Dr. M. Angeles Martin-Luengo

Research line. Design of new materials and substances for circular economy and sustainability (Nanostructured Hybrid, Biohybrid and Porous Materials Group. Institute of Materials Science of Madrid (ICMM, CSIC). M. A. Martin-Luengo (MAML))

https://wp.icmm.csic.es/phbhmg/members/permanent-staff/dr-m-a-martin-luengo/

https://wp.icmm.csic.es/phbhmg/porous/projects/

 

The world´s economic growth is based in a «take-make-dispose» model, with an intensive use of natural resources, production of enormous amounts of wastes, Greenhouse Gases Emissions (GGE) and pollution of soils and water, all of them affecting negatively Biodiversity Loss and Climate Change (CC). Several scientific studies indicate that GGE trap heat in the atmosphere, raising global temperatures and altering weather patterns, increasing CC and the likelihood and severity of Heat Waves and Wildfires^1,2. Equilibrating these problems requires technical, social and equity subjects and the Spanish Strategy for the Circular Economy (“España Circular 2030”)³ supports promoting research and innovation, favouring valorisation of wastes, to produce sustainable materials and resources, decarbonizing and avoiding dumping in the environment, as well as minimizing and reusing the unavoidable wastes.

Spain needs more than 2.5 times its surface to support this kind of economy, this aggravating its dependence on other countries, making it less competitive and more vulnerable. Urgent action is needed and valorisation of agro industrial residues (AR) is envisaged to help on this important subject, since, due to the agricultural based economy of Spain, every year great amounts of valuable AR are produced and most of them are accumulated in landfills, producing GGE and furthermore, their potential as renewable raw materials (RRM) wasted, although with due development they can substitute non-renewable and scarce fossil resources.

An ever-increasing scientific community is carrying out valorisation of wastes as a powerful tool to support Sustainable Development and fight against CC and as part of this school of thought, MAML is carrying out a project⁴, searching for the lowest possible environmental impact, choosing solvents and reactants of low or null toxicity and price, prioritizing recycling, and whenever possible, the use of renewable energy. In this approach, each AR is valorised by processing with physical, chemical and/or thermal methods to achieve bioactive substances, organic and inorganic materials, renewable and highly valuable, compared with similar commercial ones. Furthermore, thermal modifications of AR achieve “Zero CO₂” energy, competitive with other less environmentally benign ones, to fight against CC and based on principles of Sustainable Development and Circular Economy, with economic and industrial benefits and ideally “zero waste” developments^5-7. Furthermore, the multivalorisation of RA considering several scenarios, with different mass and energy balances allows choosing project options, towards future fluctuations in market prices of derivatives and pilot and industrial developments.

References

1. Tejedor, E., B. Benito et al. Recent heatwaves as a prelude to climate extremes in the western Mediterranean region. npj Clim Atmos Sci 7, 218 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-024-00771-6

2. Senande-Rivera, M., Insua-Costa et al. Climate Change aggravated wildfire behaviour in the Iberian Peninsula in recent years. npj Clim Atmos Sci 8, 19 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-00906-3

3. https://www.miteco.gob.es/es/calidad-y-evaluacion-ambiental/temas/economia-circular/espanacircular_2030_executivesummary_en_tcm30-510578.pdf

4. “Approach to clean production processes and technologies, to design safe and sustainable chemicals and materials” Special Intramural Project 202480E146 30/05/2024- 31/05/2027.

5. Crespo-López, C. Coletti et al. Mudbricks with tea grounds: A zero CO2 emission option for more sustainable and environmentally-friendly construction. Construction and Building Mater. 472 (2025) 140982.

6. Yates, M. A. Martin-Luengo et al. Environmentally friendly catalysts for improved cleaning of toluene-containing gaseous effluents. Arab. J. Chem. 14 (2021) 103268.

7. Yates, M. Ramos-Gomez… M. A. Martin-Luengo et al. Beverage waste derived biomaterials for tissue engineering. Green Chemistry 19 (2017) 4520.