| Résumé : |
The aim of this work was to determine the environmental impact of a new biopolymer when fossil-based raw materials were replaced with protein derivatives, as compared with a standard acrylic resin. To this end, the life cycle assessment (LCA) of both products was conducted. In order to examine result variations due to data changes, sensitivity analyses were also performed by replacing the protein derivative with a polysaccharide derivative (PS).
Both products were characterised by IR, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and carbon-14 content. The new biopolymer was applied as a retanning agent and compared with a standard acrylic resin. Thickness, softness, physical resistance, colour intensity and fastness were assessed.
The LCA concluded that the use of protein-based products reduces the environmental impact in 17 of the 19 impact categories analysed. In particular, the carbon footprint was reduced by 47% versus the standard acrylic resin. On the other hand, replacing the protein derivative with a polysaccharide derivative increased all categories, thereby highlighting the impacts associated with the production of polysaccharides.
Our results show that fossil-based raw materials can be partially replaced with biopolymers that provide similar organoleptic characteristics. However, the use of biobased products does not imply a reduction of all the environmental impacts involved in LCA. |
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LCA of selected biopolymers in INTERNATIONAL LEATHER MAKER (ILM), N° 56 (11-12/2022)
