Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ao Xie, David A. Ladner, Sudeep C. Popat
Summary: The high fat content in rendering wastewater requires primary treatment to remove floatable fats. The recovery of waste fats is an additional benefit from the primary treatment. Dissolved air flotation (DAF) is commonly used but has disadvantages. This study explores the use of electrocoagulation-electroflotation (EC-EF) as an alternative method. EC-EF shows better performance in COD removal and can concentrate and preserve long chain fatty acids. Higher current densities in the electrochemical cell generate surplus coagulants for further coagulation. Longer mixing duration in the post-EC-EF treatment step enhances overall COD removal.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Bingbing Ma, Xiaojing Zhang, Aihua Gao, Chuang Ma, Yulin Hou, Zirui Zhao, Hao Hu
Summary: The CANON process was utilized for treating composting wastewater, resulting in decreased ammonia levels and increased total nitrogen removal rate. Microorganisms secreted more extracellular polymeric substances to counteract cell damage caused by harmful substances, maintaining system stability.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Renan C. Testolin, Ana Julia Feuzer-Matos, Sylvie Cotelle, Fabrizio Adani, Leandro Janke, Gabriel Poyer-Radetski, Antonio C. Pereira, Rafael Ariente-Neto, Cleder A. Somensi, Claudemir M. Radetski
Summary: The study showed that co-composting can be a low-cost and efficient method for biodegradation of recalcitrant textile dyes and for managing textile sludge, contributing to waste recycling and environmental sustainability. The use of textile industrial sludge, sewage wastewater, or sewage sludge as microbial compost inocula in the co-composting system resulted in biodegradation efficiencies ranging from 97.2% to 99.9% for various dyes, with textile sludge showing the highest inoculum efficiency. The compost quality was assessed through a phytotoxicity test, which showed no toxicity effects on lettuce, indicating the feasibility and safety of the co-composting method.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chun Kang, Yaqian Zhao, Cheng Tang, Olivia Addo-Bankas
Summary: This study aims to explore the use of aluminum-based water treatment sludge as a substitute coagulant in the treatment of animal farm wastewater. The study conducted experiments to optimize the coagulation and flocculation process and found that Al-WTS has considerable removal efficiencies, offering a cost-effective solution for wastewater treatment.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Guodi Zheng, Bao Yu, Yuewei Wang, Chuang Ma, Tongbin Chen
Summary: The study revealed that TCC has a high biodegradation rate in sludge during wastewater treatment, and composting can further enhance the degradation of TCC. The discharged wastewater into city rivers was found to be safe, indicating effective removal of TCC and reduced ecological risk through composting.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Weijun Zhang, Tianyi Dong, Jing Ai, Qinglong Fu, Nan Zhang, Hang He, Qilin Wang, Dongsheng Wang
Summary: Chlorination disinfection can generate harmful DBPs in wastewater sludge, but controlling the pH before and after chlorination can reduce the generation of DBPs and ensure the safety of subsequent disposal of sludge.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Pablo M. Binder, Nicola Frison, Nagore Guerra-Gorostegi, Ipan Hidayat, Lidia Paredes, Laia Llenas, Enric Blazquez, Mabel Mora, Matteo Ballottari, Stefano Cazzaniga, Francesco Fatone, Sergio Ponsa Salas
Summary: Wastewater treatment-derived sludge is a growing concern due to environmental issues, increasing production rates, and regulations. This study shows the technical feasibility of obtaining valuable products like animal feeds, bioplastics, biofuels, and fertilizers from sludge. Novel valorization pathways, such as microalgae and purple bacteria cultures growing over sludge, are explored and found to be effective in producing high-quality proteins and nutrient-rich biomass.
BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jibao Liu, Zhen Bao, Chenlu Wang, Jinyi Wei, Yuansong Wei, Meixue Chen
Summary: This study investigated the transformation of mercury species, especially methylmercury, in sludge composting. The findings showed that there was no significant change in the overall content of mercury and methylmercury before and after composting, but a certain percentage of both were lost. Anaerobic bacteria were identified as the main methylators of mercury in the initial stages of composting. The study also revealed the presence of genes related to mercury transformation in various microbial genomes.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Dong Xie, Ming Gao, Min Yang, Mingyue Xu, Jie Meng, Chuanfu Wu, Qunhui Wang, Shu Liu
Summary: The study found that using STL as a moisture conditioning agent during thermophilic composting can increase the nitrogen content of compost, promote the hydrolysis and mineralization of organic matter, and improve the quality of compost without additional greenhouse gas emissions.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shihong Chen, Jun Gu, Siyuan Zhang, Ran Yu
Summary: Sewage sludge treatment and disposal is a challenging issue, and composting has gained attention for its cost-effectiveness and low greenhouse gas emissions. This review focuses on the applications of hyperthermophiles in composting, highlighting their improvements in temperature, product safety, nitrogen preservation, and humification. However, there are policy challenges and further research directions associated with the use of hyperthermophiles in sludge composting.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yufeng Jia, Yue Chen, Guangxia Qi, Bao Yu, Jianguo Liu, Ping Zhou, Yucheng Zhou
Summary: The aim of this study was to explore the dynamics and transformation pathways of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in sewage sludge (SS) during composting. The DOM of raw material, material experiencing thermophilic phase, and material collected from humification phase were characterized. The results showed that aliphatic/proteins and carbohydrate were preferentially decomposed in the thermophilic phase, while lignins/CRAM were the main N-containing substances evolved. The newly formed compounds in the maturity phase were beneficial for humic substances formation.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yanfei Tang, Bin Dong, Xiaohu Dai
Summary: Hyperthermophilic pretreatment composting showed higher efficiency in sludge degradation and phytotoxicity removal, leading to enhanced humification and organic nitrogen retention. The pretreatment promoted protein transformation and humic acid polymerization, with the mechanism involving the stimulation of essential precursors formation and bacterial community evolution.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Weijiang Han, Shuona Chen, Xiao Tan, Xin Li, Hua Pan, Peijian Ma, Zhihua Wu, Qilai Xie
Summary: This study investigated the microbial community succession and heavy metal detoxification during municipal sludge co-composting with spent mushroom and spent bleaching. The results showed that the addition of compost bacteria improved the performance of heavy metal passivation. The diversity of microbial communities decreased during composting, and different bacteria with different functions dominated in different stages. The changes in microbial community affected the performances of heavy metal passivation and organic oxidizing during composting.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Athanasios Dimitriadis, Loukia P. Chrysikou, Athanasios I. Kokkalis, Lambros I. Doufas, Stella Bezergianni
Summary: The potential of hydroconversion of animal fats has been investigated and validated in an industrially relevant scale. The experimental testing showed that mild hydrotreatment conditions result in low hydrogen consumption and do not significantly affect product quality. The produced fuel has advantages in compression ignition engines and can be blended with fossil diesel, meeting the relevant quality standards. Additionally, a dedicated study on the storage stability of animal fats indicates that they can be stored for several months at ambient conditions.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jozef Sowinski, Anna Jama-Rodzenska, Peliyagodage Chathura Dineth Perera, Elzbieta Jamroz, Jakub Bekier
Summary: This study evaluated the use of willow chips for compost production and its impact on Sinapis alba L. germination and seedling growth. The results showed that willow chips did not have a negative effect on the biological evaluation parameters and had a stimulating effect on certain indicators.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Esther Molina-Penate, Nil Arenos, Antoni Sanchez, Adriana Artola
Summary: This paper explores an alternative method for utilizing the organic fraction of waste by enzymatic hydrolysis to obtain sugar-rich fraction for liquid fermentation and partially hydrolyzed solid for solid-state fermentation. The pH of the solid substrate was modified using alkaline cosubstrates, and the growth and sporulation of Bacillus thuringiensis were achieved. This valorization pathway aligns with the concept of urban biorefineries.
WASTE AND BIOMASS VALORIZATION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Edgar Ricardo Oviedo-Ocana, Jonathan Soto-Paz, Viviana Sanchez-Torres, Antoni Sanchez
Summary: This study investigated the impact of incorporating processed food waste, unprocessed food waste, sawdust, phosphate rock, and a specific bacterial inoculum on the composting process and product quality of green waste. The addition of food waste, sawdust, phosphate rock, and the inoculum increased the degradation of lignocellulose, reducing processing time. The effect of the inoculum was compared between laboratory-scale reactors and pilot-scale piles.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Raquel Barrena, Maria del Carmen Vargas-Garcia, Paula Catacora-Padilla, Teresa Gea, Ahmad Abo Markeb, Javier Moral-Vico, Antoni Sanchez, Xavier Font, Thomas J. Aspray
Summary: The effect of magnetite nanoparticles and nanocomposites on overloaded anaerobic reactors was evaluated. Both nanomaterials were able to recover methane production within 40 days in granular sludge systems. Magnetite nanoparticles at various doses also recovered the process in flocculent sludge systems between 30 and 50 days. The presence of nanomaterials reversed the inhibition caused by volatile fatty acids and promoted the growth of certain microorganisms.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Esther Molina-Penate, Maria del Carmen Vargas-Garcia, Adriana Artola, Antoni Sanchez
Summary: Alternative production processes using waste are necessary for resource conservation and preventing material scarcity. This study proposes a method of valorizing the residual solid fraction from enzymatic hydrolysis of biowaste using solid-state fermentation. Two digestates from anaerobic digestion processes were used as cosubstrates to modify the pH and promote bacterial growth. The final product contained spores and crystal proteins with insecticidal activity, allowing for the sustainable use of all materials liberated during the enzymatic hydrolysis.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Brayan Alexis Parra-Orobio, Jonathan Soto-Paz, Anulfo Ramos-Santos, Keiner Fernando Sanjuan-Quintero, Rossember Saldana-Escorcia, Isabel Cristina Dominguez-Rivera, Antoni Sanchez
Summary: The increasing pressure on water resources due to population growth and high water consumption has led to water stress, especially in urban areas from tropical developing countries. The Total Water Footprint (WFtotal) and the Environmental Sustainability Index (SIblue) are holistic water management tools that help identify pressures over water resources. This study assessed the WFtotal and its components in low-income households in Colombia, identifying the activities with high environmental impact and the water quality in the receiving wetland. The results showed a high WFgreen and the scarcity scenarios regarding water quality and sedimentation in the Baquero wetland according to the SIblue.
Editorial Material
Engineering, Chemical
Antoni Sanchez
Review
Energy & Fuels
Seyed Alireza Vali, Javier Moral-Vico, Xavier Font, Antoni Sanchez
Summary: This review discusses a key issue in the purification of biogas, which is the removal of siloxane. The sensitivity of adsorbents to water and their regeneration ability are analyzed in depth, along with factors such as textural properties, surface functional groups, and hydrophobicity. Traditional adsorbents such as activated carbon, silica gel, and aluminosilicates, as well as emerging adsorbents like metal organic frameworks, graphene oxides, and waste-derived materials, are studied in terms of reusability and water tolerance. Metal organic frameworks show high selectivity, adsorption capacity, and efficient regeneration, making them advantageous in this field.
BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Arnau Sala, Raquel Barrena, Nicolai V. Meyling, Adriana Artola
Summary: This study presents the scale-up of conidia production of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana using different waste materials and its virulence against Tenebrio molitor. The results show that using beer draff as a substrate can achieve higher conidia production. In addition, scaling up the production of Beauveria bassiana using rice husk and beer draff as substrates is feasible.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
E. R. Oviedo-Ocana, C. Abendroth, I. C. Dominguez, A. Sanchez, C. Dornack
Summary: This study systematically reviews LCA studies in biowaste and/or green waste composting. The results show that applying LCA in composting facilities faces challenges, including extensive information required, lack of standardization on initial assumptions, definition of system boundaries, and high diversity of existing composting technologies.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Seyed Alireza Vali, Ahmad Abo Markeb, Javier Moral-Vico, Xavier Font, Antoni Sanchez
Summary: Methane and carbon dioxide are the main contributors to global warming, with the methane effect being 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Converting methane to methanol allows for energy storage. In recent years, a new generation of catalysts has emerged, enabling the transformation of methane to methanol under mild conditions with higher conversion and selectivity.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Brayan Alexis Parra-Orobio, Jonathan Soto-Paz, Edgar Ricardo Oviedo-Ocana, Seyed Alireza Vali, Antoni Sanchez
Summary: This study reviews the recent literature data on the application of biochar (BC) in anaerobic digestion (AD). The review identifies several challenges and areas for further research, including increasing the use of BC in developing countries, studying its effects under psychrophilic conditions, optimizing the process using machine learning or robust models, conducting life cycle and technical-economic analysis, studying its effects on agronomic characteristics, and understanding its impact on nitrogen dynamics and microbial consortia.
Review
Engineering, Chemical
Roberto Carlos Solano Porras, Adriana Artola, Raquel Barrena, Golafarin Ghoreishi, Cindy Ballardo Matos, Antoni Sanchez
Summary: This study reviews the processes and production methods of natural biostimulants (NBs) produced through solid-state fermentation (SSF) from organic waste, highlighting their potential for improving agricultural productivity and promoting sustainable agriculture. The effects of NBs on crops and the challenges associated with their production and application are summarized. The importance of standardizing production processes, optimizing fermentation conditions, and assessing their effects on different crops is emphasized. Future research areas, such as enhancing production efficiency and evaluating the effectiveness of SSF-produced NBs in different agricultural systems, are introduced. In conclusion, SSF-produced NBs offer a promising alternative for sustainable agriculture, but further research and development are needed to maximize their efficacy and enable large-scale implementation.
Article
Agronomy
Carlos Solano, Adriana Artola, Raquel Barrena, Cindy Ballardo, Antoni Sanchez
Summary: This study investigated the effects of exogenous application of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) as a growth regulator in onion cultivation and found that different concentrations of IAA had a significant impact on onion growth and quality.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Shaofeng Zhou, Wenwen An, Cuifen Gan, Meiying Xu
Summary: Bacteria generate and release extracellular reactive oxygen species (eROS), which significantly contribute to the natural ROS pool and play a crucial role in metabolic interactions of bacteria with their environment. Understanding the behavior of eROS-generating bacteria and its environmental implications is of great importance in the cycling of biogeochemical elements, transformation of organic matter, and regulation of antibiotic resistance genes.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ji-Dong Gu, Tim Ford, Bryce Mitton, Ralph Mitchell
Summary: Plastics and microplastics are widely present and accumulating in the environment, leading to increasing public attention. In addition to packaging plastics, materials from industries such as electronics, space and aviation are also accumulating, but receiving less attention. The production of degradable and biodegradable plastics is seen as a way to reduce environmental impacts, but enhancing the non-degradability of functional polymers is also a feasible option. Microbial colonization and deterioration pose significant challenges to these materials.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Justyna Bohacz, Michal Mozejko
Summary: This study evaluated the keratinolytic activity of 37 strains of Trichophyton ajelloi and found that pigmented strains isolated from loamy soil were more efficient in degrading native feather keratin, while non-pigmented strains isolated from chernozem showed better abilities. The keratinolytic activity increased over time, as evidenced by the increase in extracellular keratinase activity and release of soluble proteins and peptides. Protease activity peaked in the first 7 days and again on day 28 of culture. The release of ammonium and sulfate ions, associated with an increase in pH, reached its maximum on day 21. Three pigment-producing strains were among the most active in releasing large amounts of ammonium and sulfate ions. The biodegradation of feather waste by Trichophyton ajelloi strains can be used to produce fertilizers suitable for plants with high sulfur requirements.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Joseph M. Suflita, Brenda J. Little
Summary: This article reviews the major achievements of the International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation Society (IBBS) on its 50th anniversary and provides recommendations for addressing new challenges and developments based on personal experiences.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhenyan Lin, Tuo Jin, Xin Xu, Xiao Yin, Dan Zhang, Mengjiao Geng, Chunyu Pang, Gongwen Luo, Lizhi Xiong, Jianwei Peng, Jiangchi Fei
Summary: The incomplete recycle of residual mulch film (RMF) in recent years has led to an increase in plastic fragments in soil, posing a serious threat to the soil ecological environment. In this study, seven potential plastic-degrading microorganisms were screened and identified from film-mulched vegetable fields. The degradation ability experiments showed that both single strains and mixed strains demonstrated varying levels of degradation of RMF.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Tiina Belt, Michael Altgen, Muhammad Awais, Martin Nopens, Lauri Rautkari
Summary: This study investigated the degradation of heat-treated wood by brown rot fungi and found that the decay increased the hygroscopicity of wood in the decaying state. Furthermore, it was observed that heat-treated samples were more susceptible to fungal decay compared to untreated samples, which may be related to the increase in moisture content.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Marta Cicardi, Davide Bernasconi, Luca Martire, Linda Pastero, Giulia Caneva, Sergio E. Favero-Longo
Summary: This study investigated the phenomenon of Centimetric circular areas Uncolonized by Microbial Biofilms (CUMBs) on natural and heritage stone surfaces. The analysis revealed a compatibility in distribution and size between CUMBs and lichen thalli, suggesting a lichen origin for some CUMBs. Microscopic analysis also showed similar modifications in marble layers beneath CUMBs and lichens, indicating a possible alteration of stone properties by lichens.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
