Soybean biorefinery and technological forecasts based on a bibliometric analysis and network mapping

Global warming and increasing pollution have become critical global issues, and, coupled depletion of traditional energy sources, have accelerated the adoption of more sustainable production systems, such as biorefineries. Biorefineries possess the capacity to integrate technologies and processes within a single facility, thereby generating biofuels, high-value-added chemical products, and energy. The current study aims to evaluate various scenarios of soybean biorefineries by employing a bibliometric analysis and network mapping to facilitate and implement technological forecasting. To achieve this objective, eight methodological steps were undertaken. The majority of studies reviewed were primarily concerned with the utilization of soybean straw and hulls, motivated by the need to address environmental challenges related to the disposal of substantial volumes of these residues. Research on the application of soy whey also emerged as significant, mainly due to its connection with soy protein isolates. The seven most promising technological avenues identified were nanocomposites, peroxidases, ethanol, green composites, biochar, films, and biodiesel. Consequently, the findings provide a bibliographic foundation for future research on the integration of soybean-derived residues, processes, and products, which could foster innovation within the biorefinery framework and lead to crucial advancements in the processes.