Multilayer Approach for Product Portfolio Optimization: Waste to Added-Value Products

Abstract

A multi-stage multilayer systematic procedure has been developed for the selection of the optimal product portfolio from waste biomass as feedstock for systems involving water-energy-food nexus. It consists of a hybrid heuristic, metric based, and optimization methodology that evaluates the economic and environmental performance of added value products from a particular raw material. The first stage preselects the promising products. Next, a superstructure optimization problem is formulated to valorize or transform waste into the optimal set of products. The methodology has been applied within the waste to power and chemicals initiative to evaluate the best use of the biomass residue from the olive oil industry towards food, chemicals and energy. The heuristic stage is based on literature review to analyze the feasible products and technologies. Next, simple metrics have been developed and used to preselect products that are promising. Finally, a superstructure optimization approach is used to design the facility that processes leaves, wood chips and olives into final products. The best technology to recover phenols from "alperujo", a wet solid waste/byproduct of the process, consists of the use of membranes, while for the recovery of phenols from olive leaves and branches adsorption is the selected one. The investment required to process waste adds up to 110.2 million € for a 100 kt/yr of olives production facility while the profit depends on the level of integration. If the facility is attached to an olive oil production installation, the generated profit ranges between 14.5 MM €/yr (when the waste is purchased at prices of 249 € per tonne of alperujo and 6 € per tonne of olive leaves and branches) and 34.3 MM €/yr, when the waste material is acquired for free.

Olive byproducts and their bioactive compounds as a valuable source for food packaging applications

“…It has been reported that 1463 g of polyphenols, representing 85% of the initial phenolic content, can be extracted from 1000 L of OMWW by membrane technologies (Bazzarelli et al., 2016). In another study, the quantity of polyphenols recovered from alperujo can reach 46 g/s over 4 months of processing (Guerras et al., 2021). On the other hand, the investment for polyphenol recovery units of alperujo and olive leaves and branches is around €110.2 million for 100 kilotons/year, while the profit can reach €14.5 million/year when olive byproducts are purchased (€249/ton for alperujo and €6/ton for olive leaves and branches) or €34.3 million/year when phenol recovery processes are attached to an olive oil production facility (Guerras et al., 2021).…”

“…In comparison with synthetic antioxidants, antioxidant compounds extracted from olive processing residues may suffer from several limitations including reduced efficiency, higher incorporation levels, bad smell and taste, lower stability during processing, and higher prices. For instance, the prices of HT and oleuropein obtained by adsorption are approximately €300/1 kg and €850/1 kg (Guerras et al., 2021). However, the increased consumer awareness of safety issues related to synthetic antioxidants, the health benefits offered by natural antioxidants, and the high disposal costs of olive processing residues prompt development of sustainable processes for the recovery and valorization in food packaging of active compounds from olive processing residues, especially polyphenols.…”

Investigation of the Genotoxic, Antigenotoxic and Antioxidant Profile of Different Extracts from Equisetum arvense L.

“…Plant extracts are widely used for the production of novel therapeutic drugs against a number of ailments [ 1 , 2 ]. Solvents, such as ethanol, methanol and water, are extensively used for the extraction of valuable compounds of different origin [ 10 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ]. The results of the present study show that these solvents were very effective and could mediate the beneficial effects of the plant E. arvense L., at least in the case of its cytogenotoxic potential.…”

Challenges and Opportunities for Process Systems Engineering in a Changed World

“…Filippini et al (2019) reported design and economic evaluation of solar-powered hybrid multi effect and reverse osmosis system for seawater desalination. Also, Sanchez et al (2019) have shown the utilization of captured CO2 hydrogenation with green hydrogen for methanol, ammonia and urea productions, while, Guerras et al (2021) proposes that biomass as a renewable resource should be devoted for the production of added value products (for example, in the pharma, food additives, health sectors) and only wastes should be used for energy production. Evaluation of these new technologies should also consider operational flexibility (Mitsos et al, 2018) as well as safety (Eini et al, 2016).…”