Degradation of biodegradable bioplastics under thermophilic anaerobic digestion: A full-scale approach

Cucina, Mirko; Carlet, Lara; Nisi, Patrizia De; Somensi, Cléder A.; Giordano, Andrea; Adani, Fabrizio

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.133232

Cited by 25 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 46 publications

(79 reference statements)

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“…Understanding the fate of bioplastics in the soil is crucial because digestate leftovers from bioplastics can escape into the ground. Starch-based and PLAbased bioplastics were reported to degrade in soil between 1.5 and 4.5 years [28,29]. These timeframes are significantly less than the times needed for the decomposition of petroleumderived plastics in soil (1000-5000 years), even though they are longer than those reported for the degradation of bioplastics during anaerobic digestion and composting [3].…”

Section: Luo Et Al (2019)mentioning

confidence: 98%

Pilot-Scale Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Food Waste and Polylactic Acid

Maragkaki

Tsompanidis²,

Velonia

et al. 2023

Sustainability

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Bioplastics are frequently utilized in daily life, particularly for food packaging and carrier bags. They can be delivered to biogas plants through a separate collection of the organic fraction of municipal waste (OFMSW). The increased demand for and use of bioplastics aimed at mitigating plastic pollution raises significant questions concerning their life cycle and compatibility with waste management units. Anaerobic digestion (AD) in OFMSW is a valuable resource for biogas production. In this work, the valorization of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) composed of food waste within the Biowaste to Bioplastic (B2B) Project framework was studied in laboratory and pilot-scale anaerobic liquid conditions. Taking into account that the addition of PLLA to biowaste can increase biogas production, we performed laboratory-scale anaerobic tests on food waste enriched with different molecular-weight PLLAs produced from food waste or commercial PLLA at a mesophilic temperature of 37 °C. PLLA with the highest molecular weight was subjected to AD on the pilot scale to further validate our findings. The addition of PLLA increased biogas production and had no apparent negative impact on the operation of the reactors used in the laboratory or on the pilot scale. Biogas production was higher when using PLLA with the lowest molecular weight. In the pilot-scale experiments, co-digestion of FW with PLLA increased biogas production by 1.1 times. When PLLA was added to the feed, biomethane was 8% higher, while volatile solids (VS) and total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) removal were almost the same. Importantly, no effect was observed in the operation of the digesters.

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Section: Luo Et Al (2019)mentioning

confidence: 98%

Pilot-Scale Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Food Waste and Polylactic Acid

Maragkaki

Tsompanidis²,

Velonia

et al. 2023

Sustainability

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“…Besides the specific environments where the biodegradation takes place, the bioplastic polymer structure plays a key role during this process. Factors such as surface charge, hydrophilicity, molecular weight, crystallinity, and mechanical and thermal properties significantly influence degradation, particularly when microorganisms are involved [96].…”

Section: Bioplastic Fate In the Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Silver Bionanocomposites as Active Food Packaging: Recent Advances & Future Trends Tackling the Food Waste Crisis

Trotta,

Da Silva,

Massironi

et al. 2023

Polymers

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Food waste is a pressing global challenge leading to over $1 trillion lost annually and contributing up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Extensive study has been directed toward the use of active biodegradable packaging materials to improve food quality, minimize plastic use, and encourage sustainable packaging technology development. However, this has been achieved with limited success, which can mainly be attributed to poor material properties and high production costs. In the recent literature, the integration of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has shown to improve the properties of biopolymer, prompting the development of bionanocomposites. Furthermore, the antibacterial properties of AgNPs against foodborne pathogens leads towards food shelf-life improvement and provides a route towards reducing food waste. However, few reviews have analyzed AgNPs holistically throughout a portfolio of biopolymers from an industrial perspective. Hence, this review critically analyses the antibacterial, barrier, mechanical, thermal, and water resistance properties of AgNP-based bionanocomposites. These advanced materials are also discussed in terms of food packaging applications and assessed in terms of their performance in enhancing food shelf-life. Finally, the current barriers towards the commercialization of AgNP bionanocomposites are critically discussed to provide an industrial action plan towards the development of sustainable packaging materials to reduce food waste.

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“…On the other hand, the cultivation of microalgae can help reduce the concentration of CO 2 in the atmosphere, since for every kg of biomass of microalgae produced, 1.8 kg of CO 2 can be captured in the process [ 160 ]. In addition, as stated above, the rate of decomposition of a bioplastic is lower than that of conventional plastics [ 161 ], so its use would reduce the production of garbage and reduce the use of land for landfills.…”

Section: Environmental Impact Of Bioplasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revalorization of Microalgae Biomass for Synergistic Interaction and Sustainable Applications: Bioplastic Generation

et al. 2022

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Microalgae and cyanobacteria are photosynthetic microorganisms’ sources of renewable biomass that can be used for bioplastic production. These microorganisms have high growth rates, and contrary to other feedstocks, such as land crops, they do not require arable land. In addition, they can be used as feedstock for bioplastic production while not competing with food sources (e.g., corn, wheat, and soy protein). In this study, we review the macromolecules from microalgae and cyanobacteria that can serve for the production of bioplastics, including starch and glycogen, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), cellulose, polylactic acid (PLA), and triacylglycerols (TAGs). In addition, we focus on the cultivation of microalgae and cyanobacteria for wastewater treatment. This approach would allow reducing nutrient supply for biomass production while treating wastewater. Thus, the combination of wastewater treatment and the production of biomass that can serve as feedstock for bioplastic production is discussed. The comprehensive information provided in this communication would expand the scope of interdisciplinary and translational research.

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Degradation of biodegradable bioplastics under thermophilic anaerobic digestion: A full-scale approach

Cited by 25 publications

References 46 publications

Pilot-Scale Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Food Waste and Polylactic Acid

Pilot-Scale Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Food Waste and Polylactic Acid

Silver Bionanocomposites as Active Food Packaging: Recent Advances & Future Trends Tackling the Food Waste Crisis

Revalorization of Microalgae Biomass for Synergistic Interaction and Sustainable Applications: Bioplastic Generation

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