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Bippus L, Briem AK, Beck A, Zibek S, Albrecht S. Life cycle assessment for early-stage process optimization of microbial biosurfactant production using kinetic models-a case study on mannosylerythritol lipids (MEL). Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1347452. [PMID: 38464544 PMCID: PMC10920258 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1347452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: This study assesses the environmental impacts of mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) production for process optimization using life cycle assessment (LCA). MELs are glycolipid-type microbial biosurfactants with many possible applications based on their surface-active properties. They are generally produced by fungi from the family of Ustilaginaceae via fermentation in aerated bioreactors. The aim of our work is to accompany the development of biotechnological products at an early stage to enable environmentally sustainable process optimization. Methods: This is done by identifying hotspots and potentials for improvement based on a reliable quantification of the environmental impacts. The production processes of MELs are evaluated in a cradle-to-gate approach using the Environmental Footprint (EF) 3.1 impact assessment method. The LCA model is based on upscaled experimental data for the fermentation and purification, assuming the production at a 10 m³ scale. In the case analyzed, MELs are produced from rapeseed oil and glucose, and purified by separation, solvent extraction, and chromatography. Results: The results of the LCA show that the provision of substrates is a major source of environmental impacts and accounts for 20% of the impacts on Climate Change and more than 70% in the categories Acidification and Eutrophication. Moreover, 33% of the impacts on Climate Change is caused by the energy requirements for aeration of the bioreactor, while purification accounts for 42% of the impacts respectively. For the purification, solvents are identified as the main contributors in most impact categories. Discussion: The results illustrate the potentials for process optimization to reduce the environmental impacts of substrate requirements, enhanced bioreactor aeration, and efficient solvent use in downstream processing. By a scenario analysis, considering both experimental adaptations and prospective variations of the process, the laboratory development can be supported with further findings and hence efficiently optimized towards environmental sustainability. Moreover, the presentation of kinetic LCA results over the fermentation duration shows a novel way of calculating and visualizing results that corresponds to the way of thinking of process engineers using established environmental indicators and a detailed system analysis. Altogether, this LCA study supports and demonstrates the potential for further improvements towards more environmentally friendly produced surfactants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Bippus
- Department Life Cycle Engineering GaBi, Institute for Acoustics and Building Physics IABP, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Ann-Kathrin Briem
- Department Life Cycle Engineering GaBi, Institute for Acoustics and Building Physics IABP, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department Life Cycle Engineering GaBi, Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Alexander Beck
- Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute for Interfacial Process Engineering and Plasma Technology IGVP, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Susanne Zibek
- Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute for Interfacial Process Engineering and Plasma Technology IGVP, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Stefan Albrecht
- Department Life Cycle Engineering GaBi, Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP, Stuttgart, Germany
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Miao Y, To MH, Siddiqui MA, Wang H, Lodens S, Chopra SS, Kaur G, Roelants SLKW, Lin CSK. Sustainable biosurfactant production from secondary feedstock-recent advances, process optimization and perspectives. Front Chem 2024; 12:1327113. [PMID: 38312346 PMCID: PMC10834756 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1327113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Biosurfactants have garnered increased attention lately due to their superiority of their properties over fossil-derived counterparts. While the cost of production remains a significant hurdle to surpass synthetic surfactants, biosurfactants have been anticipated to gain a larger market share in the coming decades. Among these, glycolipids, a type of low-molecular-weight biosurfactant, stand out for their efficacy in reducing surface and interfacial tension, which made them highly sought-after for various surfactant-related applications. Glycolipids are composed of hydrophilic carbohydrate moieties linked to hydrophobic fatty acid chains through ester bonds that mainly include rhamnolipids, trehalose lipids, sophorolipids, and mannosylerythritol lipids. This review highlights the current landscape of glycolipids and covers specific glycolipid productivity and the diverse range of products found in the global market. Applications such as bioremediation, food processing, petroleum refining, biomedical uses, and increasing agriculture output have been discussed. Additionally, the latest advancements in production cost reduction for glycolipid and the challenges of utilizing second-generation feedstocks for sustainable production are also thoroughly examined. Overall, this review proposes a balance between environmental advantages, economic viability, and societal benefits through the optimized integration of secondary feedstocks in biosurfactant production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahui Miao
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
| | - Ming Ho To
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
| | - Muhammad Ahmar Siddiqui
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
- Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Control and Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, China
| | - Huaimin Wang
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States
| | - Sofie Lodens
- Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, Ghent, Belgium
- Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis (InBio.be), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Shauhrat S Chopra
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
| | - Guneet Kaur
- School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Sophie L K W Roelants
- Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, Ghent, Belgium
- Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis (InBio.be), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Carol Sze Ki Lin
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
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