@article{forfora_azuaje_kanipe_gonzalez_lendewig_urdaneta_venditti_gonzalez_argyropoulos_2024, title={Are starch-based materials more eco-friendly than fossil-based? A critical assessment}, volume={13}, ISSN={2666-7894}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100177}, DOI={10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100177}, abstractNote={This review conducts a comprehensive quantitative analysis of the life cycle assessments (LCA) of starch-based products from production inception (biomass and starch production) to final manufacture. More specifically, this analysis synthesizes published LCA data for starch-based films, foams, polylactic acid (PLA), and filaments against typical fossil-based counterparts (polyethylene and polystyrene), revealing PLA's carbon emissions range from 0.62 to 5.3 kg CO2eq/kg, films at 3.2–5.8 kg CO2eq/kg, and foams at 1.3–3.2 kg CO2eq/kg, contrasted with fossil-based products emitting 0.7–6.7 kg CO2eq/kg. Despite lower carbon dioxide emissions for starch-based products, the broader environmental impact, including eutrophication and acidification, often exceeds that of fossil-based counterparts, attributed to agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. This review delineates the environmental merits of starch-based products, outlines their optimal applications, and underscores the imperative for future research to address identified knowledge gaps and methodological limitations, particularly in the comprehensive environmental assessment of agricultural inputs and their mitigation strategies.}, journal={Cleaner Environmental Systems}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Forfora, Naycari and Azuaje, Ivana and Kanipe, Taylor and Gonzalez, Jose A. and Lendewig, Mariana and Urdaneta, Isabel and Venditti, Richard and Gonzalez, Ronalds and Argyropoulos, Dimitris}, year={2024}, month={Jun}, pages={100177} }
 @misc{frazier_lendewig_vera_vivas_forfora_azuaje_reynolds_venditti_pawlak_ford_et al._2024, title={Textiles from non-wood feedstocks: Challenges and opportunities of current and emerging fiber spinning technologies}, volume={9}, ISSN={["2369-9698"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.jobab.2024.07.002}, abstractNote={As the global population continues growing, the demand for textiles also increases, putting pressure on cotton manufacturers to produce more natural fiber from this already undersupplied resource. Synthetic fibers such as polyester (PET) can be manufactured quickly and cheaply, but these petroleum-based products are detrimental to the environment. With increased efforts to encourage transparency and create a more circular textile economy, other natural alternatives must be considered. This article discusses the existing condition and future possibilities for man-made cellulosic fibers (MMCFs), with an emphasis on using non-woody alternative feedstocks as a starting material. This work focuses on conversion technology suitable for producing textile-grade fibers from non-wood-based dissolving pulp, which may be different in nature from its woody counterpart and therefore behave differently in spinning processes. Derivatization and dissolution methods are detailed, along with spinning techniques and parameters for these processes. Existing research related to the spinning of non-woody-based dissolving pulp is covered, along with suggestions for the most promising feedstock and technology combinations. In addition, an emerging method of conversion, in which textile fibers are spun from a hydrogel made of an undissolved nano/micro-fibrillated fiber suspension, is briefly discussed due to its unique potential. Methods and concepts compiled in this review relate to utilizing alternative feedstocks for future fibers while providing a better understanding of conventional and emerging fiber spinning processes for these fibers.}, number={4}, journal={JOURNAL OF BIORESOURCES AND BIOPRODUCTS}, author={Frazier, Ryen M. and Lendewig, Mariana and Vera, Ramon E. and Vivas, Keren A. and Forfora, Naycari and Azuaje, Ivana and Reynolds, Autumn and Venditti, Richard and Pawlak, Joel J. and Ford, Ericka and et al.}, year={2024}, month={Nov}, pages={410–432} }