Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Marta Marcinczyk, Patryk Oleszczuk
Summary: Biochar can be utilized to produce controlled-release fertilizers and contribute to resource utilization and environmental protection through co-application with synthetic fertilizers. This review describes the methods for producing biochar fertilizers and highlights the potential toxic risks on plants and soil organisms.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Obie Farobie, Apip Amrullah, Asep Bayu, Novi Syaftika, Latifa Aisya Anis, Edy Hartulistiyoso
Summary: This study investigated the production of bio-oil and biochar from Sargassum sp. through slow pyrolysis, aiming to obtain valuable data for further utilization. The results showed that bio-oil from Sargassum sp. contained significant compounds, while biochar had higher calorific values and larger surface area. Overall, slow pyrolysis of Sargassum sp. offers the opportunity to obtain value-added chemicals and biochars for various applications.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Premchand Premchand, Francesca Demichelis, David Chiaramonti, Samir Bensaid, Debora Fino
Summary: This study investigated and compared the impact of using CO2 as a carrier gas during slow pyrolysis on the production and properties of biochar from food waste, rice husk, and grape tree branches waste. The results showed that CO2 atmosphere increased the biochar yield and influenced its physicochemical properties.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Siraprapa Suwanree, Jesper T. N. Knijnenburg, Pornnapa Kasemsiri, Wasawat Kraithong, Prinya Chindaprasirt, Kaewta Jetsrisuparb
Summary: The conversion of sugarcane leaves into biochar-based slow release phosphorus fertilizer via pyrolysis can effectively mitigate the environmental burden of in-field burning. Pre- and post-pyrolysis treatments, including the addition of MgO and DAP, were found to enhance the slow release of phosphorus, making the engineered biochars attractive as P sources for crops.
BIOMASS & BIOENERGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nurhayati Abdullah, Rahmad Mohd Taib, Nur Syairah Mohamad Aziz, Muhammad Rabie Omar, Nurhafizah Md Disa
Summary: This study evaluated the properties of banana pseudo-stem (BPS) biochar derived from fast and slow pyrolysis processes. The results showed that biochar yield decreased as the pyrolysis temperature increased. Fast pyrolysis resulted in a higher percentage of biochar compared to slow pyrolysis at a similar temperature of 500 degrees C. The biochar derived from slow pyrolysis had higher carbon content, heating value, and surface area, as well as lower ash content, indicating its potential suitability for soil amelioration and solid biofuel applications.
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Jechan Lee, Seonho Lee, Young-Kwon Park
Summary: Wastewater contains odor-causing chemical compounds, and biochar has been proposed as an effective approach for their removal while maintaining environmental neutrality. The removal performance of biochar is influenced by its raw material, modification method, and the type of odorants. Further research is needed for practical application of biochar in reducing odorants in wastewater.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chuanming Tan, Xiaodong Zhang, Chun Liao, Yuanbo Huang, Jianming Zheng, Hua Chen, Hongzhou He
Summary: Food and Kitchen Waste with high organic matter poses a great challenge to the environment and ecology. Fishbone, as a major component of this waste, was selected for high-value biochar production. The study investigated the impact of key parameters on biochar production and used optimization techniques to achieve better yield and quality. The results showed that carbonization temperature had the most significant effect on biochar yield and adsorption performance. A three-dimensional surface model was constructed to evaluate the quality of biochar under different carbonization conditions.
SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACY
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yu Wang, Guangwei Yu, Shengyu Xie, Ruqing Jiang, Changjiang Li, Zhenjiao Xing
Summary: The current study investigated the pyrolytic properties of food waste digestate residue (DR), including product formation mechanisms, biochar properties, and heavy metal (HMs) safety. It was found that DR pyrolysis proceeded in five stages, with different reaction kinetic models for each stage. Through analysis, it was determined that the volatile components in DR pyrolysis were mainly produced by various reactions, while the pyrolysis oil contained six main components. The biochar obtained at a pyrolysis temperature of 700 degrees C exhibited appropriate aromatic properties and a high specific surface area. The HMs in the biochar were mainly in the oxidizable and residual fractions, indicating a high safety profile. This research provides valuable insights into the formation process, properties, and safety of biochar, fostering its application and promoting resource utilization of DR.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marinos Stylianou, Terpsithea Lai, Simona Bennici, Patrick Dutournie, Lionel Limousy, Agapios Agapiou, Iliana Papamichael, Besma Khiari, Mejdi Jeguirim, Antonis A. Zorpas
Summary: Tomato pomace was pyrolyzed at 350℃ and 550℃ and chemically activated at 800℃ to produce two biochars named B350 and B550, as well as two new materials named BA350 and BA550. The results showed that higher pyrolysis temperature and chemical activation increased the specific surface area of the biochars. This suggests that biochars from tomato waste can be used as organic amendment to improve soil fertility and serve as water reservoirs in arid areas.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Valentina Pidlisnyuk, Robert Ato Newton, Aigerim Mamirova
Summary: Completing the loop of the Miscanthus value chain requires returning waste to the production cycle for sustainable use and a zero-waste approach. Utilizing Miscanthus feedstock to produce biochar and biogas, and incorporating biochar into phytoremediation and crop production cycles can improve soil characteristics and biodiversity.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qiang Liu, Jiayi Li, Zheng Fang, Yangyang Liu, Yunfeng Xu, Xiuxiu Ruan, Xiaolei Zhang, Weimin Cao
Summary: The pyrolyzation of sewage sludge can convert inherent phosphorus into bioavailable phosphate forms, making sewage sludge-derived biochar a potential soil fertilizer. This study investigated the release behavior of phosphorus from biochar and CaO-amended biochar under different pyrolysis temperatures, showing that higher temperature and CaO addition enhanced the conversion of non-apatite inorganic phosphorus into more bioavailable forms. Acidic and alkaline conditions favored the fast release of phosphorus from biochar, while biochar with CaO addition exhibited a slower release of phosphorus compared to biochar without CaO.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Galo Albor, Amin Mirkouei, Armando G. G. McDonald, Ethan Struhs, Farid Sotoudehnia
Summary: This study evaluates the potential of recycling polystyrene (PS) plastic wastes through a fixed bed slow pyrolysis reactor. The focus is on reactor design, conversion parameters, and reaction kinetics to improve process yield, activation energy, and chemical composition. Results show that PS decomposition starts within 2 minutes from all temperatures, with a total decomposition point of 97% at 475 degrees C in approximately 5 minutes. The average necessary activation energy is 191 kJ/mol.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kwang-Ho Ahn, Dong-Chul Shin, Ye-Eun Lee, Yoonah Jeong, Jinhong Jung, I-Tae Kim
Summary: The pyrolysis of food waste has high economic potential, producing gas, bio-oil, and biochar. In South Korea, biochar production from food waste is prohibited due to dioxin generation caused by chloride ions from high salt content. This study evaluates the water quality and the use of food waste-based biochar as a solid refuse fuel. The results show that biochar can be efficiently generated while meeting emission standards for chloride ions, dissolved VOCs, ash, and carbon at 300 degrees C pyrolysis temperature.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Yuewen Shao, Chao Li, Mengjiao Fan, Guoming Gao, Yuchen Jiang, Kai Sun, Lijun Zhang, Shu Zhang, Leilei Xu, Xun Hu
Summary: This study investigated the influence of torrefaction and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) on the pyrolysis behaviors of starch-rich food waste. The study found that torrefaction did not significantly affect the yield of pyrolytic products, but made the torrefied rice more hydrophobic. HTC significantly enhanced the overall yield of bio-oil and improved the combustion performance of the resulting biochar. In addition, HTC formed dominantly microsphere morphology in the hydrochar and biochar.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yaning Zhang, Sichen Fan, Tao Liu, Wenming Fu, Bingxi Li
Summary: This study reviews the preparation of biochar from organic wastes using microwave-assisted pyrolysis. The effects of reaction parameters on the properties and yields of biochar were discussed, and the application of biochar in different fields was detailed. The results suggest that selecting appropriate reaction parameters is crucial for obtaining high-quality biochar.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES AND ASSESSMENTS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Teresa Faddetta, Giovanni Renzone, Alberto Vassallo, Emilio Rimini, Giorgio Nasillo, Gianpiero Buscarino, Simonpietro Agnello, Mariano Licciardi, Luigi Botta, Andrea Scaloni, Antonio Palumbo Piccionello, Anna Maria Puglia, Giuseppe Gallo
Summary: This study investigated the production and characterization of membrane vesicles (MVs) in Streptomyces coelicolor M145. The MVs were found to contain various proteins and metabolites, including those involved in cell metabolism/differentiation, molecular processing/transport, and stress response. Additionally, the MVs contained a range of metabolites, such as antibiotics, vitamins, amino acids, and components of carbon metabolism. These findings provide valuable insights into the biogenesis and functions of MVs.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Giulia Infurna, Luigi Botta, Marco Maniscalco, Elisabetta Morici, Giuseppe Caputo, Salvatore Marullo, Francesca D'Anna, Nadka Tz Dintcheva
Summary: In this study, agricultural waste was recovered and converted into biofuel through a pyrolysis process, and the solid residual fraction was used as a filler for biocomposite production. The properties of the filler were characterized, and the performance of the biocomposites was evaluated using various analysis methods.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Clara Celauro, Rosalia Teresi, Nadka Tz Dintcheva
Summary: This study investigates the ageing behavior of different penetration-grade bitumens and SBS-modified bitumens. The results demonstrate that SBS addition improves the thermal stability and UV ageing resistance of the bitumen.
Review
Polymer Science
Giulia Infurna, Gabriele Caruso, Nadka Tz. Dintcheva
Summary: The thermochemical decomposition of polymer waste, food waste, and biomasses into fuels, syngas, and solid phase particles, known as char/biochar particles, has been extensively researched in the past two decades. Various thermochemical decomposition processes have been explored, producing char/biochar particles with different properties such as carbon-content, compositions, porosity, and adsorption ability. These particles have potential applications in agriculture as fertilizers and in water treatment, as well as high adsorption particles. They can also be used as fillers in polymers and biopolymers, improving their mechanical and fire resistance properties.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nadka Tz. Dintcheva, Elisabetta Morici
Summary: Considering circular principles, this study explores the use of dry rose flower and rose flower waste as suitable materials for biopolymer packaging films. The particles were characterized and their radical scavenger ability was investigated. The formulated films were analyzed through various tests, and the influence of the particles on PLA's photo-oxidation behavior was evaluated. The results suggest that dry rose flower and rose flower waste have a beneficial effect on PLA's degradation and could be used as packaging films.
Article
Polymer Science
F. Carfi Pavia, V. Brucato, M. C. Mistretta, L. Botta, F. P. La Mantia
Summary: By using biodegradable polymers instead of fossil-derived polymers in certain applications, the release of carbon dioxide into the environment can be greatly reduced. In this study, prototypes of aquaculture trays were produced using the biodegradable polymer Mater-Bi-(R) through injection molding. Characterization tests revealed that the polymer used has suitable properties for producing tools for aquaculture applications. Additionally, the samples underwent a biodegradation test in conditions that simulate the marine environment, showing a relatively low degradation rate for the thick molded samples.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Nadka Tz. Dintcheva, Elisabetta Morici, Claudio Colletti
Summary: The growing demand for energy in the past two decades has led to significant development in photovoltaic module production. Selecting appropriate encapsulant materials and technologies for cell embedding is critical in the module design process. The chosen encapsulants have a significant impact on module efficiency, stability, and reliability. The encapsulant materials must be selected properly to ensure the unchanged performance of PV modules over time, while maintaining a balance between performance and production costs.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Giulia Infurna, Luigi Botta, Irene Ingargiola, Marco Maniscalco, Giuseppe Caputo, Nadka Tz. Dintcheva
Summary: This study investigates the effect of biochar as a filler for biopolymer blends and highlights its importance. The results show that biochar has different effects on different biopolymers, and the weight ratio of the polymers in the blend also plays an important role. Additionally, a strong chemical interaction is found between biochar and polylactic acid, while no interaction is observed between biochar and poly-butylene adipate-co-terephthalate.
JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Maria Chiara Mistretta, Vincenzo Titone, Francesco Paolo La Mantia, Valeria Pellitteri, Luigi Botta
Summary: This study assessed the use of a nanofiller for the mechanical recycling of multilayer barrier plastic bags. The results showed that the addition of GnPs improved the properties of the polymer composites, providing increased stiffness without a significant reduction in ductility. The performance of the nanocomposites was influenced by the conditions in which the plastic bags were used.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Clara Celauro, Rosalia Teresi, Nadka Tz. Dintcheva
Summary: Increasing environmental awareness has led to research efforts in developing sustainable pavements using bituminous mixtures incorporating waste materials. Some waste materials have been found to enhance the performance of road bitumen, offering potential solutions for environmental, economic, and technical benefits.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Salvatore Marullo, Floriana Petta, Giulia Infurna, Nadka T. T. Dintcheva, Francesca D'Anna
Summary: In this study, supramolecular gels were prepared in deep eutectic solvents (DES) from polysaccharides. The gels exhibited self-healing and load bearing ability, and they were found to be injectable. The gelation process was influenced by the number of hydrogen bond sites on the hydrogen bond donor, and cholinium cations interposed between polysaccharide chains affecting interchain hydrogen bonding. The gel's radical scavenging ability was reduced upon gelation, but when doped with natural antioxidants, the high scavenging ability was preserved. Films prepared from the gels showed stability to sunlight and exposure to water, with the TA-doped film being the most resistant to UV-light and retaining its radical scavenging ability.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Salvatore Marullo, Giuseppe Gallo, Giulia Infurna, Nadka Tz. Dintcheva, Francesca D'Anna
Summary: We prepared and characterized supramolecular ionic liquid gels based on biopolymer mixtures without the need for a cross-linking agent or acid treatment. The gels showed notable properties influenced by the ionic liquid anion. They exhibited higher antioxidant ability and bactericidal activity compared to their individual components. The gel based on a chitosan:chitin mixture in the IL [bmim][Cl] had the fastest killing effect against E. coli, with almost complete eradication of bacterial cells within 30 minutes. We also observed an inverse relationship between the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the gels.