An overview of cotton and polyester, and their blended waste textile valorisation to value-added products: A circular economy approach – research trends, opportunities and challenges

Circular Economy is the solution for the current environmental crisis, representing a huge economic opportunity to build new sustainable businesses. However, many barriers need to be faced for its implementation at industrial scale—firstly, the lack of data sharing between the different stakeholders of product value-chains. The DigiPrime project is an EU-funded Innovation Action aimed at developing and demonstrating a digital platform with services able to unlock innovative cross-sectorial business models for the remanufacturing and recycling of target value-added products. In this paper, the concept behind the DigiPrime project is reported, with a particular focus on the construction sector.

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Design and Development of Cellulosic Bionanocomposites from Forestry Waste Residues for 3D Printing Applications

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma14133462 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (13) ◽

pp. 3462

Author(s):

Maya Jacob John ◽

Nokuzola Dyanti ◽

Teboho Mokhena ◽

Victor Agbakoba ◽

Bruce Sithole

Keyword(s):

Fourier Transform ◽

Circular Economy ◽

Value Added ◽

Screw Extruder ◽

Chemically Modified ◽

Cellulose Nanofibres ◽

Twin Screw ◽

3D Printed ◽

Polybutylene Succinate ◽

Value Added Products

This paper deals with the development of cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) reinforced biopolymers for use in packaging applications. Cellulose nanofibres were extracted from sawdust by a combination of chemical and mechanical treatments. The extracted cellulose nanofibres were chemically modified (fCNFs) and characterised by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Bionanocomposites were prepared from biopolymers polylactic acid/polybutylene succinate (PLA/PBS) and cellulose nanofibres by compounding in a twin-screw extruder followed by injection moulding. The developed bionanocomposites were subjected to mechanical and thermal characterisation. As part of product development, CNF-biopolymer pellets were also extruded into filaments which were then 3D printed into prototypes. This work is a successful demonstration of conversion of waste residues into value-added products, which is aligned to the principles of circular economy and sustainable development.

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Yeast cell factories for sustainable whey-to-ethanol valorisation towards a circular economy

Biofuel Research Journal ◽

10.18331/brj2021.8.4.4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 1529-1549

Author(s):

Patrícia Carvalho ◽

Carlos E. Costa ◽

Sara L. Baptista ◽

Lucília Domingues

Keyword(s):

Circular Economy ◽

Nutritional Value ◽

Fermentation Process ◽

Cheese Whey ◽

Environmental Concern ◽

Value Added ◽

Yeast Fermentation ◽

Biotechnological Applications ◽

Cell Factories ◽

Value Added Products

Cheese whey is the major by-product of the dairy industry, and its disposal constitutes an environmental concern. The production of cheese whey has been increasing, with 190 million tonnes per year being produced nowadays. Therefore, it is emergent to consider different routes for cheese whey utilization. The great nutritional value of cheese whey turns it into an attractive substrate for biotechnological applications. Currently, cheese whey processing includes a protein fractionating step that originates the permeate, a lactose-reach stream further used for valorisation. In the last decades, yeast fermentation has brought several advances to the search for biorefinery alternatives. From the plethora of value-added products that can be obtained from cheese whey, ethanol is the most extensively explored since it is the alternative biofuel most used worldwide. Thus, this review focuses on the different strategies for ethanol production from cheese whey using yeasts as promising biological systems, including its integration in lignocellulosic biorefineries. These valorisation routes encompass the improvement of the fermentation process as well as metabolic engineering techniques for the introduction of heterologous pathways, resorting mainly to Kluyveromyces sp. and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. The solutions and challenges of the several strategies will be unveiled and explored in this review.

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Terpenes and Terpenoids: Building Blocks to Produce Biopolymers

Sustainable Chemistry ◽

10.3390/suschem2030026 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 467-492

Author(s):

Marta. E. G. Mosquera ◽

Gerardo Jiménez ◽

Vanessa Tabernero ◽

Joan Vinueza-Vaca ◽

Carlos García-Estrada ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Circular Economy ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

Fossil Fuel ◽

Chemical Properties ◽

Value Added ◽

Building Blocks ◽

Catalytic Systems ◽

Economy Model ◽

Value Added Products ◽

And Chemical Properties

Polymers are essential materials in our daily life. The synthesis of value-added polymers is mainly performed from fossil fuel-derived monomers. However, the adoption of the circular economy model based on the bioeconomy will reduce the dependence on fossil fuels. In this context, biorefineries have emerged to convert biomass into bioenergy and produce high value-added products, including molecules that can be further used as building blocks for the synthesis of biopolymers and bioplastics. The achievement of catalytic systems able to polymerize the natural monomer counterparts, such as terpenes or terpenoids, is still a challenge in the development of polymers with good mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties. This review describes the most common types of bioplastics and biopolymers and focuses specifically on the polymerization of terpenes and terpenoids, which represent a source of promising monomers to create bio-based polymers and copolymers.

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Cheese Whey Processing: Integrated Biorefinery Concepts and Emerging Food Applications

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods8080347 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (8) ◽

pp. 347 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Iliada Lappa ◽

Aikaterini Papadaki ◽

Vasiliki Kachrimanidou ◽

Antonia Terpou ◽

Dionysios Koulougliotis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Circular Economy ◽

Cheese Whey ◽

Whey Proteins ◽

Value Added ◽

Organic Load ◽

Full Potential ◽

Integrated Biorefinery ◽

Food Applications ◽

Novel Products ◽

Value Added Products

Cheese whey constitutes one of the most polluting by-products of the food industry, due to its high organic load. Thus, in order to mitigate the environmental concerns, a large number of valorization approaches have been reported; mainly targeting the recovery of whey proteins and whey lactose from cheese whey for further exploitation as renewable resources. Most studies are predominantly focused on the separate implementation, either of whey protein or lactose, to configure processes that will formulate value-added products. Likewise, approaches for cheese whey valorization, so far, do not exploit the full potential of cheese whey, particularly with respect to food applications. Nonetheless, within the concept of integrated biorefinery design and the transition to circular economy, it is imperative to develop consolidated bioprocesses that will foster a holistic exploitation of cheese whey. Therefore, the aim of this article is to elaborate on the recent advances regarding the conversion of whey to high value-added products, focusing on food applications. Moreover, novel integrated biorefining concepts are proposed, to inaugurate the complete exploitation of cheese whey to formulate novel products with diversified end applications. Within the context of circular economy, it is envisaged that high value-added products will be reintroduced in the food supply chain, thereby enhancing sustainability and creating “zero waste” processes.

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT OF BIO-ECONOMY IN THE FOOD AND TOURISM INDUSTRY

Knowledge International Journal ◽

10.35120/kij28051681g ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 28 (5) ◽

pp. 1681-1684

Author(s):

Georgi Toskov ◽

Ana Yaneva ◽

Stanko Stankov ◽

Hafize Fidan

Keyword(s):

National Level ◽

Value Added ◽

Tourism Industry ◽

Small Companies ◽

Food Sector ◽

Strategic Development ◽

Innovation Potential ◽

Wide Range ◽

Foreign Brands ◽

Value Added Products

The European Commission defines the bioeconomy as "the production of renewable biological resources and the conversion of these resources and waste streams into value added products, such as food, feed, bio-based products and bioenergy. Its sectors and industries have strong innovation potential due to their use of a wide range of sciences, enabling and industrial technologies, along with local and implied knowledge." The Bulgarian food industry faces a lot of challenges on the local and national level, which have direct influence on the structure of the production companies. Most of the enterprises from the food sector produce under foreign brands in order to be flexible partners to the large Bulgarian retail chains. The small companies from the food sector are not able to develop as an independent competitive producer on the territory of their local markets. This kind of companies rarely has a working strategy for positioning on new markets. In order to consolidate their already built positions for long period of time, the producers are trying to optimize their operations in a short term. However, the unclear vision of the companies for the business segment does not allow them to fully develop. Tourism in Bulgaria is a significant contributor to the country's economy.

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Oxidized indium with transformable dimensions for CO2 electroreduction toward formate aided by oxygen vacancies

Sustainable Energy & Fuels ◽

10.1039/d0se00498g ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (7) ◽

pp. 3726-3731

Author(s):

Fenghui Ye ◽

Jinghui Gao ◽

Yilin Chen ◽

Yunming Fang

Keyword(s):

Crucial Role ◽

Oxygen Vacancies ◽

Value Added ◽

Promising Technique ◽

Co2 Electroreduction ◽

Value Added Products

Electroreduction of CO2 into value-added products is a promising technique in which the structure of the catalyst plays a crucial role.

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β-Galactosidases from a Sequence-Based Metagenome: Cloning, Expression, Purification and Characterization

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9010055 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 55

Author(s):

María Florencia Eberhardt ◽

José Matías Irazoqui ◽

Ariel Fernando Amadio

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Species ◽

Value Added ◽

Raw Material ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Treatment Technology ◽

Catalytic Domains ◽

Stabilization Ponds ◽

Cazy Database ◽

Genes Encoding ◽

Value Added Products

Stabilization ponds are a common treatment technology for wastewater generated by dairy industries. Large proportions of cheese whey are thrown into these ponds, creating an environmental problem because of the large volume produced and the high biological and chemical oxygen demands. Due to its composition, mainly lactose and proteins, it can be considered as a raw material for value-added products, through physicochemical or enzymatic treatments. β-Galactosidases (EC 3.2.1.23) are lactose modifying enzymes that can transform lactose in free monomers, glucose and galactose, or galactooligosacharides. Here, the identification of novel genes encoding β-galactosidases, identified via whole-genome shotgun sequencing of the metagenome of dairy industries stabilization ponds is reported. The genes were selected based on the conservation of catalytic domains, comparing against the CAZy database, and focusing on families with β-galactosidases activity (GH1, GH2 and GH42). A total of 394 candidate genes were found, all belonging to bacterial species. From these candidates, 12 were selected to be cloned and expressed. A total of six enzymes were expressed, and five cleaved efficiently ortho-nitrophenyl-β-galactoside and lactose. The activity levels of one of these novel β-galactosidase was higher than other enzymes reported from functional metagenomics screening and higher than the only enzyme reported from sequence-based metagenomics. A group of novel mesophilic β-galactosidases from diary stabilization ponds’ metagenomes was successfully identified, cloned and expressed. These novel enzymes provide alternatives for the production of value-added products from dairy industries’ by-products.

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Milk Fat Globule Membrane Proteome and Micronutrients in the Milk Lipid Fraction: Insights into Milk Bioactive Compounds

Dairy ◽

10.3390/dairy2020018 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 202-217

Author(s):

Michele Manoni ◽

Donata Cattaneo ◽

Sharon Mazzoleni ◽

Carlotta Giromini ◽

Antonella Baldi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Milk Fat ◽

Lipid Fraction ◽

Value Added ◽

Milk Lipid ◽

Milk Fat Globule Membrane ◽

Fat Globules ◽

Milk Fat Globules ◽

Milk Fat Globule ◽

Fat Globule ◽

Value Added Products

Milk lipids are composed of milk fat globules (MFGs) surrounded by the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM). MFGM protects MFGs from coalescence and enzymatic degradation. The milk lipid fraction is a “natural solvent” for macronutrients such as phospholipids, proteins and cholesterol, and micronutrients such as minerals and vitamins. The research focused largely on the polar lipids of MFGM, given their wide bioactive properties. In this review we discussed (i) the composition of MFGM proteome and its variations among species and phases of lactation and (ii) the micronutrient content of human and cow’s milk lipid fraction. The major MFGM proteins are shared among species, but the molecular function and protein expression of MFGM proteins vary among species and phases of lactation. The main minerals in the milk lipid fraction are iron, zinc, copper and calcium, whereas the major vitamins are vitamin A, β-carotene, riboflavin and α-tocopherol. The update and the combination of this knowledge could lead to the exploitation of the MFGM proteome and the milk lipid fraction at nutritional, biological or technological levels. An example is the design of innovative and value-added products, such as MFGM-supplemented infant formulas.

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