Viable the once unfeasible with bio and nanoeconomy.

There are areas on the planet that apparently have little benefit, they do not have minerals, fossil fuels, nor do their soils have the right characteristics to be cultivated. The lack of energy does not allow the establishment of industries and the generation of jobs. They are usually considered unviable areas by economists and abandoned to their fate. Young people emigrate in search of a better future and the existing towns languish. The picture described above is repeated across the entire surface of the planet. Now the bioeconomy and nanoeconomy based on the exponentially growing developments in biotechnology and nanotechnology seem to indicate that the once unfeasible is beginning to become viable. 

The following figure summarizes a series of possible, sustainable solutions, ranging from waste utilization and abundant energy generation to the production of advanced nanomaterials.    

Abundant energy production is based on the installation of solar panels, windmills, the generation of biogas from waste in biodigesters and thermoelectric power plants powered by biomass obtained from crops, microorganisms and microalgae, whether genetically modified or not, from which bioethanol, bio-oil and biodiesel can also be obtained.

Carbon dioxide from thermoelectric power plants and biogas generation can be used to obtain graphene, and to feed microalgae cultures capable of producing everything from medicines to omega-3 fatty acids. After extraction of the active principles, the rest of the microalgae can be used to obtain carbon nanotubes, a high value-added nanomaterial, by pyrolysis. In addition, new nanocatalysts also allow carbon dioxide to be converted into methane, increasing local energy production.

Energy self-sufficiency allows the installation of bioreactors to produce from “in vitro” meat to biopolymers and opens the door to multiple ventures, the installation of SMEs and businesses related to production and the general economic growth of the place. The economy of new technologies tends to horizontalize production in order to avoid the concentration of economic resources in a few. 

As an example, we will explain how from organic waste we can move on to the production of nanocomposite materials for 3D production in order to make products with high added value tending to make the area sustainable and with state-of-the-art technology. Biogas production generates methane and carbon dioxide. Both gases can be used to obtain nano-objects. 

Graphene and carbon nanotubes can be obtained from methane using the CVD (chemical vapor deposition) process. In parallel, organic waste can be used to produce polylactide (PLA), a biodegradable and recyclable polymer. Generally, fermentable waste is autoclaved at 121ºC for 20 minutes and then, by regulating the physicochemical conditions, a saccharification process is carried out with the enzyme glucosamylase and then Lactobacillus rhamnousus is added to convert the glucose produced into lactic acid. Finally, the lactic acid is used to synthesize PLA. Within nanostructured materials, nanocomposites of polymers with nano-objects present a high degree of current and future applications. In some nanocomposites, 1% graphene in the polymeric structure increases its strength by 100%. The possibility of being able to use PLA-graphene and PLA-carbon nanotube polymers obtained from waste in 3D printers allows the continuous or rotary production of a large number of products that can be used in the textile, food and automotive industries, among others.

A good example of the importance of the bioeconomy + nanoeconomy in the multidirectional society and its ability to make the once unfeasible viable.

Complementary reading:

Nanoeconomy and/or Bioeconomy