[en] The remarkable mechanical properties of chitin nanoparticles are promoting their progressive application in various scientific and technological fields. Recently, alternatives to the conventional extraction of this material have been found, which until now was only possible through the use of highly environmentally damaging treatments, such as acid hydrolysis of crustacean and shrimp shells. Currently, it is known that the extraction of chitin nanoparticles from fungi is a great alternative, which allows obtaining the same advantages as the traditional method, but in this case avoiding demineralization with acids such as hydrochloric acid (HCl). However, this is the first existing work that quantifies the environmental impacts of the different variants for the extraction of chitin nanoparticles. Its purpose is to compare the conventional processes of hydrolytic extraction of chitin nanocrystals from shrimp shells, chitin powder and crab shells, and sulfuric acid hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose to cellulose nanocrystals. In contrast, we propose a new method of extraction from the fungi with reduced environmental impacts. To do this, we use the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, which allows us to quantify the environmental impacts derived from various industrial processes. This methodology of increasing relevance in the industrial world due to the regulations established by the European Commission, allows the eco-design of industrial processes in order to reduce, little by little, the negative impacts resulting from production processes, and thus collaborate with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically with numbers 11, 12 and 13, which correspond to sustainable cities and communities, responsible production and consumption and climate action, respectively. In this way, here we quantify in a pioneering way the environmental benefits of the new extraction process, which will help its future implementation. Likewise, it is shown that following a Circular Economy approach, various biomass residues can be valorised to reintroduce them into the economic cycle and, at the same time, avoid the dumping of biowaste after the isolation of chitin nanoparticles.

[eu] Kitina nanopartikulen propietate mekaniko nabarmenek aplikazio progresiboa sustatzen ari dira hainbat arlo zientifiko eta teknologikotan. Duela gutxi, material hau lortzeko ohiko erauzketarako alternatibak aurkitu dira, orain arte ingurumenarentzako oso kaltegarriak diren tratamenduen bidez soilik posible zenak, hala nola krustazeoen eta otarrainxka-oskolaren hidrolisi azidoa. Gaur egun, jakina da onddoetatik kitina nanopartikulen erauzketa alternatiba bikaina dela, eta horrek metodo tradizionalaren abantaila berdinak lortzeko aukera ematen du azido klorhidrikoaren erabilera saihestuz. Hala ere, orain arte ez dago kitina nanopartikulen erauzketarako era ezberdinen ingurumen-inpaktuak kuantifikatzen dituen lanik. Beraz, prosezu hauen ingurumen abantailak ez daude guztiz argi. Ildo honetan, lan honek nanokitina onddoetatik lortzea eragiten dituen ingurugiro inpaktuak kuantifikatzen ditu, eta gainera, lortutako emaitzak otarrainxka-oskoletatik, kitina-hautsetik eta karramarro-oskoletatik kitina nanokristalen erauzketa hidrolitikoko prozesu konbentzionalekin alderatzen dira. Horretarako, bizi-zikloaren analisia (LCA, ingelesez) metodologia erabiltzen dugu, hainbat industria-prozesuetatik eratorritako ingurumen-inpaktuak kuantifikatzeko aukera ematen duena. Europako Batzordeak ezarritako araudiaren ondorioz industria munduan gero eta garrantzi handiagoa duen metodologia honek, prozesu industrialen ekodiseinua ahalbidetzen du, pixkanaka, ekoizpen prozesuen ondoriozko inpaktu negatiboak murrizteko, eta horrela, Garapen Jasangarriko Helburuekin (GJH) lankidetzan aritzea, zehazki, 11, 12 eta 13 zenbakiekin, hiri eta komunitate jasangarriei, ekoizpen eta kontsumo arduratsuei eta, azkenik, klima-ekintzari dagozkienak. Modu honetan, hemen modu aitzindari batean kuantifikatzen ditugu erauzketa prozesu berriaren ingurumen-onurak, zeinak etorkizunean ezartzen lagunduko dion. Era berean, frogatuta dago Ekonomia Zirkularrari jarraituz, hainbat biomasa-hondakin balioztatu daitezkeela ziklo ekonomikoan berriro sartzeko eta, aldi berean, kitina nanopartikulak isolatu ondoren biohondakinak isurtzea saihesteko.