Process Sustainability Analysis of Biorefineries to Produce Biofertilizers and Bioenergy from Biodegradable Residues
The use of chemical fertilizers is essential for agricultural development when soils do not have the nutritional balance required for plants. The continuous use of chemical fertilizers has changed the soil physicochemical and biological properties. Biofertilizer production has been considered as an...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Fermentation |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/9/9/788 |
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| author | Johana Marisol Burbano-Cuasapud Juan Camilo Solarte-Toro Daissy Lorena Restrepo-Serna Carlos Ariel Cardona Alzate |
| author_facet | Johana Marisol Burbano-Cuasapud Juan Camilo Solarte-Toro Daissy Lorena Restrepo-Serna Carlos Ariel Cardona Alzate |
| author_sort | Johana Marisol Burbano-Cuasapud |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The use of chemical fertilizers is essential for agricultural development when soils do not have the nutritional balance required for plants. The continuous use of chemical fertilizers has changed the soil physicochemical and biological properties. Biofertilizer production has been considered as an alternative to reduce chemical fertilizers dependence and the environmental impact. The aim of this study is the evaluation of three technologies for the production of biofertilizers and bioenergy at technical, economic, environmental, and social levels. Ammonium sulfate and digestate-based biofertilizers were obtained via anaerobic digestion; biochar was produced via gasification; and amino acids as plants biostimulants were obtained via protein hydrolysis. Different indicators were calculated for elucidating the sustainability of the processes. Technical, economic, environmental, and social analysis is performed for each of the biorefineries processing stage (complex and stand-alone) without considering the agronomic stage or other value chain links. Scenario 1 presented a positive impact on the economic, environmental, and social aspects since this process has a payback period of 10 years, a carbon footprint of 0.67 kg CO<sub>2-eq</sub>/kg product, and a potential to generate nine jobs in the Colombian context due to the products portfolio, in contrast with scenario 2 and 3. As conclusion, the integration of biofertilizers and bioenergy in biorefineries have the potential to expand the range of bioproducts and to increase the process sustainability. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:46:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-78ef07b8cc5249ab8128564c8f741ae1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2311-5637 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:46:23Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fermentation |
| spelling | doaj.art-78ef07b8cc5249ab8128564c8f741ae12023-11-19T10:38:32ZengMDPI AGFermentation2311-56372023-08-019978810.3390/fermentation9090788Process Sustainability Analysis of Biorefineries to Produce Biofertilizers and Bioenergy from Biodegradable ResiduesJohana Marisol Burbano-Cuasapud0Juan Camilo Solarte-Toro1Daissy Lorena Restrepo-Serna2Carlos Ariel Cardona Alzate3Institute of Biotechnology and Agroindustry, Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Manizales Campus, km 07 vía al Magdalena, Manizales 111321, ColombiaInstitute of Biotechnology and Agroindustry, Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Manizales Campus, km 07 vía al Magdalena, Manizales 111321, ColombiaInstitute of Biotechnology and Agroindustry, Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Manizales Campus, km 07 vía al Magdalena, Manizales 111321, ColombiaInstitute of Biotechnology and Agroindustry, Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Manizales Campus, km 07 vía al Magdalena, Manizales 111321, ColombiaThe use of chemical fertilizers is essential for agricultural development when soils do not have the nutritional balance required for plants. The continuous use of chemical fertilizers has changed the soil physicochemical and biological properties. Biofertilizer production has been considered as an alternative to reduce chemical fertilizers dependence and the environmental impact. The aim of this study is the evaluation of three technologies for the production of biofertilizers and bioenergy at technical, economic, environmental, and social levels. Ammonium sulfate and digestate-based biofertilizers were obtained via anaerobic digestion; biochar was produced via gasification; and amino acids as plants biostimulants were obtained via protein hydrolysis. Different indicators were calculated for elucidating the sustainability of the processes. Technical, economic, environmental, and social analysis is performed for each of the biorefineries processing stage (complex and stand-alone) without considering the agronomic stage or other value chain links. Scenario 1 presented a positive impact on the economic, environmental, and social aspects since this process has a payback period of 10 years, a carbon footprint of 0.67 kg CO<sub>2-eq</sub>/kg product, and a potential to generate nine jobs in the Colombian context due to the products portfolio, in contrast with scenario 2 and 3. As conclusion, the integration of biofertilizers and bioenergy in biorefineries have the potential to expand the range of bioproducts and to increase the process sustainability.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/9/9/788biofertilizerssustainabilitybiodegradable residuesanaerobic digestiongasificationprotein hydrolysates |
| spellingShingle | Johana Marisol Burbano-Cuasapud Juan Camilo Solarte-Toro Daissy Lorena Restrepo-Serna Carlos Ariel Cardona Alzate Process Sustainability Analysis of Biorefineries to Produce Biofertilizers and Bioenergy from Biodegradable Residues Fermentation biofertilizers sustainability biodegradable residues anaerobic digestion gasification protein hydrolysates |
| title | Process Sustainability Analysis of Biorefineries to Produce Biofertilizers and Bioenergy from Biodegradable Residues |
| title_full | Process Sustainability Analysis of Biorefineries to Produce Biofertilizers and Bioenergy from Biodegradable Residues |
| title_fullStr | Process Sustainability Analysis of Biorefineries to Produce Biofertilizers and Bioenergy from Biodegradable Residues |
| title_full_unstemmed | Process Sustainability Analysis of Biorefineries to Produce Biofertilizers and Bioenergy from Biodegradable Residues |
| title_short | Process Sustainability Analysis of Biorefineries to Produce Biofertilizers and Bioenergy from Biodegradable Residues |
| title_sort | process sustainability analysis of biorefineries to produce biofertilizers and bioenergy from biodegradable residues |
| topic | biofertilizers sustainability biodegradable residues anaerobic digestion gasification protein hydrolysates |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/9/9/788 |
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