Citrus peels are a massive byproduct of the juice industry. This project upcycles these peels into high-value dietary fiber. When added to bread dough, this fiber acts as a natural hydrocolloid, keeping the bread softer for longer while significantly increasing the vitamin and antioxidant content, turning a "waste" product into a functional health ingredient.
The citrus peels are washed, blanched to remove bitterness, and dried. They then undergo mechanical micronization to achieve a particle size that integrates seamlessly into flour. The process preserves the pectin and bioactive flavonoids which provide the functional benefits in the final baked product.
Spent batteries are a major environmental threat. This project uses the organic acids (citric and malic acid) found in fruit peels to "leach" precious metals from battery waste. By replacing industrial sulfuric acid with fruit peel extracts, the process becomes significantly safer and more eco-friendly, effectively closing the loop between food waste and the tech industry.
Spent battery cathodes are crushed into a powder. Fruit peels are processed into an acidic aqueous solution. This solution is used in a hydrometallurgical leaching process where the fruit acids act as reducing agents to dissolve the cobalt and lithium, which are then precipitated out as high-purity metal salts for reuse.
