Transforming fish oil waste into a biobased surfactant

Challenge

This project aimed to address two distinct issues; costly waste from salmon fisheries and the toxicity and unsustainability of conventional surfactants, which are produced from synthetic or petrochemical feedstocks. 

Salmon fisheries currently report a mortality rate of 13% and at present this means a costly waste stream which is destined primarily for landfill. Around 20 – 25% of the biomass of this fish waste is oil which could be recovered and utilised, transforming a waste stream into a value stream.

Surfteic wanted to explore the feasibility of harnessing oil extracted from fish industry waste to create an eco-friendly, high value, biobased surfactant. This innovative approach would ensure affordability and also align with sustainable practices.

Solution

IBioIC supported this project with an Innovation Fund award of just under £100k, which allowed Eco Clean Team Ltd/ Surfteic to work with Dr Alfredo Damiano Bonaccorso from the University of St Andrews School of Chemistry.

Dr Bonaccorso and his team developed an innovative continuous flow reactor to synthesise ethoxylates and sugar ester from organic salmon oil waste and convert them into non-ionic surfactants. These surfactants are popular because the ester group in their structure means that they break down easily. Producing surfactants with this method is a cost effective, highly efficient and eco-friendly.

The project involved the design and optimisation of this process, and eight surfactants were produced. The samples were sent for surfactant property testing.

Surfteic conducted customer surveys and secured funding with Edinburgh Complex Fluid Partnership for testing of the surfactant produced.

The project demonstrated the feasibility of taking an affordable and sustainable approach to transforming fish waste oils into biobased surfactants. Eco Clean (now Surfteic) progressed from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 to 4.

Outcome

Surfteic was one of the winning companies for the Inspire100 awards. The project played a pivotal role in Surfteic securing additional funding to progress towards TRL 5-6. Commercial backing from Zero Waste Scotland has enabled the company to conduct a comprehensive market assessment and to formulate an investor-ready business plan, marking a significant step towards commercial viability.

For Dr Bonaccorso and the team at St Andrews, this valuable contract work presented an opportunity to demonstrate the value of their expertise in a pre-commercial setting.