Innovation in service of the Circular Economy: Agritech Spoke 8 – Poster
Elenco dei poster con abstract presentati il 6 settembre 2024 all’evento “L’innovazione a servizio dell’economia circolare: lo Spoke 8 di Agritech”.
Per informazioni si prega di contattare: agritech@unimi.it
WP1 - Producing new products to upgrade waste value
1. Smartphone-based biosensors for bioactivity and toxicity monitoring to valorize agricultural waste
Pettazzoni I (Università di Bologna), Benati G (Università di Bologna), Ferri M (Università di Bologna), Navarini L (illycaffè S.p.A., Trieste), Tassoni A (Università di Bologna)Nazir F (Alma Mater Studiorum- Università di Bologna), Gregucci D (Alma Mater Studiorum- Università di Bologna), Maiorano E (Alma Mater Studiorum- Università di Bologna), Calabretta MM (Alma Mater Studiorum- Università di Bologna), Michelini E (Alma Mater Studiorum- Università di Bologna)
By reinventing waste management practices and repurposing agricultural waste into different closed loops, the circular economy is generating new business opportunities. Waste can be used to create high-value products, biomaterials, and bioenergy. However novel methods are required to assess the safety, bioactivity and properties of agro-food waste. Here we propose a portfolio of smartphone-based biosensors and bioanalytical tools which enable to monitor several activities of complex biological matrices including toxicity, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities. In addition smartphone-paper sensors have been developed to monitor the presence of contaminants, such as pesticide residues, nitrites, heavy metals and toxins. Paper-based sensors were also developed integrating different biorecognition elements and detections (i.e., colorimetric and bioluminescent detection) to obtain all-in-one devices which do not require additional steps such as substrate addition, thus simplifying the assay procedure and enabling use by non-skilled personnel. The origami approach was exploited enabling reagents’ addition or enzymatic reactions to be triggered sequentially. Moreover an artificial intelligence android-based application (app) was developed providing immediate quantitative results; this mobile app is a step forward to eliminate the requirements of technical skills of end-users.
Parole Chiave: smartphone biosensor, bioactivity monitoring, waste valorization
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2. Quantification of Bioactive Compounds in Coffea arabica L. and2. Optimization of Polyphenol Extraction
Pettazzoni I (University of Bologna), Benati G (University of Bologna), Navarini L (illycaffè S.p.A.), Ferri M (University of Bologna) & Tassoni A (University of Bologna)
This study focuses on the characterization of bioactive compounds in green coffee bean samples (Coffea arabica L.) in relation to their geographical origin. Sourced from six different countries worldwide (Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and India), the samples were provided by illycaffè S.p.A. in Trieste.
The identification and quantification of bioactive compounds were conducted, with a focus on polyamines, important components in plants’ stress responses, free-form amino acids, caffeine, and chlorogenic acids (5-caffeoylquinic acid, 3-caffeoylquinic acid, and 4-caffeoylquinic acid). The analyses were performed using High-Performance Liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and diode array detection methods. The data obtained showed variations in biochemical composition among the samples.
The impact of different extraction techniques on some of these samples was also evaluated. Four extraction methods were tested: ethanol 70%, methanol 95%, boiling water to simulate coffee preparation, and NaDES (a novel, non-toxic, eco-friendly type of solvent) composed of betaine and glycerol. To select the most appropriate NaDES protocol, an optimization of different compostions and extraction parameters was carried out. Hot water consistently exhibited superior performances, followed by NaDES for polyphenol recovery.
Parole Chiave: Bioactive, Polyphenols, NaDES
3. Valorization of hop biomass: molecular characterization and mild hydrothermal extraction by laccase pre-treatment of hemicellulose
Lolli V (Università di Parma), Viscusi P (Università di Parma), Fontechiari L (Università di Parma), Caligiani A (Università di Parma), Prandi B (Università di Parma), Tedeschi T (Università di Parma).
Traditional methods to extract hemicellulose from lignocellulosic biomass generated by food industry require high temperatures, pressures, and strong acids/bases leading to degradation and necessitating multiple purification steps. Hemicellulose extraction occurs at temperatures of at least 150°C.
This study aimed to recover hemicellulose and other fiber fractions from lignocellulosic biomasses under milder conditions using biotechnological pre-treatment to break down the lignocellulose matrix. Hop residue biomass was performed as a case study. Research activities included the proximate composition and molecular characterization with GC-MS and 1HNMR before and after extraction. The enzyme laccase from Aspergillus sp. was used for extraction.
The hop biomass contained 68% moisture and 8.8% lipids, 15.2% proteins, 12.4% ashes, 10.3% soluble dietary fiber (SDF), and 53% insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) on Dry Matter. The IDF was mainly lignin (72%), cellulose (16%), and hemicellulose (12%). SDF analysis revealed mannose (31%) and galactose (26%) and other sugars suggesting pectin presence. The hemicellulose fraction included xylose (20.39%), arabinose (19.1%), galactose (19%), and glucose (17.4%). After enzymatic treatment, the residual pellets underwent hydrothermal extraction at 125°C. The fiber extracts showed similar methylation and acetylation degrees between treated and control samples, but the hemicellulose extracted post-enzymatic treatment had significantly higher sugar content.
Keywords: hop biomass, hydrothermal extraction, laccase pretreatment
4. Valorization of Tomato Waste: Development of Tomatine-Loaded Nanoparticels for Sustainable Pest Control
Marzorati S (Università degli Studi di Milano), Pagnoni S (Università degli Studi di Milano), Esposito M (Università degli Studi di Milano), Scapuzzi C (Università degli Studi di Milano), Maggioni D (Università degli Studi di Milano), Passera A (Università degli Studi di Milano), Casati P (Università degli Studi di Milano), Scaglia B (Università degli Studi di Milano)
Following the European Directives pointing to a reduction in the use of chemical pesticides and as part of an effort to address environmental concerns to maximize biomass residues circularity and consequently limit waste, this project aims to reuse tomato residues by extracting bioactive compounds, specifically α-tomatine and tomatidine (tomatines), derived from unripe tomato fruits and leaves. Tomatines, steroidal glyco-alkaloidal secondary metabolites known for their antifungal and insecticidal properties, were encapsulated in zein, a biodegradable and non-toxic biogenic protein sourced from maize in the form of nanoparticles acting as delivery systems, in this way overcoming the issue of tomatines water insolubility. Nanoformuations were characterized by SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) and DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering) to investigate their morphology and hydrodynamic diameter. Results confirmed an optimal range of size distributions in nanometer range and stability evaluations were successful, showing an unchanged hydrodynamic diameter over 14 days. Tomatines encapsulation efficiency in zein nanoparticles was found equal to 100%.
Finally, the nanoformulations were tested for their antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea, a common fungal pathogen, in in vitro trials. Results confired that the nanoparticles-loaded tomatines showed an enhanced efficacy than the unloaded form, indicating increased bioavailability from the nano-carrier.
Keywords: zein nanoparticles, tomatines, antifungal activity.
5. Enzymatic hydrolysis of protein-rich biomass waste for the production of biostimulants
Scarabattoli L (Università degli studi di Milano), Franzoni G (Università degli studi di Milano), Rossi S (Università degli studi di Milano), Morelli C.F. (Università degli studi di Milano), Lupinelli S (ILSA S.p.A.), Ferrante A (Università degli studi di Milano), Speranza G (Università degli studi di Milano)
The agri-food industry is nowadays facing two conflicting challenges: increasing productivity to feed the world’s growing population and decreasing environmental impact on ecosystems and human health. In recent decades, the scientific community has proposed some technological innovations to improve the quality of agricultural products and make agriculture more sustainable, leading to a significant reduction in the use of fertilisers. Among the proposals, biostimulants represent a promising innovation in agriculture. This research project aims at developing straightforward, greener and cost-effective routes for protein-rich biomass waste valorization based on the preparation of protein hydrolysates by enzymatic hydrolysis. Protein Hydrolysates (PH) are mixtures of peptides and amino acids with a wide range of applications in many industrial sectors. In particular, they can be used as biostimulants in horticulture due to their capacity to enhance crop quality parameters, nutrient efficiency and abiotic stress tolerance. In order to develop an efficient protocol for PHs production, different commercial enzymatic mixtures (carbohydrases and proteases) and experimental conditions (T, pH, incubation time) were used to hydrolyse soymeal, an important protein-rich waste. Hydrolysates obtained were characterized (%C, %N, pH, density, salinity, degree of hydrolysis, free and total amino acids) and their biostimulant and auxino-like activity was evaluated.
Keywords: protein-rich biomass, enzymatic hydrolysis, carbohydrases, proteases, biostimulants.
6. Larch (Larix decidua L.) fibre waste: characterization of a functional feed ingredient
Tedesco D (Università degli Studi di Milano), Guerrini A (Università degli Studi di Milano), Massironi A (Università degli Studi di Milano), Marzorati S (Università degli Studi di Milano)
In the larch woodworking industry, wood shavings or sawdust is a fibre waste product. In previous studies, larch fibre waste (Larix decidua L.) was evaluated for its health-beneficial compounds, namely flavonoids (taxifolin, TXF; dihydrokaempferol, DHK), and terpenoids (larixol, LX; larixyl acetate, LXA) and their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential effects [1, 2] also enhancing its use in animal nutrition [3, 4]. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the bioactive compounds and antioxidant potential of larch fiber waste obtained from five woodworking Italian companies. The hexane, methanol and water extracts were fractionated by UPLC-PDA instrument, to quantify the presence of TXF, DHK, LX, and LXA. ABTS assay was used to determine the antioxidant activity (EC50 mg/mL). In the hexane extract, LX and LXA were quantified in the range 0.80-15.7% w/wextract, and 8.70-14.50% w/wextract respectively, while in the methanol extract, TXF and DHK were present in the range 16.20-23.20% w/wextract and 6.40-24.00% w/wextract, respectively. The mean antioxidant activity of the methanol extracts was EC50=0.002 mg/mL, and EC50=0.012 mg/mL of the water extract. Although there were differences in bioactive compounds content, it can be concluded that larch fibre waste requires further attention as a functional feed ingredient in supporting metabolism and animal health.
Keywords: wood waste, biomass valorization, sustainable feed
References
Pferschy-Wenzig, E.M., Kunert, O., Presser, A., Bauer, R., 2008. In vitro anti-inflammatory activity of larch (Larix decidua L.) sawdust. J Agric Food Chem 24;56(24):11688-93.
Stockhammer, S., Stolze, K., Rohr-Udilova, N., Chizzola, R., Zitterl-Eglseer, K., Franz, C., 2009. Antioxidant activity of phytogenous industrial waste and derived extracts for the production of feed and food additive. Int. J. Food Sci. Technol. 44, 702–710.
Tedesco, D., Garavaglia, L., Spagnuolo, M.S., Pferschy-Wenzig, E.M., Bauer, R., Franz, C., 2015. In vivo assessment of an industrial waste product as a feed additive in dairy cows: effects of larch (Larix decidua L.) sawdust on blood parameters and milk composition. Vet J. 206, 322-326.
Tzika, E.D., Tassis, P.D., Papatsiros, V.G., Pferschy-Wenzig, E.M., Siochu, A., Bauer, R., Alexopoulos, C., Kyriakis, S.C., Franz, C., 2017. Evaluation of in-feed larch sawdust anti-inflammatory effect in sows. Pol J Vet Sci. 1;20(2):321-327.
7. Biostimulant and Phytodefense applications of Polysaccharide and Polyphenol extracts from waste vegetable biomass
Del Prete F (Università degli Studi di Salerno), Sansone F (Università degli Studi di Salerno), Mencherini T (Università degli studi di Salerno), Esposito T (Università degli Studi di Salerno), Aquino R P (Università degli Studi di Salerno)
Optimizing extraction methods for intracellular polysaccharides from Chlorella vulgaris residual biomass (CHL-P) shows promise for developing agricultural biostimulants. These polysaccharides enhance plant growth by improving nutrient uptake, water retention, and root development, resulting in more resilient plants. The CHL-P extract, derived with a high yield (>19%), demonstrated significant biostimulant effects on Eruca sativa microgreens, improving biometric parameters, chlorophyll content, carotenoids, and polyphenols at concentrations of 0.5–1 mg/ml.
Additionally, a spray-dried microparticulate formulation (RIC) containing a polyphenol-rich extract from Chestnut spiny burs (CSB) was developed as a potential agricultural phyto-defense product. The effectiveness of foliar-applied agrochemicals largely depends on cuticular permeation, which is influenced by the retention time and dissolution rate of active compounds. RIC microparticles showed enhanced in vitro water dissolution (55% to 88%) and improved permeation through Permeapad© cellulose membranes, which was two-fold higher than the raw extract.
These natural extracts can reduce synthetic inputs, minimize waste, and promote sustainability in agriculture. By integrating them into agricultural practices, we align with circular economy principles, enhancing crop yield and resilience through innovative, eco-friendly approaches.
Key words: Biostimulant and phytodefense, Chlorella vulgaris extract, Chestnut spiny burs extract loaded microparticles.
8. Chemoenzymatic catalysis for biomass valorization from the vegetable seed oil refinining
Fiorito D, Magni S, Acciaretti F, De Fabritiis V, Numeroli M, Tessaro D, Brenna M E, Parmeggiani F (Politecnico di Milano)
Fatty acids and their derivatives represent a renewable platform for the chemical industry. The utilization of biocatalytic approaches for their synthesis and transformation would highly improve the sustainability of these processes, as enzymes are at the forefroont of the green chemistry revolution. Even more impactful, the utilization of agricultural industrial waste would fuel a virtuous circular economy approach in chemistry. In this context, the challenges pertain not only to the utilization of complex mixture of waste material, but also to the fine tuning of reaction conditions by merging enzymatic and chemocatalytic steps. Herein, we report the chemoenzymatic valorization of high-oleic sunflower oil soapstock, a side-product of the vegetal oil industry that is currently discharged as a waste. Oleic acid contained in the soapstock mixture of fatty acids is recovered by enzymatic hydrolysis with a lipase, with purity high enough to be directly used in subsequent metal-catalyzed transformations. A renewable platform of alkenes, used in both polymer and fragrance industry, is accessed through the combination of biocatalytic hydrolysis and ruthenium-catalyzed alkene metathesis. This approach highlights both the versatility of enzymes in waste treatment and the robustness of metal catalysis for fatty acid transformations.
Parole Chiave: fatty acids – enzymatic catalysis – metal catalysis
9. Deep Eutectic Solvent-mediated Agrifood Waste Biomasses Fractionation
Rossato LAM (Politecnico di Milano), Griffini G (Politecnico di Milano), Serra S (CNR), Strini A (CNR), Tessaro D (Politecnico di Milano), D’Arrigo P (Politecnico di Milano)
A new multistep green process has been studied to fractionate and valorize two abundant agrifood wastes in Italy: brewers’ spent grain (BSG), raw and parboiled rich husks (rRH and pRH). In detail, the biomasses underwent a first pretreatment with hot water in autoclave, which allowed the separation of a solution containing the soluble proteins and sugars. Regarding BSG, it accounted for 25% of the total starting biomass and was used as fermentation medium, while for RHs, only for 2-8%, even when cellulose-degrading fungi were utilized. The both biomasses were then submitted to a lignocellulose deep eutectic solvent–mediated fractionation, which allowed the recovery of two important main fractions: cellulose and lignin. The lignin fractions extracted have been deeply characterized, and a preliminary evaluation of their potentiality as precursors of cement water reducers gave encouraging results. This combination of treatments of the waste biomasses appeared to be a promising sustainable strategy for the reuse of these important by–products coming from brewery and rice industry, from a circular economy perspective.
Lignocellulose, deep eutectic solvents, green chemistry
10. Scaling Up Mild Micronization Techniques for Biomass Bioactive Compound Extraction: From High Pressure Homogenization (HPH) to Disc Mill
Mojarradi F (University of Salerno), Donsì F (University of Salerno), Alessandra Procentese (University of Salerno)
Micronization techniques, including High-Pressure Homogenization (HPH) and disc mill, enhance the extraction and bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds from agri-food residues by disrupting cell structures. HPH utilizes high mechanical forces such as cavitation, turbulence, shear, and elongational stresses to micronize plant tissues, while disc mill uses grinding forces to present similar effects. These techniques allow for the efficient release of trapped bioactive compounds in cells, thus increasing extraction yields.
However, HPH is effective in cell disruption and bioactive compound extraction, its scalability may have some limitations and can be challenging, particularly in large-scale applications. A disc mill could be used as a reliable and significant approach to scaling up HPH due to its robust mechanical action and ability to process large quantities of biomass efficiently.
Our results demonstrate that after five passes through the disc mill, the outcomes considerably surpassed the optimum conditions results achieved with HPH (5 passes, 80 Mpa, 25 °C), as measured by total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), particle size, chlorophyll, and microscopy analysis. This study indicates the feasibility and effectiveness of disc mill as a scalable approach to replace HPH in large-scale extraction processes.
Key words: Micronization, Bioactive Compound Extraction, Scalability
11. Antioxidant and prooxidant properties of polyphenols extracted from grapevine pomaces by a “green” sustainable methodology
Spissu Y (CNR-ISPA), Barberis A* (CNR-ISPA), Sanna G (CNR-ISPA), Serra GR (CNR-ISPA), Lintas G (CNR-ISPA), Dore A* (CNR-ISPA), and D’hallewin G (CNR-ISPA)
The phenolic composition of Syrah and Chardonnay grape pomaces was analyzed to evaluate their antioxidant and prooxidant properties. Polyphenols were extracted using an environmentally friendly hydroalcoholic solvent (a 1:1 v/v mixture of ethanol and water), followed by a detailed chemical and electrochemical characterization of the phenolic compounds. The antioxidant and prooxidant capacities of the pomaces were assessed using cyclic voltammetry (CV), standard analytical methods, and biological assays on B16F10 metastatic melanoma cells. Cyclic voltammograms at an applied potential of +0.5 V indicated a low to moderate antioxidant capacity of the extracts. MTT assays revealed that melanoma cell viability was influenced by the duration of treatment, dosage, and the origin of the extract: a slight increase in cell viability was observed after treatment with low concentrations (up to 100 µg/mL) for a short duration (6 hours). However, higher extract doses (≥250 µg/mL for 12-24 hours) led to a 25-50% decrease in cell viability compared to the control. A pronounced prooxidant effect was observed when 250 µg/mL of the extract was combined with non-toxic doses of H2O2. This study highlights the potential of winemaking by-products and suggests their possible application in cosmeceuticals or in combination with approved anticancer drugs.
Key words: polyphenols; grapevine pomaces; antioxidants; cyclic voltammetry; MTT assay
12. How sustainable is sustainability? Recovery of bioactives from food processing waste
Emide D (Università degli Studi di Milano), Periccioli L (Università degli Studi di Milano, Università degli studi di Padova), Ceravolo G (Università degli Studi di Milano), De Benedetti S (Università degli Studi di Milano), Magni C (Università degli Studi di Milano), Espen L (Università degli Studi di Milano), Prinsi B (Università degli Studi di Milano), Scaglia B (Università degli Studi di Milano), Marzorati S (Università degli Studi di Milano), Sbardelotto De Bona G (Università degli Studi di Milano), Scarafoni A (Università degli Studi di Milano)
The modern agri-food industry generates a significant amount of by-products often considered a waste, posing economic and environmental challenges. By-products are unintended outputs that result from the manufacturing process, whereas waste refers to materials generated from inefficiencies that have no further value and are typically discarded. By-products and waste are often disposed of through incineration or landfilling, both of which contribute to environmental pollution. However, they contain valuable bioactive compounds that offer sustainable opportunities. By-products like coffee silverskin, okara, and tomato seeds are rich in molecules useful for biostimulation, green pesticides, and nutrition. Revalorizing these materials can generate high-value products and reduce waste. Despite research on isolated bioactive compounds, challenges remain due to matrix effects, where supramolecular structures in food by-products hinder extraction and bioavailability. Advanced biochemical strategies, such as enzymatic and chemical treatments, are needed to overcome these obstacles and optimize bioactive recovery. For instance, okara retains 30% of its proteins, and tomato seed and skin as well the coffee silverskin contains antioxidants, both of which can be extracted for sustainable agricultural use. The recovery and revalorization of bioactives offer significant benefits for industries like nutraceuticals, food packaging, and agriculture.
Key words: Agri-food industry, Bioactive compounds, Matrix effects
13. In depth LC-ESI/HRMS-guided phytochemical analysis and antioxidant activity of eco-sustainable extracts of Cynara cardunculus (carciofo di Paestum PGI) leaves
Cerulli A (Università degli Studi di Salerno), Cuozzo R (Università degli Studi di Salerno), Melis M P (Università degli Studi di Cagliari), Serreli G (Università degli Studi di Cagliari), Deiana M (Università degli Studi di Cagliari), Masullo M (Università degli Studi di Salerno),Piacente S (Università degli Studi di Salerno)
The Italian “carciofo di Paestum” (Cynara cardunculus) PGI represents an artichoke variety of the Campania region known for flavor and quality1. In order to explore the opportunity to use artichoke byproducts for the development of food supplements, the investigation of two eco-sustainable EtOH:H2O (50:50 and 75:25) extracts of carciofo di Paestum PGI leaves was performed. The phenolic and flavonoid content, as well as the radical scavenging activity by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) assays were evaluated. EtOH:H2O (50:50) showed the highest phenolic (167.48 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid content (101.02 mg rutin/g). It also displayed good antioxidant activity by TEAC (1.90 mM of Trolox) and DPPH (EC50 = 106.31 μg/mL) assays. Moreover, the ability of reducing the production of free radicals in the intestinal Caco-2 cell line has been evaluated; both extracts inhibited ROS formation from the concentration of 10μg/ml. LCESI/ HR/MSMS analysis of the extracts, in negative ion mode, led to the identification of 28 compounds belonging to the sesquiterpenoids, megastigmanes, quinic acid derivatives, flavonoids, hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, lignan, triterpenoid saponins, and polar fatty acids. Moreover, the phytochemical analysis allowed us to unambiguously characterize the main specialized metabolites by 1D and 2D NMR analysis. In conclusion, antioxidant activity in Caco-2 cell-line. along with the identification of the specialized metabolites, pointed to suggest the recycling of artichoke byproducts and to support the use in human nutrition.
Keywords: eco-sustainable extracts of “carciofo di Paestum” PGI leaves; in vitro antioxidant activity, LC-ESI/HRMS analysis.
References
Cerulli, A.; Masullo, M.; Pizza, C.; Piacente, S. Molecules 2022, 27(10), 3328; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27103328
14. AgriTech: from sustainable tomato cultivation with biostimulants to the production of tomato sauces
Ricci S (Università di Parma), Galaverni M (Università di Parma), Carini E (Università di Parma), Hadj Saadoun J (Università di Parma), Lazzi C (Università di Parma), Lolli V (Università di Parma), Franceschini L (Università di Parma), Tedeschi T (Università di Parma), Marchioni I (Università di Parma), Beghè D (Università di Parma), Rodolfi M (Università di Parma), Ganino T (Università di Parma)
The global production of tomatoes, a water-intensive crop, is at risk due to diminishing global water resources. The aim of this study was to understand the effect of the application of 4 new biostimulants obtained by kiwi waste (undersized fruits) + one Selenium-based biostimulant, compared to a STD (water only) treatment, on the quality of tomato fruits, and subsequent sauces, cultivated in different water-stress conditions.
The study was carried out using plants of Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. HEINZ 1301. After flowering, biostimulants were sprayed every 10 days for 4 times. For each treatment a randomized block experimental design was applied in open field in Parma (Azienda Sperientale Stuard). Color, pulp and peel texture, and morphological parameters were the measured properties on tomato fruits. The tomato sauces were characterized for Moisture Content, Total Soluble Solids, pH, Titratable Acidity, and Rheology. The results that will be shown belong to the 100% water level irrigation.
Tomatoes showed significant differences in color and texture parameters. Tomato sauces highlighted a different color parameters trend, due to the treatment, and significant differences for pH, MC and Rheology aspects.
Keywords: Valorization, biostimulant, tomato
15. Impact of wheat straw pretreatment technologies on sugar yield and succinic acid fermentation
Liuzzi F (ENEA CR Trisaia), Casella P (ENEA CR Portici), Loffredo R (Università di Napoli), Rao MA (Università di Napoli), De Bari I (ENEA CR Trisaia), Molino A (ENEA CR Portici)
The study examined the effect of acetic acid and furfural inhibitors on fermentative sugars released from the hemicellulose-lignin matrix after an optimized acid catalyzed steam explosion (SE) on the production of succinic acid by Actinobacillus succinogenes through batch fermentation. In addition a comparative investigation was carried out on the effectiveness of pretreatment technologies—diluted acid (DA), organosolv (OS), and green solvent (GS), specifically γ-valerolactone—on wheat straw biomass, focusing on cellulose recovery, hydrolysis efficiency, lignin removal, and preliminary lignin characterization. By comparing these methods, the study assessed the selective extraction efficiency and quantified monomeric, oligomeric, and degradation by-products. Additionally, this research, part of the Agritech project aimed at valorizing green wastes, provides insights into optimizing pretreatment strategies for improved biomass conversion and valorization of wheat straw.
16. From Food Waste to High-Value Compounds: Sustainable Green Approaches for Product Development
Romano R (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Basile G (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), De Luca L (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Sorrentino G (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Forino M (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Argenziano R (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Napolitano A (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Cuomo P (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Capparelli R (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II)
Plant food wastes are generated in high quantities from food processing and these wastes are rich in bioactive compounds with well-done properties. Therefore, 4 studies applying green techniques to recover and valorize food waste were presented.
- A Box-Behnken design to optimize ultrasound-assisted extraction from fennel bulb and stem was used. The obtained extracts showed a high content of bioactive compounds, in particular terpenes, chlorogenic and ascorbic acid.
- Tissue adhesives from soy protein isolate (SPI) and selected polyphenols i.e. caffeic acid (CA), chlorogenic acid (CGA) and gallic acid (GA) under mild aerial oxidative conditions were prepared, endowed with good mechanical properties, underwater resistance antimicrobial activity.
- Aglianico pomace extract obtained with five different solvents was tested. The extract prepared with DMC (green solvent) showed the highest content of oleanolic acid, a triterpenoid with a potential anti-diabetic activity. Furthermore, the EtOAc extract showed a high ability to promote glucose uptake through GLUTs and increased uptake of NBDG.
- Spent coffee grounds (SCGs) complexed with hydroxyapatite (HA) exhibited antimicrobial activity, especially against Gram+ bacteria. The complex formed with HA+ SCGs extract (with Supercritical CO2 + 5% EtOH) was more effective, reducing the aureus growth at lower concentrations.
Keywords: green technologies, recovery of food waste, bioactive compounds
17. Biorefinery approach for the valorization of juicing waste: recovery of lipid, emulsifier and antioxidants from pomegranate pomace
Maggiore I (University of Bologna), Setti L (University of Bologna)
The processing of fruit and vegetables generates globally high amount of organic waste, which is suitable to be valorized because of the chemistry it encloses. Conventional treatment methods for waste biomass generate low value products and cause climate altering emissions. Small biorefineries are valid alternatives for the sustainable waste biomass conversion, but their feasibility is strictly related to the use of low-energy process, and the market positioning of the final product. The present work provides an innovative approach for the green conversion of juicing waste into high value products, with the aim to encourage the deployment of biorefinery at a local scale. It involves the enzymatic disassimilation of plant cell wall to yield chemicals with specific functions from fruit waste components. The proposed biorefinery model have been applied to pomegranate pomace, and lead to the recovery of pectin from pomegranate mesocarp (11%), oil from arils (12%), and antioxidant hydrolysate from pomegranate exocarp (76%), with the final aim to recombine them in form of emulsion, as a product prototype for food and cosmetic sector.
Key words: fruit pomace, biorefinery, biocosmetic
18. Fermentation process design for the valorization of kiwi biomass
Fontechiari L (Università di Parma), Hadj Saadoun J (Università di Parma), Del Vecchio L (Università di Parma), Bettera L (Università di Parma), Martelli F (Università di Parma), Ricci A (Università di Parma), Levante A (Università di Parma), Bancalari E (Università di Parma), Cirlini M (Università di Parma), Lazzi C (Università di Parma)
Kiwifruits, belonging to the genus Actinidia, are largely consumed worldwide and their production generates a huge amount of by-products, all rich in value-added compounds that can be recovered for their properties and further industrial applications. This work focused on using bioprocesses and green extraction techniques to exploit kiwi pulp obtained from kiwifruit discarded for their size. The molecular characterization and the proximate composition of kiwi pulp have been studied to understand how to take advantage of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) fermentation to recover aroma and antimicrobial compounds. A Design of the Experiment (DoE) has been built up to better understand this process and the experimental conditions were analyzed by HS-SPME/GC-MS technique to evaluate the volatile profile. In addition, all samples were extracted with an Accelerated Solvent Extractor (ASE) with ethanol-water, and the growth ability of L. monocytogenes in the extracts was assessed using a microplate reader. The fermentation process showed a high influence on the production of volatile compounds, with the fermentation conditions leading to different aroma compounds. Moreover, fermentation seems to affect the antimicrobial activity of the fermented biomasses against L. monocytogenes. These results open new prospects for exploiting kiwifruit wastes from harvesting and processing.
Keywords: Fermentation, Aroma compounds, Antimicrobials
19. Kiwi waste biomass as a biostimulant for tomato cultivation under water stress conditions
Galaverni M (Università di Parma), Carini E (Università di Parma), Hadj Saadoun J (Università di Parma), Fontechiari L (Università di Parma), Lolli V (Università di Parma), Lazzi C (Università di Parma), Tedeschi T (Università di Parma), Ricci S (Università di Parma), Marchioni I (Università di Parma), Beghè D (Università di Parma), Rodolfi M (Università di Parma), Ganino T (Università di Parma)
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most produced vegetables worldwide whose high water requirements may no longer be met due to the scarce availability of water resources. Consequently, negative effects on tomato growth, yield and quality may occur due to its drought-sensitivity, however biostimulants can help improving the water stress tolerance. The aim of this work is to investigate the effect of biostimulants on tomatoes grown under different irrigation regimes. Tomato plants (cv. Heinz 1301) were arranged on three rows each one corresponding to an irrigation level: full water regime 100%, 30% and 60% of the fully irrigated plot. Each row was subdivided into 18 subplots corresponding to six treatments (with 3 replicates) of 13 plants each. Biostimulants were produced by lactic acid fermentation of kiwi juice and by enzymatic-assisted extraction with alcalase from Bacillus licheniformis of kiwi seeds, from discarded kiwi biomass. Treatments were sprayed on tomato leaves four times in July and fruits were hand harvested at ripeness in mid-September. Tomato fruits were characterized for °Brix, chemical (e.g. sugars, organic acids) and morphological properties. Differences in the sugar and organic acids content depending on the type of biostimulant applied were observed, especially in water stressed fruits.
Keywords: Biostimulant, Kiwi biomasses, Tomato
20. Stilbenoid profiling of grapevine cane extracts and evaluation of their bioactivity on plants
Corti M., Muratore C., Annunziata F., Negrini N., Espen L., Pinto A., Prinsi B., Dallavalle S.
Every year, more than a billion of tons of agricultural wastes is produced; these residues could be a priceless source of income since they still possess different high value compounds, such as polyphenols, well known for exerting benefits in humans and plants due to their biological properties (e.g., antioxidant, anti-microbial). Pruning canes are the major by-product of grapevine production. The extracts derived from this biomass contain several bioactives, among which we can find stilbenes and in particular resveratrol oligomers.
The aim of our research is the optimization of convenient extractive methodologies for the production of polyphenol enriched extracts from grape pruning canes to be used as crop protective agents and biostimulants. For this purpose, different techniques (ASE, MW, EAE) and experimental parameters (solvents, temperature, pressure) have been evaluated and combined. The extracts were analysed by NMR spectroscopy to obtain a fingerprint of the crude, and the mass recovery was calculated. The most promising extracts were then further analysed by mass spectrometry and more than 40 different stilbenes (including dimers, trimers, and tetramers) were identified. The evaluation of the suitability of the enriched extracts as natural plant growth biostimulants is in progress.
Key words: Grapevine canes, Sustainable extractive methodologies, Mass spectrometry, Plant biostimulants
21. Investigating the Potential of Agri-food Waste Substrates to Enhance Reductive Dehalogenation of Chloroethene-Contaminated Groundwater
Valli C (Università degli Studi di Milano), Zecchin S (Università degli Studi di Milano), Scaglia B (Università degli Studi di Milano), Cavalca L (Università degli Studi di Milano)
Chloroethene contamination in groundwater has persisted for decades due to the compounds physical-chemical properties. In-situ technologies, particularly microbial dechlorination through organohalide respiration (OHR), offer a sustainable solution for reducing contaminants like tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene. Only a few bacterial genera belonging to Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria, are known to perform anaerobic OHR. Adding fermentable reducing substrates enhances OHR bacterial activity by producing reducing equivalents (e.g., H2) and carbon sources like acetate, which lower oxidative redox potential (ORP) and feed OHR bacteria. Injecting these substrates into contamination plumes creates a permeable reactive bio- barrier system. This study investigates the impact of different waste substrates on OHR in groundwater contaminated by chloroethenes (150-300 mg/L) from landfill leachate. The study compared natural attenuation with amendments of molasses, tomato extract, and whey. Reductive dehalogenation was achieved after four months in all treatments, including natural attenuation.
Addition of food wastes accelerated the process and reduced the concentration of harmful carcinogenic byproduct vinyl chloride (VC). Biomarkers for bacteria belonging to Dehalococcoides and dehalogenases (tceA, vcrA) quantified by Real Time PCR confirmed that OHR bacteria increased. The obtained results confirm that the last wastes, obtained from different food waste valorization chains, have still a value and can be used for the implementation of bioremediation strategies in chloroethene-contaminated groundwaters.
Key words: reductive dehalogenation, chloroethenes, Dehalococcoides bacteria, groundwater, food waste.
22. Setting the gram scale synthesis of BHMF as a building block for new polymers production
Mazzoni R, 1,3 Piazzi A, 1,3 Lenzi C, 1,3 Onofri M, 1 Gasparini F, 1 Tabanelli T, 1 Cavani F, 1 Vannini M, 2 Zamboni E, 2 Celli A. 2
1Università di Bologna – Dipartimento di Chimica Industriale “Toso Montanari”
2Università di Bologna – Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile Chimica Ambientale e dei Materiali
3Università di Bologna – Center for Chemical Catalysis (C3)
The concept of biorefinery focuses on generating chemical building blocks from biomass instead of fossil oil. Generally, the complex composition of biomass makes it possible to obtain a wide variety of molecules, which can then be further processed. Among these chemicals, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) stands out due to its significant potential. One of the most promising HMF derivatives, 2,5-bishydroxymethylfuran (BHMF), has numerous possible applications, including as a biodiesel additive, non-ionic surfactant, monomer, or substrate in the flavor industry.1 The homogeneous catalytic reduction of HMF to BHMF was investigated using Shvo’s catalyst, achieving over 99% yield and selectivity for BHMF under mild conditions and hydrogen atmosphere.2 Now, a robust procedure for scaling up this process was successfully developed, obtaining good catalyst recyclability and using green solvents such as anisole. The resulting BHMF was then used as a bio-derived diol to create innovative polyesters. First polymerization experiments, following literature mechanisms3, yielded good results. The reaction conditions were optimized, by selecting the best solvent and the most efficient reacting time. The use of different reagents, such as aliphahtic dicarboxylic acid, is currently under study, with promising results.
Parole chiave: HMF, Catalysis, Polyesters
(1) Messori, A.; Fasolini, A.; Mazzoni, R. Advances in Catalytic Routes for the Homogeneous Green Conversion of the Bio-Based Platform 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural. ChemSusChem 2022, 15 (13), e202200228.
(2) Pasini, T.; Solinas, G.; Zanotti, V.; Albonetti, S.; Cavani, F.; Vaccari, A.; Mazzanti, A.; Ranieri, S.; Mazzoni, R. Substrate and Product Role in the Shvo’s Catalyzed Selective Hydrogenation of the Platform Bio-Based Chemical 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural. Dalton Trans. 2014, 43 (26), 10224–10234.
(3) Upare, P. P.; Hwang, Y. K.; Hwang, D. W. An integrated process for the production of 2,5-dihydroxymethylfuran and its polymer from fructose. Green Chemistry, 2018, 20, 879–885
23. Designing and 3D printing of food products functionalized with bioactive compounds obtained from apple pomace through the application of novel technologies
Carpentieri S (Università degli Studi di Salerno), Harasym J (Wroclaw University of Economics and Business), Ferrari G (Università degli Studi di Salerno, ProdAl Scarl c/o Università degli Studi di Salerno)
Using natural sources and exploring 3D-printing for high-value foods as nutraceutical carriers could enable customized nutrition addressing the growing demand for eco-friendly options.
This study aimed to develop 3D-printed snacks using apple pomace and lemon albedo flours, pre-treated with ultrasound (US). The obtained snack was functionalized by adding the richest extract in bioactive compounds recovered from apple pomace via US, microwave (MW) and high-pressure-MW (HP-MW) extraction processes.
The effect of US and the functionalization of the snack on the techno-functional properties of the binary blends and the final product was assessed in terms of color, texture and rheology, FTIR, HPLC, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity.
US pre-treatment improved the techno-functional properties, elastic and viscous moduli, printability, extrusion force, and surface smoothness. Lemon albedo flour enhanced phenolic and carbohydrate contents, especially when added to the formulation up to 10% (w/w). Moreover, adding the most promising HP-MW apple pomace extract to the product increased its antioxidant activity by 40% on average. The post-processing of the 3D-printed snack, consisting of MW drying, preserved the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity.
These promising results demonstrated the potential to create 3D-printed snacks with improved printability, functional properties, and potential health benefits using low-cost, natural ingredients.
Parole Chiave: Agri-food by-products, Novel extraction technologies, 3D-printing
24. Microbial production of heat stable antioxidant hydrolysates and proteases from squacquerone cheese whey
Romano R (Università di Bologna), Bajo K (Università di Bologna), Fava F (Università di Bologna), Raddadi N (Università di Bologna)
Italy is a major cheese producer in EU and annually produces 10 thousand tons of cheese whey that is often used for animal feeding. In the present study, squacquerone cheese whey (SW) was valorized into bioactive hydrolysate and proteases through microbial routes.
The antioxidant activity, evaluated on autoclaved cell-free supernatants (CFS) of 13 marine/desert bacterial isolates grown on SW as substrate, showed that all hydrolysates have stable activity that was even improved after thermal treatment reaching 100% of ABTS radical inhibition.
Size-exclusion chromatography, performed on the CFS of the 4 most promising isolates using a Sephadex G-50 fine column, allowed the recovery of proteases (first 20 to 30 fractions depending on the isolate; up to 30 U/mL) and antioxidant compounds (fractions ~35 to ~40; up to 80% radical inhibition).
The bioprocess was scaled-up in 3L bioreactor with the most active isolate I.TSA.1l (Bacillus sp.) resulting in an increase in antioxidant activity (from ~33% at T0 to 91±0.4% after 48 h incubation) and protease production (58.8 U/mL).
These results represent the first report on the valorization of whole SW into bioactive compounds and enzymes with potential application in different sectors as a sustainable management strategy for this cheese making byproduct.
Keywords: squacquerone cheese whey, antioxidant activity, proteases
25. Promising perspectives on the exploitation of green algae and duckweed for dairy effluent treatment
Forti, C (Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), Braglia, L (Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), Perna, C (Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), Iannelli, MA (Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), Iori, V (Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), Santabarbara, S (Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), Casazza, AP (Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), Gavazzi, F (Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), Gianì, S (Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), Cordara, A (Politecnico di Torino), Stassi, S (Politecnico di Torino), Sparvoli, F (Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), Menin, B (Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), Morello, L (Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche)
Among the food processing sectors, the dairy industry generates the largest amount of wastewaters (WWs) through the manufacturing process. However, nutrient-rich dairy processing WWs contains recoverable resources that can support microalgae and aquatic plants cultivation in a circular economy framework. This strategy offers a promising solution to transform and valorize dairy wastes into high-biomass yields, providing a sustainable source for extracting valuable compounds, such as pigments or biostimulants. This study investigated the cultivation of the green algae Chlorella sorokiniana and different duckweed species/genotypes in WWs from different cheese production lines. We optimized a pre-treatment protocol to minimize processing steps and energy consumption. Subsequently, growth responses for both kind of organism, were evaluated across different WW dilutions.
Regarding green algae, scalar cultivation assays with C. sorokiniana, led to the identification of 75% effluent dilution as the best one to support cell growth. Moreover, the agar Petri dish isolation technique was employed to isolate new algal strain of potential interest directly from the WWs. Astrain, preliminarily identified as Parachlorella kessleri based on 16S rRNA sequencing, was isolated and its full characterization is ongoing. Preliminary growth tests of this strain in comparison to the model strain –C. sorokiniana- have been carried out. With regard to duckweed, optimal dilution may vary from 0 to 50%, depending on the cheese production line. Cultivation assays using raw effluent were also successfully performed for both organisms: in flask cultures forduckweeds and, in Multi-Cultivator photobioreactor system for Chlorella. Notably, we found that untreated WW was able to support duckweed growth better than treated one. Particularly, one clone of the hybrid species Lemna × mediterranea, LER21, showed the best growth performance and biomass production in untreated WW. Thus, to gain insights about the role of the indigenous microbiome in the WW treatment process, metagenomic characterization of the algae/plant-associated microbial consortium during treatment is currently underway.
Keywords: Microalgae, Duckweed, Dairy Effluent
26. Applying Microwave Imaging Techniques to Domestic Compost Production
Rodriguez-Duarte D O (Politecnico di Torino), Fiore M (Politecnico di Torino), De Simone A (Politecnico di Torino), Tommasi T (Politecnico di Torino), Riente F (Politecnico di Torino), Turvani G (Politecnico di Torino), Vipiana F (Politecnico di Torino)
Compost is a crucial organic amendment for sustainable agriculture that derives from various biomasses rich in organic matter and nutrients, enhancing soil fertility and promoting plant growth. Composting is a naturally occurring process that relies on anaerobic microorganisms to transform and stabilize solid organic matter. However, in small production, regular temperature and humidity monitoring and interventions are required to ensure the correct maturation of the mass and high-quality compost. This work studies the adoption of microwave imaging (MWI) as a supporting tool to detect, locate, and monitor biomass hot spots, which are detrimental to the entire production. Then, to validate the feasibility of such a system, we perform retrieving the thermal profile of hot spots via numerical experiments, considering critical design aspects such as spatial resolution, operating frequency, and number of wave probes.
Moreover, we dielectrically characterize the compost and propose a novel imaging technique combining information from a complementary network of robust low-power wireless temperature, humidity, and pH sensors, and scattered electromagnetic field samples, simplifying the linear imagery-based strategy. Overall, we demonstrate the attainability of an MWI system for the aimed purpose.
Parole Chiave: Compost monitoring, microwave imaging, multi-sensor electronic board
27. Bioconversion of agricultural waste through black soldier fly larvae for the production of fortified feed with Zinc and Selenium
Jucker C (DeFENS – Università degli Studi di Milano), Malabusini M (DeFENS – Università degli Studi di Milano), Savoldelli S (DeFENS – Università degli Studi di Milano), Moradei A (DIVAS – Università degli Studi di Milano), Ottoboni M, (DIVAS – Università degli Studi di Milano) Lucano A (DIVAS – Università degli Studi di Milano), Pinotti L (DIVAS – Università degli Studi di Milano)
Black soldier fly larvae (BSF – Hermetia illucens) are able to valorise a wide range of wastes and by-products transforming them into biomass rich in proteins and lipids. The exploitation of larvae as feed for animals appears to be of great interest in the context of sustainable feed research. We tested the ability of the larvae to grow on okara, a residue of soybean processing, and potato waste, a by-product from the potato industry. In addition, zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se), two essential micronutrients involved in several biological functions in humans and animals, were added to the growing substrate to verify the ability of the larvae to bioaccumulate them, improving the nutritional value of insect biomass for animal feed.
The feeding substrate, consisting of okara and potato waste (50:50), was enriched with Zn (150 mg/kg), Se (0.3 mg/kg) or both (150 mg/kg Zn + 0.3 mg/kg Se). Five replicates containing 500 young BSF larvae were set up and growth parameters, bioconversion capacity and biomass production were observed. Results evidenced the feasibility of adding Zn and Se to the rearing diet, but further research is needed on the effecy on adult reproduction and the actual enrichment of the larval biomass produced.
Keywords: Hermetia illucens, protein production, waste valorization
28. Valorization of unripe green tomato by lactic acid bacteria fermentation: the fate of tomatine
Del Vecchio L (Università di Parma), Cirlini M (Università di Parma), Fontechiari L (Università di Parma), Hadj Saadoun J (Università di Parma), Tedeschi T (Università di Parma), Lazzi C (Università di Parma)
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is considered a very important plant that gives fruits used as food in fresh form or after processing, and is one of the most cultivated crops in the World, with a production of more than 186k MMT (Million Metric Tons) in 2020–21 (FAOSTAT 2022). Italy is one of the larger producers of tomato fruits. A large production may lead to a huge amount of fruits being discarded by companies that transform tomato fruits, because they are unripe (green tomatoes). Green tomatoes contain several interesting metabolites, including glycoalkaloids such as α-tomatine and dehydrotomatine. Even if these compounds are potentially toxic, especially against plant pathogens, they may exert benefic effects in human, as the anti-cholesterol one.
In this work, green tomato was considered as a starting matrix to be transformed and reused in the food sector. For the valorization of these discarded materials we chose fermentation with different strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). To understand whether this process may lead to a decrease and/or an increase in glycoalkaloids, a UHPLC-MS/MS method was developed to determine the concentration of α-tomatine in the considered products. In addition, tomatidine and α-solanine were also considered.
Keywords: green tomato, lactic acid bacteria, α-tomatine
29. Growth kinetics and biomass production of Chlorella sorokiniana grown on industrial wastewaters for a sustainable process development
Mazzocchi E (Politecnico di Torino, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia) Usai G (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia), Pinton E (Università di Torino), Pirri FC (Politecnico di Torino, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia), Stassi S (Politecnico di Torino), Menin B (Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia) Cordara A (Politecnico di Torino, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia)
Effective wastewater management is essential for reducing pollution and mitigating the effects of climate change. In this scenario, using wastewater as a substrate to produce microorganism’s biomass and high-value compounds can cut treatment costs and save water. In this study two industrial wastewaters were used to cultivate microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana CCAP 221/8k: exhausted sludge from dairy wastewaters (DWW) rich of nitrogen and phosphorus, and gas fermentation effluent (GFE) for the implementation of carbon sources. These WWs were tested separately diluted at 50%, 75% and 100% of WW. With DWW the best growth rate was recorded at 50% which showed no differences respect the cultivation on standard medium. When cultivated on GFE diluted at 50% C. sorokiniana produced double biomass respect the control condition (1.209 and 0.565 g L-1 respectively). Therefore, the mixture of WWs at 1:1 was used as substrate and 1.826 g L-1 of biomass was produced in 12 days in flasks and 2.012 g L-1 in 4 days in Multicultivator photobioreactor. After microalgae cultivation, wastewaters had no more ammonium nitrogen or phosphates, one-third less sulfates, and less metals. In conclusion this study highlights the potential of microalgae cultivation in the field of wastewater management.
Key words: Microalgae, Mixotrophy, Wastewaters
30. Evaluation of microbial populations encoding the endo-1,4-ß-glucanase –bcs Z gene for the isolation of new microbial strains from Hermetia illucens larvae
Romano I * (University of Naples Federico II), Amato M (University of Naples Federico II), Casartelli M (University of Milan), Amoroso L (University of Naples Federico II), Tettamanti G (University of Insubria), Bruno D (University of Insubria), Magaraci G (University of Naples Federico II), Bonelli M (University of Milan), Ventorino V (University of Naples Federico II), Pepe O* (University of Naples Federico II)
*ida.romano@unina.it; *olipepe@unina.it
The increasing demand for sustainable resources led to biotechnological research to valorize lignocellulosic waste, an abundant but underutilized resource. Traditional conversion methods often result in pollution, whereas innovative biotechnologies present sustainable alternatives. Among these, Hermetia (H.) illucens larvae larvae are particularly interesting as they can efficiently bioconvert, different organic wastes, including those rich in lignocellulosic waste, thanks to their specialized gut microbiome. In this study, H. illucens larvae were fed with an alternative diet containing hemp to isolate cellulolytic enzyme-producing microorganisms. Larvae with their rearing substrate and isolated guts were used to isolate cellulolytic microorganisms by using two selective enrichment substrates (A1: CMC, soil extract, hemp powder, and larval extract; A2: Arundo donax, soil extract, hemp powder, and larval extract). During an incubation at 30°C in aerobic conditions, broth cultures were withdrawn at three sampling time (T0: 2 hours, T1: 7 days, T2: 14 days) and plated on different media containing four cellulose sources (CMC, A. donax, Cannabis sativa L., Avicel). This approach led to the isolation of 546 isolates, with 16.51% exhibiting cellulolytic activity. qPCR analysis of the bcsZ gene (endo-1,4-β-glucanase) revealed that A2 enrichment potentially selected for more cellulolytic microbial species, with CMC being the most effective cellulose source. The combination of selective microbial cultivation with specific qPCR allowed the identification and isolation of new interesting cellulolytic microbial strains.
Keywords: lignocellulosic biomass, black soldier fly, cellulolytic microorganisms
31. Biomaterials derived from agri-food waste to improve sustainability in crop production and groundwater bioremediation
Borin S, Carullo D, Cavalca L, Farris S, Mapelli F, Pallucchini M, Scaglia B, Vergani L, Valli C, Zecchin S (Università degli Studi di Milano)
Water contamination, dependency on agrochemicals and the amount of wastes within the agri-food sector pose major environmental, economic, and ethical issues. Aim of this work is the recovery of materials from agri-food waste, exploitable in improving crop production or the bioremediation of contaminated groundwaters, enhancing the sustainability of the agri-food production chain.
The first application was the obtainment of food waste-derived biopolimers, functionalised with Plant Growth Promoting (PGP) bacteria, achieving biodegradable and biofertilizer sustainable alternatives to conventional plastic materials. Films were fabricated with Citrus peel derived pectin, glycerol as plasticizer and microfibrillated cellulose as reinforcing agent, optimising puncture resistance and water solubility. PGP selected bacteria were embedded in the biomaterial before drying, monitoring cell viability and efficient delivery to the plant.
The second application investigated food waste derivatives in chloroethenes removal from groundwater. Microcosms with contaminated groundwaters were amended with different food wastes (molasses, tomato extract, whey). All treatments showed dechlorination after 4 months, and food waste addition accelerated the process of natural attenuation reducing the production of harmful vinyl-chloride byproduct. Illumina amplicon sequencing and quantification of biomarker genes in groundwater metagenome showed that food waste amendment biostimulated organo-halide respiring bacteria, a sustainable strategy for boosting bioremediation of chloroethene-contaminated groundwaters.
Keywords: waste-derived pectin, plant growth promoting bacteria, groundwater bioremediation.
32. Development of Substrates for Aquaponic and Hydroponic Systems
Mantovani L (Politecnico di Milano), Fiorati A (Politecnico di Milano), Vignati M (Politecnico di Milano), Cinquemani S (Politecnico di Milano), De Nardo L (Politecnico di Milano).
Indoor vertical farming has been increasingly applied and studied in the last few years. The reason for this is twofold: the search for new agricultural techniques to mitigate the effects of climate change and the development of ways to grow crops in harsh environments. Hydroponics and aeroponics have proven effective in requiring very little water, are space efficient, and allow for controllable and optimizable production of zero-mile crops. However, they still lack the energy and material sustainability to make them commercially viable: the most used substrates are non-reusable and are difficult to dispose of. This study aims to develop and test new eco-friendly and economically viable substrates, employing biomaterials as the main component. Two of such substrates (methylcellulose- and chitosan-based materials) were tested against Rockwool by growing lettuce in a Nutrient Film Technique hydroponic and aeroponic systems: during the growth cycle, some grow parameters were fixed, like nutrient flow rate, light intensity, pH, and EC, while some final ones were monitored (substrate absorptivity, wet weight and algae resistance and plants height, width and final weight) and compared. Introducing these substrates could greatly improve the sustainability of indoor farming (as the materials are biodegradable) and, at the same time, could reduce its operational cost, which is a crucial point for this technology.
Keywords: Indoor Farming, Substrates, Sustainability
33. Furan-based polyesters loaded with nisin for sustainable antimicrobial packaging
Guidotti, G (Università di Bologna), Ciccone M (Università di Bologna), Bianchi E (Università di Bologna), Siroli L (Università di Bologna), Gottardi D (Università di Bologna), Siracusa V (Università di Catania) Patrignani F (Università di Bologna), Lotti N (Università di Bologna)
This work focuses on the realization of bio-based blends from two different furan-based polyesters and natural preservatives, to obtain innovative/active food packaging. As preservative, nisin, a polycyclic antibacterial peptide produced by Lactococcus lactis, was mixed in 2.5 wt% amount, with the homopolymer poly(trimethylene furanoate), PTF, and the copolymer poly(butylene/pentamethylene furanoate), P(BPeF). The mechanical properties of the blends evidenced a modulation of flexibility and toughness, in particular in P(BPeF), owing to the presence of nisin, keeping at the same time the thermal stability, which is a key feature of these polyesters, as well as their thermal transitions. The evaluation of the functional properties highlighted the preservation of excellent gas barrier characteristics of PTF and P(BPeF). Lastly, the addition of nisin allows for the implementation of antibacterial features, absent in the pristine polymers, as the blends showed antimicrobial activity, by disc diffusion assay, against Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Listeria monocytogenes. PTF loaded with nisin was tested also in ACE juice, pH 4.5, inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes at 10^2 CFU/mL and stored at 4°C. After 8 d, L. monocytogenes growth decreased under the detection limit in the sample with active packaging, while in the control the pathogenic species remained constant during the juice shelf-life.
Parole Chiave: Furan-based polyesters, Blends, Antimicrobial packaging
34. Valorization of by-product through the development of active film
Borriello A (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Marotta A (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Romano R (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Cavella S (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Leto L (Università di Parma), Di Fazio A (Università di Parma), Chiancone B (Università di Parma), Torrieri E (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Ambrogi V (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II)
Agri-food by-products have gained significant attention as a promise resource for production biodegradable packaging. Spent coffee ground (SCG) is an abundant residue from coffee beverage preparation and the oily extract derived from SCG (SCG-O) is an excellent source of antioxidant compounds (ACs). Hop by-product powder (HBP), which is rich in fiber and ACs, is obtained by low temperature drying and then grinding the plant biomass remaining after cone harvesting. The work objective was to develop two active films based on biopolymers and agri-food by-products. SCG-O was used to develop antioxidant alginate/chitosan film, while HBP was used to create a biodegradable active poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) film. The film development process focused on the physical characterization of the matrix as a function of its composition. The results showed that SCG-O based film exhibited an antioxidant capacity of 3 to 6 μg Trolox/mL of lipid food simulant. HBP, divided in different fractions according to fibre size and incorporated into PBS, retained its antioxidant activity and demonstrated a good release rate into the food simulant. Furthermore, the elastic modulus of the film was preserved despite some material embrittlement. In conclusion, SCG-O and HPB can be effectively used to develop food packaging materials.
Key words: biodegradable film, hop biomass, spent coffee ground
35. Experimental research on the valorization of biochar produced from waste biomass as building material
Bertoli A (Eni Spa), Vicini S (Eni Spa), Favaretto M (Eni Spa), Pontarollo A (Eni Spa), Romanelli D (Eni Spa), Tognella E (Eni Spa), Rapone I (Eni Spa)
Biochar is considered a method of carbon sequestration as long as it can be used in applications that can maintain its stability while avoiding the re-emission of CO2 into the atmosphere. Typically, the main application of biochar is as a soil amendment, but there are other interesting non-agricultural applications for biochar as an additive to inert mixes such as cement. [1]
The construction industry is a hard to abate sector; global cement production contributes more than 8% of global CO2eq. Replacing some of the cement with biochar is therefore an excellent way of reducing the CO2 emissions of the cement mix or other materials, for both structural and non-structural applications. [2-4]
However, to date there is no clear regulation on this application, the addition of biochar can change the property of the samples, so it is necessary to characterise the BC product.
In this study, Biochar from different feedstocks were characterised and then added as a replacement to the cement at several percentages, to then subject the BC samples to mechanical characterisation. Different behaviours were observed depending on the type of feedstock, even when the samples were pre-treated in the same way.
Biochar, Cement, Carbon sequestration
References
(1) Legan, M.; Gotvajn, A. Ž.; Zupan, K. Potential of Biochar Use in Building Materials. Journal of Environmental Management 2022, 309, 114704
(2) Senadheera, S. S.; Gupta, S.; Kua, H. W.; Hou, D.; Kim, S.; Tsang, D. C. W.; Ok, Y. S. Application of Biochar in Concrete – A Review. Cement and Concrete Composites 2023, 143, 105204.
(3) Osman, A. I.; Farghali, M.; Dong, Y.; Kong, J.; Yousry, M.; Rashwan, A. K.; Chen, Z.; Al-Fatesh, A.; Rooney, D. W.; Yap, P.-S. Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Buildings Using Biochar-Based Bricks and Insulating Materials: A Review. Environ Chem Lett 2023.
(4) Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2022. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/publications/fostering-effective-energy-transition-2022/ (accessed 2023-11-22)
36. From pomace-waste to field reuse: a new biopolymer for mulching applications
Oliviero M (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per i Polimeri Compositi e i Biomateriali), Manna P (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per i Sistemi Agricoli e Forestali del Mediterraneo) Pisano L (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per i Sistemi Agricoli e Forestali del Mediterraneo), Russo N (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per i Polimeri Compositi e i Biomateriali) and Monaco E (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per i Sistemi Agricoli e Forestali del Mediterraneo)
One of the objectives of the new CAP is to increase circular economy practices within farms. The European Commission adopted the new Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) in March 2020. This plan is one of the main pillars of the European Green Deal, Europe’s new agenda for sustainable growth. The EU’s transition to a circular economy will reduce pressure on natural resources and foster sustainable growth. It is also essential for achieving the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality target and for halting biodiversity loss. In this context, the proposed case study could be significant in terms of farm waste reuse. A mulching biofilm was developed using winemaking waste. Grape pomace (GP), an abundant byproduct of the wine industry, was used as a filler in a thermoplastic Cellulose Acetate (CA) matrix to enhance its value and improve the sustainability of the blends. GP-reinforced composites were prepared with varying amounts of filler, up to 50% GP by weight. The results obtained show promising performance for the biofilm, especially at lower percentages of pomace waste.
Key words: pomace waste, biofilm, mulching
37. Recovery of valuable compounds from Brewery Spent Yeast through a biorefinery approach for eco-friendly packaging applications.
Pizzichini D (ENEA: Agenzia nazionale per le nuove tecnologie, l’energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile), Ciccone M (Università di Bologna), Zamboni E (Università di Bologna), Leone GP (ENEA: Agenzia nazionale per le nuove tecnologie, l’energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile), La Rosa I (ENEA: Agenzia nazionale per le nuove tecnologie, l’energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile), Siroli L (Università di Bologna), Patrignani F (Università di Bologna), Celli A (Università di Bologna).
Beer production involves significant use water, energy, and raw materials, resulting in by-products like wastewaters, spent grains, and yeast residues. Spent Brewer’s Yeast (SBY) accounts for about 15% of these by-products. SBY is rich in bioactive compounds, consisting of roughly 40-50% proteins, 30-40% polysaccharides (mainly glucans), and 2-6% lipids. Its composition indicates potential for sustainable valorization, producing valuable chemicals such as bioactive peptides, antioxidants, and nutraceuticals. SBY is primarily used as food functional ingredients, yet non-food applications like biofuels, biodegradable plastics, and cosmetics are also reported. This research describes the experimental pathway in Spoke 8 (Task 8.1.3) to extract valuable compounds from SBY via a bio-refinery approach. SBY was harvested, washed, and subjected to autolysis to break down yeast cells. The autolysate was fractionated using membrane filtration techniques to obtain a protein-rich fraction. SBY fractions were also blended and spray-dried into powders, tested for flowability, cohesiveness, and fat encapsulation capacity. They were also analyzed for β-glucans, sugars, and fatty acid content to prospect other possible applications. Finally the yeast pellet after centrifugation was tested as antioxidant coating and adhesive, indicating a sustainable way to harness SBY’s chemical potential from the side of biomaterials.
Spent Brewer’s Yeast, Biorefinery, Biomaterials
WP2 - Agroenergy production from wastes to reduce energy dependence
38. Optimizing the valorization of olive mill by-products for the production of biogas, electricity and heat
Valli E (Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna), Zantedeschi S (Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna), Tura M (Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna), Maggiore I (Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna), Setti L (Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna), Paglianti A (Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna), Alberini F (Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna), Montante G (Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna), Maraldi M (Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna), Valenti F (Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna), Gallina Toschi T (Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna)
The olive mill generates various by-products that can be valorized to produce biogas, and maximize electricity and heat recovery. This research focuses on enhancing these valorization strategies through different experiments. 1) A mixture of olive mill wastewater (OMWW) and 4% of olive leaves was assessed for biogas production and compared to OMWW alone. The results showed no significant differences in biogas yield or composition between the two samples. 2) Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations were employed to optimize the biogas production process, identifying dead zones and critical shear stress within the digester. 3) A prototype for removing impurities (olive pulp and skin) from olive pits was developed, installed and tested in a real olive oil mill. Characterization of the pits collected from different mills, along with analysis of samples with and without impurities, is currently in progress. 4) Glucose at variable concentration (biomass model) and olive leaves 20% w/w, both pretreated with alkali, were tested in biofuel cells. The olive leaves 20% showed similar results to glucose 0.25 M. The findings suggest that the valorization of olive mill by-products can be further optimized to improve sustainable biogas and energy production, promoting more efficient and environmentally-friendly practices within the olive oil sector.
Key words: Olive mill by-products, Biogas, Energy
39. Modelling of a pilot-scale biogas plant fed on agricultural feedstocks
Carecci D (Politecnico di Milano), Catenacci A (Politecnico di Milano), Ferretti G (Politecnico di Milano), Leva A (Politecnico di Milano), Ficara E (Politecnico di Milano)
A pilot-scale experimentation was performed in order to collect experimental data to calibrate a co-digestion anaerobic digestion (Co-AD) model. The experimental co-digestion involved three main feedstocks, namely cow manure, maize silage, and tomato sauce and was performed in a fully equipped bench-scale digester, fed semi-continuously three times per week. In addition, data from activity and BMP tests were also collected to increase parameter identifiability. A sub-set of model parameters was chosen by running a dynamic sensitivity analysis on measurable quantities (i.e. gas flowrate, gas composition, pH, total ammoniacal nitrogen, acetate and propionate concentrations) in terms of magnitude (ranking) and correlation (collinearity index). Parameter estimation was based on average and normalized squared error minimization via a sequential combination of differential evolution and Nelder-Mead algorithms, to reduce the risk of local minima. An acceptable model performance was observed on the main measured quantities. The calibrated model will then be validated on a different data-set and firther used for the development of control strategies for the optimization of digesters operation.
Parole Chiave: codigestion, modelling, agricultural feedstocks
40. Hydrogen and methane production from orange processing waste “pastazzo” in two stage anaerobic process
Rosa S (ENEA), Ruggiero L (Università degli Studi di Roma Sapienza/ENEA), De Santis E (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II/ENEA), Signorini A (ENEA), Marone A (ENEA)
This work proposes the valorization of pastazzo by a two-stage anaerobic process for the bio-H2 and bio-CH4 sequential production, to improve the substrate exploitation increasing the energy recovery.
Activities were conducted to evaluate different inoculum treatments for the first Dark Fermentation (DF) stage: T-thermal (105° C, 1h), C-chemical (pH=3, 24h) and A-aeration (air sparging, 24h).
No CH4 production was observed during DF phase, but H2 consumption was detected in the C condition. Maximum cumulative H2 production (336 ± 14 Nml) and H2 yield (187 ± 8 Nml/gVS) were obtained with T treatment. Metabolic products identified different pathways probably due to the selection of specific microbial communities shaped by treatments. To confirm this hypothesis, their characterization is in progress.
CH4 production was higher in the two-stages process, whatever the inoculum treatment. The highest cumulative CH4 production (855.7 ± 17.4 NmL) and yield (475 ± 10 NmL/gVS) were obtained with T treatment, making it the most effective for both DF stage and full two-stage process. This agree with the highest energy recovery of 2.48MJ/Kg of pastazzo at the end of the two-stage process which was 12% and 17% higher than the C and A treatments, respectively and 40% higher than the one-stage process.
Parole Chiave: Anaerobic Digestion, Dark Fermentation, two-stages process
41. Extended ADM1 model for anaerobic co-digestion of agricultural wastes
George S (Department of Mathematics and Applications, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy), Frunzo L (Department of Mathematics and Applications, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy), Esposito G (Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy), Pirozzi F (Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy), Mattei MR (Department of Mathematics and Applications, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy)
This study presents a model-based approach to investigate anaerobic co-digestion of agricultural wastes. The model is an extended Anaerobic Digestion Model 1 (ADM1) to define co-digestion where the biochemical and physiochemical framework are extended to include distinct disintegration factors based on substrate characterisation, precipitation processes, trace metal speciation processes and effects of ionic strength. A local sensitivity analysis has been performed to filter most influential parameters amongst numerous parameters introduced in the new model framework. Model simulations have been performed for co-digestion of an agricultural waste (maize straw) with cow manure to study effects of substrate characteristics such as organic fractionation and trace metal content. Results from sensitivity analysis suggested disintegration and hydrolysis rates to be more influential than precipitation rates. For all outputs, most influential precipitation rates are krFeS and krFeCO3. Simulation results show highest methane content when 80% manure was co-digested with 20% maize and show that co-digestion improved methane content compared to mono-digestion. However, co-digestion of maize with 80% manure reduced biogas production due to the lack of trace metals in the manure. When trace metal effects were ignored, co-digestion with manure produced more biogas compared to mono-digestion of maize.
Keywords: agricultural wastes, co-digestion, extended ADM1, sensitivity analysis
42. Process Simulation of Upgraded Process for Catalytic Synthesis of Methanol
Bozzini M (Politecnico di Milano), Manenti F (Politecnico di Milano)
Methanol synthesis is a crucial process in the chemical industry, and its importance is increasing due to its centrality in the ecological transition era. This work focuses on showcasing the upgraded process for methanol synthesis from biogas sources and the development of its digital twin. The process has been upgraded with the design of a dedicated catalyst tailored for small-scale and non-conventional operating conditions. These modifications enabled the refurbishing of unit operations for higher TRL pilot tests. In particular, a field kinetic analysis tool (by HIDEN) and a 3D printer component (by AddCat) have been acquired in a customized nature to be fully integrated with the existing reactors and analytics. The process demonstrates an increase in the methanol yield compared to the pre-existing condition. Furthermore, a new process simulation was developed to study the behavior of the upgraded system under varying operating conditions. This simulation allows for a more detailed exploration of the process performance, facilitating further improvements and scale-up.
Parole Chiave: BiogasToMethanol, Upgrading, Process Simulation
43. Biohydrogen production via steam reforming of pyrolysis bio-oil
Mulu Fetene E (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Troiano M (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Solimene R (Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie per l’Energia e la Mobilità Sostenibili, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), Salatino P (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II)
Biohydrogen production from biomass is increasingly interesting within the current scenario of energy transition and reduction of CO2 emissions. An attractive option for biohydrogen production lies in the reforming of bio-oil obtained by biomass pyrolysis, characterized by high conversion efficiency and H2 yield above 10%wt. The combined fast-pyrolysis/steam reforming process is analyzed from different perspectives. Two process layouts are considered, based on in-line or off-line combination of the pyrolytic and reforming stages. The in-line option avoids operational problems related to bio-oil storage and vaporization. The off-line setup features remarkable flexibility and is preferred in delocalized/centralized biomass exploitation schemes. One further degree-of-freedom regards the choice of processing the whole bio-oil, or its aqueous fraction. Gas-solid fluidization is the reference technology for the design and operation of the reformer, due to excellent thermal performance and multiphase contacting patterns. However, feeding and dispersion/mixing pattern of bio-oil in fluidized bed may be problematic due to its viscosity/chemical instability and deserves better characterization and control. Careful control of fluidization patterns is required to prevent gas-phase segregation and inefficient vapour/catalyst contact. Catalysts deactivation represents another issue; catalyst formulation must be optimized based on the feedstock and process layout to ensure maximum productivity and stability.
Keywords: Hydrogen, Bio-oil reforming, Fluidized bed
44. Biological conversion of CO/CO2 and greenH2 into e-biomethane: results at batch and continuous scale
Bonato I (Politecnico di Milano), Catenacci A (Politecnico di Milano), Malpei F (Politecnico di Milano)
Biomethanation technology is emerging as a key solution for storing excess renewable energy and capturing carbon, aiding in climate change mitigation. This process uses anaerobic microorganisms to convert carbon sources such as biogas (CH4/CO2) and syngas (H2/CO2/CO) into methane. While the conversion pathways of H2/CO2 to CH4 are well established, those for CO are less understood and require symbiotic cooperation among various microbial groups: methanogenic archaea, hydrogenogenic bacteria, acetogenic bacteria, and sulfate-reducing bacteria. Key challenges to reach high TRL values include improving gas-liquid mass transfer, optimizing reactor design, and understanding CO consumption routes. Ongoing tests include continuous lab-scale membrane biofilm reactor operation to enhance energy-efficient hydrogen transfer and batch experiments to investigate carboxydotrophic methanogenic potential of mixed anaerobic cultures. The pilot has been operated using CO2, with future tests planned for CO. Initial results, indicate efficient hydrogen transfer and methane conversion rates above 80% and 60% respectively. The design of mesophilic carboxydotrophic and methanogenic specific activity tests at varying substrate concentration (pCO) will be essential to assess the methanogenic potential of different anaerobic sludges and to support CO biomethanation scale-up. The optimization of this technology could play a crucial role in advancing renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions.
Parole Chiave: Biomethanation, Syngas, Membrane-Biofilm-Reactor
WP3 - Nutrient and organic matter recovery from wastes to reduce the use of agrochemicals and closing waste cycle
45. Multi-nutrient bio-based fertilizers from sewage sludge and derived products
Turolla A (Politecnico di Milano), Esposito L (Politecnico di Milano), Boniardi G (Politecnico di Milano) e Canziani R (Politecnico di Milano)
Phosphorus (P) recovery from sewage sludge ash (SSA) represents a promising solution to P supply concerns, with the main application challenge consisting in the need for effective and feasible technologies for nutrient recovery into high quality products capable of complying with the European regulation on fertilizers (EU 1009/2019) while showing good economic competitiveness. The preposed technological solution is based on the phosphorus extraction via wet chemical leaching from SSA followed by alkaline precipitation with other compounds (as calcium and magnesium) to produce multi-nutrient safe secondary raw materials to be used by the fertilizer industry for manufacturing new-generation sustainable bio-based products.
The technological solution has been developed based on an integrated assessment procedure in which multi-objective process (technical and economic) and product (on purity and contamination) Key Performance Indicators have been thoroughly investigated and optimised, achieving good overall P recovery efficiency (> 80%) while preserving the recovered products from contamination and ensuring production costs in line with primary mining P sources. The key element for enabling the conversion of hard-to-handle wastes into valuable secondary resources is the identification of best process operating conditions combined with the use of secondary process reagents (as mining by-products) and the minimization of process residues.
Keywords: Circular Economy; Critical Raw Materials; Nutrient Recovery
46. Nutrient recovery from wastewater and sewage sludge
Sciubba L (ENEA CR Bologna), d’Aquino L (ENEA CR Portici), Petta L (ENEA CR Bologna), Molino A (ENEA CR Portici)
In this work, the reuse of reclaimed water and nutrient recovery from sewage sludge (mainly phosphorus), for agricultural purpose was investigated [Reg.(UE) 2020/741].
As a first step, reclaimed water collected from secondary and tertiary sections of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the Emilia-Romagna Region was used to water basil plants grown in laboratory on a commercial potting soil supplemented with conventional chemical fertilizers, under precision lighting, from the seedling to the flowering stages. Similar plant growth and development were scored in treated and control plants, thus indicating that reclaimed water is suitable for agricultural applications.
Then, a thorough characterization of wastewater is being carried out determining not only chemical characteristics, but also effluent microbiological parameters, through an instrument for online and real-time monitoring of bacterial load in wastewater, installed at the WWTP.
Moreover, a sewage sludge from the same WWTP was also treated for phosphorus (P) recovery by enzyme extraction with cellulase and acid phosphatase, in order to obtain a P-rich liquid product.
In further experiments, fully characterized wastewater and liquid hydrolysate will be supplied to basil plants to investigate at what extent they can decrease the need for conventional chemical fertilizers in crop-like conditions.
Keywords: Phosphorus recovery, Wastewater reuse, Basil
47. AgriMaRo.Q (AGRIcultural MAte RObot) for testing fertilizers in horticultural and greenhouse crops and for experimental verification of the effectiveness of the fertilizers produced in the task 8.3.1
Quaglia G (Politecnico di Torino), Visconte C (Politecnico di Torino), Botta A (Politecnico di Torino), Tagliavini L (Politecnico di Torino), Chionetti F (Politecnico di Torino)
AgriMaRo.Q is a new omnidirectional mobile robot designed for precision farming in greenhouses or relatively small fields. The robot is primarily designed for the active and continuous monitoring of crop and soil condition and the distribution of fertilizer in a controlled and targeted manner to maximise effectiveness while minimizing waste. By combining monitoring activities with the distribution of innovative fertilizers, it is also possible to assess the effectiveness of the latter in a systematic manner. The robot has a gantry design and is equipped with three independent wheel motors for agile omnidirectional movement and incorporates a mechanism to reconfigure the robot’s footprint, allowing the track width to be adjusted to different crops. This design, with its flexible and modular architecture, facilitates versatile applications, making the robot effective for various monitoring and cultivation tasks in protected crops.
Keywords: Precision agriculture, Agricultural robot, Innovative fertilizers
48. Production of P-fertilizer from digestate liquid fraction through struvite crystallization
Golinelli A (Università degli Studi di Milano), Nocito FF (Università degli Studi di Milano), Prinsi B (Università degli Studi di Milano), Trombino L (Università degli Studi di Milano), Tambone F (Università degli Studi di Milano)
Chemical precipitation, also called crystallization, inducted by magnesium could be a solution to resolve P fertilizer supply and manure management. This process allows simultaneous recovery of ammonium and orthophosphate in a mineral, called struvite (MgNH4PO4 · 6H2O), with excellent fertilizing proprieties. This study focuses on P recovery as struvite from the liquid fraction of swine manure digestate, by using a lab-scale crystallizer operated in continuous mode (7 L⋅d-1). Seawater bittern, a by-product of salt production mainly composed of magnesium chloride, was assessed as magnesium source for the formation of struvite within a circular economy approach. Although X-Ray Diffraction did not confirm the presence of struvite in the product, the ICP-Ms analyses showed that the amount of P removed is sensibly high (up to 99%) and it is highly assimilable. Dried samples were then used as fertilizer in agronomic pot tests using Lactuca sativa. P precipitate showed superior fertilizing properties in comparison with poultry manure in terms of P absorbed and total biomass content. However, struvite was obtained with another stream in batch test. Thus, the next goals of the project are to improve the crystallization process in order to guarantee struvite crystals formation and repeat the experiments with new products.
Key words: struvite, phosphorus, seawater bittern
49. Multi-purpose new-generation biostimulants from dairy industry byproducts and biowaste
Turolla A (Politecnico di Milano), Amini A (Politecnico di Milano), Amirian Mojarad V (Politecnico di Milano), Remelli A (Politecnico di Milano)
The biostimulating properties of phototrophic microorganisms, as microalgae, cultivated on agri-food byproducts or biowaste are emerging for their promising nature in supporting sustainable agricultural practices. Purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB) are recently gaining interest due to the possibility of converting carbon-rich feedstocks into high value biomass rich in biostimulating compounds (as 5-ALA) using sunlight as energy source. In the view of creating sustainable and circular value chains at the local scale, there is a need for enabling technological solutions integrating all the essential elements for the effective application (i.e., acidogenic fermentation for feedstock preprocessing to produce volatile fatty acids – VFA, photobioreactor for VFA uptake and PPB biomass cultivation, biomass harvesting).
The proposed technological solution aims at enabling the valorization of deproteinated cheese whey (CW), a low-value dairy industry byproduct, into new-generation biostimulants. In detail, downstream the CW acidogenic fermentation, the VFA-rich stream is fed to a photobioreactor in which the PPB biomass is grown attached on solid supports (poorly soluble inorganic salts as struvite or soil amendments as biochar) in the view of facilitating biomass harvesting via unexpensive settling while recovering multi-purpose, high-value and ready-to-use products. The proof of concept has currently been demonstrated at the lab-scale in batch experiments.
Keywords: Circular Economy; Nutrient Recovery; Solar-based Biotechnologies
50. Characterization of materials for methane capture in cattle barns and deployment of a pilot plant
Gramegna A (Università degli Studi di Milano), Tommasi M (Università degli Studi di Milano), Lovarelli D (Università degli Studi di Milano), Stucchi M (Università degli Studi di Milano), Ortenzi M (Università degli Studi di Milano), Prati L (Università degli Studi di Milano), Rossetti I (Università degli Studi di Milano) e Guarino M (Università degli Studi di Milano).
Ruminants, especially dairy cattle significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions due to enteric fermentation process. Considering that a cow emits about 500 L/d of methane [1] and in view of the increasing population of cows due to the intensive farming activities, the daily methane emission is considerable and is likely to further increase. To address this issue, adsorption technology has been identified as a viable approach. During our research work, we identified two major challenges: capturing methane at low partial pressures and competitive adsorption due to higher CO2 concentration in cattle barns, which favors CO2 uptake over methane. These issues require selecting adsorbent materials with properties that enhance methane uptake and the development of a pilot plant for the in-field testing to screen the most promising ones. Materials characterizations using TGA, SEM-EDX, XRD and BET analysis have identified Actisorb 100, Actisorb 70 and Suracsh activated carbons as promising candidate for capturing livestock methane. Preliminary TGA analysis of the exposed samples indicate evident adsorption. Additionally, high SSA and microporosity are linked with greater adsorption. TPD-MS analysis are currently underway to identify the specific gases adsorbed and released.
Reference
- Johnson, K.A.; Johnson, D.E. Methane Emissions from Cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 1995, 73, 2483–2492, doi:10.2527/1995.7382483x.
Key words: Greenhouse gases; Enteric methane; Active carbon sorbent
This study was carried out within the Agritech National Research Center, Next-GenerationEU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) – MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.4 – D.D. 1032 17/06/2022, CN00000022), WPs 8.3.2 and 8.4.1.
51. Assessment of Organic Amendments on Vegetative and Productive Performance of Strawberry Plants Under Different Growing Conditions
Nazeer S (Università di Parma), Agosti A (Università di Parma), Del Vecchio L (Università di Parma), Leto L (Università di Parma), Di Fazio A (Università di Parma), Hadj Saadoun J (Università di Parma), Levante A (Università di Parma), Rinaldi M (Università di Parma), Dhenge R (Università di Parma), Maestri E (Università di Parma), Rossi R (Università di
Parma), Lazzi C (Università di Parma), Cirlini M (Università di Parma), Chiancone B (Università di Parma)
To enhance agricultural sustainability, a promising approach involves recycling agri-food waste (biochar, wood distillate, and biostimulants) to reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers, boost soil fertility and improve plant performance. For this purpose, innovative and sustainable agricultural practices are essential, particularly within a circular economy. This research focused on examining the effects of biochar and wood distillate on different vegeto-productive performances of strawberry cultivated in different cultivation systems: in vitro, hydroponic, aeroponic, and open field conditions. Results demonstrated that plants responded differently depending on the fertilizer used and on the cultivation system considered. Biochar was found to influence plant growth and development, while wood distillate showed potential benefits for enhancing strawberry propagation and fruit quality. Additionally, the use of biochar and wood distillate positively affected in vitro micropropagation of strawberries. These findings contribute to evaluate biochar and wood distillate as sustainable inputs for strawberry cultivation, underscoring the critical role of cultivation systems. Future research should explore the long-term impacts, economic viability, and integration of these strategies into larger agricultural systems to help, address food security and climate challenges. This approach could open the way for more sustainable and resilient agricultural models that support global food needs.
Keywords: innovative cultivation systems, organic fertilizers, strawberry
52. Lab-scale optimization of co-composting agri-industrial effluents with biochar to reduce ammonia emissions and save water and energy
Altieri R (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – ISAFOM), Cucina M (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – ISAFOM), Esposito A (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – ISAFOM)
With the aim to develop, test and validate innovative technologies to produce fertilizers, biofertilizers and soil amendment to support soil fertility and mitigate climate change, the activity concerns the Spoke 8, WP 8.3, Task 8.3.2 – Valorisation and biological regeneration of wastes as resource, organic fertilizers, or amendments to improve carbon storage and soil quality. Three composting trials of challenging waste, including livestock effluents, digestates and olive mill waste, were conducted in a lab-scale pilot plant(a). The system optimizes aerobic biodegradation and allows for a comprehensive mass balance assessment; it also prevents leaching, anoxia, and the production of undesirable foul volatile compounds. Biochar was tested for controlling ammonia emission: in comparison to untreated controls, it was added (5%) to the initial mixtures designed with a low C/N to boost potential emissions. Trials resulted in mature and stable compost within ≈ 40-50 days, all showing features that make them suitable for multiple beneficial agronomic uses. Most of the nitrogen (>95%) was saved, while carbon loss was ≈ 42-52%. Biochar reduced ammonia emission by ≈ 50% in the trial with digestates that showed the lowest emission, and by ≈ 30% in the others.
(a)Altieri et al., 2024, Heliyon 10: e31059
Keywords: Compost, Biochar, Ammonia emission
53. Proximal sensing and automatic information extraction for monitoring the role of biochar as a biofertilizer for strawberries
Orlandella I, Dilillo N, Smith K, Belcore E, Ferrero R, Fiore S, Piras M, Tommasi T (Politecnico di Torino)
54. Biochar from residual press-cake of oleaginous seeds: production and characterization
Gramigni F (Eni S.p.A) & Firmani P (Eni S.p.A), Armilli L (Eni S.p.A), Deriu D (Eni S.p.A), Grande M (Eni S.p.A), Cantoni G (Eni S.p.A), Perucchini (Eni S.p.A), Marra G (Eni S.p.A), Siviero A (Eni S.p.A), Rapone I (Eni S.p.A), Salvalaggio M (Eni S.p.A), Bertoli A (Eni S.p.A), Testa D (Eni S.p.A), Pasini T (Eni S.p.A)
The biochar has caught great attention due to its multifunctional properties: it is capable to trap within its microporous structure a significant amount of moisture and nutrients. For these reasons biochar can be used as amendment to enhance the quality in soils. Moreover, its persistence and stability provide a great contribution to carbon sequestration.
Herein, slow pyrolysis was chosen as reference technology because its long residence time allows to maximize the biochar production. As feedstock we have selected residual press-cakes from various oleaginous seeds. The aim is to convert the de-oiled panel in a biochar suitable for soil amendment application and in compliance with its regulations.
In this experimental study, about 150 g of cakes were loaded in a batch reactor placed in a tubular electric furnace. The typical protocol consists in a slow pyrolysis run, nitrogen (i.e. 1,5 Nl/min) was continuously fed to the system in order keep an oxygen-free atmosphere and the temperature was gradually increased to 400-700°C. Finally, the biochar obtained was characterized in terms of organic and inorganic carbon, H/C and C/N ratio, ash content, humidity, pH, presence of PAHs, SEM analysis.
The objective was to identify the best operating conditions to produce high-quality biochar.
Key-words: biochar, press-cakes, pyrolysis
55. Biochar production from lignocellulosic wastes and its use for agricultural approaches
Fantini E (ENEA), Panara F (ENEA), Lopez L (ENEA), Facella P (ENEA), Daddiego L (ENEA), Cangiulli G (ENEA), Piccione B (ENEA), Bianco L (ENEA), Fasano C (ENEA), Montanaro G (Università degli Studi della Basilicata), Catizzone E (Università della Calabria), Carboni M (ENEA), Romanelli A (ENEA), Cornacchia G (ENEA), Freda C (ENEA), Alagna F (ENEA)
Biochar is a carbon-rich product obtained from the pyrolysis of biomass which has numerous potentials as both a soil amendment and biostimulant. Although biochar is currently used in agriculture, its effectiveness is highly variable and depends on its chemical-physical properties, the crop on which it is used, the cultivation conditions and the soil characteristics.
Our research activity aimed to improve the understanding of the key factors influencing biochar efficacy in order to optimise biochar production and application. We evaluated the effect of key pyrolysis parameters on the chemical-physical properties of the biochar. A plant assay using Medicago truncatula was designed and implemented to test the effect of different biochar types on plant performance and plant-associated microbial communities.
Low temperatures (400°-500°C) and short residence time (≤ 1h) were considered suitable pyrolysis parameters and thus selected for the pilot-scale biochar production. The results demonstrated the benefits of soil treatment with biochar produced using these parameters. Plants grown on biochar-treated soil showed increased aerial biomass and number of legumes per plant compared to the control plants. These benefits increased using aged biochar, which improved root growth too.
Parole Chiave: biochar, Medicago truncatula, soil amendment
56. Novel MgO-biochar composite material for nutrient recovery from wastewater and struvite production
Alcantarini A (Alma Mater Studiorum, Università di Bologna), Melandri M (Alma Mater Studiorum, Università di Bologna), Primante A (Alma Mater Studiorum, Università di Bologna), Contin A (Alma Mater Studiorum, Università di Bologna), El Yamani S (Alma Mater Studiorum, Università di Bologna), Marazza D (Alma Mater Studiorum, Università di Bologna)
MgOCarbon is a new patented metal oxide-char blend produced from agricultural waste. It has been specifically engineered to treat agro-industrial wastewater and is now being tested as a fertiliser in line with the principles of the circular economy. Thermal treatment of dolomite and chars forms reactive sites. Metal oxides are converted into struvite when applied to N- and P-rich wastewater. This fertiliser is promoted by the new European Fertiliser Regulation 2019/1009 with the clear aim of replacing synthetic fertilisers. MgOCarbon solves two main problems. First, it removes N, P and COD from wastewater, avoiding eutrophication. Second, it recovers nutrients, producing a slow-release fertiliser. It also contains a biochar component that provides additional soil benefits, like water and nutrient retention and soil carbon storage. The main aims of the project are to scale up MgO carbon production, test wastewater treatment and investigate agronomic efficiency.
Keywords: struvite, biochar, wastewater
57. Sheep wool pellets: from agro-waste biomass to an organic soil improver
Dal Prà A (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la BioEconomia), Ugolini F (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la BioEconomia), Negri M (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la BioEconomia), Bortolu S (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la BioEconomia), Duce P (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la BioEconomia), Camilli F (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la BioEconomia)
Keywords: sheep wool, pellets, circular bioeconomy
Sheep wool is an important source of nitrogen and its potential as agricultural renewable and sustainable organic fertilizer is high. Wool can be applied into the soil after any contamination from harmful bacteria (e.g., Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp.) is excluded.
Wool, rich in N (12% of dry material), was mixed to spruce sawdust at sawdust: wool ratios of at 2:1; 1:1 (v/v) to increase soil organic carbon.
Pellets were morphologically (diameter and length), chemically (content of the elements required for fertilization) and microbiologically (content of harmful bacteria) characterized.
The application of sheep wool pellets into the soil can be a virtuous example of a circular bioeconomy process providing sheep wool with an added value, possible income for farmers and benefits for the environment.
58. Biochar: production in full size plant and field tests
Spoke 8 Task 8.3.2
Silvia Baronti1, Francesco Vaccari1, Mario Marra1, Tomaso Bertoli2, Hafeez Ur Rahim3, Martino Negri1
1 – CNR IBE- National Research Council, Istitute of BioEconomy
2 – BiokW- Valorizzazione Energetica e Ambientale delle Biomass
3 – Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences (DOCPAS), University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
Within the activities on biochar, our unit has been focused on both production and use of biochar, as integrated production chain. From the production side we prepared some amounts of biochar obtained by processing different biomasses in a (small) industrial up draft reactor 1,5 cubic meters large (3 m tall) feeded with 50 kg/h of raw biomasses. The biomass has been harvested in Sardinia from pruning olive trees, cutting Arundo donax and urban pruning of eucalyptus. The size variability of the raw material provided poorly stable process, even if the biochar obtained was according to the expectations. Biochar application to agricultural soils has been proposed as a promising strategy for carbon (C) sequestration and climate change mitigation. However, the potential of biochar to improve soil C-sink is still under debate, since its stability seems to depend on several factors, such as the starting feedstock, pyrolysis conditions, soil environment and vegetation cover of the site. In addition, some experimental amounts of biochar obtained by processing seeds of corn was done to assess, the C sequestration potential of biochar under field conditions. In particular, we aimed to assess: (i) the stability of biochar in field conditions and the effect of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi.
59. High resolution NMR spectroscopy to evaluate the impact exerted on the primary metabolome of lettuce by solid digestate, vermicompost and compost
Graziano ML (Università degli Studi di Salerno), Curcio R (Università degli Studi di Salerno; SAFE – School of Agricultural, Forest, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Università della Basilicata), Di Serio A (Università degli Studi di Salerno), Ronga D (Università degli Studi di Salerno), Mazzei P (Università degli Studi di Salerno)
It is urgent to deal with environmental issues, including the impoverishment and intensive exploitation of fertile soils and the continuous decrease in organic matter. The chemical/biological valorisation of waste biomass may lead to products useful to improve plant production and make soils more fertile and resilient. Therefore, in the present work, which is part of the research activities of the PNRR AGRITECH (task 8.3.2), we applied solid anaerobic digestate, vermicompost (both products deriving from a biogas plant) and green compost, and tested their effects on lettuce plants which were grown in a protected environment, under a greenhouse. Firstly, we identified the ideal doses to improve the qualitative performance (agronomic data and N) of lettuce as compared to a control. Then, the impact of these products on the lettuce primary metabolome was evaluated using 1H NMR spectroscopy. We identified the profile of the primary metabolome (amino acids, carbohydrates, alcohols, organic acids), and highlighted the changes depending on the specific treatment through various multivariate statistical techniques. We proved that the investigated products, when administered in appropriate doses, can represent valid biostimulants and soil conditioners, impacting on the production, quality and compositional aspects of important IV range foods, such as the lettuce.
Keywords: biomass valorization, liquid-state NMR spectroscopy, metabolomics
60. Experimental fertilizers from food waste: a sustainable way to improve vegetative and productive performances of tomato plants
Agosti A (University of Parma), Nazeer S (University of Parma), Leto L (University of Parma), Del Vecchio L (University of Parma), Di Fazio A (University of Parma), Dhenge R (University of Parma), Rossi R (University of Parma), Hadj Saadoun J (University of Parma), Levante A (University of Parma), Maestri E (University of Parma), Rinaldi M (University of Parma), Lazzi C (University of Parma), Cirlini M (University of Parma), Chiancone B (University of Parma)
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is increasingly cultivated using soilless cultivation systems to mitigate the effects of climate change. These systems typically rely on cocopeat or perlite as a substrate, but, due to their high costs and environmental impact, there is a growing interest in more sustainable alternatives. Furthermore, reducing the use of synthetic fertilizers by resorting to agri-food-derived products is a valuable strategy for the transition from a linear to a circular economy in agriculture. In this research, biochar was used to change the composition of the growing substrate composition in a soilless cultivation system. Moreover, commercial (wood distillate) and experimental agri-food waste-derived biostimulants were applied near the plant roots. The results showed that biochar and all biostimulants tested had a positive effect on fruit quality, more than on the vegetative-productive parameters. Other than in open field and soilless conditions, biochar could be also used in in vitro studies. In this project, biochar was used as a culture medium component evaluating its effect in mitigating salt stress in tomato seedlings. Preliminary results showed that root development was less affected by salt in the presence of biochar.
The use of agri-food waste is a promising strategy to make agriculture more sustainable.
Keywords: Agriculture, Biostimulants, Circular economy
61. Evaluation of the phytostimulant activity of microbial biomass containing Bacillus subtilis
Della Mura B (Università degli Studi della Basilicata), Ambrico A (ENEA, Centro di Ricerca Trisaia), Trupo M (ENEA, Centro di Ricerca Trisaia), Magarelli R A (ENEA, Centro di Ricerca Trisaia), Palazzo S (ENEA, Centro di Ricerca Trisaia), d’Aquino L (ENEA, Centro di Ricerca Portici).
The development of eco-friendly approaches to increase biomass production while reducing the use of chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, is among the most challenging objectives to improve the sustainability of future agriculture.
Plant growth promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) are an interesting biotechnological tool as they are already known to be beneficial for plants health and biomass production. Indeed, PGPMs enhance plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and improve nutrient uptake by plants, thus positively affecting yield and plant-based productions.
Bacillus subtilis [(Ehrenberg) Cohn] is a Gram-positive, non-pathogenic, ubiquitous bacterium belonging the group of the PGPMs, that displayed good attitude a biocontrol agent in agriculture.
According to the circular economy principles, our research aimed at testing the effect on plant growth of the B. subtilis strain ET-1 biomass obtained through fermentation and spray–drying using agro-industrial waste as a growing substrate for the microorganism.
The phytostimulanting effect was tested on Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) plants grown using an innovative growing system developed by ENEA including precision lighting and ventilating systems.
The plants treated with B. subtilis ET-1 were more vigorous in epigeal and root parts and displayed an earlier transition to the reproductive stage compared to the untreated plants.
Parole Chiave: Phytostimulation, Bacillus subtilis, agro-industrial waste.
WP4 - Evaluation and assessment of new circular technologies in agriculture
62. Ni-based catalysts for biogas upgrading
Tommasi M (Università degli Studi di Milano), Gramegna A (Università degli Studi di Milano), Falletta E (Università degli Studi di Milano), Prati L (Università degli Studi di Milano) e Rossetti I (Università degli Studi di Milano)
The scope of this project is to investigate CO2 catalytic hydrogenation. The main goal concerns the optimization of the direct biogas hydrogenation which would allow significant savings related to the elimination of the CO2 removal step [1]. In this work, the first steps related to the screening of different catalysts are presented. This study involved the synthesis and screening of Ni-based catalysts as an active phase deposited through different methods on different media. All tested catalysts have been synthetized with a theoretical 36% Ni loading. Wet-impregnation (WI), sol-gel (SG) and coprecipitation techniques have been used. The source/preparation method of the support used for the synthesis of the catalyst have been observed to have a significant impact on the catalytic activity of the catalyst. Tests have been carried out in an Incoloy 800 tubular reactor under atmospheric pressure. CeO2 prepared through SG techniques showed extremely promising results. Further tests of this catalyst under different GHSV and pressure conditions are ongoing. Overall, the use of Ni catalysts, despite the relatively high loading, has proven to be suitable for methanation, presenting a viable alternative to noble metal-based catalysts. The effects of promoters and kinetic model regression are the next steps in this research.
Reference
- Gorre, J.; Ortloff, F.; van Leeuwen, C. Production Costs for Synthetic Methane in 2030 and 2050 of an Optimized Power-to-Gas Plant with Intermediate Hydrogen Storage. Appl. Energy 2019, 253, 113594, doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.113594.
Keywords: Carbon dioxide, Methanation, Catalysis
This study was carried out within the Agritech National Research Center, Next-GenerationEU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) – MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.4 – D.D. 1032 17/06/2022, CN00000022), WPs 8.3.2 and 8.4.1.
63. Technology Strategy for a Sustainable and Circular Agriculture
Rocco Pavesi, Luigi Orsi, Luca Zanderighi – Università degli Studi di Milano, Department of Environmental Science and Policy, via Celoria 2, 20133, Milano (MI), Italy
The transition to sustainable agricultural practices is critical in the face of escalating climate challenges. Despite significant advances, the integration of green technologies within agribusiness remains underexplored. This study undertakes a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to elucidate the integration of green technologies within agribusiness strategies. Utilizing data from the Web of Science Core Collection (1990- 2023), this analysis focuses on peer-reviewed articles covering key terms related to green, clean, sustainable, and energy-efficient technologies in agriculture, as well as business strategy. The final sample comprised 240 papers authored by 1088 scholars and published across 113 academic journals. The research employed R, RStudio, Bibliometrix, and VOSviewer for data analysis and visualization. The methodology included keyword searches, data cleaning, and bibliometric mapping, leading to the identification of significant trends, influential authors, prominent journals, and thematic clusters. Key thematic clusters identified include biogas, biochar, biotech remediation, sustainable agriculture transition, low-carbon agriculture, and green strategies.
Partial results indicate a growing trend in publications post-2015, correlating with global sustainability initiatives such as the UN’s 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement. Notable peaks in research output occurred in response to these milestones and the increased focus on sustainability driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and extreme weather events. The analysis of the most influential journals and papers underscores the interdisciplinary nature of this research area, with significant contributions from journals like “Journal of Cleaner Production,” “Sustainability,” and “Environmental Science and Pollution Research.” The bibliographic coupling network analysis revealed critical clusters that emphasize the role of strategic planning, policy support, and innovative technologies in sustainable agriculture. For instance, the biogas cluster highlighted the importance of governmental support and strategic planning in overcoming economic and technical obstacles. The biochar cluster underscored the environmental and economic benefits of biochar applications, while the biotech remediation cluster focused on the potential of green technologies in managing soil contamination. The sustainable agriculture transition cluster emphasized the multifaceted nature of adopting sustainable practices, including technological, social, and economic dimensions. In addition to bibliographic coupling, a keyword co- occurrence network analysis was conducted to map the thematic structure and interconnected concepts within the research field. This analysis identified eight clusters, each representing distinct themes such as strategic management, energy sustainability, agricultural performance, soil health, emissions reduction, climate change impacts, and renewable energy sources. The cluster centered on strategic and managerial aspects of innovation and policymaking had the highest betweenness centrality, underscoring the critical role of developing and adopting effective policies and innovative approaches in sustainable agriculture. Other clusters highlighted the importance of energy efficiency, optimization of resource use, soil health improvement, and emissions reduction in driving sustainable agricultural practices.
This study contributes to the literature by providing qualitative insights and policy implications, highlighting the necessity for a holistic integration of green technologies to enhance the environmental and economic viability of agribusinesses. Future research should broaden the scope of databases, integrate qualitative analyses, and explore the impact of emerging technologies and policies on sustainable agricultural practices.
Keywords: Sustainable Agriculture; Green Technologies; Agribusiness Strategies.
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64. Addressing the adoption of new circular technologies in agrifood supply chains: empirical investigations
Abbate S (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Borrello M (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Cembalo L (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Centobelli P (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Di Gregorio M (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Lombardi A (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II), Paparella A (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II)
Italy is one of the world’s leading producers in the wine, dairy, and olive oil industries – sectors that hold critical and significant importance both nationally and globally. However, the management and valorisation of the waste produced by these supply chains pose significant challenges, impacting both environmental, economic, and social sustainability. The research activities conducted aim to analyse the dynamics of by-product management within these key supply chains, focusing on the potential for transforming waste and by-products into valuable resources. The findings highlight the importance of these industries in the context of a circular economy and identify current valorisation practices while proposing solutions to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of these processes. Specifically, the wine, dairy, and olive oil sectors generate significant organic waste and by-products that, if properly managed, can be repurposed into high-value products, contributing to broader ecological goals and reducing overall environmental impact. Despite these opportunities, challenges related to logistics, technological innovation, and regulatory frameworks continue to hinder full valorisation efforts. The findings suggest strategies for overcoming current barriers, promoting more sustainable and innovative resource management practices within these essential agri-food supply chains. By advancing industry standards and environmental stewardship globally, these efforts ultimately foster a more resilient and circular economy.
Parole Chiave: agri-food supply chains, sustainable transition, waste valorisation
65. Empirical evidence on the acceptance of CE practices and technologies by Italian farmers. A preliminary overview
Agricultural production tends to generate surplus food due to supply and demand variability, along with biomasses discarded during the field and post-harvest activities. The two streams may be valorized at the farm level through the adoption of CE technologies and the implementation of related practices.
This study analyzes the farm- and context-level determinants (e.g. product category, farm size, post-harvest integration, organization of food waste management, soil health, incentives) of the adoption process (awareness, acceptance, adoption) undertaken by Italian farmers with 5 groups of recycling and recovery technologies for food waste and biomasses. The analysis relies on survey data collected from 1.200 Italian farmers and a discrete choice econometric model. Preliminary results point to a dominance of very large farms in adoption decisions, while acceptance is not found to vary with farm size. Both adoption and acceptance are related to the incidence of climate problems and the presence of food waste managers. The discussion of results will revolve around two recycling technologies developed within Agritech Spoke 8, namely biomolecule extraction from biomasses and co-composting.
A better knowledge of the conditions supporting farmers’ acceptance of CE technologies informs policymakers in their efforts to design evidence-based support measures and technology developers and suppliers in the identification of the most promising technologies and demand segments.
Parole Chiave: Technology Acceptance, Circular Economy, Italian farmers
66. Assessing the effect of an innovative low temperature vacuum drier prilling technology on circularity and sustainability of cropping systems
Villani R (Università degli Studi di Milano), Bacenetti J (Università degli Studi di Milano), Fiala M (Università degli Studi di Milano), Ragaglini G (Università degli Studi di Milano)
This study aims at assessing the environmental performance and circularity level of an innovative technology of waste valorisation within an agricultural system. The technology consists in a low temperature vacuum drier prilling device that allows the recovery of organic matter and nutrients from the solid fraction of animal manure through the production of a granular organic fertilizer.
In the context of the environmental sustainability and circularity assessment of cropping systems, the evaluation must regard all phases, including the handling of manure, the organic fertilizer production and the crop productions that utilize the fertilizer, therefore the system boundaries must be set accordingly. This would allow to evaluate several circularity and sustainability indicators, such as the levels of: mineral N replacement; N recovery and an improved N logistics (storability and transportability); crops Nitrogen Use Efficiency (improvement due to the possibility of more timely N applications compared to the traditional spreading of digestate or slurry and linked to reduced risks of N leaching, reduced emissions of N2O and ammonia).
Preliminary results show that the selected technology, has a potentially high level of reuse of resources associated with a potentially low environmental impact.
Keywords: circularity of cropping systems; nutrient recovery; Life Cycle Assessment.
67. Multidimensional sustainability assessment of circular orange peel waste management alternatives
Lombardi P, Barbero S, Fiore S, Orlandella I, Rovera F, Russo N, Todella E, Tommasi T (Politecnico di Torino)
Research activities carried out by the PoliTo team evaluate technological options for processing orange peel waste (OPW) by-products. The research originates from a case study in Task 8.1.3, a technology currently developed by Krill Design for the production of an orange-based biocomposite with a biopolymer matrix. This technology has been deeply analyzed using LCA and other assessment methods, and a number of alternative OPW management technologies have been identified for further evaluation and comparison.
Starting from this input case study, the research includes the following three action lines, using a holistic multi-level and multi-dimensional sustainability assessment: (i) Holistic Diagnosis (HD), including SWOT, gap analysis, and Stakeholder analysis, currently conducted for Krill Design, and to be conducted both at the scale of the region of the company from which OPW by-products originated, and at the scale of the other companies developing technologies for OPW management; (ii) Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of OPW streams, currently developed for partner in Task 8.1.3 – together with a sustainability assessment of the biopolymer PHA used for biocomposite manufacturing by Krill Design – and to be developed for the other companies involved in the study; and (iii) Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), including the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), already applied in a simulation comparing Krill Design with alternative technologies from the literature, and to be conducted with real case study alternative technologies, through Circular Economy indicators for the evaluation of OPW management innovative technologies.
Keywords: orange peel waste, circular economy, multidimensional sustainability
68. Enabling the circular economy in agriculture: a methdological proposal for a multi-criteria sustainability evaluation
Datola G (Politecnico di Milano), Catellani E (Politecnico di Milano), Ciccullo F (Politecnico di Milano), Randellini N (Politecnico di Milano), Oppio A (Politecnico di Milano)
The ecological transition to enhance a sustainable and circular approach to resources is the current global challenge, as well as the complex decision-making process that the global community is called upon to manage. In this context, the agricultural and food production sector is trying to pass from a linear resource consumption to a circular management of resources, through the adoption of different circular technologies. Due to the high level of complexity, uncertainty and multidimensional effects, this transition process is facing many challenges and issues. Sustainability requires to be addressed with a comprehensive perspective, considering all three dimensions, namely the environmental, economic and social ones. For this reason, this research aims at developing, and applying to two case studies, an assessment framework to address the implementation of circular technologies in agriculture accounting for relevant stakeholders’ perspectives. The main objective is to provide a decision support system able to manage and represent the complexity of the transition to the circular economy paradigm of agriculture. The challenge of the research is using evaluation as a communication, engagement and enabling tool to address innovation according to multidimensional values (social, economic, and environmental), supporting the decision process within its complexity.
69. Life cycle thinking applications of innovative circular technologies in the agricultural sector. Life Cycle Assessment and Social Life Cycle Assessment for agricultural waste and by-products
Piras A (Università degli Studi di Sassari, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la BioEconomia), Vagnoni E (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la BioEconomia), Solinas S (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la BioEconomia), Duce P (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la BioEconomia)
According to Circular Economy concept, waste and by-products generated in the agricultural sector can be valued as feedstocks for eco-innovative products and returned to agriculture as energy, feed or fertilizers. Life Cycle Thinking is a way of considering the environmental, economic and social implications of a product throughout its life cycle and the sustainability of production systems. The environmental and socio-economic implications of three innovative technologies/products are currently being investigated by CNR: (i) organic soil improver from slaughterhouse waste; (ii) biochar from agricultural and forestry residues; (iii) microbial biomass from whey used as animal feed or agriculture purposes. The environmental footprint and socio-economic implications of the case studies are quantified using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Social LCA (SLCA) methods. Primary data collection is based on interviews and surveys of key stakeholders. The first questionnaire has been submitted to a company producing the organic soil improver. The objective is to comprehend the involvement of stakeholders in the different production phases and to supply data for the LCA study. This study will contribute to i) identifying process hotspots for these technologies and proposing solutions; ii) providing data for responsible decision-making and raising awareness among producers and their stakeholders.
Key Words: Life Cycle Assessment, Social Life Cycle Assessment, Agricultural waste
