Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Behnam Dastjerdi, Vladimir Strezov, Mohammad Ali Rajaeifar, Ravinder Kumar, Masud Behnia
Summary: The systematic review of scientific LCA studies on waste to energy technologies showed that different WtE technologies can have varying impacts on different environmental impact categories. For instance, anaerobic digestion was found to minimize environmental consequences in most aspects when dealing with organic wastes, except for ecotoxicity and human toxicity categories. Additionally, the preference of incineration over landfilling for municipal solid waste treatment was generally agreed upon in the results. Sensitivity analysis revealed that assumptions in substitution of WtE products are the primary source of uncertainty.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Lugas Raka Adrianto, Stephan Pfister
Summary: This study investigates different reprocessing pathways for copper tailings to produce secondary metals and building materials. It finds that only when all co-products are utilized, reprocessing can offer environmental benefits, saving from 25 to 930 kg CO2-eq per tonne of treated copper tailings. Recommendations are proposed to enhance the environmental performance of mine tailings reprocessing strategies for sustainable development of the metal industry.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Fabiana Frota de Albuquerque Landi, Claudia Fabiani, Beatrice Castellani, Franco Cotana, Anna Laura Pisello
Summary: Global waste is expected to significantly increase by 2050, making it crucial to develop effective waste management strategies. Food and green waste account for a significant portion of total waste production, highlighting the importance of processing and reusing materials such as waste cooking oil. This study compares various valorization pathways for waste cooking oil, including biodiesel and direct burning fuel, to their common alternatives, and assesses their environmental impact and energy consumption. The results show that waste cooking oil has lower environmental impact in most cases, particularly as direct burning fuel. However, obstacles such as limited stock and collection difficulties need to be addressed for its widespread usage.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
A. Massironi, S. Biella, P. F. de Moura Pereira, F. Scibona, L. Feni, M. Sindaco, D. Emide, A. Jimenez-Quero, C. L. M. Bianchi, L. Verotta, S. Marzorati
Summary: In most cases, byproducts generated from the production of agriculture products are either underutilized or disposed of as wastes. However, these plant biomasses still contain valuable compounds. This research focuses on the valorization of discarded seed hulls from pumpkin to extract and enrich cucurbitin, a unique amino acid. Different water-based strategies for cucurbitin extraction were investigated and evaluated for their environmental impacts using life cycle assessment (LCA).
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marija Kovacevic, Nikolina Stjepanovic, Salsabil Trigui, Davorka K. Hackenberger, Zeljka Loncaric, Olga Jovanovic Glavas, Amjad Kallel, Branimir K. Hackenberger
Summary: In recent years, there has been significant attention given to the environmental impact of olive mill waste. However, there is still limited knowledge about the effects of olive mill wastewater and contaminated soil on non-target soil organisms. This study investigated the effects of these wastes on the survival, reproduction, neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, and available energy of the springtail F. candida. The results showed that the contaminated soil had higher toxicity compared to the wastewater, affecting survival and reproduction. Additionally, neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, and changes in available energy were observed. These negative effects are likely due to the high phenol content in the wastes. The findings suggest that different biomarkers should be considered in the ecotoxicological assessment of various wastes to understand their mechanisms of action.
Article
Agronomy
Jose M. Angosto, Jose M. Obon, Maria J. Roca, Mercedes Alacid, Jose A. Fernandez-Lopez
Summary: Olive mill residues were chemically modified with amines to enhance their adsorption capacity for nitrate removal at a low cost. The Taguchi method was used for optimization, resulting in significantly fewer experiments and identifying the best working conditions. The highest adsorption capacity of 110 mg center dot g(-1) was achieved with a functionalized biomass dose of 1 g center dot L-1 and an initial nitrate concentration of 500 mg center dot L-1. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used for surface characterization and analyzing chemical changes. The adsorption process kinetics and equilibrium were studied, successfully fitting the Freundlich and Langmuir models for the adsorption isotherms, and the pseudo-second-order model for the kinetics. The obtained adsorption values suggest that this bioadsorbent has great potential for nitrate retention in aqueous solutions.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Alessia Pampuri, Andrea Casson, Cristina Alamprese, Carla Daniela Di Mattia, Amalia Piscopo, Graziana Difonzo, Paola Conte, Maria Paciulli, Alessio Tugnolo, Roberto Beghi, Ernestina Casiraghi, Riccardo Guidetti, Valentina Giovenzana
Summary: The study aims to assess the environmental impact of phenolic extracts from olive oil mill waste on food preparations, revealing that the extraction and encapsulation processes have a significant environmental impact contribution to food preparation. This contribution ranges from 0.71% to 73.51%, and tends to cancel out considering technological and nutritional aspects.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yan Ding, Yingying Cao, Dandan Chen, Jie Li, Hongguo Wu, Ye Meng, Jinshu Huang, Junfa Yuan, Yaqiong Su, Junqi Wang, Hu Li
Summary: A novel ternary hetemstructure g-C3N4/N-TiO2/NiFe-LDH (NTCN/LDH) photocatalyst prepared by a simple wet-chemical method is highly efficient for converting biomass sugars to lactic acid, achieving a high yield of 99.0% under visible-light irradiation. The NTCN/LDH catalyst provides suitable Lewis acid sites for thermocatalytic sugar isomerization and utilizes a relay photo/thermal catalytic mechanism for precise C-C bond breaking. The catalyst also shows promising industrialization potential with maintained high yield in scale-up tests and has a lower environmental impact compared to current industrial processes for lactic acid production.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
L. Fernandez-Lobato, R. Garcia-Ruiz, F. Jurado, D. Vera
Summary: The study estimated the environmental impacts, carbon footprint, and carbon balance of producing virgin origin olive oil in Spain from different types of olive farms. It found that traditional low-density cultivation systems have a more positive impact on reducing environmental effects.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Pedro Cerqueira, M. A. Soria, Luis M. Madeira
Summary: This study presents autothermal reforming (ATR) as a potential solution for the treatment of olive mill wastewater (OMW), providing high organic load removal, renewable hydrogen production, and thermally neutral operation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eleonora Russo, Andrea Spallarossa, Antonio Comite, Marcello Pagliero, Patrizia Guida, Vittorio Belotti, Debora Caviglia, Anna Maria Schito
Summary: The production of olive oil generates a considerable amount of wastewater, but this study successfully purified the wastewater and concentrated valuable polyphenols in a smaller volume using suitable filtration and concentration techniques. The purified water showed significant antioxidant activity and the wastewater samples showed widespread antimicrobial activity.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Maria Anna Cusenza, Maurizio Cellura, Francesco Guarino, Sonia Longo
Summary: This study assesses the potential environmental impacts of energy valorization of agro-food industry waste using Life Cycle Assessment methodology. It found that direct emissions from biogas combustion and feedstock transportation are major contributors, and reducing electricity consumption can significantly improve the environmental performance of the energy system.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Akram Dahdouh, Ismail Khay, Yann Le Brech, Anas El Maakoul, Mohamed Bakhouya
Summary: Olive oil production is economically important in the Mediterranean region, but it generates significant amounts of environmentally harmful waste. Efficient management and utilization of these wastes for energy purposes have gained attention in the scientific community. This review article summarizes the oil extraction techniques, waste characterization, and research developments related to the conversion of olive mill wastes into energy products. The lack of studies on hydrothermal processing of these wastes is identified as an interesting research direction.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Hrvoje Stancin, Vladimir Strezov, Hrvoje Mikulcic
Summary: In the study, co-pyrolysis is identified as a potential solution for waste management and alternative fuel production. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is performed to evaluate the environmental impacts of co-pyrolysis of waste biomass and plastics. The results demonstrate that co-pyrolysis can effectively reduce environmental impacts, especially when integrated with renewable energy sources.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Gaelle Ducom, Jean-Philippe Tagutchou, Mathieu Gautier, Carole Gaignaire, Jacques Mehu, Remy Gourdon
Summary: This study investigated the use of olive mill solid waste (OMSW) as a fuel in a pilot-scale downdraft gasifier. After pelletization and characterization, gasification experiments were conducted with air as the gasifying agent. The performance of the gasifier was evaluated through the analysis of syngas composition, solid residues, and energy balances. The results showed that OMSW has substantial energy potential and could help reduce reliance on fossil fuels, but there were concerns regarding ash melting point, tar content in syngas, and NOx emissions.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Barbara Mendecka, Lidia Lombardi, Joachim Koziol
Article
Energy & Fuels
Maria Laura Parisi, Melanie Douziech, Lorenzo Tosti, Paula Perez-Lopez, Barbara Mendecka, Sergio Ulgiati, Daniele Fiaschi, Giampaolo Manfrida, Isabelle Blanc
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Luca Alibardi, Thomas F. Astrup, Fabiano Asunis, William P. Clarke, Giorgia De Gioannis, Paolo Dessi, Piet N. L. Lens, Maria Cristina Lavagnolo, Lidia Lombardi, Aldo Muntoni, Alberto Pivato, Alessandra Polettini, Raffaella Pomi, Andreina Rossi, Alessandro Spagni, Daniela Spiga
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Gianluca Grazieschi, Paola Gori, Lidia Lombardi, Francesco Asdrubali
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2020)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Lidia Lombardi, Barbara Mendecka, Simone Fabrizi
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Krzysztof Pikon, Lidia Lombardi, Magdalena Bogacka
PRZEMYSL CHEMICZNY
(2020)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Barbara Mendecka, Daniele Chiappini, Laura Tribioli, Raffaello Cozzolino
Summary: This paper presents a hybrid renewable power plant with a storage system, assessing its benefits for commercial buildings under different climatic conditions in the United States. Results show that the power plant can operate with 100% renewable procurement when biogas is sufficient and the battery is fully charged.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Marco Milanese, Francesco Micali, Gianpiero Colangelo, Arturo de Risi
Summary: Energy saving is a key concern globally, with the usage of nanofluids shown to significantly improve the performance and efficiency of HVAC systems, reducing energy consumption and costs. Experimental research and performance comparisons have confirmed the substantial energy-saving benefits of using nanofluids.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Nikolina Poranek, Beata Lazniewska-Piekarczyk, Lidia Lombardi, Adrian Czajkowski, Magdalena Bogacka, Krzysztof Pikon
Summary: This study investigates the potential utilization of municipal waste incineration bottom ash (MSWIBA) in the construction sector. Various treatment methods for MSWIBA are described, and their effects on physico-chemical properties and performance are compared. The results indicate that MSWIBA can be used as a substitute for cement in mortar, and it shows environmental benefits in life cycle assessment in the construction industry.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Malgorzata Wilk, Marcin Gajek, Maciej Sliz, Klaudia Czerwinska, Lidia Lombardi
Summary: Hydrochars derived from sewage sludge digestates were examined for their fuel properties. The hydrothermal carbonization process and the composition of the digestate affected the ash content and combustion characteristics of the hydrochars. The hydrochars from different plants showed similar properties under the same conditions. Distillation treatment of the post-processing liquid phase improved its quality indicators.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Maciej Sliz, Klaudia Czerwinska, Aneta Magdziarz, Lidia Lombardi, Malgorzata Wilk
Summary: The study shows that hydrothermal carbonization has a positive effect on the properties of under-sieve fraction of municipal mixed waste, improving its fuel properties. By altering process parameters, the fuel properties of hydrochars can be enhanced, making them more suitable for energy production.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Lidia Lombardi, Francesca Tuci, Maciej Sliz, Klaudia Czerwinska, Simone Fabrizi, Malgorzata Wilk
Summary: The under-sieve fraction (USF) from mixed municipal solid waste is usually biologically stabilized before landfilling. This study evaluates the sustainability of processing USF through hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) for energy production using Life Cycle Assessment. Environmental performances are mainly influenced by process energy consumption, with lower dilution ratios and higher temperatures providing better results. Co-combusting all the produced hydrochar in external power plants shows better environmental performances compared to internal HTC use. The proposed process demonstrates superior environmental performances compared to conventional aerobic biostabilization and landfilling methods.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Giovanni Francini, Marzio Lasagni, Lidia Lombardi