CPOTE2026
|
9th
International Conference on
Contemporary Problems of Thermal Engineering
23-25 September 2026 | Kraków, Poland | In-person
Contemporary Problems of Thermal Engineering
23-25 September 2026 | Kraków, Poland | In-person
Abstract CPOTE2026-6061-A
Multi-objective assessment of animal bone waste for circular valorization
Mircea Gabriel MACAVEI, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, RomaniaGabriela IONESCU, National University of Science Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Romania
Roxana PĂTRAȘCU, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, Romania
Agata MLONKA-MĘDRALA, AGH University of Krakow, Poland
Cosmin MĂRCULESCU, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, Romania
Aneta MAGDZIARZ, AGH University of Krakow, Poland
Animal-derived bone waste represents a mineral-rich by-product stream with significant potential for circular valorization. This study presents a comparative physico-chemical and thermochemical assessment of four industrially relevant bone waste feedstocks: poultry, fish, pig, and cattle bones. Standardized pretreatment was followed by proximate and ultimate analysis, calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and FT-IR spectroscopy to evaluate organic–mineral composition, thermal stability, and valorization pathways. Results demonstrate that bone waste should not be treated as a conventional fuel but as a viable thermochemical resource enabling integrated valorization routes: energy recovery, functional biochar, hydroxyapatite, and green chemicals extraction, phosphorus recycling, and potential catalytic applications. Species origin significantly influences organic–mineral balance and thus optimal processing strategy. This multi-feed comparative assessment provides a systematic framework for the valorization of bone waste within circular economy systems.
Keywords: Animal bone waste, Thermochemical conversion, Energy recovery, Phosphorus recovery, Circular economy
Acknowledgment: This study was partly funded by Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, Pillar III „Smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, including economic cohesion, jobs, productivity, competitiveness, research, development, and innovation, and a well-functioning internal market with strong small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs),” Component C9. Support for the private sector, research, development, and innovation, I8 „Development of a program to attract highly specialized human resources from abroad in research, development, and innovation activities’’. The project is ‘’Green Chemistry and Thermochemical Processing, a Convergent Approach towards biobased Chemicals and Hydrogen Synthesis – ConverGreen’’, ID: CF 86/15.11.2022, cod 86, No.760094 and partly by National University and Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Romania, through PubArt – Program to support the publication of scientific articles and communications indexed in the Web of Science.