG 17. So far, the world faces inequaty in both basic education and the strength to promote sustainable development. We hope our project may help relieve the problems and our efforts exist in both our technology and our human practices.
Synthetic biology, an interdisciplinary field blending life sciences with engineering, offers innovative solutions to global challenges in healthcare, energy, and environmental protection. It is a driving force for technological revolution and a key tool for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Education, as a fundamental human right, is the cornerstone for realizing all other SDGs, fostering peace and development, and alleviating poverty. Strengthening education in synthetic biology cultivates the next generation’s scientific literacy and innovation capabilities for sustainable development. It empowers individuals from diverse regions and backgrounds to understand and contribute to technological advancements. This approach not only advances the dissemination of quality education (SDG 4) but also provides the cognitive foundation, talent pipeline, and public engagement essential for achieving global sustainable development objectives.
While synthetic biology holds great potential for addressing global challenges, there exists a gap in ensuring widespread understanding and engagement with this field, particularly among diverse regions and backgrounds. The lack of effective educational initiatives focused on synthetic biology may hinder the development of the next generation’s scientific literacy and innovation capabilities, which are crucial for sustainable development. Without adequate education, individuals may struggle to comprehend and contribute to the development of technological solutions, thereby impeding the progress of quality education (SDG 4) and the broader goals of global sustainable development.
Problem 1: Uneven Global Distribution of Educational Resources
In many developing countries, students residing in underdeveloped regions encounter substantial obstacles when attempting to access cutting-edge scientific areas such as synthetic biology. The global imbalance in educational resource allocation results in these students being left behind, depriving them of the opportunities to engage with and learn about the latest advancements in science.
Problem 2: Fragmented and Limited Educational Materials in Synthetic Biology
The educational materials available for synthetic biology are commonly scattered and lack a systematic and shareable structure. This fragmentation creates a significant barrier to the public’s understanding of the field, as learners struggle to piece together a comprehensive knowledge base without well-organized and accessible resources.
Problem 3: Exclusion of Specific Demographic Groups from Digital and Tech Education
Certain segments of the population, notably the elderly, are often marginalized in the realm of digital and technology-focused education. This exclusion prevents them from keeping pace with the rapidly evolving technological landscape and limits their ability to fully participate in modern society.
Problem 4: Insufficient Public Awareness and Knowledge of Marine Pollution
There is a notable lack of public awareness and systematic knowledge regarding marine pollution, encompassing its causes, harmful impacts, and mitigation strategies. This knowledge deficit poses a significant obstacle to the cultivation of a proactive public consciousness towards ocean conservation, as people are unable to make informed decisions and take effective actions to protect the marine environment.
Socially, our outreach initiatives break down age and geographical barriers in science education across domestic and international audiences, creating an accessible “learning ecosystem” for synthetic biology that fosters public scientific interest and societal consensus on technological innovation.
Environmentally, our educational activities center on “synthetic biology addressing environmental problems,” linking this emerging discipline with specific SDGs to enhance environmental awareness, inspire active problem-solving among students, and transform the elderly into participants in sustainable practices for long-term ecological benefits.
Economically, through university-industry collaboration with renowned enterprises like Yanyin Technology, we demonstrate real-world applications via technical seminars, bridging academia and industry to enhance students’ practical skills and entrepreneurship in synthetic biology, while lowering learning barriers and cultivating a talent pipeline for the green bioeconomy.
Solution to Problem 1
Domestically, our team conducted lectures on synthetic biology and iGEM projects in high schools in locations such as Shandong and Guizhou, China. Internationally, we engaged with an international school in Bali, Indonesia. We tailored teaching content by incorporating local characteristics, such as marine resources and brewing culture, connecting advanced science with students’ life experiences to stimulate learning interest.
Through diverse methods including live interactions, Q&A sessions, and case studies, we disseminated fundamental knowledge of genetic engineering and synthetic biology, addressing gaps in the secondary school curriculum regarding this field. We guided students to understand how synthetic biology contributes to sustainable development, empowering them to recognize that “Our own creativity and actions can be a powerful force for progress”, thereby planting the seeds of SDG practice in the minds of youth both domestically and abroad.
Solution to Problem 2
Our team collaborated with iGEM teams from multiple universities to co-author the “White Paper on Chassis Organisms in Synthetic Biology”. This white paper systematically categorizes the characteristics and applications of commonly used chassis organisms in synthetic biology, lowering the barrier to learning relevant knowledge and facilitating public understanding of the field.
Concurrently, our team contributed to the “iGEM Engagement Guideline White Paper”, sharing our experiential modules from the competition on applying synthetic biology to areas like Education and Entrepreneurship**, thereby establishing reproducible practice paradigms for later iGEM teams worldwide.
Guided by the SDG framework, our iGEM project harnesses synthetic biology to transform vinasse from an environmental burden into a driver of holistic sustainability.
For our Planet, we protect its health and resources. By creating a circular model for vinasse, we advance SDG 12. We take decisive climate action (SDG 13) by preventing methane emissions and reducing reliance on energy-intensive fossil fuels through our bio-based process. This approach concurrently protects terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15) by eliminating the source of soil and groundwater pollution.
For shared Prosperity, we build inclusive and resilient economies. Our novel bio-solution is a testament to technological innovation for sustainable industrialization (SDG 9). It creates new green value chains that support decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), ensuring that environmental responsibility translates into tangible community benefits.
For People and through Partnership, we empower and collaborate. We bridge the gap between science and society through active education and outreach (SDG 4). Recognizing that complex challenges require united efforts, our multi-stakeholder collaborations embody the spirit of SDG 17, turning our vision into actionable reality.
As a team of passionate young scientists, we believe in the power of iGEM and synthetic biology to redesign our world. We are not just engineering microbes; we are building a blueprint for a better, greener, and more equitable future for all. This is our commitment, driven by the boundless energy of youth and the unwavering belief that science, in the service of humanity, can heal our planet.