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Construction of a FLEXIble and adaptable enZYMatic biotechnological platform for sustainablE industrial production of bio-based fatty amines from side stream materials

Project description

A greener approach to fatty amine production

Fatty amines are crucial for products like cosmetics and detergents. However, traditional methods of making these compounds are inefficient, requiring lots of energy and using harmful chemicals. These processes also produce a mix of unwanted by-products. The EU-funded FLEXIZYME project aims to revolutionise fatty amine production through an integrated biotechnological approach. Specifically, it leverages enzyme engineering, machine learning, and innovative reactor design to optimise production from fat and protein residues. By addressing process inefficiencies and incorporating techno-economic and life cycle assessments, FLEXIZYME promises a sustainable, scalable solution, advancing the application of biotechnological methods in diverse industries.

Objective

"Fatty amines possess cationic and surface-active properties, finding applications in cosmetics, coatings, detergents, and more with a projected market growth to $5.54 billion by 2027.

The traditional ""nitrile route"" for their synthesis is flawed by drawbacks like high energy needs, toxic catalysts, harsh conditions, and low selectivity, resulting in complex amine mixtures. Biotechnological alternatives, deploying enzymes, offer a sustainable alternative, characterized by mild conditions and high selectivity but their industrial implementation is hampered by cost and complexity challenges. Currently, there's a lack of a holistic approach that considers upstream, midstream, and downstream factors when designing biotechnological processes.

FLEXIZYME aims to pioneer an interdisciplinary, systematic biotechnological platform for fatty amine production from fat and protein-rich residues, encompassing all process stages. Integrating cutting-edge technologies will address limitations hindering enzyme use in cosmetics, detergents, and agriculture. Scaling up and validation across these sectors is a pivotal project aspect.

Key project elements include a chemo/enzymatic approach, enzyme engineering/improvement, machine learning tools applied to experimental and in silico data, reactor design and monitoring. These findings will culminate in a biotechnological platform for fatty amine production, encouraging widespread adoption of biotechnological industrial applications.

Guided by Techno-Economic Assessment and Life Cycle Assessment, FLEXIZYME ensures productivity, yield, robustness, and flexibility. A multi-actor approach and interdisciplinary collaboration aligned with industrial needs will streamline the implementation of the biotechnological platform's outputs in industry.

This flexible, versatile biotechnological platform marks an innovative departure from existing fatty amine production processes, addressing current limitations enhancing environmental performance."

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-JU-RIA - HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Actions

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023

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Coordinator

INSTITUTO TECNOLOGICO DEL EMBALAJE, TRANSPORTE Y LOGISTICA
Net EU contribution
€ 907 803,33
Address
CALLE ALBERT EINSTEIN 1 PARQUE TECNOLOGICO DE VALENCIA
46980 Paterna
Spain
SME
Yes
Region
Este Comunitat Valenciana Valencia/València
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost
€ 907 803,33

Participants (18)