Innovative and Sustainable Bio-Polymers for Household and Beauty Care Products. Final results of the EU BIO-MIMETIC Project.

Abstract

Into the charming and historical location of Villa Mondragone with the final report in Unindustria atina, the EU Research Project BIO-MIMETIC, coordinated by Anju Brooker from P&G, has been closed during a three days meeting from June 23 to 25c.a. The project has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Program (agreement nr 282945) for developing New bioinspired processes and products from renewable feedstocks, as strategic alternative to fossil fuels. As first result and starting from different biomass sources, the BIO-MIMETIC consortium has been able to obtain homogeneous constant and purified batches of lignin and lignin oligomers. Successively, lignin, as interesting, abundant and renewable source of aromatic groups has been transformed in new bio-polymers and bio-based products by environmentally-friendly enzymatic processes developed within the project, involving the enzymes laccases, oxidases and lipoxygenases. Moreover, it was possible to bind the by-product lignin, obtained from plant biomass, with chitin Nanofibrils, as natural polymer obtained from crustacean waste by a simple and green process. Finally, by the use of these new bio-polymers, household and beauty care consumer bio-products have been realized: an Automatic Dishwashing, a Compact Hard Surface Cleaner, and Antiaging/Anti-inflammatory Skin Creams and Beauty Masks. In addition a stakeholder’s analysis has been performed while a life cycle assessment has explored the environmental sustainability of both the new bio-polymers and the consumer products realized.