Ana Arias

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Verified

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• PhD on Chemical and Environmental engineering
• PostDoc Position at University of Santiago de Compostela

The increase in the consumption of food products and the management of food waste have endangered the sustainability of the food sector. The need to move forward on the European bioeconomy requires to evaluate waste valorization strategies, to convert a non-valorized resource into a high-added value production in the market. In this regard, the foc...

Marine algae are considered promising resources both at present and in the near future. Their availability, together with their molecular structure and properties, increases their applicability in various sectors: food and feed, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and bioenergy. However, the "bio" qualification does not always imply a lower impact compared...

Proper waste management is a key element in the transition to a sustainable bioeconomy. Population growth and the demand for food and services have led to an ever-increasing production of biotic waste whose disposal in landfills is no longer considered a sustainable option. For this reason, efforts are being made to find an appropriate management s...

There is an urgent need to switch from fossil to bio-based fuels in the transport sector, particularly in shipping and aviation. The growth of the world's population has resulted in a significant impact on passenger transport, with a noticeable increase in greenhouse gas emissions, depletion of fossil resources and associated risks in all three pil...

The depletion of fossil resources and climate change is already a fact that entails a great concern among the population. Efforts to search for renewable resource alternatives with low environmental impact is now a priority for authorities, industries and society in general. Added to this, there is the problem of the high demand for goods and servi...

The transition to a sustainable bioeconomy requires the development of advanced materials with improved functional properties, in particular bio-based products that could have a low environmental impact. Chitosan, derived from crustacean chitin, is a biodegradable biopolymer with multiple applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food sector...

The European Bioeconomy Strategy aims to accelerate the deployment of a sustainable European bioeconomy to maximize its contribution to the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as to the Paris Agreement on climate change. In this context, transport is considered as a key sector, with aviation and shipping playing an imp...

The application of the Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD) framework to emerging technologies (i.e. chemicals, bio-based products and other related materials manufacturing processes) faces significant challenges due to the limited data availability of these processes and because their level of optimization and implementation is less developed com...

An appropriate food model should move towards sustainable food systems that promote healthy food choices. Current food systems have a significant impact on the health of people and the planet and guide producer decisions and consumer food choices not only in households but also in the HORECA (HOtels, REstaurants and CAtering) sector. This work uses...

Dear Authors, We are pleased to invite book chapter proposals (abstracts) of about 400 words for an Edited Book on “Transitioning towards a circular water economy” which will be published by IWA publishing. It's part of a Scopus Indexed Book Series. Those interested can submit an abstract proposal by 5th July 2024. Full chapters should be submitt...

The food industry requires new production models that include more environmentally friendly waste management practices, considering that the environmental loads of solid waste and wastewater associated with this sector cause damage to the receiving ecosystems. The approach considered in this study focuses on the design and environmental assessment...

In the transition towards climate neutrality, biorefinery models are considered promising alternatives to processes based on fossil fuels and non-renewable materials. This consideration is attributed to the reduction of dependence on non-renewable systems, in line with greener and lower impact technological strategies. However, they imply a profoun...

One of the main hotspots in the agricultural sector is related to the extensive use of fertilizers and pesticides, which leads to direct environmental impacts, such as eutrophication, and indirect ones, such as the energy demand associated with their production. Faced with these limitations, the use of biostimulants has emerged as a suitable and ef...

Special issue information: A ‘net-zero’ economy is expected to be developed in the next few years to help towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) proposed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)’s Agenda 2030 and the 2050 Paris Agreement’s Climate Goals. To do so, changes in production and consumption patterns are needed, as wel...

Energy transition has implications not only for economic growth and social welfare but also for the planet. It is therefore important to provide a framework of quantifying how this transition might affect these aspects from a triple perspective. In this regard, an in-depth and critical analysis of the available reports, policy frameworks and initia...

Biomass is one of the renewable resources with the greatest potential, not only because of the possibility of energy recovery but also because of its content in components of interest. In this context, the regions of Galicia and Portugal have large areas of land dedicated to forestry, agriculture and livestock, and the large amount of waste generat...

Innovation in digitalization and low-carbon technologies are leading the way for the production sector. In the context of the bioeconomy, a path is opening up for the integration of bio-based processes into the value chain as alternative production schemes to fossil fuel-based production models, although process modeling and optimization is needed...

One of the most promising alternatives to face the environmental deterioration and handling of waste is the development of biotechnological processes. In this context, the winemaking process of red grapes gives rise to waste streams whose properties are suitable for the biotechnological production of high-value-added products, such as resveratrol,...

Resveratrol, a natural organic polyhydroxyphenolic compound, has gained significant attention in the last years given its potential health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. It can be directly extracted from plants, vegetables, and related products and waste resources, but also chemically/enzymatically/m...

Moving from the linear production model to the circular economy approach is the main concern of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. Population growth coupled with high demand for goods has led to a significant increase in solid waste, especially food waste, triggering the depletion of natural resources and the environmental burdens associated to t...

The overexploitation of resources, the increase of the world population and the trend of consumption based on “use and throw away” is causing an increasing pressure on waste management. In this sense, it is necessary to promote sustainable practices in the valorization of waste streams as a strategy for the co-production of bioproducts and bioenerg...

It is expected that the potential of biorefineries will continue to grow in the coming years, so that their development can be beneficial for promoting economic, environmental and social welfare, in accordance with the pillars of sustainable development. In this sense, it is necessary to ensure the effective implementation of these emerging biorefi...

Sustainability assessment should be considered as a decision-making framework for the development of circular processes. Techno-economic, environmental and social metrics should be integrated and interrelated (e.g., through life-cycle costing) to achieve sustainable and circular processes. Industrial symbiosis is a key strategy that promotes the ph...

Beyond the commercial exploitation of macroalgae as food and as a source of phycocolloids, this bioresource could represent a third-generation feedstock to obtain a wide range of bioactive compounds as well as biostimulants and bioenergy from biomass valorization. However, seaweed biorefineries are less advanced than those based on terrestrial biom...

Cyanobacteria have long attracted market interest as a source of natural compounds such as pigments with proven bioactivity (carotenoid and phycobiliproteins). The cultivation and extraction processes for such compounds have been developed at different levels, from laboratory trials to photobioreactors on a demonstration scale. Based on this experi...

VOSviewer es un software gratuito desarrollado por Nees Jan van Eck y Ludo Waltman del CWTS Leiden University (The Netherlands) para construir y visualizar redes bibliométricas. Estas redes poden ser de revistas científicas, investigadores o publicaciones individuales, basadas en la citación, la co-citación o las relaciones de coautoría. VOSviewer...

Nos últimos 30 tivo lugar un troco copernicano na xestión bibliográfica da investigación, pois a liña de tempo dende o primeiro envío á revista científica ata a súa publicación acurtouse vertixinosamente, cunha redución de máis dun 200%. Así dende que se enviaba o artigo por primeira vez á revista, análise da revisión e publicación final o tempo me...

The Sustainable Development Goals defined by the United Nations established a roadmap on the way to a sustainable society based on a circular economy in which the residual fractions of process streams emerge as raw materials for the provision of material goods and services. In this context, the approach of biorefineries as the technological scheme...

Seaweeds represent a diverse and valuable source of cosmetic compounds such as vitamins, minerals, trace elements, amino acids, antioxidants, etc., with moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, and regenerative effects. The so-called “blue cosmetics” represent a line of products related to the use of natural active ingredients and an important market share...

Bioethanol production technologies from lignocellulosic biomass are not yet optimized and do not compete economically with first-generation bioethanol production. Strategies have been investigated to produce more active, stable and temperature-tolerant enzymes to be used for biomass hydrolysis such as the hyperthermophilic β-glucosidase produced by...

The role of the bioeconomy based on the use of renewable resources and also on the valorization of bio-based waste could contribute to a higher degree of sustainability. In this sense, biobased processes and products should exhibit values for indicators that demonstrate and outperform their competing counterparts. To this end, it is essential to ap...

The valorization of agro-industrial waste streams and residues for the production of antioxidant compounds is a good strategy for circular economy approaches. However, to demonstrate its suitability and operational feasibility, it is necessary to develop environmental assessments to ensure the effectiveness of the production strategy. In this sense...

The new consumption patterns based on the “use and throw away” trend has led to an increase in the production of petroleum-based plastics for their application as food packaging films, leading to significant environmental impacts. In the search for alternatives to conventional plastics, polylactic acid (PLA) stands out due to its renewable origin,...

Bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass requires cellulose attack, which can be carried out by enzymes, such as β-glucosidase. The production of the enzyme by Yarrowia lipolytica offers as a major sustainable advantage, as it can be produced from glycerol (Shaikh et al. 2021, Abdellaa et al. 2016, Rywińska et al. 2013). Thus, the use of...

Interest in the development of biorefineries and biotechnological processes based on renewable resources has multiplied in recent years. This driving force is the result of the availability of lignocellulosic biomass and the range of applications that arise from its use and valorization. The approach of second-generation sugars from lignocellulosic...

Forestry and crop residues to natural antimicrobials. Bridging the gap from a biotechnological and holistic approach.

A balanced and nutritious diet is the cornerstone of good health. The nutritional pyramid advises eating 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day as a basic principle of a healthy diet, as they provide essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber and antioxidants. Consuming them in adequate quantities improves the immune syst...

The development of biotechnological processes through which high added value products can be obtained, using non-valuable industrial streams, has become a primary objective in the scope of sustainability and circular economy strategies. It is in this context where this research report is framed, in which a biorefinery approach has been developed us...

The main driving forces on the development of eco-friendly wood adhesives are based on environmental sustainability, costs savings, recyclability, reusability and health benefits, in comparison with synthetic resins. Lignin, tannin, proteins and carbohydrates are the main renewable raw materials being studied. Taking as a premise the technical perf...

The development of natural-based adhesives is a key aspect in reducing the consumption of fossil resources, in adapting to legislation on the use of formaldehyde and in ensuring the sustainability of the wood panel industry. This study focuses on five alternatives for tannin-based adhesives (tannin-paraformaldehyde, tannin-glyoxal, tannin-hexamine,...

Food industry is one of the sectors with the highest production volume, with disposable plastic films being the most widespread packaging method. The production of these packaging materials is characterized by a linear process, based on an abusive consumption of non-renewable fossil resources and with significant environmental problems. This manage...

The environment is a very complex and fragile system in which multiple factors of different nature play an important role. Pollution, together with resource consumption, is one of the main causes of the environmental problems currently affecting the planet. In the search for alternative production processes, the use of renewable resources seeks a w...

The restrictions imposed on the use of formaldehyde in wood panel adhesives have been the driving force behind the development of formaldehyde-free resins for the manufacture of wood products. Considering as a boundary condition the idea that the use of fossil-based raw materials should be replaced by biological options, there is growing interest i...

Chemical and heat treatments are traditionally used to preserve the quality of food products. An alternative is based on the use of antimicrobials such as nisin to ensure food safety. Traditionally, nisin is produced by microbial fermentation in the exponential growth phase of Lactococcus lactis, which is a recognized starter culture in dairy produ...

Wood-based panels play an important role in the furniture and decoration industries worldwide. However, the adhesives used in the manufacture of those panels are a subject of concern. Therefore, the aim of this study is twofold: (i) to critically analyze the available reports on the formulation of bio-based adhesives for the manufacture of wood pan...

The wood panel industry requires the introduction of more environmental-friendly adhesives due to the strict current regulations on formaldehyde-based emissions. The purpose of this study was to environmentally analyse the production of four different bio-adhesives as alternatives to the most conventional fossil resins used in the production of woo...

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is a worldwide culinary ingredient and the second most important vegetable crop. Hence, the amount of onion solid waste (OSW) is really abundant and constitutes an environmental problem due to its pungent odour and the proliferated growth of phytopathogens. However, the content of flavonol quercetin and fructooligosaccharides...