Sustainable valorisation pathways mitigating environmental pollution from brewers' spent grains.

Environ Pollut

National Technical University of Athens, School of Chemical Engineering, Unit of Environmental Science Technology, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Str., Zographou Campus, Athens, GR-15780, Greece. Electronic address:

Published: February 2021

In this work, valorisation pathways of brewers' spent grains (BSG) towards biofuels production under the biorefinery concept were studied utilizing experimental data that provide a common base for straightforward comparison. The dehydration and the recovery of used oil, bioethanol and biogas from BSG were studied. The process units involved were thoroughly investigated and optimized. The oil extraction efficiency reached up to 70% using solid-liquid extraction process with hexane as solvent. The optimal ethanol yield achieved was 45% after the application of acid pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis with CellicCTec2 and fermentation with S. Cerevisiae. As far as biogas potential is concerned, the raw BSG, defatted BSG and stillage presented values equal to 379 ± 19, 235 ± 21 and 168 ± 39 mL biogas/g for respectively. Through the combination of the proposed schemes, three biorefinery scenarios were set up able to produce biodiesel, bioethanol and/or biogas. Material flow diagrams were set up in order to assess these schemes. Given that BSG could ensure 'green' energy production in the range of 4.5-7.0 million MJ/y if the European BSG potential is fully valorised, BSG could substantially contribute to the biofuel energy strategy.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116069DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

valorisation pathways
8
brewers' spent
8
spent grains
8
bsg
7
sustainable valorisation
4
pathways mitigating
4
mitigating environmental
4
environmental pollution
4
pollution brewers'
4
grains work
4

Similar Publications

A synthetic methylotroph achieves accelerated cell growth by alleviating transcription-replication conflicts.

Nat Commun

January 2025

School of Biotechnology and Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wux, China.

Microbial utilization of methanol for valorization is an effective way to advance green bio-manufacturing technology. Although synthetic methylotrophs have been developed, strategies to enhance their cell growth rate and internal regulatory mechanism remain underexplored. In this study, we design a synthetic methanol assimilation (SMA) pathway containing only six enzymes linked to central carbon metabolism, which does not require energy and carbon emissions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The depletion of fossil resources, coupled with global warming and adverse environmental impact of traditional petroleum-based plastics, have necessitated the discovery of renewable resources and innovative biodegradable materials. Lignocellulosic biomass (LB) emerges as a highly promising, sustainable and eco-friendly approach for accumulating polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), as it completely bypasses the problem of "competition for food". This sustainable and economically efficient feedstock has the potential to lower PHA production costs and facilitate its competitive commercialization, and support the principles of circular bioeconomy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Marine Invasive Algae's Bioactive Ingredients as a Sustainable Pathway in Cosmetics: The Azores Islands as a Case Study.

Mar Drugs

December 2024

Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.

Marine invasive species pose significant ecological, economic, and social challenges, disrupting native ecosystems, outcompeting local species and altering biodiversity. The spread of these species is largely driven by global trade, shipping, and climate change, which allow non-native species to establish themselves in new environments. Current management strategies, including early detection, rapid response, and biosecurity measures, have had some success, but the complexity and scale of the problem require continuous monitoring.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Contamination of chars with dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCB) significantly limits their use and hinders their deployment in the circular bioeconomy, specifically in applications that may lead to dietary exposure. Here, for the first time, we review the levels of contamination of chars produced from pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) with dl-PCB congeners. We conduct a detailed and critical examination of the role played by the processing parameters, such as temperature and residence time, and the reaction mechanisms, to detoxify the biomass under an oxygen-free atmosphere during its valorisation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study introduces a novel one-pot strategy for the chemical valorization of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), coupling its base-catalyzed depolymerization with the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of trimethylene carbonate (TMC). The process exploits an eutectic mixture of lactide (LA) and TMC, which lowers the thermal input required for PLA degradation. Using potassium aryloxide (KOArtBu) as a bifunctional catalyst, the PLA is first quickly hydrolyzed into oligomers or lactic acid, which subsequently initiate the slower polymerization of TMC.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!