Search

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell.) Verdc., an invasive aquatic plant from South America, is to date worldwide distributed. In Tuscany M. aquaticum has colonized much of the surface water network of reclamation channels, forcing the reclamation authority to its removal, with the production of a huge amount of wet biomass to be disposed as a biological waste. In the present study the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) process was proposed and investigated as a path for the valorisation of this waste biomass. Performed in aqueous conditions at moderate temperatures, HTC does not require energy-intensive pre-drying steps, making HTC applicable to biomass feedstocks with high moisture contents. HTC leads to a carbonaceous solid product, referred to as hydrochar, with different potential applications, such as solid biofuel, or soil-improving material. An experimental investigation was carried out performing HTC tests in a laboratory-scale reactor. The joint effect of operating parameters (temperature, residence time and solid load) on process yields and hydrochar properties was investigated by Design of Experiments – Response Surface Methodology (DoE-RSM), a statistical and mathematical approach for process analysis, prediction, and optimization. The results obtained demonstrated the feasibility of HTC for M. aquaticum, suggesting HTC as a promising treatment path. Beyond the use as biofuel, the suitability of the hydrochar produced from M. aquaticum as organic growth medium for vegetable seedlings in horticulture and gardening or soil amendment was evaluated. Potential phytotoxic effects of M. aquaticum hydrochar were evaluated through bioassays using cress seeds (Lepidium sativum L.) as a model species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrothermal Carbonization (HTC) represents a promising green technology for converting various biomass feedstocks into valuable hydrochar and liquid products. In this study, the HTC process of Myriophyllum aquaticum Verd., highly diffused in Tuscany (Italy), was investigated varying the process temperatures and the holding times. Indeed, it is one of the world's most troublesome invasive aquatic weeds, impacting not only the quality of water but also contributing to habitat deterioration; therefore, several management practices are required to address the problem. This research focused on obtaining preliminary experimental data to be further implemented in a lumped kinetic model to elucidate the reaction pathways leading to the formation of primary hydrochar and liquid compounds responsible for secondary hydrochar production. To figure out the HTC liquid phase composition and the organic compounds responsible for secondary hydrochar formation, the HighPerformance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analytical technique was employed. This technique allowed to identify and quantify some of key chemical components present in the HTC liquid phase, i.e., sugars and furans. Moreover, the future integration of a lumped kinetic model and advanced analytical techniques not only will enhance the understanding of the Myriophyllum aquaticum HTC process but will also provide valuable insights into the optimization of HTC conditions for biomass conversion and resource recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]