PROJECT: The Second Life of Posidonia Oceanica: Sustainability-guided Isolation and Valorization of its Main Constituents

Cup: J53D23014680001

Codice MUR: : P20223ZFXH

Importo finanziato: 240.000,00 Euro

Decreto Direttoriale MUR n. 1409 del14/09/2022 - Bando PRIN 2022 PNRR - Missione 4 “Istruzione e Ricerca” del Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza - componente C2 – investimento 1.1, Progetti di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale - PRIN

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The project, SusPos, aims to valorise Posidonia Oceanica (PO), obtained from the industry “Ecocentro-Sardegna”, through developing processes for PO pre-treatment, extraction/separation and subsequent valorisation of its main components, using a biorefinery cascade approach to obtain a variety of compounds that can be valued in several industrial sectors. The chemical transformations of PO biomass are as crucial as the involved processes are efficient and green. Therefore, the use of benign solvents, mild operation conditions, new catalytic systems, and enabling technologies, will be essential research development tools. Cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and bioactive compounds will be obtained from PO by combinations of ionic liquids (ILs) and green methodologies, like ultrasounds and microwave irradiation, natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDES) and enzymes, enabling technologies as ball milling. PO’s biopolymers so obtained will be transformed by sustainable methodologies into high-value building blocks such as phenols and bio-based 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), biofuels and sugars that will be converted into bio-EtOH, NaDES components and bio-based ILs as low-cost/eco-compatible green solvents which will be mainly used in the project in light of the circular economy. HMF will be converted into valuable chemicals such as 2,5-diformylfuran and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, significant building blocks for bioplastics, using innovative non-noble metal-based catalysts and visible light. Finally medical devices, ad-hoc tissue-engineered patches manufactured by 3D bioprinting that will improve patients' lives by restoring the original skin properties, will be developed. These will be obtained both from soft materials obtained from the gelification of PO components in water, ILs or DES and properly modified PO, using a combination of naturally derived biomaterials and bioactive compounds extracted from PO. The network engaged in SusPos involves research groups from Universities and from National Research Council of Italy (CNR) which are leaders in the use and developing of green chemistry methodologies, exploitations and explorations of enabling innovative technologies and engineering of products obtained from biowaste. All of them are located in operational centres geographically facing the Mediterranean Sea. The scientific outcome of SusPos will result in fundamental information to engage collaboration with potential industrial partners thus, encouraging the development of circular economy. This approach constitutes a milestone in the creation of synergies between the academia and industry, critical for creating an economically and environmentally sustainable production system obeying to the philosophy of circular economy. PO exploitation generates not only an economic advantage (due to the availability of new commercial products and lack of disposal costs), but also social, environmental and image benefits in terms of sustainability.