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The organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) was used for biorefinery development within a circular bioeconomy context towards extraction of lipids/fats and proteins with 100% and 68% recovery yields, respectively, as well as succinic acid (SA) production. A nutrient-rich hydrolysate (89.1 g/L sugars) produced using crude enzymes derived via solid state fermentation of Aspergillus awamori, was employed in Actinobacillus succinogenes fermentation leading to 31.7 g SA /L with 0.68 g/g yield and 0.67 g/L/h productivity. The SA minimum selling price ($1.13-2.39/kg SA ) considering 60,000 t SA /year production varied depending on co-product market prices and OFMSW management fees. The biorefinery using 1000 kg OFMSW contributes 35% lower CO 2 emissions than conventional processes for the production of 105 kg vegetable oil, 87 kg vegetable protein and 206.4 kg fossil-SA considering also the CO 2 emissions due to OFMSW landfilling. The proposed OFMSW biorefinery leads to cost-competitive SA production with lower CO 2 emissions for OFMSW treatment., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study presents techno-economic evaluation and life cycle assessment of a novel biorefinery using the three main waste streams generated by wineries for the production of bio-based succinic acid (SA), crude phenolic-rich extract, grape-seed oil, calcium tartrate and crude tannin-rich extract. Process design has been employed for the estimation of material and energy balances and the sizing of unit operations. The Minimum Selling Price of succinic acid production within a winery waste biorefinery ranges from $1.23-2.76/kg SA depending on the market price and the potential end-uses of the extracted fractions. The Global Warming Potential and the Abiotic Depletion Potential of winery waste valorisation through the proposed biorefinery are 1.47 kg CO 2 -eq per kg dry waste and 25.2 MJ per kg dry waste, respectively. Biorefining of winery waste could lead to the development of a sustainable and novel bioeconomy business model with new market opportunities and efficient waste management., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

An integrated biorefinery has been developed using winery wastes (grape pomace-GP, stalks-GS, wine lees-WL). Bacterial cellulose was produced from GP extracted free sugars. Grape-seed oil and polyphenols were extracted from GP. Experimental design was employed to optimize lignin removal (50.8%) from mixtures of remaining GP solids and GS via NaOH (1.19% w/v) treatment at 70°C for 30 min. Delignification liquid contained condensed tannins with 76% Stiasny number. Enzymatic hydrolysis produced a sugar-rich hydrolysate (40.2 g/L sugars). Ethanol, antioxidants, tartaric acid and nutrient-rich hydrolysate were produced from WL. The crude hydrolysates were used in fed-batch Actinobacillus succinogenes cultures for 37.2 g/L succinic acid production. The biorefinery produces 42.65 g bacterial cellulose, 24.3 g oil, 40.3 g phenolic-rich extract with 1.41 Antioxidant Activity Index, 80.2 g ethanol, 624.8 g crude tannin extract, 20.03 g tartaric acid and 157.8 g succinic acid from 1 kg of each waste stream., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ultrafiltration and nanofiltration of spent sulphite liquor (SSL) has been employed to evaluate the simultaneous production of lignosulphonates and bio-based succinic acid using the bacterial strains Actinobacillus succinogenes and Basfia succiniciproducens. Ultrafiltration with membranes of 10, 5 and 3kDa molecular weight cut-off results in significant losses of lignosulphonates (26-50%) in the permeate stream, while nanofiltration using membrane with 500Da molecular weight cut-off results in high retention yields of lignosulphonates (95.6%) in the retentate stream. Fed-batch bioreactor cultures using permeates from ultrafiltrated SSL resulted in similar succinic acid concentration (27.5g/L) and productivity (0.4g/L/h) by both strains. When permeates from nanofiltrated SSL were used, the strain B. succiniciproducens showed the highest succinic acid concentration (33.8g/L), yield (0.58g per g of consumed sugars) and productivity (0.48g/L/h). The nanofiltration of 1t of thick spent sulphite liquor could lead to the production of 306.3kg of lignosulphonates and 52.7kg of succinic acid, whereas the ultrafiltration of 1t of thick spent sulphite liquor using a 3kDa membrane could result in the production of 237kg of lignosulphonates and 71.8kg of succinic acid when B. succiniproducens is used in both cases., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Process design, techno-economic assessment and life cycle assessment have been employed for the evaluation of four biorefinery concepts using the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) for the production of biosurfactants together with lactic acid (LA), succinic acid (SA), hot melt adhesives (HMAs) or polyurethane urea dispersions (PUDs). LA and SA produced via fermentation using sugar-rich OFMSW enzymatic hydrolysates, while biosurfactants are produced from OFMSW-derived lipids and proteins and bacterial biomass remaining at the end of fermentation. OFMSW-derived SA replaces fossil-based SA and adipic acid in PUDs production. Process design was employed for equipment sizing and costing and the estimation of material and energy balances using experimental results obtained during the H2020 funded PERCAL project. HMAs and PUDs production could be profitable when biosurfactants are produced as co-product in OFMSW-based biorefineries, leading to minimum selling prices (MSP) of $2.92 per kgHMAs and $1.95 per kgPUDs when biosurfactants market price of $4.1 per kg, OFMSW management fees of $0.035 per kg and production capacities of SA and LA at economies of scale are considered. If LA or SA are considered as final products together with biosurfactants, then the corresponding MSPs are $1.58 per kgLA and $2.14 per kgSA. Five environmental indicators were estimated considering either conventional electricity production mix (grid) or renewable electricity usage from photovoltaics. The proposed biorefineries lead to 25–35% greenhouse gas emmission savings per kg main product (or 0.95–2.06 kg CO2-eq per kg dry OFMSW) when compared to conventional production of end-products and two OFMSW management practices based on either landfilling alone or combined composting (37.45%) and landfilling (62.55%). The results demonstrate that OFMSW-based biorefineries could lead to profitable and sustainable production of bio-based products and OFMSW utilisation as feedstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fermentative production of succinic acid leads to increasing toxicity over time, and requires base addition to counteract acidification. Here we integrated a fed-batch Basfia succiniciproducens succinic acid fermentation with membrane electrolysis. This approach brings the broth in direct contact with an OH− and H2 producing cathode, and enables in situ extraction of succinate towards the low volume H+ and O2 producing anode compartment. In the latter, the succinate is acidified to succinic acid and precipitated. The key advantage of the cathodic process is the production of base maintaining fermentation pH with limited external base addition. The bacterial cells are recycled through the cathode compartment of the electrochemical cell, and exposed to H2, creating biological reducing power. Fermentations were executed with glucose, xylose and ultrafiltered spent sulphite liquor (SSL), the side stream generated via acidic sulphite pulping of Eucalyptus globulus wood. The membrane was not permeable to cells, color and solids, which resulted in combined succinate extraction, clarification, acidification and concentration in a single unit operation. The succinic acid to by-product ratio increased, favoring the production of succinic acid over lactic, formic and acetic acids, with up to 15% higher total sugars to succinic acid conversion yield. The OH− production due to water reduction resulted in lower NaOH usage (up to 33% less) for maintaining the pH during fermentation. The maximum productivity also increased by 30% to a rate of 0.41 g L−1 h−1 with the electrochemical system, with 1.65 kW h per kg succinic acid extracted in the case of SSL and 2.4 and 1.9 kW h per kg succinic acid extracted in the case of glucose and xylose, respectively. Considering the aforementioned advantages, this integrated system could evolve into a breakthrough technology in sustainable industrial succinic acid production from crude industrial side streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spent sulphite liquor has been evaluated in continuous cultures for succinic acid production using Actinobacillus succinogenes and Basfia succiniciproducens . Continuous cultures were initially carried out at constant dilution rate (0.04 h −1 ) and varying commercial xylose concentrations (23–55 g/L) or constant xylose concentration (40 g/L) and varying dilution rates (0.02–0.25 h −1 ) showing that dilution rates of 0.02–0.15 h −1 led to satisfactory succinic acid production by both strains. In continuous cultures using nanofiltrated spent sulphite liquor, the highest yields were achieved at dilution rate of 0.02 h −1 (0.48 g/g for A. succinogenes and 0.55 g/g for B. succiniciproducens ), while the highest productivities were obtained at dilution rates of 0.04 h −1 for A. succinogenes cultures (0.67 g/L/h) and 0.1 h −1 for B. succiniciproducens cultures (1.6 g/L/h). Metabolic flux analysis demonstrated higher biomass concentrations in A. succinogenes cultures carried out in both xylose and nanofiltrated spent sulphite liquor, while B. succiniproducens cultures were more robust regarding succinic acid production efficiency in either xylose or nanofiltrated spent sulphite liquor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Succinic acid production from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. • Efficient succinic acid production using an electrochemical membrane bioreactor. • Improved succinic acid production with high coulombic efficiency (66.2%). • Lower NaOH consumption (35.4%) during fermentation. • Production of polyurethane urea dispersions with acceptable properties. A novel electrochemical membrane bioreactor (EMB) integrating succinic acid (SA) production and in situ separation in the anode compartment through an anion exchange membrane was employed in fed-batch fermentations with Y. lipolytica PSA02004 using hydrolysates from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) as feedstock. The initiation of electrolysis cell operation and the reduction of pH from 6 to 5.5 at 30 h in a 6.7 L bioreactor improved the SA production efficiency, resulting in 66.7 g SA /L, 0.51 g/g yield, 0.78 g/(L·h) productivity, high coulombic efficiency (66.2%) and relatively low electricity consumption for SA separation (2.6 kWh/kg SA). The recirculation of the fermentation broth in the cathode compartment and the OH– produced by water reduction reduced NaOH consumption (35.4%) for pH control during fermentation. The fermentation was efficiently replicated in a 30 L bioreactor with a low membrane surface area (100 cm2) electrolysis cell, but it failed with a higher membrane surface area (702 cm2) electrolysis cell indicating that yeast cell viability, cell design and EMB configuration are important aspects for process scale-up. SA crystals were purified, at 99.95% purity and 95% yield, from the anolyte solution via activated carbon treatment, evaporation, crystallization and drying. Cell removal via centrifugation and acidification stages were not required as in conventional SA purification processes. The produced SA crystals were suitable for the production of polyester polyols for polyurethane urea dispersions applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of crude waste streams and the development of novel bioprocessing routes are necessary in order to expand the industrial implementation of bio-based succinic acid production. This work focuses on the utilization of zero cost municipal organic biowaste for the production of bio-based succinic acid using the engineered yeast strain Yarrowia lipolytica PSA02004. Fermentation advances focused on pH regulation towards reduced NaOH requirements. Optimum initial carbon source concentration (100–120 g/L) in crude hydrolysates was estimated in shake flask cultures. Optimum k L α (183.2 h−1) in fed-batch cultures resulted in 42.2 g/L succinic acid with 0.38 g/g yield and 0.84 g/L/h productivity. A two-stage pH regulation strategy was employed to enhance succinic acid production efficiency and reduce NaOH requirements. The gradual reduction of pH from 6 to 5.5 resulted in 54.4 g/L succinic acid with 0.44 g/g yield and 0.82 g/L/h productivity and 43% lower NaOH consumption. The minimum selling price of succinic acid was estimated at $2.7/kg and $2.94/kg at annual production capacity of 50,000 t when the production cost of organic biowaste derived sugars were considered at $10/t TS and $110/t TS , respectively. The global warming potential and abiotic depletion potential were estimated at 2.72 kgCO 2 -eq/kg SA and 33.4 MJ/kg SA , respectively. Results showed that pH regulation is an important operating parameter towards the sustainable succinic acid production using municipal organic biowaste. • Fermentation optimisation (pH and k L α) of genetic engineered Yarrowia lipolytica. • Succinic acid was efficiently produced using the municipal bio-waste. • A two-stage pH regulation led to significant reduction of NaOH requirements. • The developed process was evaluated via technoeconomic and life cycle analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Availability and refining potential of industrial & food supply chain side streams. • Sustainability assessment for the production of bio-based chemicals and polymers. • End-of-Life options towards the development of circular bio-based processes. • Techno-economic analysis of bio-based succinic acid production. The sustainable production of bio-based chemicals and polymers is highly dependent on the development of viable biorefinery concepts using crude renewable resources for the production of diversified products. Within this concept, this critical review presents the availability of fractionated co-products and fermentable sugars that could be derived from major industrial and food supply chain side streams in EU countries. Fermentable sugars could be used for the production of bio-based chemicals and polymers. The implementation of biorefinery concepts in industry should depend on the evaluation of process efficiency and sustainability including techno-economic, environmental and social impact assessment following circular bioeconomy principles. Relevant sustainability indicators and End-of-Life scenarios have been presented. A case study on the techno-economic evaluation of bio-based succinic acid production from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste has been presented focusing on the evaluation of process profitability and feedstock requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Electrochemical membrane bioreactor for sustainable succinic acid purification. • Municipal biowaste management fees influence succinic acid minimum selling price. • The MSP SA is lower than the market price of bio-based SA by 8.2%. • Renewable electricity consumption improves environmental performance up to 41.7%. • Low GWP (0.81 kg CO 2 -eq/kg SA) and ADP (15.71 MJ/kg SA) have been achieved. The techno-economic and environmental performance of succinic acid (SA) production by an engineering Yarrowia lipolytica strain has been evaluated in a process using the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) as feedstock and a novel electrochemical membrane bioreactor (EMB) for simultaneous SA production and extraction. The minimum selling price (MSP) of SA ($2.70–3.71/kg) considering 50,000 t SA /year production capacity using the EMB-based process was slightly lower than the conventional bioprocess depending on OFMSW management fees ($0–35/t OFMSW). Life Cycle Assessment was carried out for the EMB-based bioprocess and the conventional bioprocess considering either conventional electricity production mix (grid) or renewable electricity production from photovoltaics. The use of renewable electricity in the EMB-based bioprocess led to lower Global Warming Potential (0.81 kg CO 2 -eq/kg SA), Abiotic Depletion Potential (15.71 MJ/kg SA), Acidification Potential (1.87 kg SO 2 -eq/kg SA) and Eutrophication Potential (0.25 kg PO 4 -eq/kg SA) than the conventional bioprocess when renewable electricity was used, while higher Human Toxicity Potential (0.29 kg DCB-eq/kg SA) was observed due to the raw materials (e.g. heavy metals) and utilities (e.g. electricity) used in photovoltaics production. It has been demonstrated that the EMB-based system could improve the sustainability of SA production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]