Cavitation as a zero-waste circular economy process to convert citrus processing waste into biopolymers in high demand

Abstract

Acoustic cavitation applied to untreated citrus processing waste converts it in one pot in highly bioactive “IntegroPectin” pectin and highly micronized cellulose “CytroCell” of low crystallinity. Starting from pigmented sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) biowaste, we use an industrial sonicator to demonstrate the general viability of cavitation carried out in water only as a zero-waste circular economy process to convert an abundant agro-industrial waste in two biopolymers in high and increasing demand for multiple applications.