Ebro Foods, through its subsidiary Herba Ricemills, has collaborated in innovative research within the project Z-ONA4LIFE, led by the Eduardo Torroja Institute of Construction Science (IETcc-CSIC), for the transformation of industrial waste into secondary raw materials, thus helping to reduce environmental impact, optimise resources and strengthen circular economy models.
As part of this collaboration, Herba Ricemills supplied the Z-ONA4LIFE scientists and researchers with rice husk ash, which was used in their research for zeolite synthesis. Zeolites are microporous crystalline materials with well-defined structures used in industrial applications as catalysts and absorbers and in water and air purification processes. Rice husk ash is a byproduct of the agrifood industry with a high silicon content, obtained through the thermal transformation of rice husk. It is considered one of the most abundant types of agrifood waste.
The research, led by the Z-ONA4LIFE scientific team, has demonstrated the potential of co-recycling rice husk ash with aluminium salt slag to synthesize high performance zeolites. These materials can be used in several different industrial sectors, making processes more efficient and offering a sustainable alternative in waste management. The results obtained have been published in prestigious scientific journals, highlighting the importance of this collaborative approach to the development of sustainable solutions:
- Salt slag and rice husk ash as raw materials in zeolite synthesis: Process optimization using central composite rotational design [doi.org]
- Waste Symbiosis through the Synthesis of Highly Crystalline LTA and SOD Zeolites [doi.org]
In the opinion of Aurora López-Delgado, Scientific Researcher at the IETcc-CSIC and coordinator of the Z-ONA4LIFE project: “Our collaboration with Herba was significant because they supplied us with rice husk ash, a waste material with a high silicon content, that provided the silicon we needed to form zeolites from aluminium salt slag. It was one of the first silicon wastes that we tested and the results of the studies carried out have been published in two international scientific journals. The co-recycling of these two types of waste as secondary raw materials to synthesize zeolites promotes industrial symbiosis and can be considered a sustainable alternative in waste management, generating value-added materials and making a significant contribution towards preserving the environment.”
In respect of Ebro Foods, the Herba Ricemills professionals involved in this initiative have stressed that: “Collaboration between industry and science is vital if we are to move towards an effective circular economy. By reusing agro-industrial byproducts not only are we able to make a sustainable management of waste, but it also opens up new opportunities for innovation in environmental management. In this regard, our collaboration with Z-ONA4LIFE is another step forward in our sustainability strategy, promoting responsible practices throughout value chain.”
