El tercer seminari sobre Economia Circular en el Sector del Plàstic posa el focus en la degradació avançada de bioplàstics
On April 22, 2024, the Universitat de València held the third seminar in the “Technologies for Circular Economy in the Plastic Sector” series, an initiative that continues to establish itself as a meeting point for exchanging scientific advancements aimed at sustainability. Organized by the MATS research group, the event highlighted new strategies for the degradation of bioplastics and resource recovery in key sectors such as forestry and textiles.
The seminar was divided into two thematic sessions. The first session, dedicated to advanced oxidation processes for evaluating the stability of biopolymers, featured researchers presenting their latest advancements in abiotic degradation techniques:
- Karen Gutiérrez presented the effects of UV-C irradiation as a key tool for accelerating photodegradation in PBAT and thermoplastic starch blends, showing significant surface deterioration of the material.
- Alejandro Jordán presented results obtained through chemo-thermal processes (HQT), focused on the bulk degradation of the same materials, suggesting a reduction in the time required for subsequent bioassimilation.
Both works were developed within the BIOFAST project, funded by the Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI) and co-directed by Professors Óscar Gil and José Badia.
The second session of the seminar focused on strategies for valorizing waste from the forestry and textile industries:
- Enrique Berlanga presented an innovative approach for the microencapsulation of gentamicin in biopolymers derived from lignocellulosic waste, using the spray drying technique.
- Javier Young closed the session with a proposal for textile waste recycling using ionic liquids, a promising alternative to recover high-value fibers and compounds.
This third seminar reflects the MATS group’s commitment to applied research and knowledge transfer, promoting scientific solutions for a more efficient circular economy, particularly in the treatment and valorization of plastic, textile, and forestry waste.
This seminar is part of the dissemination activities of the BIOFAST project: Methodological Strategies for the Accelerated Biodegradation of Bioplastics in Composting Medium (INNEST/2022/295), funded by the Valencian Innovation Agency.
Images:
