Sustainable Bioeconomy Research Articles

Optimized strategy valorizing unautoclaved cottonseed hull as ruminant alternative feeds via solid-state fermentation: Detoxifying polyphenols, restraining hazardous microflora and antibiotic-resistance gene hosts

Cottonseed hull (CSH), typical agro-industrial byproduct, is widely valorized as ruminant alternative feeds, but many constraints including extensive anti-nutritional factors and indigenous hazardous microflora are still reasonably unsolved. This study proposed a novel strategy that valorizes unautoclaved CSH as ruminant alternative feeds via solid-state fermentation (SSF), where feasibility and microbial mechanism were roundly investigated. The SSF of raw CSH (R group, proposed in this study) was compared with autoclaved CSH (M group, prevalent strategy) based on physicochemical properties, chemical functionalities, and superficial structures. Compared to M group, R group though has exhibited near detoxification effect of polyphenols (81.7% free gossypol (FG) and 62.2% condensed tannin (CT), both below threshold values) after SSF, yet the accumulation of crude protein and fat has been higher (109.3 and 51.0 g/kg dry matter, respectively). Metagenomic analyses indicated the indigenous hazardous microorganisms and antibiotic-resistance genes were prevented from amplification in R group. More importantly, Pleurotus was the keystone contributor to functional gene sets of degrading polyphenols (FG and CT) and lignin during SSF in R group; furthermore, CAZyme gene sets associated with polysaccharide degradation were primarily derived from bacterial communities ( Cellulomonas , and Stenotrophomonas , et al.). Ultimately, microbial SSF of raw CSH can be a feasible strategy with minimum facility investment and energy consumption, thus expediting CSH valorization in feedstock industries and the sustainable bio-economy in developing countries. • SSF valorizing raw cottonseed hull (CSH) as ruminant alternative feeds is feasible. • This strategy facilitates the sustainable bio-economy. • Polyphenols content declined to safe threshold during SSF. • SSF is resilient to animal pathogens and the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. • Functional gene set about polyphenol and lignin degradation is traced from Pleurotus .

Energy Security and Energy Transition to Achieve Carbon Neutrality

Successful energy transitions, also referred to as leapfrog development, present enormous prospects for EU nations to become carbon neutral by shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Along with climate change, EU countries must address energy security and dependency issues, exacerbated by factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, rising energy costs, conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, and political instability. Diversifying energy sources, generating renewable energy, increasing energy efficiency, preventing energy waste, and educating the public about environmental issues are proposed as several strategies. The study draws the conclusion that central European countries may transition to a clean energy economy and become carbon neutral on economic and strategic levels by locating alternative clean energy supply sources, reducing energy use, and producing renewable energy. According to the study, the EU energy industry can be decarbonised and attain energy security using three basic strategies, such as supply diversification, energy savings, and quicker adoption of renewable energy to replace fossil fuels. The energy transformation industry still needs to improve energy efficiency, incorporate a circular and sustainable bioeconomy, and support renewable energies, including solar, wind, hydropower, nuclear, and hydrogen.

Situating a sustainable bioeconomy strategy on a map of justice: a solution and its problems

AbstractThe European Union’s 2018 updated bioeconomy strategy A Sustainable Bioeconomy for Europe: Strengthening the connection between economy, society and the environment aims to fulfill the requirements of sustainability and justice while transitioning economy from fossil-based to bio-based. We ask whether and to what extent the economically ambitious strategy succeeds in achieving its non-economic goals. We present a map of justice that shows the tensions and alliances between key interpretations of equality, identify the definition of sustainability informing the strategy, and show how this definition steers the strategy toward a limited view of justice that is geared to ignore social and ecological concerns. The governance framework that the strategy adheres to is the 2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals approach, which is an outgrowth of the 1987 Brundtland Commission’s view on sustainability. Since this framework forms the basis of many other international environmental agreements, our observations are largely applicable to them, too. From the viewpoint of justice, comprehensively understood, the whole system is, and has since the Brundtland Report been, fundamentally flawed.

Seaweed as a Potential New Source for Starch, Produced in the Sea: A Short Review

AbstractThe social concern with sustainable development encourages the study of new sources of starch; among these sources, the cultivation of macroalgae is a strategy for the development of a sustainable bioeconomy. This mini‐review aims to present the main aspects related to the current seaweed market, the extraction, composition, and properties of starch, as well as its prospects as a sustainable ingredient capable of generating income and health for the world's population. The green algae species Ulva has been suggested as a promising source for starch extraction; however extraction is a challenge mainly due to the difficulty in breaking down the cell walls and isolating the starch granules. The algal starch granule is small (1.7–7 µm), and another characteristic is the high amylose content, above 55%, which may indicate that it is a resistant starch or slow digestion. Seaweed starch still needs to be scaled its production, extraction, and application potential, as a main ingredient or as a co‐product of gum processing, which already have a production chain, as they have great potential as nutraceutical or functional starch for food of low calorie, or for applications as a thickener in the food, cosmetics, and other industries.

A Collaborative, Systems Approach for the Development of Biomass-Based Value Webs: The Case of the Acrocomia Palm

The diversification of biomass resources is key to the transition towards a bioeconomy. Acrocomia spp., a neotropical genus of palms, is an example of plants’ diversity potential for a sustainable bioeconomy. Acrocomia’s adaptability to environments outside rainforests, its specific fruit properties and high yields has generated the interest of researchers and entrepreneurs, triggering its introduction as a multipurpose oil crop. Developing sustainability-oriented and knowledge-based acrocomia value webs requires a collaborative, systems approach from the outset. Fostering an inter- and transdisciplinary dialogue on acrocomia through a participatory workshop with both academic and non-academic actors contributed to this endeavor. This allowed the identification of priorities, knowledge gaps, and stakeholder roles, and served as the basis for the co-creation of a research and development roadmap. Key steps for the introduction of acrocomia include intertwined technical aspects relating to the development of planting material, cultivation systems, processing technologies and applications, market entry, and value web governance aspects. A broad collaboration among scientists, the public and private sectors, farmers, and civil society, is required for the development of acrocomia value webs. The incorporation of sustainability and a consideration of context in the design and development phases are fundamental to fostering the sustainable performance of acrocomia value webs.

Engineering sorghum for higher 4-hydroxybenzoic acid content

Engineering bioenergy crops to accumulate coproducts in planta can increase the value of lignocellulosic biomass and enable a sustainable bioeconomy. In this study, we engineered sorghum with a bacterial gene encoding a chorismate pyruvate-lyase (ubiC) to reroute the plastidial pool of chorismate from the shikimate pathway into the valuable compound 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA). A gene encoding a feedback-resistant version of 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulonate-7-phosphate synthase (aroG) was also introduced in an attempt to increase the carbon flux through the shikimate pathway. At the full maturity and senesced stage, two independent lines that co-express ubiC and aroG produced 1.5 and 1.7 dw% of 4-HBA in biomass, which represents 36- and 40-fold increases compared to the titer measured in wildtype. The two transgenic lines showed no obvious phenotypes, growth defects, nor alteration of cell wall polysaccharide content when cultivated under controlled conditions. In the field, when harvested before grain maturity, transgenic lines contained 0.8 and 1.2 dw% of 4-HBA, which represent economically relevant titers based on recent technoeconomic analysis. Only a slight reduction (11–15%) in biomass yield was observed in transgenics grown under natural environment. This work provides the first metabolic engineering steps toward 4-HBA overproduction in the bioenergy crop sorghum to improve the economics of biorefineries by accumulating a value-added coproduct that can be recovered from biomass and provide an additional revenue stream.

High Levels of Policosanols and Phytosterols from Sugar Mill Waste by Subcritical Liquefied Dimethyl Ether.

Extracting nutraceuticals with high value from bagasse, filter mud, and sugarcane leaves discarded as sugar mill by-products, is crucial for the development of a sustainable bio-economy. These by-products are important sources of policosanols and phytosterols, which have a cholesterol-lowering effect. This research focused on using a promising green technology, subcritical liquefied dimethyl ether extraction, with a low pressure of 0.8 MPa, to extract policosanols and phytosterols and on application of pretreatments to increase their contents. For direct extraction by subcritical liquefied dimethyl ether without sample pretreatment, the highest extraction yield (7.4%) and policosanol content were found in sugarcane leaves at 2888 mg/100 g, while the highest and lowest phytosterol contents were found in filter mud at 20,878.75 mg/100 g and sugarcane leaves at 10,147.75 mg/100 g, respectively. Pretreatment of filter mud by ultrasonication in hexane solution together with transesterification before the second subcritical liquefied dimethyl ether extraction successfully increased the policosanol content, with an extract purity of 60%, but failed to increase the phytosterol content.

Screening the extraction process of phenolic compounds from pressed grape seed residue: Towards an integrated and sustainable management of viticultural waste

The integrated valorisation of waste from the food chain to obtain value-added compounds with biological functionality will facilitate the transition to the era of a sustainable bioeconomy. To this end, an efficient matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) extraction method was developed and optimized, using experimental factorial design and response surface methodology, for polyphenols recovery from pressed grape seeds obtained after the extraction of essential oils by cold pressing. Gallic, dihydroxybenzoic, p-coumaric and trans-ferulic acid, naringin, resveratrol, quercetin and kaempferol were quantified at 2.1–295 μg g−1 by capillary liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array detector and a mass analyser (cLC-DAD-MS). Furthermore, total antioxidant activity, free radical scavenging and lipid peroxidation suppression, together with the inhibition of beta-amyloid (Αβ42) protein aggregation, considered one of the main pathological effects of Alzheimer's disease, were evaluated. Potent lipid peroxidation inhibition (IC50 0.238 ± 0.003 ng g−1) was observed, along with the reduction of Αβ42 fibril width (9.4–54.8%) and aggregation. The results presented proved that the MSPD extraction method could be considered as an efficient and sustainable methodology to produce phenolic-rich extracts that may serve as an alternative antioxidant and neuroprotective ingredient for the food or pharmaceutical formulations, leading to the cascade valorisation of winery by-products.

Reducing Global Warming Potential Impact of Bio-Based Composites Based of LCA

The view towards a sustainable bioeconomy is increasing the interest of using renewable natural resources in the production of composites. Until now, the production of sustainable composites has been mainly examined from the point of view of material composition and structure, by replacing petroleum-based components with those that are obtained from renewable resources known as natural fiber composites (NFCs). The usefulness of newly acquired materials is mostly evaluated considering their performance and economic costs, whereas the aspect of environmental protection is underestimated. The impact of composites that are made from renewable resources is examined within the two parts of this study—the first part compares different nitrogen (N) fertilization scenarios for plant origin (hemp and flax) fibers. When compared, hemp crops show higher CO2 accumulation, (−1.57 kg CO2 eq) than flax (−1.27 kg CO2 eq). In addition, the environmental impact of both fiber types is compared to polyamide composites, one of the traditionally used materials in the automotive industry in the second part of this study. According to the conducted life cycle assessment, Flax/PLA emits 1.19 kg CO2 eq per 1 kg composite, Hemp/PLA 1.7 kg CO2 eq per 1 kg composite, and PA66/GF 9.14 kg CO2 eq per 1 kg composite. After the comparison, it was concluded that bio-based composites are able to ensure lower CO2 emissions, because CO2 is accumulated and stored in the fibers, however the traditionally used composites are able to provide a lower impact in other environmental categories.

Insights into the Sustainable Development of the Bioeconomy at the European Level, in the Context of the Desired Clean Environment.

The increasing awareness of the impact of global climate change has brought bio-based projects back into consideration. Thus, having as supports the reality of the troubling scenario that threatens the entire ecosystem and the up-to-date theoretical discourse and debate on sustainable development, this article aims to investigate the socio-economic and institutional determinants that trigger the dynamics of the bioeconomy value added indicator—a valuable instrument developed and recently launched by the EU’s BioMonitor project. Using a panel corrected standard errors framework, we find that investment in human development along with innovation, the growing role of women and sound public governance have a positive effect on the transition towards a durable and resilient bioeconomy at the European level. This naturally implies that a combination of social and technological innovation can ensure the rise of a sustainable bioeconomy.

A comparative analysis of the value of recreation in six contrasting Nordic landscapes using the travel cost method

Nordic landscapes provide recreational benefits to local, national, and international visitors. Nordic countries are, however, actively promoting a green shift towards the bioeconomy (that is, an intensification of agriculture and forestry), which may come at the cost of other benefits of Nordic landscapes, such as recreation. Information on recreational benefits and their monetary value is therefore required to outline a more comprehensive bioeconomy policy. For this paper, we estimated the benefits associated with the recreational use of six contrasting landscapes from four Nordic countries in their current environmental conditions, using a travel cost model, with data from a standardised survey of inhabitants and visitors. We found a large variation in the monetary estimates of the current annual recreational benefits from these landscapes, with a variation from 3.1 to 120.8 million € per landscape. We found that different characteristics of these landscapes, such as the visitor structure and visitors’ perceptions of the environmental quality, influence the estimated recreational value. Among the environmental characteristics we tested, we found that water quality and the proportion of nature conservation areas influence the recreational benefits, and need to be considered when making land use and management decisions. Furthermore, it is important that a sustainable bioeconomy policy is developed and implemented in such a way that the potentially negative effects of intensified agriculture and forestry on recreational possibilities are avoided.

New Circular Bioeconomy Business Models for Fruit and Vegetable Waste Valorisation

One of the world’s agrifood system major challenges on the road to sustainability is the prevention of waste. About one third of all food produced is lost or wasted. The fruit and vegetable sector is particularly concerned, because these crops are highly perishable and also contain substantial non-edible parts. Here, business models that valorise fruit and vegetable waste and by-products via circular and sustainable bioeconomy approaches are reviewed. Drivers and waste conversion strategies towards new value propositions and markets are studied. In total, 47 international cases are analysed regarding their business model types, drivers and business model elements, and contribution to sustainable development, based on data gathered from an extensive online search mainly of company websites and reports. Results indicate that worldwide, numerous predominantly micro product and service enterprises have emerged recently, driven by concerns about food waste within a larger circular and sustainable bioeconomy debate. The businesses principally target the highest added-value via redistribution and upcycling strategies, or, if not feasible, recycling and recovering. The contribution to sustainable solutions – along economic, environmental and social dimensions – via business activities and new value propositions is in general explicitly communicated on the firm’s websites, referring to their role in a responsible society.

Contemplating the role of zinc-solubilizing bacteria in crop biofortification: An approach for sustainable bioeconomy

Modern agriculture pays attention to improving agricultural production by producing zinc-enriched crops through zinc-solubilizing bacteria to strengthen the bioeconomy. Zinc deficiency in the soil reduces plant growth and also leads to less uptake of zinc in the edible portion of plants. Therefore, the zinc content in the edible parts of plants can be increased through the biofortification approach. However, most of the biofortification approaches are laborious and need expensive input in routine practices. Therefore, the microbiological biofortification approach may be beneficial in increasing the zinc concentration in plants and improving crop quality with the ultimate benefit of a greener path. The use of microbes may thus be favorable for elevating zinc content in plants and enhancing crop quality, ultimately providing a summation of the role of microorganisms for a greener strategy. In addition, the application of zinc-solubilizing bacteria as a potential biosource represents a cost-effective and alternate biofortification strategy. Zinc-solubilizing bacteria act as natural bio-fortifiers that can solubilize the unavailable form of zinc by secreting organic acids, siderophores, and other chelating compounds. This review thus focuses on zinc-solubilizing bacteria for plant biofortification and their contribution to enhance crop yield and the bioeconomy in a more sustainable manner.

Bioeconomy: A Theoretical Essay on the dimensions of stakeholder's conceptual approaches

The emerging scientific proposition of bioeconomy has been shown to be a development strategy available to countries, producing regions and agents linked to production chains. The principle of bioeconomy is to seek to reduce the negative socio-environmental impacts that the development model, based on fossil fuels, has been causing on the planet. The United Nations works for a new global governance aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, paying special attention to global and territorial demands related to climate change mitigation, the promotion of sustainable agriculture, and the production of cleaner renewable energy. However, promoting a sustainable bioeconomy is not a neutral notion. Each of the stakeholders, researchers, governmental or supranational organizations tend to favor conceptual approaches, which aim to favor local opportunities. Thus, this theoretical essay aims to reflect on the conceptual approaches of the terms bioeconomy and sustainable bioeconomy. Specifically, it seeks to know how conceptual approaches apply to the material realities of the stakeholders who undertake them. Due to the methodological procedures adopted, it was possible to verify that the absence of a consensus regarding the term bioeconomy has to do with the vision focused on the interests of each stakeholder, which seeks to provide opportunities for the achievement of its objectives.

Using a bio-economic farm model to evaluate the economic potential and pesticide load reduction of the greenRelease technology

CONTEXTPolicies and strategies at EU and national level aim at a reduced use of pesticides in agriculture, such as the Farm to Fork Strategy of the EU Commission. Technological progress can lower pesticide application and contribute to a sustainable bioeconomy. As an example, the greenRelease technology increases the attachment of the active ingredient of plant protection products to the leaf surface and slowly releases the active ingredient from a microgel container. Experiments under both controlled and field conditions have demonstrated the potential of the greenRelease technology to reduce pesticide use. As a so-called platform technology, the greenRelease concept can be applied to various crops and plant protection chemicals. OBJECTIVETo guide further development, this study analyses the greenRelease technology regarding its economic potential and its possible contribution to the reduction of environmental and health risks from pesticide use. METHODSTo do so, we use a bio-economic farm model to assess the technology potential for a typical farm and spraying sequences of various crops in northwestern Germany. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSThe results reveal that the economic potential of the greenRelease technology is highest for systemic fungicides in all assessed crops as well as for herbicides for potato cultivation. It is lowest for insecticides in winter barley and potato as well as for contact fungicides, due to the small doses and low product costs. The potential to lower possible environmental and health risks of pesticide use, indicated by the Danish pesticide load indicator, is highest for fungicides in potato, winter wheat, and winter barley as well as for herbicides in sugar beet cultivation. Relative to overall costs in arable farming, the cost changes induced by the greenRelease technology are minor, such that the environmental benefits will be key for promoting its application. However, the economic competitiveness of the technology increases if agri-environmental policies progressively internalize the negative externalities of pesticides use. SIGNIFICANCEThis research is the first comprehensive economic and environmental assessment of the technology greenRelease which can contribute to lower the environmental burden of pesticide use in agriculture.

Metabolomics for Agricultural Waste Valorization: Shifting Toward a Sustainable Bioeconomy.

Agriculture has been considered as a fundamental industry for human survival since ancient times. Local and traditional agriculture are based on circular sustainability models, which produce practically no waste. However, owing to population growth and current market demands, modern agriculture is based on linear and large-scale production systems, generating tons of organic agricultural waste (OAW), such as rejected or inedible plant tissues (shells, peels, stalks, etc.). Generally, this waste accumulates in landfills and creates negative environmental impacts. The plant kingdom is rich in metabolic diversity, harboring over 200,000 structurally distinct metabolites that are naturally present in plants. Hence, OAW is considered to be a rich source of bioactive compounds, including phenolic compounds and secondary metabolites that exert a wide range of health benefits. Accordingly, OAW can be used as extraction material for the discovery and recovery of novel functional compounds that can be reinserted into the production system. This approach would alleviate the undesired environmental impacts of OAW accumulation in landfills, while providing added value to food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and nutraceutical products and introducing a circular economic model in the modern agricultural industry. In this regard, metabolomics-based approaches have gained increasing interest in the agri-food sector for a variety of applications, including the rediscovery of bioactive compounds, owing to advances in analytical instrumentation and data analytics platforms. This mini review summarizes the major aspects regarding the identification of novel bioactive compounds from agricultural waste, focusing on metabolomics as the main tool.

The U.S. Bioeconomy: Charting a Course for a Resilient and Competitive Future

The U.S. Bioeconomy: Charting a Course for a Resilient and Competitive Future

Socio-Economic and Environmental Implications of Bioenergy Crop Cultivation on Marginal African Drylands and Key Principles for a Sustainable Development

Africa has been a hotspot for the development of food and bioenergy crop cultivation since the 2000s, leading to systematic challenges towards its ability to become a bioeconomy. To reduce land-use conflicts with food crop cultivation, marginal African drylands (MADs) are proposed for sustainable bioenergy cropping systems (BCSs). This study reviews the foremost socio-economic and environmental challenges for BCSs on MADs, and the development of key principles for minimizing adverse outcomes towards a sustainable bioeconomy. Socio-economic prosperity in Africa depends on several systematic solutions, and BCSs that are based on perennial bioenergy crops are promising strategies as they provide a renewable and sustainable energy source for rural areas. However, critical multidimensional challenges such as poverty, food security, gender equality, access to energy, and environmental impact must also be considered to ensure long-term sustainability. This review argues for more transparent land sales/usage (considering the agricultural work of women) and more perennial bioenergy crops. In this context, key principles were derived for a people-centered bottom-up approach that is considered fundamental to ensure the sustainable development of BCSs on MADs in the future.

The main determinants of changes in biomass extraction: the decomposition analysis approach.

Sustainability is highlighted in renewed European Union (EU) bioeconomy strategy. Sustainable bioeconomy requires improvement in the productivity level of bioresources, which is included in almost all national bioeconomy strategies. However, the aspects of sustainable bioeconomy were analyzed rather scarcely. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to reveal how productivity (or conversely, intensity) level contributes to the changes in biomass extraction in all EU countries. Applying the decomposition of impact (I), population, (P), affluence, (A); and technology (IPAT) approach, the results showed that in separate EU countries and analyzed periods, the changes in biomass extraction were different. During the period of economic growth (2000–2007) and transition (2008–2012), biomass extraction decreased in more than half of all EU countries. The decline of value added in the agriculture sector and/or reduction in biomass intensity level were the main determinants of these changes. Meanwhile, during the bioeconomy strategy period (2013–2018), the reduction in biomass extractions was observed in only six EU countries. During this period, the productivity level of biomass increased and offset the economic and population growth only in Greece, Italy and Malta. Thus, due to advanced technologies in these countries, the economy grew but biomass extraction decreased. Meanwhile, in Estonia, Germany and Poland, despite the reduction in value added in the agriculture sector, the growth of the intensity level of biomass determined the increase in extraction of biomass. Therefore, this study showed that achievement of sustainable bioeconomy principles in the majority of EU countries remains a great challenge, and countries should make all efforts to enhance the productivity level of biomass.

Global Inequalities in the Bioeconomy: Thinking Continuity and Change in View of the Global Soy Complex

As a proposed pathway to societal transformation, the bioeconomy is aimed at providing a sustainable alternative to the fossil-based economy, replacing fossil raw materials with renewable biogenic alternatives. In this conceptual contribution, we argue that it is impossible to transform societies into sustainable bioeconomies considering the narrow boundaries of the bioeconomy as a policy. Drawing on approaches including agro-food studies, cheap food, and agrarian extractivism, we show that the bioeconomy is entangled in a broader context of social relations which call its claim to sustainability into question. Our analysis of the global soy complex, which represents the core of the current agro-food system, demonstrates how the bioeconomy perpetuates global inequalities with regard to trade relations, demand, and supply patterns, as well as power relations between the involved actors from the global to the local level. Against this background, we propose a fundamental rethink of the underlying understanding of transformation in bioeconomy policies. Instead of thinking the bioeconomy only along the lines of ecological modernisation, its proponents should consider studies on social-ecological transformation, which would entail radical structural change of the prevailing food regime to cope with the social-ecological crisis.