Life Cycle Assessment of the Production of Volatile Fatty Acids of Economic Interest from Urban Bioresidues in the Context of Biorefineries

• Grant number: 24/09865-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Aldo Roberto Ometto
• Grantee: José Manuel Alejandro Cerdán Morillo
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/10615-1 - Consolidation of the biorefinery concept applied to the biological treatment of wastewater and solid wastes, AP.TEM

Abstract

The valorization of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and sewage treatment plant sludge (biowaste) plays a crucial role in the transition to a circular economy and can provide an opportunity to reduce carbon emissions. Biowaste from urban origin could be a potential resource for application in integrated biorefineries for the production of high value-added bioproducts. Such products can be valorized individually as industrial chemicals, biofuels, chemical building blocks or have a cascade use as circular management. The overall objective of this research is to evaluate the potential for the production of economically interesting volatile fatty acids (acetic acid, butyric acid and propionic acid) from food waste and sewage treatment plant sludge, in a circular economy approach. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) will be employed to assess the complete picture of biological fermentation and its further development in the context of biorefineries.