Analysis of planetary boundaries for waste valorization in the biorefinery context: Case study of the corn value chain in Sucre, Colombia

Analysis of planetary boundaries for waste valorization in the biorefinery context: Case study of the corn value chain in Sucre, Colombia | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Analysis of planetary boundaries for waste valorization in the biorefinery context: Case study of the corn value chain in Sucre, Colombia Juan Felipe Hernandez-Arango, Mariana Ortiz-Sanchez, Juan Camilo Solarte-Toro, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5362689/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 02 Apr, 2025 Read the published version in Environmental Science and Pollution Research → Version 1 posted 6 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The environmental impact generated by the excessive use of energy and petrochemical products has become a current problem addressed by considering the valorization of waste from a Value Chain (VC) under the biorefinery concept. At a global level, international organizations have proposed different tools to control the environmental impact of VC. the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is the most representative tool. However, the LCA results do not allow defining a VC impact in a territory. The Planetary Boundaries (PB) approach contextualizes the results of an LCA with the maximum limits allowed for a defined activity. This research aimed to propose and apply a methodology integrating the LCA and PB approach (PBA-LCA). For this, waste valorization under the biorefinery concept was considered. The conceptual process analysis, economic optimization of biorefineries, LCA, and PB approach tools were combined and applied to a representative case study (the corn VC in Sucre, Colombia). First, the corn VC was analyzed to define different valorization alternatives for Corn Stover (CS). The valorization alternatives were simulated and evaluated using Aspen Plus V9.0., and Aspen Economic Analyzer V9.0. and SimaPro V8.3. The LCA impact categories were used to define the PB. The economic optimization of CS biorefineries resulted in the technical and economic limitations of the cellulose valorization fraction due to high capital and operating costs. The LCA results demonstrated the advantages of using CS in agricultural activities. In the biorefinery, the split of CS scenarios for biorefineries had a higher environmental impact. Finally, the PB results demonstrated the advantage of the CS current use. On the other hand, the PB analysis determined the appropriate split of CS scenario to be implemented in Sucre, Colombia. In conclusion, the results demonstrated the need to contextualize the results of an LCA with the PB in a given region to analyze the processes environmental viability. Planetary boundaries Life cycle assessment Value chain Corn stover Biorefinery Economic assessment. Full Text Supplementary Files supplementarymaterial.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 02 Apr, 2025 Read the published version in Environmental Science and Pollution Research → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Major Revision 05 Jan, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 19 Nov, 2024 Reviewers invited by journal 18 Nov, 2024 Editor invited by journal 06 Nov, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 01 Nov, 2024 First submitted to journal 31 Oct, 2024 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5362689","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":379650957,"identity":"3bc4a898-8fb4-4243-87d4-fe9545a9b4f1","order_by":0,"name":"Juan Felipe Hernandez-Arango","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Manizales","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Juan","middleName":"Felipe","lastName":"Hernandez-Arango","suffix":""},{"id":379650958,"identity":"3dc90629-2966-4c5a-bdf4-a6c1bb86e091","order_by":1,"name":"Mariana Ortiz-Sanchez","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Manizales","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mariana","middleName":"","lastName":"Ortiz-Sanchez","suffix":""},{"id":379650959,"identity":"25eabd0e-5050-46af-81ee-5416264e01a0","order_by":2,"name":"Juan Camilo Solarte-Toro","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Manizales","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Juan","middleName":"Camilo","lastName":"Solarte-Toro","suffix":""},{"id":379650960,"identity":"409fbb17-c2f4-454f-aed7-343a0c70dc3d","order_by":3,"name":"Jairo Salcedo-Mendoza","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Manizales","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jairo","middleName":"","lastName":"Salcedo-Mendoza","suffix":""},{"id":379650961,"identity":"66cf6084-dab8-4cc0-bf91-8da62cb3af98","order_by":4,"name":"Carlos Ariel Cardona-Alzate","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA5ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYLACHhDBznwASFoAcQKxWpjZQEolSNLCY0CcFv72w88+vKm4I8/fzPNNuqBGgoGfPceA4UcFbi0SZ9KMZ84588xwxmHebdIzjkkwSPa8MWDsOYNbi4EEgzEzb9thxgaQFh42CQaDGzkGzIxt+LSwfwZpsZ9/mOeZNM8/CQZ7wlp4wLYkbjjMwybN2wa0RYKAFokzOcWMc84cTt54mM3YmrdPgkfizLOCg/j8wt9+fDPDm4rDtvOONz+8zfPNRo6/PXnjA3whhgHAcXSABA2jYBSMglEwCrAAAKI4R1aTx6vzAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4786-3885","institution":"Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Manizales","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Carlos","middleName":"Ariel","lastName":"Cardona-Alzate","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-10-30 17:10:06","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5362689/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5362689/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-025-36266-x","type":"published","date":"2025-04-02T15:57:20+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":80082096,"identity":"2363d0aa-6545-472a-a41d-85ff2ee97a0c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-07 16:07:08","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1550126,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ESPRManuscriptVF.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5362689/v1_covered_993eebea-a1b7-4b45-a39e-d767041dc710.pdf"},{"id":70477960,"identity":"b3929966-e81b-46d4-ba6d-c23cf5acc31e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-12-03 14:33:21","extension":"docx","order_by":5,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":147760,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"supplementarymaterial.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5362689/v1/fb72778bde44f460d158f86d.docx"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"Analysis of planetary boundaries for waste valorization in the biorefinery context: Case study of the corn value chain in Sucre, Colombia","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":true,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"environmental-science-and-pollution-research","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"espr","sideBox":"Learn more about [Environmental Science and Pollution Research](https://www.springer.com/journal/11356)","snPcode":"11356","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/11356/3","title":"Environmental Science and Pollution Research","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Planetary boundaries, Life cycle assessment, Value chain, Corn stover, Biorefinery, Economic assessment. ","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5362689/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5362689/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"The environmental impact generated by the excessive use of energy and petrochemical products has become a current problem addressed by considering the valorization of waste from a Value Chain (VC) under the biorefinery concept. At a global level, international organizations have proposed different tools to control the environmental impact of VC. the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is the most representative tool. However, the LCA results do not allow defining a VC impact in a territory. The Planetary Boundaries (PB) approach contextualizes the results of an LCA with the maximum limits allowed for a defined activity. This research aimed to propose and apply a methodology integrating the LCA and PB approach (PBA-LCA). For this, waste valorization under the biorefinery concept was considered. The conceptual process analysis, economic optimization of biorefineries, LCA, and PB approach tools were combined and applied to a representative case study (the corn VC in Sucre, Colombia). First, the corn VC was analyzed to define different valorization alternatives for Corn Stover (CS). The valorization alternatives were simulated and evaluated using Aspen Plus V9.0., and Aspen Economic Analyzer V9.0. and SimaPro V8.3. The LCA impact categories were used to define the PB. The economic optimization of CS biorefineries resulted in the technical and economic limitations of the cellulose valorization fraction due to high capital and operating costs. The LCA results demonstrated the advantages of using CS in agricultural activities. In the biorefinery, the split of CS scenarios for biorefineries had a higher environmental impact. Finally, the PB results demonstrated the advantage of the CS current use. On the other hand, the PB analysis determined the appropriate split of CS scenario to be implemented in Sucre, Colombia. In conclusion, the results demonstrated the need to contextualize the results of an LCA with the PB in a given region to analyze the processes environmental viability.","manuscriptTitle":"Analysis of planetary boundaries for waste valorization in the biorefinery context: Case study of the corn value chain in Sucre, Colombia","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-12-03 14:33:16","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5362689/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Major Revision","date":"2025-01-05T07:02:17+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"","date":"2024-11-19T09:19:24+00:00","index":0,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2024-11-18T19:29:29+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"Environmental Science and Pollution Research","date":"2024-11-06T10:29:50+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2024-11-01T04:30:37+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Environmental Science and Pollution Research","date":"2024-10-31T14:36:03+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"environmental-science-and-pollution-research","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"espr","sideBox":"Learn more about [Environmental Science and Pollution Research](https://www.springer.com/journal/11356)","snPcode":"11356","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/11356/3","title":"Environmental Science and Pollution Research","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"d4ce5c65-a371-4ab3-82a0-378cfd9b789e","owner":[],"postedDate":"December 3rd, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-04-07T16:03:37+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-5362689","link":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-025-36266-x","journal":{"identity":"environmental-science-and-pollution-research","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Environmental Science and Pollution Research"},"publishedOn":"2025-04-02 15:57:20","publishedOnDateReadable":"April 2nd, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2024-12-03 14:33:16","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1007/s11356-025-36266-x","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-025-36266-x","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-5362689","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-5362689","identity":"rs-5362689","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"qtupq5eGEP_6zYnWcrvyt","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}