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Biopolymers, Bioplasticizers and Biolubricants from Waste Cooking Oil: A Systematic Review

Author

Listed:
  • Silvia D’Eusebio

    (Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via E. Orabona, 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
    GreenOil Srl, S.S. 172 per Alberobello, 70017 Bari, Italy
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Pietro Caramia

    (Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via E. Orabona, 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Antonio Caporusso

    (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), ENEA C.R. Trisaia, S.S. 106 Jonica, 75026 Matera, Italy)

  • Matteo Radice

    (Departamento de Matemáticas y Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Estatal Amazónica, Puyo 160150, Ecuador)

  • Antonino Biundo

    (GreenOil Srl, S.S. 172 per Alberobello, 70017 Bari, Italy)

  • Isabella Pisano

    (Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via E. Orabona, 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
    Interuniversity Consortium for Biotechnology (CIB), 34100 Trieste, Italy)

  • Gennaro Agrimi

    (Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via E. Orabona, 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
    CIRCC—Interuniversity Consortium Chemical Reactivity and Catalysis, Via C. Ulpiani, 27, 70126 Bari, Italy)

Abstract

Waste cooking oils (WCO) are large-scale residual streams from domestic and industrial food processing. Their improper disposal poses severe environmental risks, yet their integration into the oleochemical sector offers a strategic opportunity for the green transition by substituting fossil-based feedstocks. This systematic review provides a comprehensive assessment of WCO valorization as a sustainable precursor for high-value products, specifically biopolymers, bioplasticizers, and biolubricants. The study followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, searching PubMed, Scopus, and MDPI databases (up to September 2025). The search strategy utilized combinations of keywords present in the title. Inclusion criteria focused on peer-reviewed chemical and biotechnological conversion pathways published in English within the last decade. Studies addressing biofuel production, patents, and review were excluded. Screening, data extraction, and qualitative risk of bias assessment, centered on experimental reproducibility and reporting transparency, were performed independently by multiple reviewers. From an initial pool of 2637 records, 87 studies met the eligibility criteria. The analysis reveals that polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) represent the most extensively researched pathway, followed by WCO-derived epoxides and innovative biolubricant formulations. While several studies report high conversion yields under optimized conditions, the transition from bench-scale to industrial implementation remains hindered by the heterogeneous composition of WCO and a lack of standardized pre-treatment protocols. WCO valorization shows transformative potential for the circular economy, offering a dual benefit of waste mitigation and sustainable material synthesis. However, future research must address scalability challenges and feedstock variability. This review identifies emerging trends and provides a roadmap for the industrial adoption of WCO-based processes in the framework of clean technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Silvia D’Eusebio & Pietro Caramia & Antonio Caporusso & Matteo Radice & Antonino Biundo & Isabella Pisano & Gennaro Agrimi, 2026. "Biopolymers, Bioplasticizers and Biolubricants from Waste Cooking Oil: A Systematic Review," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-34, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jcltec:v:8:y:2026:i:3:p:90-:d:1963988
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