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- Biopolymers Derived from Forest Biomass for the Sustainable Textile IndustryPublication . Dias, J. C.; Marques, Susana; Branco, Pedro C.; Rodrigues, Thomas; Torres, Cristiana A.V.; Freitas, Filomena; Evtuguin, Dmitry; Silva, CarlaABSTRACT: In line with environmental awareness movements and social concerns, the textile industry is prioritizing sustainability in its strategic planning, product decisions, and brand initiatives. The use of non-biodegradable materials, obtained from non-renewable sources, contributes heavily to environmental pollution throughout the textile production chain. As sustainable alternatives, considerable efforts are being made to incorporate biodegradable biopolymers derived from residual biomass, with reasonable production costs, to replace or reduce the use of synthetic petrochemical-based polymers. However, the commercial deployment of these biopolymers is dependent on high biomass availability and a cost-effective supply. Residual forest biomass, with lignocellulosic composition and seasonably available at low cost, constitutes an attractive renewable resource that might be used as raw material. Thus, this review aims at carrying out a comprehensive analysis of the existing literature on the use of residual forest biomass as a source of new biomaterials for the textile industry, identifying current gaps or problems. Three specific biopolymers are considered: lignin that is recovered from forest biomass, and the bacterial biopolymers poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs) and bacterial cellulose (BC), which can be produced from sugar-rich hydrolysates derived from the polysaccharide fractions of forest biomass. Lignin, PHA, and BC can find use in textile applications, for example, to develop fibers or technical textiles, thus replacing the currently used synthetic materials. This approach will considerably contribute to improving the sustainability of the textile industry by reducing the amount of non-biodegradable materials upon disposal of textiles, reducing their environmental impact. Moreover, the integration of residual forest biomass as renewable raw material to produce advanced biomaterials for the textile industry is consistent with the principles of the circular economy and the bioeconomy and offers potential for the development of innovative materials for this industry.
- Upcycling post-consumer household textiles into a biodegradable thermoplasticPublication . Rodrigues, Thomas; Matias, João; Moura, Patrícia; Abreu, Mariana; Gírio, Francisco; Braga, Adelaide; Dias, J. C.; Rovisco, Ana; Fortunato, Elvira; Torres, Cristiana A. V.; Reis, Maria A.; Marques, Susana; Freitas, Filomena; Silva, Carla J.ABSTRACT: This study demonstrates the biological valorization of post-consumer cotton-based towels, a significant household textile waste stream, into poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) P(3HB), a biodegradable and biocompatible thermoplastic. The textile waste was mechanically defibrillated, and pre-treated by freezing in NaOH/urea, rendering the cellulose fibers more accessible to saccharification, which was achieved by hydrolysis with Cellic (R) CTec3 cellulase. The resulting hydrolysate, with a glucose concentration of 102.3 g/L, was used to supply glucose as the carbon source for the batch bioreactor cultivation of the bacterium Burkholderia thailandensis E264. With an initial glucose concentration of 40 g/L, a maximum P(3HB) production of 9.17 +/- 1.01 g/L was observed after 53 h of cultivation, corresponding to an overall volumetric productivity of 0.165 g/(L h) and a product yield of 0.218 g/g. The P(3HB) exhibited an average molecular weight of 497 kDa and a polydispersity index of 2.6, with melting and thermal degradation temperatures of 170 and 291 degrees C, respectively, crystallinity index of 78.8%. Importantly, its tensile properties (Young's Modulus of 563 +/- 62 MPa and tensile strength of 27 +/- 2 MPa) were comparable to P(3HB) produced by other bacteria, including commercial products. The findings of this study demonstrate the feasibility of upcycling cotton-based household waste into a value-added sustainable and biodegradable material with properties matching those of commercial thermoplastics.