The Technology Centre for Biodiversity, Ecology and Technology, and Environmental and Food Management (BETA) at the University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVIC-UCC) aims to improve competitiveness and technological development in companies through R+D+i projects at a local, state or European level, transferring innovative and competitive technology with sustainable criteria to the food and environment sectors.
The BETA Technology Centre is part of TECNIO, a network for promoting differential technology, business innovation and excellence in Catalonia and for identifying technology centres and university groups, experts in research and technology transfer.
A team of over 20 researchers (post-doctoral researchers, doctoral students, and laboratory technicians) make up our multidisciplinary team in the areas of biology, biotechnology and environmental engineering, food science and renewable energies.
BETA Strategic Areas
Technology and Environmental Management
Developing sustainable and efficient systems for treating, managing and evaluating organic waste (in particular faecal waste from husbandry, food industry wastes, sewage sludge and municipal wastes), water waste and gas and odours from farming and industrial activities involving environmental impact studies and Life Cycle Analysis, The lines of research in these areas are
Organic waste
Waste water
Emissions and odours
Environmental impacts: Life Cycle Analysis
Aquatic and Land Ecology
Studying different areas of biodiversity and ecology (flora, fauna, forests, aquatic and terrestrial animals) to understand species and habitats. Developing techniques, tools, statistics and protocols to assess ecological status and generate the necessary information to take the appropriate decisions in environmental management. The lines of research in these areas are:
Characterisation and assessment of soil fertility
Plant ecology
Conservation of flora
Plant and habitat mapping
Habitat conservation status
Wildlife conservation
Assessment of water quality and ecological status of rivers, dams and marshes
Managing and rebuilding water ecosystems
Assessing climate change: adaptation and mitigation strategies
FoodIndustry and Technology
Designing and improving food processing and quality management systems in the food hygiene and safety area. Evaluating physicochemical and sensory properties of food, developing techniques and protocols (characterisation of volatile components, fat evaluation in animal and human foods) and identifying contaminating waste (heavy metals, pesticides, antibiotics). The lines of research in these areas are:
Food quality and safety
Food microbiology
Scale-up of production processes in the food industry
New product development
Rediscovery of ancient grains
Characterisation of raw materials
Renewable energies
Energy production from biomass through biochemical and thermochemical conversion techniques. Application of advanced biological processes for energy production from organic waste. Control mechanisms, sensors, hydraulic activators and power electronics to generate transport and store renewable energies. The lines of research in these areas are:
Bioenergy
Mechatronics applied to renewable energies
Modelling systems and processes
WHAT DOES BETA TECHNOLOGY CENTRE OFFER TO COMPANIES?
Collaborative R+D+i projects with public-private national and international finance.
Innovation and Technology Transfer in the industrial sector to reduce operating costs and environmental impact, and improve business competitiveness and sustainability.
Development of new products and services in answer to the technological needs of the company and future market trends
Scale-up processes from the laboratory to industry
Encouragement of international business thanks to participation in international R+D+i support programmes and International Business Networks.
Advice on financial tools for R+D+i projects.
Advice on protection of intellectual property.
Additional services: technology, assessment and analysis
Country: Spain
Organization Type: University
City: Vic 08500,C/ de la Laura 13 Google map
Areas of Activities
Water management
Waste management
Air pollution
Soil pollution
Environmental Engineering / Tehnology
Life Cycle Assessment
Waste to energy
Wastewater treatment and valorisation: development of sustainable systems for wastewater treatment,
BETA is developing new methodologies to treat, valorise and reuse wastewater flows from farms, slaughterhouses, dairy, meat and bakery industries and other agro food industries. Additionally to conventional treatments we are developing new systems aiming to the recovery of nutrients, production of added value products and energy production. We are also applying advanced treatment obtaining clean water that could be reused.
Our technologies include:
- Wastewater nutrient removal (COD, N and P)
- Advanced oxidation processes: fenton, photofent, ozonisation, etc.
- Modelling and based fundamental studies
- Nutrient recovery (struvite)
- Production of high added value products: enzymes
- Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (bioplastics) alongside industrial wastewater treatment by mixed cultures.
Environmental and Ecological Impact Assessments.
BETA and University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia has wide experience in the development of R+D+i projects with other Universities or Research Centers, companies and public administrations at national and international level and including a wide range of funding schemes.
- Research co-operation
- Technical co-operation
Valorisation of Organic Wastes and Agricultural by-products: bioenergy production, nutrient recovery
BETA has a strong expertise and knowledge in the management, treatment and valorisation of Organic Wastes (municpal and industrial) and Agro-food by-products (slurry, manure, etc).
Our technologies include:
Development and Application of Advanced Anaerobic Digestion processes for in-situ bioenergy production and production of organic amendments. We have more than 25 digesters from lab to pilot scale and including different configurations (1 stage, 2 stage, tubular reactors, etc).
Nutrient recovery (Nitrogen and Phosphorous)
Production of PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoates) for bioplastics production.
Easy methodology for the determination of Biochemical Methane Potentials (BMP or GB).
Application of different strategies for biogas up-grading
Processes to achieve high methane contents in biogas.
Environmental and Ecological Impact Assessments.
BETA and University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia has wide experience in the development of R+D+i projects with other Universities or Research Centers, companies and public administrations at national and international level and including a wide range of funding schemes.
- Research co-operation
- Technical co-operation
- Commercial Agreement with technical assistance
Accurate determination of aerobic and anaerobic biodegradability of organic solid wastes using preci
We have the possibility to perform biodegradability analysis of organic solid wastes from several origins: industrial and municipal wastes. We can use these technologies to determine the dynamic respiration index (aerobic biodegradability) or BMP to improve, assess or design anaerobic digestion processes.
Both technologies are the most reliable and useful methodologies to measure the biodegradability and stability of all range of organic wastes. The dynamic aerobic respirometry differs from the typical tests, based on the self-heating of the sample, since it can monitor the whole biodegradation process and give as result the total oxygen consumption derived from the biodegradation of the sample, related with the biodegradable organic matter content and the consumption rate of oxygen, related with the biodegradability and stability. The biogas test are a simple and useful technique to determine the real potential production of biogas (or methane) when treating organic wastes through anaerobic digestion processes avoiding gross estimations from data bases.
These methodologies can be also applied to determine the biodegradability of bioplastics or similar biomaterials.
INNOVATIVE ASPECTS AND MAIN ADVANTAGES
The technologies can be applied to any waste management plant to know the stability of the end products obtained, the profile of the respiration activity in the plant and the global and partial efficiency of the plant. Both technologies (dynamic aerobic respirometry and BMP tests) are complementary and very suitable when both biological processes (composting and anaerobic digestion) coexist in the same plants. Classical chemical techniques such as organic matter content or TOC are out of date in the case of biological treatments and organic solid waste.
Additionally both technologies can be applied to assess the biological treatment of several industrial organic wastes and to precisely determine the biodegradability of bioplastics or biomaterials.
- Research co-operation
- Technical co-operation
Collaboration in H2020 projects
BETA is looking for potential partners (SMEs, universities, research centres, large industries, etc) and new collaborations within the framework of H2020 calls, LIFE, etc but also Spanish and Catalan calls.
- Technical co-operation
- Research co-operation
- Research co-operation
- Technical co-operation