1. Innovative solutions for valorization of desalination brineAna Rotter, Baruch Rinkevich, Irem Deniz, Maggie M. Reddy, Mariana Girão, Maria F. Carvalho, Nina Gunde-Cimerman, Cene Gostinčar, Mercedes Cueto, Ernesta Grigalionyte-Bembič, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Desalination is becoming increasingly important to meet the growing demand for freshwater. However, a major drawback of this technology is the production of hypersaline brine. This by-product contains salts and contaminants that have been removed during the desalination process, including antiscalants, cleaning agents, heavy metals, and organic compounds. Instead of disposing of this brine and causing environmental harm, new strategies should be developed to transform brine from a burden into an opportunity with environmental and economic benefits. Brine can harbor halotolerant and halophilic microorganisms, making it a valuable resource for studying microbial diversity, adaptations and exploring untapped biotechnological opportunities in pharmaceutical, industrial, and ecological fields. We propose two strategies of innovation: (i) using brine to cultivate micro- and macro-organisms, both of which can create circular economy models tailored to global and local needs. (ii) In addition, the amount of brine generated by desalination plants can be reduced by integrating or coupling them with biodesalination modules. These modules would harness halotolerant and halophilic organisms to retain and assimilate salts, reducing the environmental impact of desalination.
Ključne besede: desalination, brine, environmental impact, circular economy, biotechnology
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 08.09.2025; Ogledov: 630; Prenosov: 325
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2. Marine cosmetics and the blue bioeconomy : from sourcing to success storiesAna Rotter, Despoina Varamogianni-Mamatsi, Alenka Zvonar Pobirk, Mirjam Gosenca Matjaž, Mercedes Cueto, Ana R. Díaz Marrero, Maja Berden Zrimec, Ernesta Grigalionyte-Bembič, Katja Klun, Luen Zidar, Špela Baebler, Lada Lukić-Bilela, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: As the global population continues to grow, so does the demand for longer, healthier lives and environmentally responsible choices. Consumers are increasingly drawn to naturally sourced products with proven health and wellbeing benefits. The marine environment presents a promising yet underexplored resource for the cosmetics industry, offering bioactive compounds with the potential for safe and biocompatible ingredients. This manuscript provides a comprehensive overview of the potential of marine organisms for cosmetics production, highlighting marine-derived compounds and their applications in skin/hair/oral-care products, cosmeceuticals and more. It also lays down critical safety considerations and addresses the methodologies for sourcing marine compounds, including harvesting, the biorefinery concept, use of systems biology for enhanced product development, and the relevant regulatory landscape. The review is enriched by three case studies: design of macroalgal skincare products in Iceland, establishment of a microalgal cosmetics spin-off in Italy, and the utilization of marine proteins for cosmeceutical applications.
Ključne besede: bioactive compounds, cosmeceuticals, marine organisms, naturally sourced, biorefinery, cosmetics, marine biotechnology, natural product chemistry
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 04.12.2024; Ogledov: 1263; Prenosov: 2026
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