Life cycle assessment for early-stage process optimization of microbial biosurfactant production using kinetic models—a case study on mannosylerythritol lipids (MEL)

作者：Lars Bippus, Ann-Kathrin Briem, Alexander Beck, Susanne Zibek, Stefan Albrecht · 发表于：Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.3389/fbioe.2024.1347452 · 被引用次数：29 · 研究领域：Microbial bioremediation and biosurfactants、Global Energy and Sustainability Research、Biofuel production and bioconversion

Introduction: This study assesses the environmental impacts of mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) production for process optimization using life cycle assessment (LCA). MELs are glycolipid-type microbial biosurfactants with many possible applications based on their surface-active properties. They are generally produced by fungi from the family of Ustilaginaceae via fermentation in aerated bioreactors. The aim of our work is to accompany the development of biotechnological products at an early stage to enable environmentally sustainable process optimization. Methods: This is done by identifying hotspots and potentials for improvement based on a reliable quantification of the environmental impacts. The production processes of MELs are evaluated in a cradle-to-gate approach using the Environmental Footprint (EF) 3.1 impact assessment method. The LCA model is based on upscaled experimental data for the fermentation and purification, assuming the production at a 10 m³ scale. In the case analyzed, MELs are produced from rapeseed oil and glucose, and purified by separation, solvent extraction, and chromatography. Results: The results of the LCA show that the provision of substrates is a major source of environmental impacts and accounts for 20% of the impacts on Climate Change and more than 70% in the categories Acidification and Eutrophication. Moreover, 33% of the impacts on Climate Change is caused by the energy requirements for aeration of the bioreactor, while purification accoun...