Dr Meredith Barr

I am passionate about sustainable materials because I believe that human and environmental health are not mutually exclusive. To survive as a species, we need to manufacture vital materials without causing irreparable damage to our environment. My research focuses on converting waste biomass to sustainable materials using a technique I call 'waste-negative parallel manufacturing': the co-production of diverse materials from complimentary fractions of biomass, with an emphasis on using more waste than is produced. Cradle-to-grave waste negativity necessitates (1) valorising waste feedstocks, (2) avoiding process waste by recycling reagents and utilising by-products, and (3) ensuring circularity of products.
My research projects include (1) manufacturing petrochemical-free structural biocomposites from sawdust with ionic liquids, (2) developing biochar wastewater filters to combat the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment, (3) regulating agricultural nutrient concentrations in soil using plant and animal waste biochars, (4) developing a data pipeline to automatically improve the surface accessibility of biochars using X-Ray Computed Tomography, and (5) manufacturing lignin-based photoprotective materials.
I also coordinate the Environmental Biotechnology Network Biochars for Pollution Prevention Working Group, which aims to foster knowledge exchange and pathways to impact for academics working on state-of-the-art technologies related to the use of biochar for pollution prevention and environmental remediation – particularly as applied to microorganisms. Find out more about the group's activities and how to join: https://ebnet.ac.uk/wg-details/wg-biochar/