Anaerobic biorefinery of organic waste for carbon recovery, bioproducts, and environmental impact mitigation

The transition toward a low-carbon economy requires organic residues to be managed not only as environmental liabilities, but also as strategic sources of carbon, renewable energy, and biobased products. This project proposes an integrated anaerobic biorefinery approach for the valorization of organic residues generated by the water/wastewater sector and chemical industries in Pernambuco, Brazil. The central aim is to assess biological routes capable of converting regional organic residues into methane, hydrogen, biogenic carbon dioxide, volatile fatty acids, industrially relevant metabolites, and bioplastics, while quantifying their environmental and economic performance. The project will combine anaerobic digestion, acidogenic fermentation, and biological conversion of volatile fatty acids, including routes based on purple phototrophic bacteria, to increase carbon recovery beyond conventional biogas production. Organic residues will be selected and ranked according to biodegradability, carbon recovery potential, energy yield, and suitability for value-added bioproduct generation. Experimental data will be integrated with mass, carbon, and energy balances to define promising anaerobic biorefinery scenarios. A key component of the project is the systemic assessment of these routes through life cycle assessment, techno-economic evaluation, and circularity indicators. This approach will allow the identification of scenarios that are not only technically feasible, but also environmentally advantageous and economically consistent. The project is supported by complementary expertise in anaerobic processes, environmental biotechnology, life cycle assessment, waste management, territorial planning, and circular economy, involving UFPE, UFSC, and UNINASSAU. The expected outcomes include experimental datasets, decision-support criteria for residue selection, integrated biorefinery scenarios, scientific publications, training of human resources, and technical subsidies for low-carbon waste management strategies. By connecting regional waste streams, biotechnology, decarbonization, and circular economy, the project aims to contribute to sustainable innovation in sanitation and industrial waste valorization in Brazil.