SurfToGreen aims at widen and strenghten research and innovation impact by collaborating with other projects. Specifically:
SURFs UP
Safe and sustainable by design microbial and lignin-based biosurfactants sourced from sustainable feedstock for home, personal care and agrochemical application
SURFs UP is an EU co-funded project that aims to develop safe and sustainable-by-design (SSbD) microbial and lignin-based biosurfactants. The main project goal is to formulate 9 second-generation (2G) SSbD biosurfactants and integrate them into prototype formulations for home care, personal care, and agrochemical applications to enable environmentally responsible innovation.
Within those 9 biosurfactants: 7 are microbial based (including sophorolipids, mannosylerythritol lipids and lipopeptides) and 2 are chemically produced and lignin derived. Among these, several are new-to-market molecules, and while others are drop-in solutions, that are going to expand the portfolio of sustainable alternatives available to industry.
To produce these biosurfactants, SURFs UP focuses on the valorisation of renewable and underutilised EU feedstocks, including C5/C6 sugars and lignin extracted from hardwood processing residues, as well as waste streams from regional food processing industries. Starting from comprehensive feedstock mapping and optimisation of pretreatment, the project advances through bioprocess optimisation, prototype formulation and performance testing. Throughout all stages, dedicated financial modelling and in-depth techno-economic, environmental, and social sustainability assessments are continuously performed to ensure industrial feasibility, compliance with SSbD principles, and long-term market readiness.
Running from 1 May 2024 to 31 October 2027 and coordinated by Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant (BBEPP), SURFs UP brings together a multidisciplinary consortium of 12 partners, covering the entire biosurfactant value chain. By following the European Commission’s SSbD framework and integrating social and environmental sustainability from feedstock to final formulation, SURFs UP aims to accelerate the transition toward responsible, circular, and competitive bio-based surfactants in Europe.