FALstaff project: Fatty Acids from Lanolin. Waste wool wax as a source of fatty acids and valuable alpha-hydroxy fatty acids by integrated biocatalytic and sustainable physico-chemical methods

The project integrates diversified expertises in organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, biocatalysis, materials, engineering and environmental sciences. The objective is the development of sustainable procedures to recover wool wax and lanolin from waste wool. In parallel, ecofriendly physical, chemical and/or biocatalytic methods are devised to exploit these products, recoverable from an abundant discarded biomass such as waste wool, as a source of fatty acids (FAs) and ?-hydroxy fatty acids (?-HFAs), which are highly-value derivatives of FAs. Lanolin has a high content of both ?-HFAs and FAs esters. Therefore, the aim of the project is to conjugate the production of useful and valuable chemicals with the valorization of a biomass, otherwise to be disposed of. It is to be underlined that waste wool is unavoidably joined to sheep farming and its management costs. Waste wool scouring would become profitable if further valorization of lanolin could be associated to the uses of washed low-quality coarse wools. Preliminary results of waste wool treatment and of FAs and ?-HFAs obtainment are presented.