Life cycle assessment of nanocelluloses produced by enzyme-based technologies

• Grant number: 25/08241-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Valdeir Arantes
• Grantee: Tatiane Tobias da Cruz
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/07023-2 - Development of an enzyme-based platform technology for production and modulation of nanocellulose: validation for biomedical and food packaging applications, AP.JP2

Abstract

Nanocelluloses are bionanomaterials with promising applications in various sectors of the economy. The use of enzymatic technologies, a recent approach in the production of these bionanomaterials, have several technical and economic advantages compared to chemical or mechanical technologies. However, since they are produced by emerging technologies, limited information is known about the environmental performance of these innovative materials. Therefore, the prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) applied to nanocelluloses will allow evaluating the environmental implications of the future implementation of these technologies. In this study, the environmental impacts from cradle to gate of enzymatic technologies for the production of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) produced from bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp (BEKP) will be evaluated and compared with traditional chemical and mechanical routes. Additionally, the LCA studies for the enzyme-based technologies will be expanded to include a biofunctionalization step to allow production of hydrophobic nanocelluloses and nanocelluloses with antimicrobial capability, follow by the production of green nanocellulose based end-user applications in biomedical and packaging sectors. With the results obtained from these LCA studies, it will be possible to assess the environmental performance of the nanocelluloses produced by enzyme-based technologies and establish where it stands comparted to those obtained by traditional processes as well as the environmental performance of nanocellulose-based end-user products for larger-volume markets and for specialized applications. Together, this information will be useful to identify process step that needs improvement or can be improved, and to guide technical development efforts towards more sustainable and cost effective processes.