Lignins and humins from four types of biorefineries were recovered at kilograms scale and implemented for comprehensive structural and functional characterization, including safety profiling, as well as for the development of processes. Variability of the raw materials was investigated and specific valorisation strategies were settled for each type of raw material. A fractionation step by water, organic solvent or alkali depending on the material, is beneficial to increase the functionality and/or yield of the intermediate products. Humins direct use in cosmetics was explored and their alternative possible conversion into organic acids demonstrated. Four main routes have been developed for lignin conversion: solvent extraction and treatment by an ionic liquid yielding antioxidant extracts, base catalysed depolymerisation yielding aromatic chemical intermediates, dissolution-aggregation technology to recover colloidal lignin particles and use of lignin as substrate for the production of biomass by insects. Termites species able to be reared at large scale and to digest lignin-rich substrates were selected and implemented for the creation of an innovative rearing system that made the breeding operations possible and led to the first production of chitin from termites. This innovation is under patenting. Recalcitrant lignocellulosic fractions were successfully used as carbon source for living termites or by microbial consortia cultivated from termite guts. Improvement of the environmental and health impact of these routes was achieved while scaling-up the processes. The possibility to use enzymes for lignin functionalisation was demonstrated (water-solubility increase by enzyme-catalysed sulfation and depolymerisation by tailored enzymatic cocktails). Sixteen new fungal and bacterial enzymes with activities on technical lignins were expressed and characterised, among which three were selected for large-scale production. All the technical achievements were integrated in a cross-cutting value-chain approach, aiming at providing valuable biobased products for targeted markets. A mapping of functionalities was established allowing selection of intermediate products for formulation and processing into skin-care cosmetic creams, packaging materials and aqueous colloidal systems. Down-stream functionalisation was successfully applied to intermediate products to tailor their properties in view of new markets. The performances of the end-products were confronted to the end-user's requirements and to techno-economic analysis in order to define the efforts requested to bring the applications and new technologies to the market. Zelcor results have been disseminated through 22 publications in international journals and communications in at least 13 international symposia. An electronic knowledge book has been built up which will be opened to public in 2021. The link between research, education and training was ensured through the involvement of 10 PhD students and Post-doc scientists in the project, the organisation of 2 summer schools and 2 webinars and the participation to various MSc programmes, including an Erasmus Mundus joint Master Degree (Bioceb).
