O uso do Brewer’s Spent Grain (BSG) como potencial matéria-prima na produção de biocombustíveis

Abstract

This undergraduate thesis paper addresses the growing need for sustainable energy sources and the valorization of industrial waste, focusing on the potential of brewer's malt bagasse (BSG), the main solid waste from the brewing industry, whose massive generation and underutilization represent an environmental challenge and a potential for the bioeconomy. To assess this potential, a rigorous systematic literature review methodology with a quantitative and qualitative approach was employed, using the Methodi Ordinatio 2.0 method to select and rank the most relevant scientific articles from the Web of Science database. The papers were ranked using a relevance index that weights journal impact metrics (JCR), the total number of citations and the publication's timeliness, with weights assigned to prioritize articles of high and consolidated scientific influence, ensuring a robust and up-to-date analysis base. Based on this qualified portfolio, the work critically analyzes, from a chemical engineering perspective, the production routes for biogas, butanol, ethanol and hydrogen, focusing on the technological bottlenecks common to these bio-processes, such as the recalcitrance of biomass, the formation of inhibitors and the efficiency of the separation stages. The aim is to highlight the unquestionable role of chemists in understanding these needs, optimizing processes and consolidating biofuel concepts to promote the waste industry.