Newton Fund: From orange waste to chemicals: contributions of an integrated biorefinery approach towards sustainable development in Brazil

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There is a pressing need for the use of renewable resources within cascading circular economies to create sustainable production and processing systems. Within this context, biorefineries are vital, as facilities for the conversion of biomass into multiple value-added products, creating flexible, zero waste networks using a variety of 'low' value local feedstocks and contributing significantly to a bio-economy. The main objective of this collaborative project is to strengthen the research network between the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence (GCCE, the University of York, UK) and the Natural Products Research Group (NPRG, Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil) around valorization of the Brazilian citrus chain waste, based on biorefinery and green chemistry concepts. A techno-economic and environmental assessment of a proposed whole Brazilian citrus chain biorefinery will be performed using methods developed by the SEI green-economy group, including Life Cycle Assessment, encompassing food, energy, water, environmental and social impacts. Initial studies within both groups indicate that there is a wide spectrum of valuable compounds within orange waste that can be economically recovered and modified using green extraction and formulation techniques at both a lab- and larger-scale (including flavonoids, pectin, cellulose, d-Limonene, terpineol, waxes, alkanes, sugars, among others that can be used as additives for personal care products, flavour and fragrances, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, bio-solvents, biopolymers and active ingredients for insect repellents). However, an integrated biorefinary approach to citrus chain waste needs to be further explored and advanced, particularly considering specific Brazilian economic, social and environmental characteristics and to further develop potential uses of higher value compounds. Within this project, events (workshops, conferences, courses, lectures and scientific meetings) and short-research stays will aim to transfer knowledge and technological expertise and will be of utmost importance in building long-term partnerships between the GCCE and NPRG groups, who are considered references within their areas of expertise across the world (e.g., green technologies and waste valorization at GCCE, sustainable agriculture and natural insect control at NPRG). The creation of links between these groups will aim to generate immediate results as well as future research proposals on orange waste exploitation, contributing to sustainable development in Brazil. This innovative initiative will also support the development of a new Centre of Excellence in Green Chemistry and Sustainability based in São Carlos (SP), as a full member of the Global Network of Green Chemistry Centres (G2C2). The Centre will promote and deepen dialogue between the academia, government and industry sectors, helping to constitute a better equipped community to develop excellent research outcomes and related activities around sustainability and green chemistry within Brazil.