EC-ERA-NET: A novel lipid platform to sustainable bio-based products from low-value forestry streams through multi-functional fatty acids (GREASE)

The GREASE project focuses on upgrading of wood fatty acids to sustainable oleochemicals. The main aim is to provide a proof-ofconcept for some fatty acid derivatives in end-use applications described above and thus provide sustainable biomass-derived green products to replace current products manufactured from non-renewable fossil resources and food-grade oils. The specific objectives of the project are: (i) to provide well-characterized tall oil and suberin fatty acid fractions in large enough quantities, including purified monocomponent fatty acids, in particular pinolenic, linoleic and oleic acids, (ii) to develop chemical routes for conversion of crude and mono-component tall oil and suberin fatty acids to omega-functionalized derivatives such as hydroxy and dicarboxylic acids, diamines and diols, and to polyols, and for purification of these derivatives, when appropriate, (iii) to develop bioconversion set-ups and yeast cell factories which are able to produce omega-hydroxy acids or dicarboxylic acids from unsaturated fatty acids in process conditions, (iv) to further convert these multifunctional fatty acid intermediates by polymer technologies to barriers, coatings, polyurethane casting resins and foams, adhesives, and understand and test the surface-chemical composition, adhesion, film formation and barrier properties of developed products, (v) to use methods of heterocyclic chemistry to yield pure and structurally characterized semisynthetic fatty acid derivatives to be tested for their antimicrobial properties, (vi) to evaluate the technoeconomical feasibility of processes and products, and toxicity and safety of bioactive compounds according to the guidelines of the European Centre for Validated Alternative Methods.