Possibilities for Waste valorisation: the
concept of modular biorefineries
Prof. Rafael Luque
DEPARTAMENTO DE QUÍMICA ORGÁNICA,
UNIVERSIDAD DE CÓRDOBA
http://www.uco.es/~q62alsor/
Produce Use Dispose
ITS ALWAYS THE SAME THING………
Produce Use Dispose
Reduce
Re-use
Recycle
Something wrong with this?
What do we do?
Heterogeneous catalysis
(acid-base, redox, C-C y
C-heteroatom couplings)
Microwave assisted
catalysis
Flow Chemistry
Supramolecular gels
Nanomaterials
Supported nanoparticles
Microwave nanocatalysis
Mechanochemistry (milling)
Transformations of
platform molecules
Biomass valorisation
Biofuels production
Waste valorisation
(biorefineries)
Group leader: Alina M. Balu
Group Leader:
Weiyi Ouyang
Group Leader:
Sudipta De
Feedstock(s)
biological raw materials
Environmentally benign
Processing Technologies
Food, chemical products and
energy
• Food and feed grain
• Ligno-cellulosic biomass
• Waste
• Green Chemical Processes
• Bio-processes
• Thermal processes
• Physical processes
Integrated facilities that can convert a variety of bio-feedstocks into energy,
chemicals and other valuable materials cleanly and efficiently maximising
the value of the biomass and minimizing waste
BIOREFINERIES
WASTE TO WEALTH: FROM RESIDUES TO MARKETABLE PRODUCTS
Paint additives Biodegradable plastics
Personal care products
Coatings and unguents Other derivatives (chemicals, fuels, etc.)
Green technologies (e.g. microwaves, extraction, fractionation)
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Biorefinery: The big picture
HEMICELLULOSE
LIGNIN CELLULOSE
MINOR CONSTITUENTS
Knowing chemical composition is the
key to success!!!
Lignocellulosics
ChemSocRev 2011
Green Chem 2014
ChemSocRev 2014
FUELS
CHEMICALS
Wheat
BioreactionDownstream processing Succinic
acid
Derivatives
Upstream processing
Succinic acid as a C4 building block
HO
OH
H2N
NH2
O
O
H2N
NH2
NC
CN
O
O
O
O
H3C
CH3
O
OO
NO
H
NO
CH3
HO
OH
O
O Succinic acid
Tetrahydrofuran (THF)
2-Pyrrolidone
N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone
(NMP)
Succinonitrile
1,4-Diaminobutane
Succindiamide
1,4-Butanediol
(BDO)γ-Butyrolactone
(GBL)
Dimethyl succinate
(DBE)
4,4-Bionolle
(polyester)
Applications: solvents, adhesives, printing inks, magnetic tapes, coating resins, plasticizer/emulsifier,
de-icing compounds, herbicide ingredient, chemical and pharmaceutical intermediates
properties
applications
Ability to functionalise
i.e. acid, basic, metallic
Different forms including
particles & monoliths
Range of composites
High to low conductivity
Fuel cells
adsorbency
catalysis
Water purification
chromatography
Higher temperature materials stable
to hot water & organic solvents
High mesoporosity, surface areas
and surface energies
From Starch to Starbon®
With the mighty team
at York (UK)
Extraction of Phytosterols
(cholesterol-reducing agents)
Biores. Technol. 2012, Carb. Polym. 2013; Green Chem 2013; JMaterChem B 2014; Nature Commun. 20155
BIOMASS VALORISATION (II)… with
INCAR (Oviedo) MIP concept
RSC Adv. 2014
Gracillaria gracilis
Table 1. Biochemical composition (% d.w.) of Gracilaria
gracilis sampled in the Lesina lagoon (Italy).
Total Lipids 1.98
Fatty Acids Methyl Esters 0.47
Proteins 30.93
Carbohydrates 27.54
Ashes 27.89
(EES 2012)
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Green Chem. 2011, 13, 3162
FOOD WASTE VALORISATION (I)… with Rick
Arancon (Ateneo Uni)
2 FOOD WASTE RESIDUES:
CORNCOBS, WASTE BREAD, OTHERS
+
WASTE COOKING OILS
2 VALUABLE PRODUCTS:
CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL (CATALYST)
+
BIODIESEL
Gasification
residue
J. Natural Gas Chem.
2012, 21, 246
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Materials 2013, 6, 1599
Materials 2013, 6, 4641
FOOD WASTE VALORISATION (II)… with
Jaume Cot (IQAC)
FROM SLAUGHTER WASTE TO BIO-HEALING NATURAL POLYMERS (BIO-COLLAGEN)
TREATMENT OF WOUND HEALING IN RATS
Green Chem. 2012, 14, 308
PCT Patent 2013
http://www.uco.es/~q62alsor/
Porous materials
FOOD WASTE VALORISATION (III):
Microwave-assisted
extraction:
-simple
-rapid (5-10 min)
-efficient
Unique form of
mesoporous
cellulose
ChemSusChem, 2012; Energy Env. Sci. 2013
ChemSusChem 2013
Green Chem. 2013
Conclusions
Biomaterials Speciality chemicals
CHEMICAL INDUSTRIAL
PRODUCTS
MATERIALS, CHEMICALS &
FUELS
Biopolymers
Platform molecules
BIOMASS &
WASTE
Commodity chemicals
T. U. Gerngross, Nature Biotechnology, 17, (1999), 541 - 544
Some food for thought….
• The synthesis of 1 kg of
polystyrene requires a total of 2.26
kg of fossil oil (1 kg to generate
electricity and 1.26 kg to serve as
feedstocks for polymer production).
• The production of 1 kg of PHAs
requires 2.39 kg of fossil resources.
Simply deriving chemical
products from renewable
resources is NOT ENOUGH!
Real environmental benefit?
Biodegradability?
Toxicity?
SAFETY!!!
Many thanks for your attention!!
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