Food safety has emerged as a critical global concern, driven by the increasing detection of toxic pollutants in the food chain. These contaminants—including heavy metals like cadmium and lead, persistent pesticides, carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), mycotoxins produced by mold, and ubiquitous microplastics—threaten public health through long-term exposure and bioaccumulation. The World Health Organization (WHO) has underscored the need for innovative solutions to mitigate these risks, as traditional remediation methods often fall short in terms of efficiency, sustainability, or compatibility with food systems.
The global wine industry, despite facing a declining trend in production and consumption, remains a significant generator of organic waste. In 2023 alone, 237.3 million hectoliters of wine were produced worldwide, with the European Union contributing 144.5 million hectoliters. This massive production volume results in substantial quantities of by-products, including grape stalks, wine lees, winery waste-activated sludge, and the primary residual biomass: grape pomace.
Guadua angustifolia Kunth, a towering bamboo species native to Colombia, stands as a cornerstone of the nation's agricultural and industrial landscape. Revered for its structural strength, it dominates construction, furniture making, and handicraft industries, with 90% of harvested culms used in civil works alone. Yet, this productivity comes with a hidden cost: up to 80% of each processed culm becomes waste—culms, bark, chips, and sawdust—traditionally discarded in landfills or incinerated. This waste, rich in lignocellulosic biomass, was long viewed as a liability, but emerging research reveals it as a goldmine of sustainable potential.
Modern industrialization has escalated wastewater pollution, with halogenated solvents, synthetic dyes, and toxic chemicals persisting in aquatic ecosystems. Conventional remediation methods rely heavily on petroleum-based adsorbents, which often introduce secondary environmental burdens due to non-degradable residues and fossil resource depletion. This paradox has driven the search for bio-based alternatives—materials derived from renewable resources that combine high adsorption efficiency with minimal ecological impact. Among these, vegetable oil-derived polymers have emerged as promising candidates, leveraging the structural versatility of triglycerides and unsaturated fatty acids for functional modification.
The rapidly evolving field of sustainable architecture is shifting paradigms away from conventional linear construction methods. Traditionally, the lifecycle of materials in buildings was linear: from extraction to fabrication, use, and eventual disposal. The rise of circular design philosophies, however, emphasizes the continuous use of resources through repair, recycling, and reusing materials. Among the most promising advancements in this field is the combination of additive manufacturing (AM) and biopolymer composites, which offers a radical approach to building repair.
The food industry is facing an urgent need to reduce its reliance on conventional plastic packaging, which poses significant environmental challenges. Plastics, primarily derived from fossil fuels, are not only non-biodegradable but also contribute to the growing pollution in landfills, oceans, and natural ecosystems. As a result, there is a global push towards adopting more sustainable alternatives, particularly bio-based and biodegradable packaging materials. These materials, derived from renewable resources, promise to offer an environmentally friendly solution to traditional food packaging while maintaining functionality and performance.
The global construction industry is undergoing a transformation as it faces increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact. The sector is responsible for a significant portion of global energy consumption and CO2 emissions, driving the search for more sustainable materials. Bio-based insulation materials, derived from renewable plant resources such as hemp and miscanthus, are gaining attention as viable alternatives to conventional construction materials. When combined with low-carbon binders like natural prompt cement (NPC) and air lime (CL90-S), these bio-based composites offer promising benefits in energy efficiency, carbon footprint reduction, and material performance.
Roughly one-third of all food produced globally—valued at over $936 billion annually—is lost or wasted. At the same time, nearly 811 million people struggle with hunger. A critical component in the food supply chain, packaging plays a vital role in maintaining freshness, protecting against physical and microbial damage, and reducing overall spoilage. However, conventional petroleum-based plastic packaging, while effective in food preservation, presents serious environmental and health risks. These materials are slow to degrade, contribute to ocean microplastic pollution, and may leach toxic substances that pose threats to human health.
Modern cold chains are critical to global food security but come with significant environmental costs. The refrigeration sector consumes immense amounts of electricity—up to 281 TWh annually—resulting in approximately 261 million tonnes of CO2 emissions. Of these, 60% are indirect emissions from electricity, while 22% come from refrigerant leakage, and another 18% from diesel use. Power production alone contributes to 42.2% of global GHG emissions, highlighting the urgent need to reduce cold storage's dependence on fossil-fuel-derived energy.
The growing demand for sustainable materials has catalyzed a new wave of innovation at the intersection of polymer science and environmental engineering. Traditional petrochemical-derived phosphorescent materials, while functionally powerful, are burdened with environmental liabilities including toxicity, energy-intensive processing, and poor recyclability. Recent breakthroughs in bio-based phosphorescent polymers—especially those with room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP)—mark a new era of environmentally responsible luminescent technologies.
