Cluster of Excellence "The Fuel Science Center" - Toxicity Assessment and Prediction

Project duration:

01.01.2019 – 31.12.2025

Project management:

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Martina Roß-Nickoll

Dr. Miaomiao Du

Dr. Sebastian Heger

M.Sc. Karsten Braun

M.Sc. Jonas Daniel 

Description of the Project:

The Cluster of Excellence “The Fuel Science Center – Adaptive Conversion Systems for Renewable Energy and Carbon Sources” (FSC) aims to integrate renewable electricity with the joint utilization of bio-based carbon feedstock and CO2 to produce new high-density liquid energy carriers (“bio-hybrid fuels”). FSC is developing one interdisciplinary approach to establish the necessary experimental and theoretical basis for molecularly defined biofuel components with significantly improved combustion efficiency as well as CO2-neutral and near-to-zero pollutant emissions. To avoid dangerous chemicals into the environment, chemists, engineers and toxicologists in FSC work together in the early development of biofuels to utilize safe design and synthesis as well as to discover safer biofuel candidates for the environment and humans.

The goal of one sub-project ‘Green Toxicology for the Prediction of Fuel Mixtures’ is to integrate the obtained information into a predictive design method for a model supported/based sustainability assessment.  Considerations about the possible effects of bio-hybrid fuels on the environment are important not only for the economic perspective but also for their public acceptance. Prior to manufacturing and distribution, toxicity assessment of bio-hybrid fuels on the environment should be conducted in parallel to the bio-hybrid fuels development.

The goal of the other sub-project ‘The effects of bio-hybrid fuel exhaust on human health’ is to establish a rapid in vitro method for the early identification and characterization of adverse effects of bio-hybrid fuel exhaust on human health and to provide information for adaptive production routes and propulsion systems. The aim is to better understand the interactions between exhaust aerosol components and respiratory cell tissue to gain knowledge about how to reduce potential harmful effects of exhaust components.