Researches look into panda poop to develop better biofuels

Belgian researchers believe the leavings of the giant panda may unlock secrets to more efficient biofuel production.

A research team from Ghent University is the first to examine the potential of the micro-organisms in the pandas’ digestive track, which may lead to the development of new generations of biofuels.

Pandas have a unique digestive system, as despite having the genetic make-up of a carnivore, the black-and-white bears have adapted to subsist on a diet consisting almost entirely of bamboo.

‘We can look for new enzymes which could be used to degrade tough biomass,’ says Korneel Rabaey, professor for biochemical and microbial technology at Ghent University.

The results of the study may lead to cheaper ways to produce 2G biofuels, as producers may be able to make use of the enzymatic secrets of panda plop.

The panda’s digestive tract has been researched from the perspective of biofuels before.

For example, in 2011 researchers at Mississippi State University looked into how pandas’ intestines break down tough plant matter, but the Ghent study is the first to look at the microbiome of the bears’ guts.

According to Rabaey, his research may help not only the biofuels industry, but also pandas themselves.

‘We can also go back to the animal and understand why it is eating only certain kinds and parts of the bamboo,’ Rabaey says.