BioMatNet Item: FAIR-CT96-3130 - Production of environmentally-friendly surfactants from agricultural coproducts of large-scale farming: agrisurfactants

FAIR-CT96-3130
Production of environmentally-friendly surfactants from agricultural coproducts of large-scale farming: agrisurfactants

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Agricultural Residues : Agriculture : Detergents : FAIR Area 1.2 - Green Chemicals and Polymers Chain

	Type of Project	Shared Cost
	Contract No	FAIR-CT96-3130
	Total Cost	4,299,040 ECU
	EC Contribution	1,500,000 ECU
	Start Date	01/09/1997
	Duration	24 Months

Production of environmentally friendly surfactants from agricultural co-products of large scale farming

Objectives

Demonstrate the technical feasibility, and the profitability of a new production process of surfactants derived from agro-industrial co-products and fatty alcohol originating from plants.

Technical Approach

The products concerned, are on the one hand, beet pulps and citrus peels for the production of anionic surfactants from their pectic fraction (polymer of galacturonic acid), and on the other hand, wheat brans from their hemicellulosic fraction (polymer of xylose and arabinose).

Expected Results

Realisation of an innovative process to produce a new range of surfactants based renewable materials. The main competitive advantages of these processes are as follow:

production of new surfactants, biodegradables and non-irritants, with outstanding physicochemical properties
the use of cheaper raw materials today badly valorised and non digestible by man, wheat bran, citrus peel and sugar beet pulp
a decreasing number of processing steps from the raw material to the syrup to be glycosylated with respect to the established technologies
a new favourable chemical kinetic bring by the use of C5 sugars compared with glucose
the non use of expensive and polluting solvents and catalysts
the production of a range of products with specific properties in relation to raw material sources

According to these data:

we will demonstrate that the process with the advantages mentioned here-above (less processing steps, less sophisticated technologies in fractionation, easier operating conditions in chemistry, etc) can be run continuously at a pilot plant level
we will specify the product in relation to the market requirements, including the establishment of the functional properties of the surfactants as well as proving their biodegradability, lack of irritant effect and non-toxicity
we will evaluate, on the basis of the demonstration plant (around 80 Kg DS/hour), the feasibility of an industrial plant with annual capacity of 10.000 - 25 000 tons

Applications

Surfactants are probably the most versatile chemicals available, generally associated with cleaning processes, from the usual application of dish and car washing, to industrial laundering, food industry, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, medical areas, and chemical industries. In 1995 the worldwide consumption of surfactants is estimated at 9 million tons for a market value over 10 billion dollars. In Europe an average market growth of 3 % per year could reach a production volume of 2,4 million tons in the year 2000. These new surfactants should satisfy a constant increasing demand among the industrial users for less polluting products, with low toxicity and highly biodegradable.

Results to Date

The continuous pilot plant process has been set up
Optimisation of citrus peel pressings has been realised
Demineralisation by ion-exchange and electrodiolysis have been compared and optimised
Glycoagulation has been optimised at the pilot plant level
The choice of the fatty alcohols has been made for the wetting agents
Evaluation of surfactants is in progress
Macroeconomic evaluation has been carried out

On-line pressing unit

Contacts

Coordinator

Philippe MATHALY / ARD FRANCE

Participant