Valorization solutions for agricultural waste: Doctoral thesis

The doctoral Thesis aims to develop an integrated methodology intended to provide an innovative strategy to prioritize biopolymer packaging material to the advanced level by valorizing agricultural waste. The Thesis contributes to exploring distinct levels of bioeconomy value products under a unified framework with a specific emphasis on promoting biopolymer production. It provides a unique pathway to prioritize biopolymer products to the advanced level by introducing system and market innovation pillars. In order to reach the aim of the Thesis, the following tasks were set: 1. To investigate the general trends in sustainable bioeconomy considering agricultural waste valorization. 2. To assess the bioeconomy modelling tools within the sustainability framework. 3. To evaluate the valorization pathways for value-added products, including sustainable bioenergy production, and identify the most potential techniques to produce value-added products from agricultural waste. 4. To identify the trends and create a sustainability framework for biopolymers. 5. To provide strategic innovation transfer with market analysis to determine if biopolymer products would have the potential to assess the market. 6. To create an innovative methodology to promote sustainable online marketplace businesses and to develop a carbon footprint tool for packaging materials as a valuable input. The study offers several innovative strategies for agricultural waste not previously employed in the bioeconomy. In this Thesis, diverse types of agricultural waste valorization assessment have been presented using multiple approaches. The results of this Thesis add to the body of knowledge already known about bioeconomy by assessing sustainable agricultural waste valorization using three innovative pillar approaches. The results benefit national, local, and international stakeholders and scientists. The doctoral Thesis consists of an Introduction, 3 Chapters, and a Conclusion. The introduction includes the topicality of the doctoral Thesis, aim, tasks, hypothesis, scientific novelty, practical significance, the structure of the work, and information about the approbation of the work. The first chapter, a literature review, provides an overview of the agricultural sector's unsustainable practices, current trends in sustainable bioeconomy, feasible agricultural wastes, and a substantial framework for a new vision of bioeconomy value chains. The second chapter of the Thesis discusses the research technique based on three innovative pillars. The first pillar is designed to boost agricultural waste into high-value products. The second and third pillars demonstrate product development transferred from the first pillar, needing value enhancement. The third chapter of the Thesis outlines the results and discussions, followed by the conclusion, recommendations, and a reference list. The work has been endorsed by seven scientific publications and one scientific publication manuscript.