Article
Agricultural Engineering
Jyoti Rani, Abhishek S. Dhoble
Summary: In this study, the potential of two less explored fungal strains, Trichoderma longibrachiatum (TL) and Pycnoporus sanguineus (PS), in improving the hydrolysis and bioavailability of rice straw in anaerobic digestion (AD) was evaluated. The fungal treatment of rice straw for 10 days by TL and PS increased biogas production and reduced soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD). The microbial communities in treated samples showed increased diversity, contributing to better process performance and enhanced resilience against pH fluctuations.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Anna Civzele, Alise Anna Stipniece-Jekimova, Linda Mezule
Summary: Lignocellulosic biomass is a valuable source for sustainable fuel and chemical production, but the degradation of lignin is challenging due to its complex structure. This study screened 10 fungal strains for ligninolytic enzyme production and identified four strains that can secrete ligninolytic enzymes under all experimental conditions, namely Irpex lacteus, Pleurotus dryinus, Bjerkandera adusta, and Trametes versicolor.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Di Wu, Zimin Wei, Taha Ahmed Mohamed, Guangren Zheng, Fengting Qu, Feng Wang, Yue Zhao, Caihong Song
Summary: This article summarizes the pretreatment methods suitable for composting, including microbial consortium pretreatment, Fenton pretreatment, and surfactant-assisted pretreatment. Among them, microbial consortium pretreatment is a cost-effective method to enhance the yield of humic substances. In addition, the efficiency of enzyme production is crucial for lignocellulose degradation during composting.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Shuaishuai Ma, Yuling Li, Jingxue Li, Xiaona Yu, Zongjun Cui, Xufeng Yuan, Wanbin Zhu, Hongliang Wang
Summary: This review classifies and analyzes the pretreatment technologies of lignocellulosic biomass based on different driving forces, and evaluates the combined pretreatment technologies, revealing their potential applications in the biomass energy industry.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Xiangyu Gu, Xiao Fu, Shulin Chen
Summary: The addition of Mn to fungal pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass improves sugar production, particularly the recovery of hemicellulose sugars.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2021)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yafan Cai, Zehui Zheng, Franziska Schaefer, Walter Stinner, Xufeng Yuan, Hongliang Wang, Zongjun Cui, Xiaofen Wang
Summary: This review comprehensively analyzes the development, application, and challenges of pretreatment methods for lignocellulosic biomasses (LBs) based on different characteristics in China and Germany. Physical, chemical, and biological pretreatments have their own advantages and disadvantages, and combination pretreatment modes should be explored in future research. The differences in LBs characteristics between China and Germany suggest the need for a comprehensive analysis of pretreatment methods to provide references for other countries with similar substrate characteristics.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Monika Yadav, Venkatesh Balan, Sunita Varjani, Vinay Kumar Tyagi, Gaurav Chaudhary, Nidhi Pareek, Vivekanand Vivekanand
Summary: Converting biogenic waste to biogas through anaerobic digestion is a sustainable and environmentally friendly way of fuel production. Pretreatment methods are essential to overcome the recalcitrance of biomass and increase enzymatic efficiency. Biological pretreatment is desirable but longer duration needs to be addressed.
BIOENERGY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Juliana Vasco-Correa, Rachel Capouya, Ajay Shah, Thomas K. Mitchell
Summary: A sequential fungal pretreatment of Miscanthus x giganteus using Ceriporiopsis subvermispora was conducted, showing enhanced cellulose digestibility in the first generation but no improvements in subsequent generations. High degradation of Miscanthus structural carbohydrates occurred in the first generation. Microbial community analysis revealed a decrease in the relative abundance of C. subvermispora, indicating the dominance of other microbes. Changes in the bacterial community may be associated with unwanted cellulose degradation in the system.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Wei Wang, Duu-Jong Lee
Summary: Biomass recalcitrance poses a significant challenge for biomass utilization, leading to the development of deep eutectic solvents (DES) as a promising solvent for biomass pretreatment. Current research focuses on the fractionation and saccharification enhancement of lignocellulosic biomass using DES.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Preeti Singh, Neha Srivastava, Akbar Mohammad, Basant Lal, Rajeev Singh, Asad Syed, Abdallah M. Elgorban, Meenakshi Verma, P. K. Mishra, Vijai Kumar Gupta
Summary: The study focuses on the fabrication of carbon-based nanocatalyst (CNCs) using Kans grass biomass (KGB) and its application in enhancing microbial cellulase for sugar production. Different pretreatments were applied to produce CNCs from KGB, which influenced the pretreatment, cellulase production, stability, and sugar recovery. The study found that using 1.0% CNCs pretreated KGB-based solid-state fermentation, high enzyme yields were obtained, and 42 degrees C was identified as the optimal temperature for cellulase production.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
V. C. Deivayanai, P. R. Yaashikaa, P. Senthil Kumar, Gayathri Rangasamy
Summary: Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass is crucial for sustainable energy production, and this review provides various pretreatment strategies and summarizes the research on converting lignocellulosic biomass to hydrogen, including operational conditions and enhancement methods.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Lynn M. M. Wendt, Bradley D. D. Wahlen, Gary S. S. Groenewold, Brittany D. M. Hodges, Corey Pilgrim, Michelle R. R. Walton, J. Austin Murphy, William A. A. Smith, Haiyan Zhao
Summary: This study investigates the potential of using targeted pretreatments in the feedstock supply chain to enhance lignin degradation in lignocellulosic biomass. The results show that inoculating corn stover with lignin degrading fungi and storing it under simulated storage conditions can lead to degradation of hemicellulose and lignin, resulting in sugar degradation products. Lowering the reaction temperature in the pretreatment process can achieve equivalent xylose release in both stored and fungal treated samples.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY & FUELS
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
D. Hidalgo, J. Castro, D. Diez, J. M. Martin-Marroquin, M. Gomez, E. Perez
Summary: This study demonstrates that thermal pretreatment can significantly improve the anaerobic digestion of barley straw and vine shoot, increasing methane production by reducing lag time and enhancing biogas yield. Analysis of the changes in lignocellulosic structure and hemicellulose content can explain this improvement phenomenon.
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Sarita Candida Rabelo, Pedro Yoritomo Souza Nakasu, Eupidio Scopel, Michelle Fernandes Araujo, Luiz Henrique Cardoso, Aline Carvalho da Costa
Summary: Biorefineries aim to convert biomass sustainably into chemicals, materials, and bio-energy with minimized effluents. Efficient and sustainable biomass fractionation is crucial for the success of lignocellulosic biorefineries. This review discusses the recent advances of organosolv pretreatment, including the use of biobased solvents, and explores the opportunities of utilizing cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin to produce biofuels and high-value products. It also presents the challenges and opportunities in the industrial implementation of organosolv processes.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Shuaishuai Ma, Hongliang Wang, Binshou Wang, Xiaohui Gu, Wanbin Zhu
Summary: The study demonstrated that pretreatment with CO2 and liquid digestate from anaerobic digestion can improve the glucose and xylose content of corn straw, reduce cellulose crystallinity, and increase methane yield. However, high temperature pretreatment resulted in the production of inhibitors that decreased methane production during subsequent anaerobic digestion. The changes in microbial community in the pretreated slurry at lower temperature were found to enhance the overall performance of anaerobic digestion.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Gigel Paraschiv, Georgiana Moiceanu, Gheorghe Voicu, Mihai Chitoiu, Petru Cardei, Mirela Nicoleta Dinca, Paula Tudor
Summary: Our study focuses on the energy optimization problem of hammer mill working process for milling energetic biomass, considering various parameters to reduce specific energy consumption. The results obtained can serve as the basis for future hammer mill design and optimization.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Georgiana Moiceanu, Gigel Paraschiv
Summary: This research used bibliometric analysis to examine the production of scientific literature on digital twin and smart manufacturing in the context of Industry 4.0. The research found that China had the highest knowledge output, Tao F. and Soderberg R. were the main authors, and Elsevier was the main publisher. Digital twin is expected to be an important part of future technologies due to its rapid ascension.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Georgiana Moiceanu, Mirela Nicoleta Dinca
Summary: The paper analyzes greenhouse gas emissions in Romania and makes forecasts for the coming years. Data collected from National Institute of Statistics and Eurostat were used for the analysis, indicating a declining trend in GHG emissions with higher forecast accuracy using linear method.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Gigel Paraschiv, Mariana Ferdes, Mariana Ionescu, Georgiana Moiceanu, Bianca Stefania Zabava, Mirela Nicoleta Dinca
Summary: The accumulation of waste and toxic compounds poses an increasing threat to the environment and human health. Laccases have gained interest due to their versatile properties, including low substrate specificity and non-toxic product formation. This article provides an overview of the importance of laccases in the environment and industry, discussing their sources, structure, mechanism, microbial biosynthesis, and immobilization. It also highlights their applications in agro-waste treatment and degradation of harmful compounds, emphasizing the potential for reducing environmental pollution.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andreea Barbu, Mirona Ana Maria Popescu, Georgiana Moiceanu
Summary: This paper provides an overview of the online educational process from the perspectives of students and professors at Romanian universities. The results show that the COVID-19 pandemic has forced both students and professors to work harder, negatively affecting the educational process, the enjoyment of teaching/learning, enthusiasm levels, and academic outcomes. The study also emphasizes the need for financial investments in acquiring licenses for virtual animations or simulations, as well as training teachers in their use.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Mariana Ferdes, Bianca Stefania Zabava, Gigel Paraschiv, Mariana Ionescu, Mirela Nicoleta Dinca, Georgiana Moiceanu
Summary: In the context of a circular economy, increasing pressure regarding the sustainable utilization of food waste has led to the trend of transforming them into biogas through anaerobic digestion. This study reviews the situation of food waste generated in the food industry and identifies the main trends in utilizing this waste in the anaerobic digestion process. Food waste, due to its high organic load, abundance of nutrients, and minimal amount of inhibitors, can be effectively used in biogas production through co-digestion with other materials. Pre-treatments using physical, chemical, and biological techniques facilitate the degradation of food waste during anaerobic digestion, resulting in enhanced biogas production.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Corina-Ionela Dumitrescu, Georgiana Moiceanu, Razvan-Mihai Dobrescu, Mirona Ana Maria Popescu
Summary: This article analyzes the current state of education for sustainable development activities provided by higher education institutions (HEIs) through interviews with the academic community. The results indicate areas for improvement in HEI activities and promising aspects through partnerships. It highlights the importance of educating educators and enhancing their digital skills and teaching methods to achieve sustainable development.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Mariana Ferdes, Gigel Paraschiv, Mariana Ionescu, Mirela Nicoleta Dinca, Georgiana Moiceanu, Bianca Stefania Zabava
Summary: This paper reviews the latest research in the field of anaerobic co-digestion related to the benefits of using different mixtures of substrates to improve the process performance and efficiency. The study focuses on commonly used substrates and their characteristics, the diversity of microbial communities involved in biogas production, applied pretreatments, and the potential for obtaining improved digestate. Results from the studied works demonstrate that anaerobic co-digestion improves carbon/nitrogen ratio and nutrient balance, increases process stability, and reduces toxic inhibitor concentrations. Furthermore, the use of appropriate substrate mixtures enhances microbial diversity and promotes the growth of methanogenic potential. The research emphasizes the importance of adapting technology to specific substrate types and industries.
Article
Agronomy
Valerian Cerempei, Victor Titei, Valentin Vladut, Georgiana Moiceanu
Summary: The research aims to explore the potential of non-traditional plant species in Moldova from different families. The study focuses on the seed properties and phytomass quality of these plants. The results show that the dimensional proportionality criterion effectively reflects the seed structure, and the new crops have high friability. The natural fodder from these plants has good nutritional content, and the studied vegetal substrates have a high biomethane potential.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Onder Kabas, Mehmet Kayakus, Ilker Unal, Georgiana Moiceanu
Summary: Determining the mechanical properties is crucial for the design and sizing of equipment and structures in agricultural operations, specifically in the cherry tomato industry regarding harvesting and postharvest operations. In this study, various independent variables such as mass, length, thickness, width, geometric diameter, sphericity, surface area, rupture force, firmness, Poisson's ratio, and modulus of elasticity were utilized, and their relationship with the dependent variable, deformation energy, was estimated. Min-max normalization methods were adopted to enhance the models' performance. Three machine learning methods were employed, and statistical parameters including R-2, MAE, and MSE were used to assess their performance. The artificial neural network (ANN) exhibited the highest predictive power with an R-2 of 96.8%. Logistic regression achieved a success rate of 91.1%, followed by decision tree regression with a success rate of 81.3%.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ilker Unal, Onder Kabas, Osman Eceoglu, Georgiana Moiceanu
Summary: This paper describes the development of a wireless Robot to Robot (R2R) communication system architecture and collision avoidance algorithm for multi-robot precision farming applications. It utilizes WiFi broadcasting to wirelessly transmit spatial and temporal data of mobile robots, aiming to eliminate collisions and improve safety management.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Onder Kabas, Mehmet Kayakus, Georgiana Moiceanu
Summary: Hazelnut culture originated in Turkey, which has the highest volume and area of production. Understanding the aerodynamic properties of hazelnuts is crucial for equipment and structure design in hazelnut operations. This study used various independent variables to estimate the terminal velocity and drag coefficient of hazelnuts, and machine learning methods, such as logistic regression, support vector regression, and artificial neural networks, were employed. The results showed that ANN, SVR, and LR were the most successful models in terms of R-2, MSE, and MAE metrics.
