Cascade Valorisation of Lemon Processing Residues (Part II): Integrated Biorefinery Design, Circular Economy, and Techno-Economic Feasibility

Preprints.org 2026 Preprint Open access

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Authors: Jimmy Núñez-Pérez, Jhomaira L. Burbano-García, Rosario C. Espín-Valladares, Marco Vinicio Lara Fiallos, Juan Carlos de la Vega-Quintero, Marcelo A. Cevallos-Vallejos, José-Manuel Pais-Chanfrau
DOI: 10.20944/preprints202602.0723.v1
Cited by: 1

Abstract

This review examines implementation dimensions of integrated lemon biorefinery systems, including cascade valorisation design, circular-economy integration, life-cycle assessment, techno-economic feasibility, and regulatory frameworks. Bibliometric analysis of Web of Science data (2015–2025) reveals exponential growth in citrus-biorefinery research, with lemon representing a burgeoning subset. Techno-economic assessments indicate that cascade biorefineries recovering essential oils, pectin, polyphenols, nanocellulose, and bioenergy can achieve cumulative revenues of USD 400–650 per tonne of dry peel. Whilst small-scale units (

Fields of Study & Subjects

Biofuel production and bioconversion Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Production Enzyme Catalysis and Immobilization

Publication details

Journal / source
Preprints.org
Publisher
MDPI AG
Publication date
9 February 2026
Document type
Preprint