Alpha prototype in first testing.

Roach and harvested feedstock.

(with Sumana Chaturvedula)

Urban spaces can offer feedstocks for biofuel, but collecting and processing the plant matter is a challenge.

We are proposing a new method for harvesting and processing invasive urban green plant/lignin material found in London's canal systems. We're using this simple alpha prototype (pictured) to begin testing the proposed system. The proposal employs a common pest, the cockroach, as a processing agent. Researchers have found that the intestines of cockroaches contain microbes capable of digesting the feedstock into simple sugars, [1,2] which can be further fermented to biofuels.

Eventually, devices similar to this prototype could autonomously paddle the canals, scooping invasive plant matter into their storage chambers, and preparing it for conversion when collected.

[1] Todaka N, Inoue T, Saita K, Ohkuma M, Nalepa CA, et al. (2010) Phylogenetic Analysis of Cellulolytic Enzyme Genes from Representative Lineages of Termites and a Related Cockroach. PLoS ONE 5(1): e8636. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008636
[2 ]Scharf ME, Karl ZJ, Sethi A, Boucias DG (2011) Multiple Levels of Synergistic Collaboration in Termite Lignocellulose Digestion. PLoS ONE 6(7): e2170.

The alpha prototype was exhibited in 'Artifact' at Imperial College, London.