Active Lab: BSF larvae for biowaste treatment

SESSION AL01 / 13 October 2025 / 15:30 - 17:00
Part 1: Reactors set up and starting operation

SESSION AL12 / 17 October / 9:00 - 10:30
Part 2: Larvae separation and performance assessment

Organised by:
Valentina Grossule, University of Padua (IT)
Jeffery K. Tomberlin, Texas A&M University (US)

In the context of the Circular Economy, the use of Black Soldiers Fly (BSF) for biowaste treatment represents a promising alternative to conventional biological processes, for either managing the waste and providing high value resources in term of materials and energy. Indeed, in the larval stage BSF are capable of metabolising and stabilising huge amounts of putrescible waste, transforming it into valuable biomass rich of proteins and fats, suitable for the direct use as animal food or for production of biorefinery products, such as proteins and, biodiesel, lubricants, chitin and chitosan, antimicrobial peptides.
The active lab aims at providing basics knowledge of the BSF larvae and on their use for biowaste treatment, including designing, feed quality, control parameters etc.
Practical activity will be divided into two parts:

• Part 1: set up of small-scale reactors for treatment of different biowaste, at the beginning of the conference (Monday, 13 October, 15:30 - 17:00). The reactors will be kept in operation and can be visited throughout the whole conference.
• Part 2: closure of the test at the end of the conference with larvae separation and performance assessment (Friday, 17 October, 9:00 - 10:30)