Two hydrolysates obtained from anaerobic digestate and compost of a municipal bio‐waste treatment plant have been ozonizated at room temperature. This reaction yields two main products: biopolymers (30 % yield) whith molecular weights ranging from 100 to over 750 kDa, exhibiting remarkable surfactant properties, and small molecules with molecular weight ≤0.2⊥⊥kDa. The ozonised biopolymers have significantly different molecular weight distribution and much better surfactant properties compared to the pristine biopolymers. Their potential market value is estimated from 1.5 to 150 € kg−1 by comparison with commercial products. The small molecules are the bio‐based counterpart of commercial chemicals obtained from fossil sources. Their market value ranges from 0.6 to 3 € kg−1. Perspectives are discussed for the development of a bio‐based chemical industry built on the integration of biochemical and mild chemical technologies to convert biomass to value added products, and compared to the current model based on biochemical technology coupled to lignin incineration or pyrolysis.

This work reports the hydrogenation of soluble biopolymers (SBP) obtained by hydrolysis of municipal biowaste anaerobic digestate (D) and compost (CP). The SBP are mix of heterogenous molecules with 5-750 kDa molecular weight constitued by aliphatic and aromatic C moieties substitued by acid and basic functional groups. They are mutipurpose products for use in the chemical industry as biosurfactants and plastics' additives, in agriculture and in animal husbandry. Purpose of hydrogenation was to improve SBP properties, while keeping macromolecularity. Hydrogenation was carried out in 4-5% water solution at pH 10 at 100°C and 35 bar H 2 pressure for 2-30 min. Results show hydrogenation of up to 35% SBP C to products containing more aliphatic C and different molecular weight distribution. Relative to pristine SBP, the molecular weight of hydrogenated CP SBP and of D SBP are, respectively, higher and lower. Surfactants properties improve upon hydrogenation. Hydrogenated D SBP are better surfactants than hydrogenated CP SBP. Further improvement and uses of hydrogenated SBP are discussed.[a] Prof.