Biowastes for biodegradable bioplastics production and end-of-life scenarios in circular bioeconomy and biorefinery concept

Sameh S Ali; Tamer Elsamahy; Esraa A Abdelkarim; Rania Al-Tohamy; Michael Kornaros; Héctor A Ruiz; Tong Zhao; Fanghua Li; Jianzhong Sun

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127869

Biowastes for biodegradable bioplastics production and end-of-life scenarios in circular bioeconomy and biorefinery concept

Bioresour Technol. 2022 Nov:363:127869. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127869. Epub 2022 Sep 5.

Authors

Sameh S Ali¹, Tamer Elsamahy², Esraa A Abdelkarim², Rania Al-Tohamy², Michael Kornaros³, Héctor A Ruiz⁴, Tong Zhao⁵, Fanghua Li⁶, Jianzhong Sun⁷

Affiliations

¹ Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt. Electronic address: samh@ujs.edu.cn.
² Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
³ Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering & Environmental Technology (LBEET), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, 1 Karatheodori Str., University Campus, Patras 26504, Greece.
⁴ Biorefinery Group, Food Research Department, School of Chemistry, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila 25280, Mexico.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China.
⁶ State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China. Electronic address: fanghuahope01@hit.edu.cn.
⁷ Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China. Electronic address: jzsun1002@ujs.edu.cn.

PMID: 36064080
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127869

Abstract

Due to global urbanization, industrialization, and economic development, biowastes generation represents negative consequences on the environment and human health. The use of generated biowastes as a feedstock for biodegradable bioplastic production has opened a new avenue for environmental sustainability from the circular (bio)economy standpoint. Biodegradable bioplastic production can contribute to the sustainability pillars (environmental, economic, and social). Furthermore, bioenergy, biomass, and biopolymers production after recycling of biodegradable bioplastic can help to maintain the energy-environment balance. Several types of biodegradable bioplastic, such as starch-based, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polylactic acid, and polybutylene adipate terephthalate, can achieve this aim. In this review, an overview of the main biowastes valorization routes and the main biodegradable bioplastic types of production, application, and biodegradability are discussed to achieve the transition to the circular economy. Additionally, end-of-life scenarios (up-cycle and down-cycle) are reviewed to attain the maximum environmental, social, and economic benefit from biodegradable bioplastic products under biorefinery concept.

Keywords: Bioeconomey; Bioplastics; Biorefinery; Biowaste; Life cycle assessment.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Adipates
Biomass
Humans
Polyhydroxyalkanoates*
Recycling
Starch

Substances

Adipates
Polyhydroxyalkanoates
Starch