Prospective Life Cycle Assessment of Microbial Sophorolipid Fermentation
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Date
2023-09
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Abstract
The biorefinery industry is witnessing a transition from fossil and chemical-based processes to more sustainable practices, with a growing emphasis on using renewable resources. Sophorolipids, a promising group of biosurfactants, present a viable substitute for conventionally produced surfactants. This study focuses on microbial fermentation using yeast and lipid substrate for sophorolipid production. The life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was employed to identify environmental hotspots of the process and to assess the environmental benefits resulting from the replacement of raw rapeseed cooking oil (base scenario) with waste cooking oil, reduction of process electricity consumption, and increased sophorolipid yield. By compiling scenarios with the lowest environmental impact, a best-case scenario was created. The results revealed that the environmental impact of sophorolipid production could be reduced by 50% in the best-case scenario compared to the base scenario. This research provides valuable insights into the environmental optimization of the fermentation process and through the application of LCA highlights the potential for the reduction of negative environmental impact of sophorolipid production, contributing to the ongoing transition from petroleum oil and petrochemical refineries to sustainable biorefineries.
Description
Funding Information: This research has been supported by the European Regional Development Fund within the project No. 1.1.1.1/19/A/047 “Sustainable Microbial Valorisation of Waste Lipids into Biosurfactants”. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.
Keywords
biotechnology, environmental impact, glycolipid surfactants, life cycle assessment, Starmerella bombicola, waste cooking oil, 2.7 Environmental engineering, 2.9 Industrial biotechnology, 1.1. Scientific article indexed in Web of Science and/or Scopus database, Food Science, Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (miscellaneous), Plant Science, SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
Citation
Balina, K, Soloha, R, Suleiko, A, Dubencovs, K, Liepins, J & Dace, E 2023, 'Prospective Life Cycle Assessment of Microbial Sophorolipid Fermentation', Fermentation, vol. 9, no. 9, 839. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation9090839