Estratégias inovadoras para reciclagem de resíduos têxteis com vista a tecidos técnicos sustentáveis

Given (i) the massive worldwide ecological impact of the textile industry, (ii) the huge amount of non-recyclable TCW discarded every year by the hospitality sector, (iii) the unsustainable spread use of FS in water-repellent finishes for technical fabrics, (iv) the potential of RLs as alternatives to replace FS in textiles, TecTex aims to implement sustainable circular economy strategies, where TCW will be used as substrate to produce RLs that will replace the toxic FS used in MM textiles manufacturing. An innovative roadmap will be used to pursuit the following specific aims: 1. To find highly efficient engineered enzyme(s) to maximize the amount of glucose retrieved from TCW; 2. To develop a sustainable bioprocess for the production of RLs in bioreactor using TCW hydrolysate as substrate; 3. To create an innovative MM fabric prototype functionalized with the produced ecological RLs; 4. To evaluate the sustainability, economic viability and market potential of the final product. Through the development of novel highly efficient enzymes for TCW hydrolysis, TecTex is expected to achieve high glucose yields (> 20g/L), surpassing the costs/yields of conventional commercial enzymes. The use of crude enzymatic extracts (fermentative broth) directly as an efficient biocatalyst for TCW hydrolysis into glucose will also avoid costly purification steps and significantly reduce costs. The error-prone PCR methodology is likely to result in brand-new enzymes ensuring the novelty of enzyme engineering studies and their great potential for intellectual property protection. In addition, the glucose-rich hydrolysates derived from the TCW can also find applications in a myriad of industries and contribute to their green transition, such as those interested in bio-based bulk chemicals and biofuels production. TecTex's innovative character also lies in the use of TCW hydrolysates, for the first time, as alternative culture medium to produce RLs by Pseudomonas aeruginosa for textile finishes. In this way, TCW will be returned to the textile industry as high value specialized fabrics, closing the loop and promoting circularity of resources within the textile industry. The bioprocess will be rationally designed to achieve competitive yields (at least 20% more) compared to RLs production from other waste materials, driving circularity without compromising productivity. Moreover, TecTex will implement an innovative integrated strategy for the production/recovery of RLs at the bioreactor scale, which can also be used in several industrial applications, such as food, cosmetics and detergents. The use of the cell-free fermentation broth directly to functionalize MM fabrics will constitute a time- and cost-effective strategy, which may be attractive for the potential stakeholders and textile companies (see letters of support). The incorporation of RLs as surfactants and the use of natural fibers not only enhances the sustainability of fabrics and manufacturing processes, but also brings added benefits through their antimicrobial properties. The final prototype will positively impact both the consumers and environment. TecTex will be strongly supported by the assessment of its economic viability and sustainability through life cycle assessment (LCA), as well as its market attractiveness. The project is expected to create added-value for the textile industry based on sustainable practices/principles and opening new market opportunities.