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Research Article

NP-bioTech: a circular economy approach to catalyst-based biostabilization of citrus processing waste

Fabrizio Nardo

Fabrizio Nardo

Antifemo s.r.l., Gela, Italy

ISPAAM-CNR, Sassari, Italy

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Andrea Piras

Andrea Piras

Dipartimento di Agraria, Università di Sassari, Sassari, Italy

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Simonetta Bullitta

Corresponding Author

Simonetta Bullitta

ISPAAM-CNR, Sassari, Italy

Correspondence to: S Bullitta, ISPAAM-CNR, Traversa La Crucca 3, 07100 Sassari, Italy. E-mail: [email protected]

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Luigi Ledda

Luigi Ledda

Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy

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Francesca Serralutzu

Francesca Serralutzu

ISPAAM-CNR, Sassari, Italy

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First published: 27 January 2025

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Biowaste accounts for about 40% of total waste. Food-industry waste is one major biowaste stream. The available technological approaches to biowaste treatment are expensive, not circular, unsustainable, and they require pre-treatments such as dehydration, extraction of inhibitors, pH correction, or the addition of other organic matrices. The NP-bioTech process uses a biocatalyst adsorbed onto an inert material enabling accelerated fermentation of critical biomass without pre-treatments, transforming it into biostabilized and pasteurized material, and converting waste into new usable products rapidly. Biocatalysts consist of naturally fortified selections of microbial colonies, enzymes, and fungi that are resistant to the action of d-limonene and other fermentation inhibitors.

RESULTS

The NP-bioTech process was able to activate vigorous fermentation of citrus waste without any of the pre-treatments required by other available biowaste-treatment technologies. The horticultural use of the biostabilized output of such process for greenhouse crops was verified. The addition of such output to the growth media was beneficial for plants and did not show negative effects on quality and yield of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum L.). The concentration of Ca, K, Zn, Fe, and polyphenol increased; the average number of berries per plant was improved; the concentration of Pb and Cd contaminants decreased.

CONCLUSION

The NP-bioTech process emits no odors or pollutants. It does not generate leachate, and its output can be used in agriculture. It is capable of reconciling compliance with strict environmental restrictions, industrial feasibility, and economic sustainability. Its potential impact thus aligns well with the circular economy model. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.