Article
Thermodynamics
Archana Kasinath, Hubert Bylinski, Wojciech Artichowicz, Anna Remiszewska-Skwarek, Malgorzata Szopinska, Ewa Zaborowska, Aneta Luczkiewicz, Sylwia Fudala-Ksiazek
Summary: This study investigated the effect of low-temperature pretreatment on the efficiency of anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge (WAS). The results showed that low-temperature pretreatment increased methane production and improved energy performance. AD of pretreated WAS achieved a positive net energy balance.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mojca Zupanc, Barbara Brajer Humar, Matevz Dular, Jurij Gostis, Marko Hocevar, Sabina Kolbl Repinc, Mario Krzyk, Lovrenc Novak, Jernej Ortar, Ziga Pandur, Blaz Stres, Martin Petkovsek
Summary: Anaerobic digestion in wastewater treatment plants can convert waste activated sludge into biogas. Pre-treatment of the sludge can further improve the efficiency and increase methane production. Different cavitation regimes have different effects on the physical and chemical properties of the sludge samples. While methane production increased, the energy consumption efficiency was not particularly high.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jin Li, Qinghong Wang, Jiahao Liang, Huimin Li, Shaohui Guo, Mohamed Gamal El-Din, Chunmao Chen
Summary: The study demonstrates that using refinery spent caustic for disintegration of refinery waste activated sludge can greatly enhance methane production, providing a new and environmentally friendly approach for treating refinery wastewater.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenhao Li, Nanwen Zhu, Yanwen Shen, Haiping Yuan
Summary: Ozone treatment is effective in removing PAHs from waste activated sludge, with removal efficiency increasing with ozone dosage and being highly dependent on pH. The presence of soluble organic compounds, such as proteins and humic substances, can interfere with PAHs degradation during ozonation, highlighting the need for intermittent ozonation for improved removal efficiency.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chen Wang, Yun Wang, Zhijie Chen, Wei Wei, Xueming Chen, Giorgio Mannina, Bing-Jie Ni
Summary: The development and use of new and renewable energy sources are urgently needed as the global energy crisis is approaching due to rapid population growth and overexploitation of fossil fuels. This study developed a novel technology to efficiently produce renewable liquid bioenergy from discarded wastes, by transforming sewage sludge into high-value medium chain fatty acids (MCFA). The use of free nitrous acid (FNA) pretreatment significantly increased the yield of MCFA in the anaerobic sludge fermentation process. However, direct addition of FNA inhibited the generation of total products due to its toxicity on live cells in the sludge. The study also investigated the mechanism of MCFA promotion by FNA pretreatment and found that it increased MCFA production rate by converting refractory materials into rapidly bioavailable substrates and favoring the growth of microorganisms related to MCFA production.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yu-Ting Zhang, Wei Wei, Bing-Jie Ni
Summary: This study investigated the impact of ZnO NPs on hydrogen accumulation during WAS fermentation, aiming to provide insights into the mechanisms of enhanced hydrogen production. The results showed significantly increased hydrogen yields while avoiding hydrogen consumption by maintaining pH around 10, suggesting a green and economic strategy for sustainable engineering application of WAS containing ZnO NPs.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qingshan Lin, Xinlei Dong, Shihao Xi, Boyi Cheng, Feixiang Zan, Jie Ma, Xiaoming Liu, Tianwei Hao, Gang Guo
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of multiple electrochemical pretreatment (EPT) conditions on the disintegration of waste activated sludge (WAS). The results showed that NaCl was the most effective electrolyte, and increasing the NaCl dosage, EPT current, and EPT time enhanced the disintegration of WAS. A predictive quadratic model was established, and response surface methodology (RSM) suggested the optimal EPT conditions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Asaad Olabi, Sayiter Yildiz
Summary: The study demonstrated that the combination of ultrasonic process with UV light in Fenton processes plays a crucial role in disintegration of waste sludge, especially in modified Fenton process. Under optimal conditions, the addition of ultrasound significantly improved the degree of disintegration and reduced toxicity.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hai-Chao Luo, Wan-Qian Guo, Qi Zhao, Hua-Zhe Wang, Nan-Qi Ren
Summary: This study investigated the effects of two solid-based hydrogen peroxides, sodium percarbonate (SPC) and calcium peroxide (CP), on waste activated sludge (WAS) disintegration. Both oxidants effectively disintegrated WAS, with CP showing a more significant impact on nutrient release.
CHINESE CHEMICAL LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Monika Zubrowska-Sudol, Katarzyna Sytek-Szmeichel, Piotr Krawczyk, Agnieszka Bisak
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of mechanical disintegration of waste activated sludge on anaerobic digestion, and found that increasing the energy density used in disintegration resulted in higher release of organic compounds. The percentage of sludge subjected to disintegration was also identified as a crucial factor affecting biogas production efficiency.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yunfeng Xu, Qinghao Zhou, Xin Wang, Min Yang, Yangfan Fang, Yongsheng Lu
Summary: The study investigated the correlation between anaerobic fermentation of waste activated sludge with electrochemical pretreatment, and the release of phosphorus and disintegration of sludge. Results showed that electrochemical pretreatment significantly increased the release of phosphorus and promoted sludge disintegration. Additionally, it led to reduced metal ion content in the sludge supernatant.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ahmad Shabir Razavi, Farokhlaqa Kakar, Ehssan Hosseini Koupaie, Hisham Hafez, Elsayed Elbeshbishy
Summary: The study found that hydrothermal pretreatment can enhance solubilization of thickened waste activated sludge but did not improve biomethane production. The optimal selection of temperature and retention time for hydrothermal pretreatment significantly impacts the outcomes.
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mohammad Alshawaf, Abdalrahman Alsulaili, Mohamed Alwaeli, Huda Allanqawi
Summary: The study estimated the biomethane potential of wastewater sludge and identified its significant role in the Arab Gulf region, providing a substantial potential for electricity production.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Emna Feki, Fatma Karray, Najla Mhiri, Audrey Battimelli, Sami Sayadi, Sonia Khoufi
Summary: The electro-Fenton pretreatment of waste activated sludge (WAS) using iron electrodes showed improved biodegradability and bioaccessibility of organic matter, resulting in increased anaerobic digestion (AD) performance and methane production.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Katarzyna Pazdzior, Marlena Dominska, Magdalena Olak-Kucharczyk
Summary: Ozonation treatment can enhance biogas production from surplus activated sludge by increasing production efficiency and methane content. The elemental composition and chemical structure of sludge were not affected by ozonation, but hydrolysis of organic compounds from sludge contributed to the improvement of biogas production.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ikram Mehrez, Mohammed Djaafri, Georgeio Semaan, Manju Sapkota, Oussama Kheireddine Nehar, Slimane Kalloum, Gopalakrishnan Kumar
Summary: This research assesses the impacts of hydrothermal, dilute acid and alkali pretreatments on the methane yield from date palm waste. The results show that hydrothermal pretreatment leads to higher methane yield, while alkali pretreatment improves the solubilization of the waste but decreases methane yield.
BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Georgeio Semaan, M. R. Atelge, Roent Dune Cayetano, Gopalakrishnan Kumar, Roald Kommedal
Summary: This study evaluates the conditions for assessing the biochemical methane potential of spent coffee grounds as a substrate, and finds that a substrate-to-inoculum ratio of 2 is not suitable for bio-CH4 production. Pretreatment with dilute acid and thermal has the potential to increase bio-CH4 yield, with significant effects observed for pretreatment time, acid concentration, and liquid-to-solid ratio. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy shows that major functional groups are still present in the coffee grounds after pretreatment.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Thi Ngoc Bao Dung, Chyi-How Lay, D. Duc Nguyen, S. Woong Chang, J. Rajesh Banu, Youngsun Hong, Jeong-Hoon Park
Summary: Macroalgae is a promising resource for biofuel production. Effective pretreatment using a disperser and acid can significantly increase biohydrogen production.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
J. Rajesh Banu, S. Kavitha, R. Yukesh Kannah, J. Jayakodi, Gopalakrishnan Kumar, Vinay Kumar Tyagi, Shashi Kant Bhatia
Summary: The study investigates the possibility of enhancing biomass solubilization and economic output through a combinatorial pretreatment, which combines the use of a surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate) with a mechanical pretreatment induced by a disperser. The results show that this combinatorial pretreatment reduces energy input and improves solubilization and methane production, leading to higher net profit compared to the conventional disperser-mediated disintegration process.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY & FUELS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
A. V. Snehya, M. A. Sundaramahalingam, J. Rajesh Banu, P. Sivashanmugam
Summary: The potential of using biomass Sargassum tennerimum as a renewable feedstock for biohydrogen generation was investigated. The disintegration of biomass using ultrasonic treatment (UT) and surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide combined ultrasonic treatment (CTABCUT) was studied, and CTABCUT was found to achieve a higher release of soluble organic matter and solubilization percentage of organic matter compared to UT. The biohydrogen production capacity under anaerobic conditions was also higher in CTABCUT than in UT and control, indicating its effectiveness. The econo-feasibility of CTABCUT was determined to be strong based on energy analysis.
BIOENERGY RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Polymer Science
Vishal Ahuja, Arvind Kumar Bhatt, J. Rajesh Banu, Vinod Kumar, Gopalakrishnan Kumar, Yung-Hun Yang, Shashi Kant Bhatia
Summary: Microbial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) such as xanthan, dextran, gellan, and curdlan have various applications in industries due to their biocompatibility, nontoxicity, and functional characteristics. However, their commercial use in healthcare practices is hindered by biodegradability issues, poor cell adhesion, mineralization, and low enzyme activity. Blending EPSs with other polymers can improve their characteristics and make the composites suitable for diverse applications, especially tissue engineering. More research is needed to address the challenges and commercialize these products.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Siddharth Gadkari, Vivek Narisetty, Sunil K. Maity, Haresh Manyar, Kaustubha Mohanty, Rajesh Banu Jeyakumar, Kamal Kishore Pant, Vinod Kumar
Summary: This study presents the techno-economic and profitability analysis for fermentative production of 2,3-butanediol (BDO) using sugarcane bagasse. Different scenarios were considered, and the net unit production cost and minimum selling price of BDO were analyzed. It was found that utilizing the hemicellulose fraction of sugarcane bagasse alone could result in an economically viable plant, but only if it is annexed to a sugar mill that provides utilities and feedstock free of cost.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
S. Kavitha, Yukesh Kannah Ravi, M. Gunasekaran, Indranil Chattopadhyay, Sivashanmugam Palani, Vinod Kumar, Gopalakrishnan Kumar, Rajesh Banu Jeyakumar
Summary: In this study, a phase-separated pretreatment technique was used to fractionate lignin and cellulose-rich residue from rice straw biomass for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and biohydrogen production. The results showed that the combined H2O2-homogenizer pretreatment achieved a higher lignin removal rate. The cellulose-rich residue after pretreatment had higher chemical oxygen demand solubilization and cellulose solubilization rates, as well as higher PHA production. Economic analysis showed that the phase-separated pretreatment was more economically feasible.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
V. Godvin Sharmila, Vinay Kumar Tyagi, Sunita Varjani, J. Rajesh Banu
Summary: Wastewater disposal has negative impacts on aquatic and human life, and removing contaminants is essential. Utilizing biochar produced from the thermal decomposition of lignocellulosic biomass is a sustainable option. Biochar, with its unique characteristics such as high surface area, porous structure, oxygen functional groups, and low cost, has emerged as a potential catalyst for effective wastewater treatment.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Si-Kyung Cho, Bartlomiej Iglinski, Gopalakrishnan Kumar
Summary: This review provides a comprehensive overview of biochar, discussing its production methods, characteristics, and various modifications and applications in environmental fields. It covers the removal of contaminants from water and wastewater, as well as its use in machine learning and microbial sensors. The review also analyzes the commercial and environmental benefits of biochar and explores future directions.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vijay Jaswal, J. Rajesh Banu, K. N. Yogalakshmi
Summary: Nano-bedecking of electrode with TiO2 nanoparticles improved power generation and current density in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Compared to uncoated cathode, a carbon cloth coated with 0.50 mg cm-2 TiO2 nanoparticles showed significantly higher current and power density. The TiO2 modified cathode also increased the removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and nitrogen compounds.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Vijetha Valsa, S. Geethu Krishnan, Rashmi Gondi, Preethi Muthu, Kavitha Sankarapandian, Gopalakrishnan Kumar, Poornachandar Gugulothu, Rajesh Banu Jeyakumar
Summary: The aim of this study was to enhance the disintegration potential of paper mill sludge through alkyl polyglycoside-coupled disperser disintegration. The maximum solubilization of 6% was achieved at a specific energy input of 4729.24 kJ/kg TS when the sludge biomass was treated with the disperser disintegration method. Further enhancement in solubilization was attained by coupling the optimal disperser condition with varying dosages of alkyl polyglycoside. The alkyl polyglycoside-coupled disperser disintegration showed a higher biogas production of 125.1 mL/gCOD, compared to the disperser-alone disintegration (70.1 mL/gCOD) and control (36.1 mL/gCOD).
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2023)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
V. Godvin Sharmila, Surya Prakash Shanmugavel, J. Rajesh Banu
Summary: Proper treatment and disposal of biomass waste is crucial to prevent environmental deposition and its negative impacts. Biofuel has emerged as a potential alternative to fossil fuels, reducing carbon emissions and meeting global energy demands. This review examines different biomass waste conversion techniques and explores the production of biofuels with zero carbon emissions. Research on anaerobic treatment, metabolic engineering, and artificial intelligence has been conducted to enhance biofuel production efficiency.
BIOMASS & BIOENERGY
(2024)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Yinping Xiang, Meiying Jia, Rui Xu, Jialu Xu, Lele He, Haihao Peng, Weimin Sun, Dongbo Wang, Weiping Xiong, Zhaohui Yang
Summary: This study investigated the impact of the non-antibiotic pharmaceutical carbamazepine on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during anaerobic digestion. The results showed that carbamazepine induced the enrichment of ARGs and increased the abundance of bacteria carrying these genes. It also facilitated microbial aggregation and intercellular communication, leading to an increased frequency of ARGs transmission. Moreover, carbamazepine promoted the acquisition of ARGs by pathogens and elevated their overall abundance.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Weixin Zhao, Tianyi Hu, Hao Ma, Dan Li, Qingliang Zhao, Junqiu Jiang, Liangliang Wei
Summary: This review summarizes the effects and potential mechanisms of biochar on microbial behavior in AD systems. The addition of biochar has been found to promote microbial colonization, alleviate stress, provide nutrients, and enhance enzyme activity. Future research directions include targeted design of biochar, in-depth study of microbial mechanisms, and improved models.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Christina Karmann, Anna Magrova, Pavel Jenicek, Jan Bartacek, Vojtech Kouba
Summary: This review assesses nitrogen removal technologies in reject water treatment, highlighting the differences in environmental impacts and economic benefits. Partial nitritation-anammox shows potential for economic benefits and positive environmental outcomes when operated and controlled properly.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Wei-Hao Huang, Ying-Ju Chang, Duu-Jong Lee
Summary: This study modified pinecone biochar with layered double hydroxide (LDH) to enhance its adsorption capacity for heavy metal and phosphate ions. The LDH-biochar showed significantly improved adsorption capacities for Pb2+ and phosphate, and a slight increase for Cu2+ and Co2+. The LDH layer enhanced the adsorption through various mechanisms.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Chao Song, Fanfan Cai, Shuang Yang, Ligong Wang, Guangqing Liu, Chang Chen
Summary: This paper developed a machine learning model to predict the biochemical methane potential during anaerobic digestion. Model analysis identified lignin content, organic loading, and nitrogen content as key attributes for methane production prediction. For feedstocks with high cellulose content, early methane production is lower but can be improved by prolonging digestion time. Moreover, lignin content exceeding a certain value significantly inhibits methane production.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Sang Min Lee, Ju Young Lee, Ji-Sook Hahn, Seung-Ho Baek
Summary: This study successfully developed an efficient platform strain using Yarrowia lipolytica for the bioconversion of renewable resources into adipic acid, achieving a remarkable increase in production level.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Sefkan Kendir, Matthias Franzreb
Summary: This study presents a novel approach using magnetic separation to efficiently harvest freshwater microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris. By combining pH-induced calcium phosphate precipitation with cheap natural magnetite microparticles, harvesting efficiencies up to 98% were achieved in the model medium.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Ishaq Kariim, Ji-Yeon Park, Wajahat Waheed Kazmi, Hulda Swai, In-Gu Lee, Thomas Kivevele
Summary: The impact of reaction temperature, residence time, and ethanol: acetone on the energy compositions and yield enhancement of biocrudes was investigated. The results showed that under appropriate conditions, biocrudes with high energy and low oxygen content can be obtained, indicating a high potential for utilization.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Xiyue Zhang, Xiyao Li, Liang Zhang, Yongzhen Peng
Summary: Intermittent aeration is an innovative approach to enhance nitrogen removal in low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio municipal sewage, providing an efficient strategy for the continuous plug-flow AOA process.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Xu Yang, Mahmoud Mazarji, Mengtong Li, Aohua Li, Ronghua Li, Zengqiang Zhang, Junting Pan
Summary: This study investigated the impact of magnetite on the nitrogen cycle of pig manure biostabilisation. The addition of magnetite increased N2O emissions and decreased NH3 emissions during composting. It also increased the total nitrogen content but should be considered for its significant increase in N2O emissions in engineering practice.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Ty Shitanaka, Haylee Fujioka, Muzammil Khan, Manpreet Kaur, Zhi-Yan Du, Samir Kumar Khanal
Summary: The market value of microalgae has exponentially increased in the past two decades, thanks to their applications in various industries. However, the supply of high-value microalgal bioproducts is limited due to several factors, and strategies are being explored to overcome these limitations and improve microalgae production, thus increasing the availability of algal-derived bioproducts in the market.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Martin Kerner, Thorsten Wolff, Torsten Brinkmann
Summary: The efficiency of using enriched CO2 from flue gas for large-scale production of green microalgae has been studied. The results show that the use of membrane devices and static mixers can effectively improve the CO2 recovery rate and maintain the suitable pH and temperature during cultivation, achieving a more economical and sustainable microalgae production.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Rui Ma, Ji Li, Rd Tyagi, Xiaolei Zhang
Summary: This review summarizes the microorganisms capable of using CO2 and CH4 to produce PHAs, illustrating the production process, factors influencing it, and discussing optimization techniques. It identifies the challenges and future prospects for developing economically viable PHAs production using GHGs as a carbon source.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Bing Wang, Peng Zhang, Xu Guo, Xu Bao, Junjie Tian, Guomin Li, Jian Zhang
Summary: The addition of zeolite in the co-composting of chicken manure and straw significantly reduced the emissions of ammonia and N2O, and increased the nitrate content. Zeolite also promoted the abundance of nitrification genes and inhibited the expression of denitrification genes.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Rohit Dey, Franziska Ortiz Tena, Song Wang, Josef Martin Messmann, Christian Steinweg, Claudia Thomsen, Clemens Posten, Stefan Leu, Matthias S. Ullrich, Laurenz Thomsen
Summary: This study investigated the operation of a 1000L microalgae-based membrane photobioreactor system for continuous secondary wastewater treatment. The research focused on a green microalgae strain called Desmodesmus sp. The study aimed to understand key trends and optimization strategies by conducting experiments in both summer and winter seasons. The findings showed that maintaining low cell concentrations during periods of light inhibition was beneficial for nutrient uptake rates. Effective strategies for enhancing algae-based wastewater treatment included cell mass recycling and adjusting dilution rates based on light availability.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2024)