Optimization of microwave pretreatment of lignocellulosic waste for enhancing methane production: Hyacinth as an example

The effect of microwave pretreatment on the anaerobic degradation of hyacinth was investigated using response surface methodology (RSM). The components of lignin and the other constituents of hyacinth were altered by microwave pretreatment. Comparison of the near-infrared spectra of hyacinth pretreated by microwave irradiation and water-heating pretreatment revealed that no new compounds were generated during hyacinth pretreatment by microwave irradiation. Atomic force microscopy observations indicated that the physical structures of hyacinth were disrupted by microwave pretreatment. The yield of methane per gram of the microwave-irradiated substrate increased by 38.3% as compared to that of the substrate pretreated via water-heating. A maximum methane yield of 221 mL?g-sub^–1 was obtained under the optimum pretreatment conditions (substrate concentration (PSC) = 20.1 g?L^–1 and pretreatment time (PT) = 14.6 min) using RSM analysis. A maximum methane production rate of 0.76 mL?h^–1?g-sub^–1 was obtained by applying PSC = 9.5 g?L^–1 and PT = 11 min. Interactive item coefficient analysis showed that methane production was dependent on the PSC and PT, separately, whereas the interactive effect of the PSC and PT on methane production was not significant. The same trend was also observed for the methane production rate.

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Densification of waste biomass for manufacturing solid biofuel pellets: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - The demand for bioenergy is increasing due to the diminishing popularity of fossil fuels and rising greenhouse gas emissions. However, according to recent reports,...     

Electricity production using food waste: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Conventional treatments of food waste such as incineration, landfilling, and composting require large land areas and induce contamination in air, soil,...     

Algal biomass valorization for biofuel production and carbon sequestration: a review

The world is experiencing an energy crisis and environmental issues due to the depletion of fossil fuels and the continuous increase in carbon dioxide concentrations. Microalgal biofuels are produced using sunlight, water, and simple salt minerals. Their high growth rate, photosynthesis, and carbon dioxide sequestration capacity make them one of the most important biorefinery platforms. Furthermore, microalgae's ability to alter their metabolism in response to environmental stresses to produce relatively high levels of high-value compounds makes them a promising alternative to fossil fuels. As a result, microalgae can significantly contribute to long-term solutions to critical global issues such as the energy crisis and climate change. The environmental benefits of algal biofuel have been demonstrated by significant reductions in carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur oxide emissions. Microalgae-derived biomass has the potential to generate a wide range of commercially important high-value compounds, novel materials, and feedstock for a variety of industries, including cosmetics, food, and feed. This review evaluates the potential of using microalgal biomass to produce a variety of bioenergy carriers, including biodiesel from stored lipids, alcohols from reserved carbohydrate fermentation, and hydrogen, syngas, methane, biochar and bio-oils via anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis, and gasification. Furthermore, the potential use of microalgal biomass in carbon sequestration routes as an atmospheric carbon removal approach is being evaluated. The cost of algal biofuel production is primarily determined by culturing (77%), harvesting (12%), and lipid extraction (7.9%). As a result, the choice of microalgal species and cultivation mode (autotrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic) are important factors in controlling biomass and bioenergy production, as well as fuel properties. The simultaneous production of microalgal biomass in agricultural, municipal, or industrial wastewater is a low-cost option that could significantly reduce economic and environmental costs while also providing a valuable remediation service. Microalgae have also been proposed as a viable candidate for carbon dioxide capture from the atmosphere or an industrial point source. Microalgae can sequester 1.3 kg of carbon dioxide to produce 1 kg of biomass. Using potent microalgal strains in efficient design bioreactors for carbon dioxide sequestration is thus a challenge. Microalgae can theoretically use up to 9% of light energy to capture and convert 513 tons of carbon dioxide into 280 tons of dry biomass per hectare per year in open and closed cultures. Using an integrated microalgal bio-refinery to recover high-value-added products could reduce waste and create efficient biomass processing into bioenergy. To design an efficient atmospheric carbon removal system, algal biomass cultivation should be coupled with thermochemical technologies, such as pyrolysis.

     

Research progress on hydrothermal dissolution and hydrolysis of lignocellulose and lignocellulosic waste

Ethanol production from lignocellulosic waste has attracted considerable attention because of its feasi- bility and the generation of valuable products. Previous studies have shown that pretreatment and hydrolysis are key processes for lignocellulose conversion. Hydrothermal process is a promising technique because of its efficiency to break down the lignocellulosic structures and produce fermentable hexoses. Most studies in this field have therefore focused on understanding these processes or optimizing the parameters, but commonly reported low yields of fermentable hexoses. The inability to produce high yields of fermentable hexoses is mainly attributed to inadequate information on the conversion mechanisms of lignocellulose, particularly the reaction rules of dissolu- tion, which is a limiting step in the entire conversion process. This paper critically reviewed the progress done in the research and development of the hydrothermal dissolution and hydrolysis of lignocellulose. Principles, processes, and related studies on separate dissolution and asynchronous hydrolysis of lignin, hemieellulose, and cellulose are presented. Potential research prospects are also suggested.     

Nanomaterials for environmental burden reduction, waste treatment, and nonpoint source pollution control: a review

Nanomaterials are applicable in the areas of reduction of environmental burden, reduction/treatment of industrial and agricultural wastes, and nonpoint source (NPS) pollution control. First, environmental burden reduction involves green process and engineering, emissions control, desulfurization/denitrification of nonrenewable energy sources, and improvement of agriculture and food systems. Second, reduction/treatment of industrial and agricultural wastes involves converting wastes into products, groundwater remediation, adsorption, delaying photocatalysis, and nanomembranes. Third, NPS pollution control involves controlling water pollution. Nanomaterials alter physical properties on a nanoscale due to their high specific surface area to volume ratio. They are used as catalysts, adsorbents, membranes, and additives to increase activity and capability due to their high specific surface areas and nano-sized effects. Thus, nanomaterials are more effective at treating environmental wastes because they reduce the amount of material needed.     

Chemical,physical and biological methods to convert lignocellulosic waste into value-added products. A review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Actual agricultural practices produce about 998 million tonnes of agricultural waste per year. Therefore, converting lignocellulosic wastes into energy, chemicals,...     

Nanomaterials for water cleaning and desalination,energy production,disinfection, agriculture and green chemistry

Nanomaterials may help to solve issues such as water availability, clean energy generation, control of drug-resistant microorganisms and food safety. Here we review innovative approaches to solve these issues using nanotechnology. The major topics discussed are wastewater treatment using carbon-based, metal-based and polymeric nanoadsorbents for removing organic and metal contaminants; nanophotocatalysis for microbial control; desalination of seawater using nanomembranes; energy conversion and storage using solar cells and hydrogen-sorbents nanostructures; antimicrobial properties of nanomaterials; smart delivery systems; biocompatible nanomaterials such as nanolignocellulosis and starches-based materials, and methods to decrease the toxicity of nanomaterials. Significantly, here it is reviewed two ways to palliate nanomaterials toxicity: (a) controlling physicochemical factors affecting this toxicity in order to dispose of more safe nanomaterials, and (b) harnessing greener synthesis of them to bring down the environmental impact of toxic reagents, wastes and byproducts. All these current challenges are reviewed at the present article in an effort to evaluate environmental implications of nanomaterials technology by means of a complete, reliable and critical vision.     

Utilization of the waste phosphogypsum for the Portland cement clinker production

This paper presents the results of investigation on the utilization of the phosphogypsum for the Portland cement clinker production. Characterization of the phosphogypsum and raw materials for rotary kilns was performed. Phosphogypsum, in quantities of 1%, 2%, 3% and 5%, was added to raw meal from regular production of rotary kiln and then the homogenization of raw meals and their chemical characterization was done. High temperature DTA and thermo‐microscopic investigations have been performed also. Raw meals without and with the addition of phosphogypsum have been laboratory sintered. Chemical composition of Portland cement clinkers has been defined and potential clinker phase composition has been calculated according to Bogue's formula from the chemical composition. Results are very encouraging regarding the energy consumption and Portland cement clinker quality. Phosphogypsum could be successfully applied as mineralizer in cement production, because with its addition, better composition of Portland cement clinker at the same sintering conditions could be obtained.     

Growth and amylase production by Aspergillus oryzae during solid state fermentation using banana waste as substrate

Aspergillus oryzae, isolated from the starch rich litter soil, produced amylase when banana fruit stalk was used as substrate in a solid state fermentation system. The effects of incubation period, pH, temperature and various carbon sources on the production of amylase were studied. A maximum yield of 380U/mg was recorded on 96th hour of incubation. The amylase is tolerant to wide range of initial culture pH values (3 to 8) and temperature (25 to 35 degrees C), with an optimum pH of 5 and temperature of 35 degrees C. In SSF addition of starch (1%) increased the amylase production, when compared with other carbon sources used.     

Methods to convert lignocellulosic waste into biohydrogen,biogas, bioethanol,biodiesel and value-added chemicals: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - In the context of climate change and the circular economy, there is an urgent need to develop biofuels and value-added chemicals from lignocellulosic waste such as...     

Nanomaterials for water pollution monitoring and remediation

Water shortage and pollution are serious challenges for many countries. Nanomaterials are promising new tools for water quality management due to unique physicochemical properties, high economic benefit, high removal efficiency and environmental friendliness. Here we describe four types of nanomaterials used for water treatment: nanofiltration membranes, photocatalytic nanomaterials, adsorption nanomaterials and reducing nanomaterials. We discuss their properties, applications and mechanisms for pollutant removal. We also review nanomaterials used for water quality monitoring, notably nanomaterials used for the detection of trace pollutants and pathogens. These nanomaterials include carbon nanotubes, magnetic nanoparticles, noble metal nanomaterials and quantum dots.     

Co-fermentation of waste activated sludge with food waste for short-chain fatty acids production: effect of pH at ambient temperature

Effect of pH ranging from 4.0 to 11.0 on co-fermentation of waste activated sludge (WAS) with food waste for short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production at ambient temperature was investigated in this study. Experimental results showed that the addition of food waste significantly improved the performance of WAS fermentation system, which resulted in the increases of SCFAs production and substrate reduction. The SCFAs production at pH 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, and 9.0 and fermentation time of 4 d was respectively 5022.7, 6540.5, 8236.6, and 7911.7 mg COD·L^-1, whereas in the blank tests (no pH adjustment, pH 8.0 (blank test 1), no food waste addition, pH 8.0 (blank test 2), and no WAS addition (blank test 3)) it was only 1006.9, 971.1, and 1468.5 mg COD·L^-1, respectively. The composition of SCFAs at pH from 6.0 to 9.0 was also different from other conditions and propionic acid was the most prevalent SCFA, which was followed by acetic and n-butyric acids, while acetic acid was the top product under other conditions. At pH 8.0 a higher volatile suspended solids (VSS) reduction of 16.6% for the mixture of WAS and food waste than the sole WAS indicated a synergistic effect existing in fermentation system with WAS and food waste. The influence of pH on the variations of nutrient content was also studied during anaerobic fermentation of the mixture of WAS and food waste at different pH conditions. The release of NH4+-N increased with fermentation time at all pH values investigated except 4.0, 5.0 and in blank test one. The concentrations of soluble phosphorus at acidic pHs and in the blank test one were higher than those obtained at alkaline pHs. Ammonia and phosphorus need to be removed before the SCFAs-enriched fermentation liquid from WAS and food waste was used as the carbon source.     

Evaluation of acid production potential of mining waste materials

The formation of acidic effluents from mining waste materials is discussed and the chemisry involved explained. The bacteriumThiobacillus ferrooxidans plays an important role in acid production due to its ability to rapidly oxidize reduced forms of iron and sulphur which can result in the generation of H₂SO₄. The sulphide mineral pyrite (FeS₂), often present in waste materials, is generally recognized as the chief source of acid mine drainage.A small-scale test procedure has been developed which rapidly evaluates a waste material's capability to produce an acidic effluent. If the material is assessed as a potential acid producer, then scale-up testing procedures are available which can be used to simulate the characteristics of the effluents produced from a commercial-size waste dump.During periods of little rainfall, localized biological activity may occur in wet areas of a waste dump, resulting in possible accumulation of soluble pollutants. The length of these dry periods greatly affects effluent characteristics during subsequent rainfalls.     

Agricultural waste from the tequila industry as substrate for the production of commercially important enzymes

Approximately 1 million tons of Agave tequilana plants are processed annually by the Mexican Tequila industry generating vast amounts of agricultural waste. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential use of Agave tequilana waste as substrate for the production of commercially important enzymes. Two strains of Aspergillus niger (CH-A-2010 and CH-A-2016), isolated from agave fields, were found to grow and propagate in submerged cultures using Agave tequilana waste as substrate. Isolates showed simultaneous extracellular inulinase, xylanase, pectinase, and cellulase activities. Aspergillus CH-A-2010 showed the highest production of inulinase activity (1.48 U/ml), whereas Aspergillus niger CH-A-2016 produced the highest xylanase (1.52 U/ml) and endo-pectinase (2.7U/ml) activities. In both cases production of enzyme activities was significantly higher on Agave tequilana waste than that observed on lemon peel and specific polymeric carbohydrates. Enzymatic hydrolysis of raw A. tequilana stems and leaves, by enzymes secreted by the isolates yielded maximum concentrations of reducing sugars of 28.2 g/l, and 9.9 g/l respectively. In conclusion, Agave tequilana waste can be utilized as substrate for the production of important biotechnological enzymes.     

Treating wastewater under zero waste principle using wetland mesocosms

• Smart wetland was designed to treat wastewater according to zero waste principle. • The system included a dynamic roughing filter, Cyperus papyrus (L.) and zeolite. • It removed 98.8 and 99.8% of chemical and bacterial pollutants in 3 days. • The effluent reused to irrigate a landscape and the sludge recycled as fertilizer. • The plant biomass is a profitable resource for antibacterial and antioxidants. The present investigation demonstrates the synergistic action of using a sedimentation unit together with Cyperus papyrus (L.) wetland enriched with zeolite mineral in one-year round experiment for treating wastewater. The system was designed to support a horizontal surface flow pattern and showed satisfactory removal efficiencies for both physicochemical and bacteriological contaminants within 3 days of residence time. The removal efficiencies ranged between 76.3% and 98.8% for total suspended solids, turbidity, iron, biological oxygen demand, and ammonia. The bacterial indicators (total and fecal coliforms, as well as fecal streptococci) and the potential pathogens (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) showed removal efficiencies ranged between 96.9% and 99.8%. We expect the system to offer a smart management for every component according to zero waste principle. The treated effluent was reused to irrigate the landscape of pilot area, and the excess sludge was recycled as fertilizer and soil conditioner. The zeolite mineral did not require regeneration for almost 36 weeks of operation, and enhanced the density of shoots (14.11%) and the height of shoots (15.88%). The harvested plant biomass could be a profitable resource for potent antibacterial and antioxidant bioactive compounds. This could certainly offset part of the operation and maintenance costs and optimize the system implementation feasibility. Although the experiment was designed under local conditions, its results could provide insights to upgrade and optimize the performance of other analogous large-scale constructed wetlands.     

Study on HCl removal for medical waste pyrolysis and combustion using a TG-FTIR analyzer

Under both pyrolysis and combustion condition, HCl removal efficiency for medical waste with Ca-based additives was semi-quantitatively studied by means of TG-FTIR. Additionally, the difference of HCl removal efficiency for PVC and medical waste was compared. Experimental results showed that: 1) Thermal degradation of medical waste mainly took place in two steps under both pyrolysis and combustion condition; 2) HCl emitted at both two steps and HCl concentration increased with the increased of Cl ratio in the medical waste; 3) for the same additive, HCl concentration decreased with the increased of additives amount, that is to say, HCl removal efficiency of medical waste increased as the increased of Ca/Cl molar ratio. Fourth, when Ca(OH)₂ was used as additive, HCl removal efficiency for medical waste combustion was a little higher than that for medical waste pyrolysis, but either CaCO₃ or CaO was used as additive, it was just opposite, more specifically, when CaCO₃ was used as additive with Ca/Cl=1.3, HCl removal efficiency was 5.49% under pyrolysis condition, but that was only 4.24% under combustion condition. Fifth, under the same Ca/Cl molar ratio, HCl removal efficiency for PVC was higher than that for medical waste under both pyrolysis and combustion condition, more specifically, when Ca(OH)₂ was used as additive with Ca/Cl=1, HCl removal efficiency was 64.51% for PVC, but that was only 27.66% for medical waste pyrolysis with 4% Cl under pyrolysis condition.     

Utilization of banana agricultural waste: production of cellulases by soil fungi

Banana a major cash crop of Maharashtra is cultivated over 46900 hectares generating large amount of agro waste after the harvest. Attempts were made to utilize these agro wastes for production of cellulases. Of the 127 fungi isolated from the soil of banana field, 12 fungi were found to utilize cellulose as source of carbon. Trichoderma lignorum showed appreciable cellulolytic activity. It produced Cl, Cx and beta glucosidase in Carboxymethyl Cellulose Peptone medium as well as on agro waste based medium containing leaves, stem and rhizome powders. T. lignorum (0. 45 U/ml) produced maximum enzymes on leaf based medium.     

Hydrogen production by catalytic aqueous-phase reforming of waste biomass: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - The rising adverse effects of climate change call for a rapid shift to low-carbon energy and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. For that, biorefineries...     

毛细管电泳技术在纳米材料毒性研究领域的应用进展

纳米材料(nanomaterials,NMs)在各个领域的广泛应用导致其不可避免地通过环境暴露、职业暴露和医源性暴露进入人体.当NMs进入人体后,生理环境中复杂的生物分子都可能与NMs发生相互作用,不仅使NMs获得全新的生物学特性而影响其潜在毒性,还可能改变生物分子的结构和生物学功能而引发疾病.随着对NMs毒性效应研究的不断深入,能够详细描述NMs、生物分子以及NMs和生物分子相互作用形成的复合物的分析技术受到广泛关注.毛细管电泳技术(capillary electropho-resis,CE)以其高灵敏、高分辨、高通量、条件温和以及低消耗的优势在NMs与生物分子相互作用研究领域展现出巨大潜力.本文阐述了2010—2019年间CE技术研究NMs与蛋白质相互作用的动态行为表征、结合平衡分析、蛋白冠的形成和转换监测,以及NMs与其他生物分子相互作用的新进展.