Wacker receives environmental prize for its vegetarian cysteine

German company Wacker Chemie has received an environmental prize from the Federation of German Industries (BDI).

The Munich-based chemical company won the prize in the "Environmentally-Compatible Technology" category for its innovative process to manufacture the amino acid cysteine from micro-organisms. The patented Wacker process uses only renewable, plant-based raw materials without any organic solvents. Moreover, it requires 96% less hydrochloric acid than conventional production processes.

Wacker has developed a highly innovative, efficient and environmentally compatible fermentive production method for making cysteine from plant-based raw materials with the help of E.coli bacteria.

Ninety per cent of the bacterial cysteine ends up in the final product, compared with the 60% yield of conventional methods. Plus, only one kilogram of hydrochloric acid is needed per kilogram of cysteine, whereas traditional processes using animal or human "raw materials" such as hair require 27kg of hydrochloric acid.

Wacker's innovation lies in using metabolic engineering to switch off the protein regulating the amount of cysteine produced. Thanks to this technical enhancement, the bacteria produce more cysteine than they need for their own metabolism. The excess cysteine is secreted through their cell membranes into the growth medium, where it can be isolated quickly and easily as cystine - the oxidised form of cysteine. Since only renewable, plant-based raw materials are used and no organic solvents, all the fermentation residues can be utilised as fertiliser.

In contrast, conventional cysteine production processes require large amounts of concentrated hydrochloric acid to extract the amino acid from hair, feathers, pig bristles and hooves, for example. Moreover, cysteine produced by this method can contain impurities introduced by animal or human pathogens. This risk can be ruled out with Wacker's exclusively plant-based process.

The BDI prize is awarded every two years and honours innovative German industrial projects that provide ecologically, economically and socially beneficial solutions.

"We are very honoured to receive this award. It shows that economic and ecological interests needn't conflict," said Dr Rudolf Staudigl, Wacker Chemie's president and ceo. "We invest millions in environmentally-compatible processes, facilities and products every year. This prize once again underscores the high priority that the Wacker Group has always attached to innovation, environmental protection and sustainability."

The Wacker process has now been nominated for the EU Commission's European environmental prize competition.