Title : Bioeconomics & Bioactive compounds from plants for material or biological applications
Abstract:
Four major challenges present themselves to us for this 21st century. First, an increase in the world’s population, leading to an increase in food and energy needs, all coupled with global warming. By 2050, the population is expected to increase by more than 50%, which will imply a demand of more than 70% in food needs and more than 100% in energy. Oil has allowed an explosion in technological and human development, so we need to prepare for after oil. The challenge now is to ensure economic development with renewable resources while limiting the impact on the environment and people. Plant chemistry, the pillar of green chemistry, can answer this. This context has the direct consequence of the development of the use of renewable resources to replace those of fossil origin. This is particularly the case for plant resources, such as plants whose use is motivated by their great abundance, their diversity, their renewable nature and their richness in compounds of interest. Three major axes are emerging for plant chemistry: i) The challenge of natural reserves with the widening supply of renewable raw materials for the chemical industries, ii) Integration towards a bio-based economy with the creation of bridges between the different sectors and a balance between economy, environment and social component, iii) Consumer expectations with the improvement of current properties of formations and materials and the improvement of life cycle analysis. The supply of raw materials is a challenge. We must ensure the secure supply of biomass, the lower cost of renewable raw materials and also the development of supply chains. This requires mobilizing additional areas and biomass, increasing agricultural areas and profitability per hectare, and improving the efficiency of the systems. Plant chemistry uses around 30 million tonnes of crops, or 6 million hectares, which represents less than 0.5% of the total arable land. Within our research unit, we are exploring ways to enhance plants by using fractions (fatty acids, glycones, rhamnolipids, polyphenols, etc.) or biomolecules (chlorogenic acids, specific fatty acids) extracted for industrial or biological applications. These valuations can be by direct use of the extract or after formulation / chemistry in the context of sustainable chemistry. Among the applications we develop, we can cite the use of;
Carbohydrate and lipid fractions for obtaining amphiphilic antibacterial, antitumoral compounds,
Rhamnolipid fractions with antimicrobial, pesticide / elicitor properties (notion of bio-control),
Chlorogenic acids, quercetine for their antioxidant property in particular
Specific fatty acids such as nervonic acid and its involvement in certain neurodegenerative diseases.
Biopolymers to biomaterials as bioplastics, biocomposites.
It also addresses the fact that these valuations / uses must be integrated into a bio-based economy, the bio-economy; sustainable production from biomass of products for the food, animal nutrition, industrial and energy markets. With the necessity of creating bridges between the different sectors and a balance between economy, environment and social component.
Audience Take Away
- Learn how to valorize agricultural co-products in both high-value-added technologies and daily life.
- Gain a new perspective on rational biomass use, especially plant biomass, impacting job functions.
- Expand research and teaching possibilities for faculty across all education levels.
- Explore eco-design concepts, focusing on eco-responsibility and eco-efficiency.
- Discover topics and applications addressing current needs, emphasizing naturalness.
