Biorefinery of Biomass Residues for the Production of High Value Compounds and Biofuels

Abstract:
The growing demand for food and agricultural products has led to a surge in waste streams. Despite the challenges, sustainable solutions can turn these waste products into high-value goods by adopting circular economy principles. The organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) has the potential to be converted into green energy, such as biofuels and biogas, contributing to the green revolution. Halophyte straw, a newer form of agricultural waste, can also be used to produce valuable products such as nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and high-quality animal feed. By commercializing and cultivating salt-tolerant halophytes, soil salinity issues can be prevented, soil degradation can be halted, and natural phytoremediation capabilities can be utilized. Biorefinery platforms can be established to process OFMSW and halophyte straw into multiple green products. The adoption of these sustainable practices promotes sustainability and reduces harm to the environment.
The project goals include optimizing the pretreatments and fermentation of OFMSW, green extraction and characterization of bioactive compounds from halophytes, purification and stabilization of extracted compounds, probiotic fermentation of green juice, utilization of extract-free halophyte biomass, and building scale-up process simulation models for a pilot-scale biorefinery. The methods used will involve testing different extraction and fermentation techniques and analysing the results using various methods.
The successful completion of the research objectives will yield outcomes that can contribute to sustainable development in rural marginal areas, enhance the economic status of local communities, and tackle food security and circular economy challenges. This will be achieved through a profitable green biorefinery that utilizes both OFMSW and halophytes to produce various products, including bioactive phytochemicals, feed proteins, lipids, and more.


Funding: This Ph.D. project is part of the IGNITION research project, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101084651.