Circular bioeconomy ecosystems: Hydroxyapatite from fish waste at Rio de Janeiro

The transition to a low-carbon economy endangered the revenues of many oil-dependent regions. This is the case in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, which has become highly dependent on oil and gas royalties since the 1970s. At the same time, the circular blue bioeconomy has emerged as a pathway for environmentally sound socioeconomic development. In such a context, a biological resource in many oil-dependent regions is fish processing residue, from which high added-value compounds can be obtained, such as collagen, hydroxyapatite, gelatin, lipids, enzymes, hydrolysates, and bioactive peptides. The present study aims to understand the potential for a future fish waste hydroxyapatite (FHAp) market in the state of Rio de Janeiro (SRJ). The methodological approach integrates technology roadmapping with market and innovation ecosystem assessment. We found that the main techniques for obtaining FHAp were chemical hydrolysis and calcination, and the most innovative and value-added applications were biomaterial for tissue regeneration (BTR) and physical sunblock (PS). The mapping of SRJ companies showed that the state has qualified players in cosmetic and biomedical industries that could develop innovations in BTR and PS made of FHAp. However, the mapping also showed a gap in the FHAp extraction stage, which is essential for the value chain. To find and encourage players to compound this innovation ecosystem, the public power can therefore act as an articulator, providing financial incentives and creating infrastructural conditions, such as a waste pretreatment plant next to the state fishing pole.