Terephthalic acid from renewable sources: early-stage sustainability analysis of a bio-PET precursor

Volanti, Mirco; Cespi, Daniele; Passarini, Fabrizio; Neri, Esmeralda; Cavani, Fabrizio; Mizsey, Péter; Fózer, Dániel

doi:10.1039/c8gc03666g

Cited by 95 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…It is therefore necessary to verify the environmental sustainability of biobased and CO 2 -based solutions using quantitative evaluations, such as life cycle assessment (LCA). For example, a comparison of biobased TPA (produced from corn, sugarcane and orange peel) and TPA produced from oil [ 24 ] revealed that first-generation raw materials (corn and sugarcane) had a similar environmental impact to oil, mainly due to the depletion of resources and the extra land required for crop cultivation. In contrast, the biobased route involving second-generation materials, specifically the upcycling of side-streams such as orange peel, achieved the most sustainable solution with the lowest environmental impact because it did not involve resource extraction or land use and made use of resources that would otherwise be wasted.…”

Section: Production Phasementioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the polyester clothing value chain to identify key intervention points for sustainability

2021

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Clothing is one of the primary human needs, and the demand is met by the global production of thousands of tons of textile fibers, fabrics and garments every day. Polyester clothing manufactured from oil-based polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the market leader. Conventional PET creates pollution along its entire value chain—during the production, use and end-of-life phases—and also contributes to the unsustainable depletion of resources. The consumption of PET garments thus compromises the quality of land, water and air, destroys ecosystems, and endangers human health. In this article, we discuss the different stages of the value chain for polyester clothing from the perspective of sustainability, describing current environmental challenges such as pollution from textile factory wastewater, and microfibers released from clothing during the laundry cycle. We also consider potential solutions such as enhanced reuse and recycling. Finally, we propose a series of recommendations that should be applied to polyester clothing at all stages along the value chain, offering the potential for meaningful and effective change to improve the environmental sustainability of polyester textiles on a global scale.

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Section: Production Phasementioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the polyester clothing value chain to identify key intervention points for sustainability

2021

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“…The major influencing factors for the development of bio-based plastics are the technological barriers that must be overcome in order to reach a large-scale production, the suitability of these materials to be used as bulk materials, their competitiveness in terms of cost with respect to petroleum-derived ones and the availability of raw materials for their synthesis. A very interesting paper is that of Volanti et al [75], which reports a sustainable analysis used to estimate the environmental performance of three routes followed to obtain bio-PTA for the synthesis of bio-PET: from sweet corn, from sugar beet and maize grain, and from orange peels. The results were compared with traditional technology.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bio-Polyethylene (Bio-PE), Bio-Polypropylene (Bio-PP) and Bio-Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (Bio-PET): Recent Developments in Bio-Based Polymers Analogous to Petroleum-Derived Ones for Packaging and Engineering Applications

2020

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In recent year, there has been increasing concern about the growing amount of plastic waste coming from daily life. Different kinds of synthetic plastics are currently used for an extensive range of needs, but in order to reduce the impact of petroleum-based plastics and material waste, considerable attention has been focused on “green” plastics. In this paper, we present a broad review on the advances in the research and development of bio-based polymers analogous to petroleum-derived ones. The main interest for the development of bio-based materials is the strong public concern about waste, pollution and carbon footprint. The sustainability of those polymers, for general and specific applications, is driven by the great progress in the processing technologies that refine biomass feedstocks in order to obtain bio-based monomers that are used as building blocks. At the same time, thanks to the industrial progress, it is possible to obtain more versatile and specific chemical structures in order to synthetize polymers with ad-hoc tailored properties and functionalities, with engineering applications that include packaging but also durable and electronic goods. In particular, three types of polymers were described in this review: Bio-polyethylene (Bio-PE), bio-polypropylene (Bio-PP) and Bio-poly(ethylene terephthalate) (Bio-PET). The recent advances in their development in terms of processing technologies, product development and applications, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, are reported.

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“…Indeed, it is interesting to note that the advantageous barrier properties of PEF over PET are most commonly underlined in the introductory sections of any new scientific publication or other communications related to PEF, and this review is no exception. This is definitely a very heavy argument in favor of PEF which, in addition to its renewable-based origin and its favorable atomic balance (i.e., C 6 sugars give C 6 FDCA) could make a clear-cut difference compared with e.g., bio- PET (Volanti et al, 2019 ) and other biobased polyesters such as PLA or PBS, although bioeconomic aspects will lead this fight in the end.…”

Section: Structure-properties Relationshipsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Perspective on PEF Synthesis, Properties, and End-Life

et al. 2020

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This critical review considers the extensive research and development dedicated, in the last years, to a single polymer, the poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate), usually simply referred to as PEF. PEF importance stems from the fact that it is based on renewable resources, typically prepared from C6 sugars present in biomass feedstocks, for its resemblance to the high-performance poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and in terms of barrier properties even outperforming PET. For the first time synthesis, properties, and end-life targeting-a more sustainable PEF-are critically reviewed. The emphasis is placed on how synthetic roots to PEF evolved toward the development of greener processes based on ring open polymerization, enzymatic synthesis, or the use of ionic liquids; together with a broader perspective on PEF end-life, highlighting recycling and (bio)degradation solutions.

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Terephthalic acid from renewable sources: early-stage sustainability analysis of a bio-PET precursor

Abstract: The present work compares, from a life cycle perspective, four different ways for the production of terephthalic acid.

Cited by 95 publications

References 35 publications

Analysis of the polyester clothing value chain to identify key intervention points for sustainability

Analysis of the polyester clothing value chain to identify key intervention points for sustainability

Bio-Polyethylene (Bio-PE), Bio-Polypropylene (Bio-PP) and Bio-Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (Bio-PET): Recent Developments in Bio-Based Polymers Analogous to Petroleum-Derived Ones for Packaging and Engineering Applications

A Perspective on PEF Synthesis, Properties, and End-Life

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