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The huge amounts of sewage sludge produced by municipal wastewater treatment plants induce major environmental and economical issues, calling for advanced disposal methods. Traditional methods for sewage sludge disposal increase greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. Moreover, biochar created from sewage sludge often cannot be used directly in soil applications due to elevated levels of heavy metals and other toxic compounds, which alter soil biota and earthworms. This has limited the application of sewage sludge-derived biochar as a fertilizer. Here, we review biomass and sewage sludge co-pyrolysis with a focus on the stabilization of heavy metals and toxicity reduction of the sludge-derived biochar. We observed that co-pyrolyzing sewage sludge with biomass materials reduced heavy metal concentrations and decreased the environmental risk of sludge-derived biochar by up to 93%. Biochar produced from sewage sludge and biomass co-pyrolysis could enhance the reproduction stimulation of soil biota by 20‒98%. Heavy metals immobilization and transformation are controlled by the co-feed material mixing ratio, pyrolysis temperature, and pyrolysis atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine the sustainability and energy efficiency of co-pyrolysis scenarios as treatment processes for municipal sewage sludge through a life cycle assessment (LCA). In addition, sensitivity and energy recovery analyses are conducted to determine the possible methods for optimizing the co-pyrolysis process from a circular bioeconomy perspective. Corncob and wood residue have been selected as potential co-feed materials for co-pyrolysis with sewage sludge at three mixing ratios (25, 50, and 75 wt%). The functional unit (FU) for this study is 1000 kg of dried single or mixed feedstock. LCA results indicate that sewage sludge, in a singular pyrolysis scenario, demonstrated the most unfavorable outcome by causing a rise in all negative environmental indicators. In contrast, the overall environmental impacts are reduced by up to 48 %, when the sewage sludge is mixed with co-feed biomass (wood or corncobs), with corncob co-pyrolysis performing better than wood residue in most impact indicators. Energy recovery from a gas turbine provides significant benefits, generating about nine times of the required energy for gas turbine operation and supplying sufficient energy to sustain the whole process. This is notably evident for corncob co-pyrolysis, where the energy produced from gas recovery is equivalent to 59–181 % of energy requirement of the whole process and achieved the highest net positive energy balance (+1368 kWh/FU). Sensitivity analysis indicates that co-pyrolysis is more sensitive to bio-oil yield fluctuations and feedstock transportation. In conclusion, this study establishes that sewage sludge co-pyrolysis is a more environmentally friendly treatment approach when compared to single pyrolysis. [Display omitted] • Sewage sludge single pyrolysis increased global warming and ecotoxicity indicators. • Co-pyrolysis scenarios reduced all environmental impact indicators by 10–90 %. • Co-pyrolysis scenarios achieved the highest energy recovery of up to 1368 kWh/FU. • Co-pyrolysis is more sensitive to bio-oil yield fluctuations and transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing emphasis on green chemistry and the ecological environment, researchers are increasingly paying attention to greening materials through the use of carbon-based solid acids. The diverse characteristics of carbon-based solid acids can be produced through different preparation conditions and modification methods. This paper presents a comprehensive summary of the current research progress on carbon-based solid acids, encompassing common carbonization methods, such as one-step, two-step, hydrothermal, and template methods. The composition of carbon source material may be the main factor affecting its carbonization method and carbonization temperature. Additionally, acidification types including sulfonating agent, phosphoric acid, heteropoly acid, and nitric acid are explored. Furthermore, the functions of carbon-based solid acids in esterification, hydrolysis, condensation, and alkylation are thoroughly analyzed. This study concludes by addressing the existing drawbacks and outlining potential future development prospects for carbon-based solid acids in the context of their important role in sustainable chemistry and environmental preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The co-pyrolysis of pretreated lignin and soapstock was carried out to upgrade vapors under microwave irradiation. Results showed that the yield of 29.92–42.21 wt% of upgraded liquid oil was achieved under varied pretreatment conditions. Char yield decreased from 32.44 wt% for untreated control to 24.35 wt% for the 150 °C pretreated samples. The increased temperature, irradiation time and acid concentration were conducive to decrease the relative contents of phenols and oxygenates in liquid oils. The main components of the liquid oil were gasoline fraction (mono-aromatics and C5–C12 aliphatics), which ranged from 57.38 to 71.98% under various pretreatment conditions. Meanwhile, the diesel fraction (C12+ aliphatics) ranged from 13.16 to 22.62% from co-pyrolysis of pretreated lignin and soapstock, comparing with 10.18% of C12+ aliphatics from co-pyrolysis of non-pretreated lignin and soapstock. A possible mechanism was proposed for co-pyrolysis of pretreated lignin and soapstock for upgraded liquid oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study performed microwave-assisted acid pretreatment on pure lignin. The effects of microwave temperature, microwave time, and hydrochloric acid concentration on characteristics and pyrolysis behavior of lignin were examined. Results of ultimate analysis revealed better properties of all pretreated samples than those of raw lignin. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed breakage of β O 4 bond and aliphatic side chain, decrease in OH groups, and formation of C O groups in pretreatment. Microwave temperature exerted more significant influence on lignin structure. Thermal stability of treated lignin was improved and insensitive to short microwave time and acid concentration under mild conditions. Resulting from improved alkyl-phenols and decreased alkoxy-phenols, microwave-assisted acid pretreatment of lignin yielded bio-oil with excellent quality. Total yield of phenols in pyrolysis vapors (200 °C) improved to 14.15%, whereas that of guaiacols decreased to 22.36%. This study shows that microwave-assisted acid pretreatment is a promising technology for lignin conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on analyzing nutrient distributions and environmental impacts of nutrient recycling, reusing, and discharging in algal biofuels production. The three biomass conversion pathways compared in this study were: hydrothermal liquefaction technology (HTL), hydrothermal hydrolysis pretreatment +HTL (HTP), and wet lipid extraction (WLE). Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous (C, N, P) flows were described in each pathway. A primary cost analysis was conducted to evaluate the economic performance. The LCA results show that the HTP reduced life cycle NO x emissions by 10% from HTL, but increased fossil fuel use, greenhouse gas emissions, and eutrophication potential by 14%, 5%, and 28% respectively. The cost of per gallon biodiesel produced in HTP was less than in HTL. To further reduce emissions, efforts should be focused on improving nutrient uptake rates in algae cultivation, increasing biomass carbon detention in hydrothermal hydrolysis, and/or enhancing biomass conversion rates in the biooil upgrading processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the outbreak of COVID-19 has driven increased use of medical personal protective equipment, exacerbating the accumulation of waste plastics. Topics include the adoption of inappropriate management strategies such as local burning; European Commission has marked plastic recycling as a key priority for the new Circular Economy Action Plan, and United States have proposed minimum recycled content mandates to end plastic pollution.

This study was carried out to investigate the applicability of nonthermal plasma (NTP) technology for the pasteurization of almonds. Almonds were spiked with various levels of Escherichia coli by dipping the almonds in E. coli culture broth followed by drying. The spiked almonds were treated with NTP under different treatment conditions. The pattern of the microorganisms reduction by NTP was analyzed. NTP was found to be effective on reduction of E. coli on almond evidenced by almost 5-log reduction after 30-sec treatment at 30 kV and 2000 Hz. The NTP bactericidal effect on E. coli inoculated on almond increased with the applied voltage and the frequency. The NTP reduction followed the 1st-order reaction kinetics, and the reduction rate constants varied with almond types and grades. The E. coli cells at logarithmic phase were more sensitive to the NTP than those at stationary and declining phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BSTRACT: This article introduces a new concept, the NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) state diagram, in the context of food shelf-life stability as affected by the molecular mobility of the food matrix. Our literature review shows that some shelf-life-related changes cannot be explained or predicted by the current aw and glass transition temperature concepts. This article presents the theoretical principles and some experimental evidence of the NMR state diagram concept that could be complementary to the aw and glass transition concepts. An NMR state diagram is a curve of NMR relaxation time versus temperature. Some of the curve features were found to correlate highly to the physiochemical states and changes of food polymers, for example, caking, stickiness, and firming. The potential applications of this concept in quality and safety of food products, especially dry and intermediate moist foods, may include ingredients screening, prediction of physiochemical changes, chemical degradation, and microbiological activity. The goal concept of this article is to provoke more in-depth studies to analyze the relationships among NMR relaxation, molecular mobility, and stability of foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematical modeling of ohmic heating of liquid–particulate mixtures allows insight into the heating behavior, but model verification that uses only a selected number of points in an ohmic heating system is inadequate because of the unknown temperature distribution within the heated food materials, including the locations of hot and cold spots. In this study, ohmic heating of liquid–particulate mixtures was simulated using the finite-element analysis with the commercial software FEMLAB, and the model predictions were verified against temperature maps obtained using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A factor ignored by the previous modeling works, the electricity-to-heat conversion efficiency, was considered in the model, resulting in an improved model performance. The electrical conductivity and its temperature dependence for all the materials used in the simulation were determined under consistent electric field strength as the simulated ohmic heating processes. Other factors/parameters affecting model prediction, such as the boundary conditions and heat transfer coefficients, were also determined in situ for an accurate parametric input. The model predictions yielded good agreement with the MRI temperature maps. Results showed that the electrical conductivity of the materials is the most critical factor causing heating rate variations between the particulate phase and the liquid phase. The heating rate variations could be overcome by adjusting the electrical conductivity of the food materials before ohmic heating. This modeling procedure can be used for designing and controlling ohmic heating processes to ensure thermal sterilization and safety of ohmically heated food products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study is concerned with caking of powder mixes. Our previous study tied the caking process to the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spin–spin (T2) relaxation characteristics exhibited by powder ingredients subjected to temperature scan from –20°C to 110°C (Journal of Food Science 65 (1) (2000) 134). Four temperature–T2 curve patterns were identified, each of which represents a group of powder ingredients having a unique tendency to cake. The present study showed that which curve pattern a mixture of two or more powder ingredients would exhibit was governed by and could be predicted from the NMR relaxation characteristics of the individual powder ingredients that made up the mixture. The study also showed that caking susceptibility of a mixture could be regulated by varying the mixing ratio, which provides a basis for formulation of caking-resistant products. The close relationship between the curve patterns and caking was verified by the storage tests conducted at 37°C, 45°C, 55°C, and 65°C for 60 days, and described by a multiple regression model, which can be used for prediction of day until caking of the mixed systems at different temperatures based on their NMR relaxation behaviors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Proton resonance frequency (PRF) shift MRI thermometry was incorporated into a fast low angle shot imaging sequence to acquire two-dimensional temperature maps of two model liquid–particulate mixtures undergoing ohmic heating process. The samples used consisted of two phases, namely whey gel and NaCl solution, and were enclosed in an in-house made ohmic heating device driven by an 143 V AC power supply. Salt was added to the gel and solution to alter their electrical conductivity. The PRF shift was used as a temperature indicator, which was linearly and reversibly proportional to the temperature change. The specific PRF shift for the whey gel was determined as −0.0098 and −0.0097 ppm/°C for the two samples. For the NaCl solution, the values were −0.0096 and −0.0102 ppm/°C, respectively. Detailed temperature maps with spatial resolution of 0.94 mm and temporal resolution of 0.64 s were obtained. The temperature uncertainties were about ±1 °C for the whey gel and ±2 °C for the solution. The ease to interpret, the speed, and the accuracy of this new technique justify its applications in dynamic food process. The temperature maps provided details for the investigation of uneven heating of a liquid–particulate mixture undergoing ohmic heating and this temperature mapping technique is a powerful tool for ohmic model development and validation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The co-pyrolysis of lignin and waste cooking oil yielded up to 82.6% mono-aromatics. • The highest synergistic extent for mono-aromatic production was 52.1%. • Lignin-derived model compounds were selected for co-pyrolysis to study the mechanism. • Guaiacol was more active to be converted to aromatics than o -cresol and phenol. • The mechanism of catalytic co-pyrolysis of lignin and waste cooking oil was proposed. Lignin and waste cooking oil are wastes from paper and food industries, respectively. In this work, the catalytic fast co-pyrolysis of lignin and waste cooking oil for the production of aromatics in a pyroprobe was investigated with an aim to improve the utilization of lignin waste and waste cooking oil. Furthermore, lignin-derived monomers, including phenol, o -cresol, and guaiacol, were also used as model feedstock for the catalytic co-pyrolysis in order to study the mechanism underlying aromatic formation. The mechanistic study helped lay theoretical foundation for the industrial application of the co-pyrolysis process. The effects of catalyst and waste cooking oil addition on co-pyrolysis product fractional yield and selectivity were studied. High amount of waste cooking oil in the feedstock with appropriate catalyst-to-feedstock ratio (3:1) contributed to high peak-area yields of the total detected compounds and aromatics. The alkylation and demethoxylation of phenols were enhanced at high ratios of catalyst to feedstock and waste cooking oil to lignin. When the ratio of waste cooking oil to lignin was 1:1, the highest mono-aromatic selectivity (82.6%) and synergistic extent (52.1%) for mono-aromatic production were obtained. The catalytic co-pyrolysis of the lignin-derived monomers and waste cooking oil showed that guaiacol was the most active compound to be converted to aromatics, followed by o -cresol, and phenol. The reaction mechanism underlying the formation of aromatics from the synergistic conversion of aliphatics and phenolics was elaborated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our objectives were to examine (1) how intense pulsed light (IPL) processing parameters (exposure time and initial temperature) affected aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel of nonfat dry milk, (2) which levels of each parameter produced aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel changes from an untreated control sample, and (3) whether minimal or intense processing conditions produced a noticeable appearance change from the control. Four exposure times (1, 2, 3, and 4 passes through the IPL chamber) and three initial temperatures (25, 30, and 35℃) were studied with untreated milk powder as the control. The samples were prepared as both milk powder and reconstituted milk for sensory evaluation. Using standard evaluating protocols, trained descriptive analysis panelists rated the aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel of these samples. Panelists compared the appearance of the IPL‐treated samples that underwent a minimal or intense processing condition to the control by using a two‐out‐of‐five difference test. Increasing the exposure time led to increased intensities of overall flavor, burnt flavor, and umami taste in both milk powder and reconstituted milk, while increasing temperature increased animal and sulfur aromas in reconstituted milk only. Compared to the control, all levels of exposure time at any initial temperature resulted in increased aroma and flavor including cardboard aroma, sulfur aroma, and brothy flavor in both milk powder and reconstituted milk. Only the 4‐pass exposure at the initial temperature of 25℃ changed the appearance of milk powder. However, the appearance change was not noticeable in reconstituted milk. Practical Application: The standard evaluation protocols and lexicons provide useful tools for research on milk powder. Additionally, the understanding of critical factors impacting sensory properties will contribute to a better implementation of this decontamination technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The boron-doped iron-carbon composite (Fe@B/C-2) was prepared to activate PDS for PFOS removal. • Performance on PDS activation for PFOS was evaluated. • SO 4 ·− and Fe (IV) were the primary active species during PFOS removal. • The role of B in enhancing PDS activation was detailed explored. • Pathway and mechanism for PFOS degradation were proposed. In this study, the boron-doped iron-carbon composite (Fe@B/C-2) was prepared via a simple solvothermal and secondary calcination process by using iron metal–organic frameworks (Fe-MOFs) as precursor. The obtained Fe@B/C-2 possessed abundant active sites and low iron ion leaching, and exhibited excellent performance on peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation for efficient PFOS (10 mg/L) degradation (94 %) in 60 min, with 0.2 g/L of catalyst dosage, 1.0 g/L of PDS dosage and at 5.0 of initial pH. The radical scavenging and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) tests demonstrated that SO 4 ·− and ·OH were the primary active species during PFOS elimination. Under the attack of these species, PFOS was first transformed into PFOA, followed by a sequential defluorination process, and lastly mineralized into CO 2 and F−. Notably, DFT results revealed that Fe species, -BC 3 /-BC 2 O structures on the carbon matrix performed crucial roles in PDS activation. The extraordinary catalytic activity of Fe@B/C-2 was attributable to the synergistic effects of Fe nanoparticles and the B-doped on carbon matrix. The doped B not only could activate the inert carbon skeleton and provided more catalytic centers, but also could accelerate the electron transfer efficiency, leading to a boost in PDS decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including the launch of the International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (IJABE) website, the citations for the IJABE journal and the review of papers for IJABE.

The article expresses gratitude to the reviewers, authors, readers, associate editors and staff members who made significant contributions to an agricultural and biological engineering research journal. It highlights the improvements attained by the journal as of 2012 including the increase of paper submissions, growth of website visitors, and the use of the periodical's papers in other journals. It encourages readers to submit high-quality research papers.

The article focuses on the International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (IJABE) and its advancements. It notes that IJABE is a joint publication by the U.S.-based Association of Agricultural, Biological and Food Engineers (AOCABFE) and China-based Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering (CSAE) that was launched in 2008. Also included is the author's gratitude to the journal's contributors for their efforts in advancing agricultural and biological engineering research.

Swine farm wastewater is extremely harmful to the environment if not treated before it is discharged. In this study, a system was developed and optimized for testing the high levels of organic matter in swine farm wastewater utilizing a microalgae/bacteria co-culture combined with a novel closed-loop extraction and dilution process. Importantly, the system produces biomass that also could be harvested and used in value-added applications. The efficacy of biomass as a biofertilizer was demonstrated by using a model plant of Arabidopsis. In addition, the analysis of biomass indicates that it also has potential as a source for biofuel. After a 20-d cultivation period, a yield of biomass was achieved to 2.063 g/L of wastewater. The highest removal rates recorded in steady state conditions were: 13.8 mg/L·d of Total Nitrogen (TN); 11.5 mg/L·d of Ammonia Nitrogen (NH+4-N); 24.8 mg/L·d of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD); and 16.9 mg/L·d of Total Phosphorus (TP). After cultivation, the composition of the biomass was analyzed on a dry basis; the major components were protein (44.9%), lipids (24.6%), carbohydrates (19.9%), Chlorophyll-A (2.75%), Chlorophyll-B (1.66%), and carotenoids (0.57%). This biomass was diluted with water (5% by weight) and used as a biofertilizer to grow Arabidopsis. The results showed that the average root and stem lengths of Arabidopsis were 43.0% and 55.0% longer compared to those of the control group. Additionally, the number of leaves and the maximum leaf length increased by 30.2% and 39.7%; and the fresh and dry leaf weights increased by 44.0% and 33.7%, respectively. These results demonstrate the efficacy of this system for treating swine farm wastewater whilst simultaneously producing a value-added microalgae/bacteria biomass. This paper also demonstrated the use of biomass as a fertilizer for cultivating a value-added crop and, based on the compositional analyses, propose that the biomass could be used as a raw material for biofuel production due to its high lipid content of 24.6%. By constructing a microalgae/bacteria symbiosis system, Swine farm wastewater can be treated as resources utilizing producing value-added biomass with demonstrated efficacy as a biofertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solvolysis approach is an efficient pathway to covert solid biomass into different end products since it can provide a mild environment and a single-phase condition. A comparative study on various alcohols-assisted liquefaction of lignin has been carried out using sulfuric acid as catalyst under microwave condition. Methanol and ethanol showed a higher conversion rate compared to other alcohols. Both liquefied products and residues have been investigated using gel permeation chromatography–high-performance liquid chromatography (GPC–HPLC), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. The results showed that methanol and ethanol as solvents achieved a higher conversion rate, meantime, the molecular weight of liquefied products was dramatically lower than those of other alcohols. The FT-IR indicated that there were obvious differences in the contents of carbonyl, methyl and hydroxyl group in the liquefied products with various alcohols as solvents. The solid residue exhibited a big difference in microstructure morphology after depolymerization, in addition, the resulted solid residue from methanol solvents showed a higher thermal stability and char yield, which can be used as a fire retardant in composite materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrolysis can lower the environmental impacts and improve resource utilization. A multi-stage comprehensive assessment model was developed to assess the economic feasibility of sludge pyrolysis. The indicator of gross process yield was used to evaluate the energy conversion efficiency of the different pathways. A comprehensive techno-economic analysis was used to quantify the technical and economic performance of the pathway through uniform monetary measurement standards. Sensitivity analysis was used to determine the uncertainty and risk. The pathway with the highest gross process yield was selected to assess the feasibility using comprehensive techno-economic analysis considering different value. The estimated break even selling price of bio-oil was very close to the average crude oil of recent five years when considering economic, social, and environmental value. The main key factors affecting the economics of system were crude oil price, bio-oil lower heating value, bio-oil yield, and energy consumption of the pyrolysis process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel high energy media mill (HEMM) was used to prepare macadamia butter (MB). The effect of grinding time on the properties of MB was investigated. Results showed that with the grinding time increased from 0 min to 65 min, the D [3,2] , D [4,3] , D 50 and D 90 value of the MB samples were gradually decreased from 24.03, 68.48, 59.50, and 124.67 μm to 4.37, 14.25, 8.82, and 34.07 μm, respectively, and the release of volatile flavor compounds gradually increased. Moreover, it did not adversely impact the color and chemical composition. Rheological analysis showed that the viscosity and yield stress of MB gradually decreased with the increasing of grinding time and the non-Newtonian shear thinning fluid behavior (flow behavior index, n < 1) was observed. In addition, HEMM treatment result in more oil separation and poor spreadability of MB. The maximum oil separation rate reached 49.46 g/100 g after 65 min of grinding. However, the addition of 1–3 g rice bran wax/100 g can significantly improve its oil separation and spreadability in toast. The results can provide a support for the application of HEMM in MB processing, and new insights for the development of multi-purpose MB. • The particle size of MB was significantly reduced by HEMM treatment. • HEMM treatment was beneficial to the release of volatile flavor compounds. • HEMM treatment was not adversely to the chemical components of oil in MB. • Adding rice bran wax can obviously improve its storage stability and spreadability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characteristics of ZrO2polycrystalline ceramic foam catalyst including crystal structure, phase composition, and microstructure were analyzed by Py-IR, XRD, SEM, and BET. Effects of preparation conditions such as calcination temperature, calcination time, ZrO2(catalyst matrix), Al2O3(flux), TiO2(stabilizer), NaHCO3(low-temperature pore-forming agents), and NaCl (high-temperature pore-forming agents) on catalytic activity were investigated. The optimum composition of ZrO2polycrystalline ceramic foam catalyst were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) to be 88.47% ZrO2, 9.62% Al2O3, 3.31% TiO2, 10% NaHCO3, and 25% NaCl (compared with the standard number 100). After calcination at 1550°C for 120 min, fatty acid methyl ester conversion rates were substantially maintained at around 97.31%, The FAME content in the product oil exceeded 97% after five successive reuses of the catalyst. In addition, catalytic activity did not significantly fluctuate. The proposed catalyst presents a new type of solid catalyst with excellent catalytic activity and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-pyrolysis of biomass and waste plastics has the potential to produce high-quality chemicals and these resources are recycled to realize their clean and efficient utilization. However, the current co-pyrolysis technology often mixes them physically, which can cause key problems, such as large differences in pyrolysis characteristics, restricting the synergistic effect of co-pyrolysis intermediates. The purpose of this study was to construct a segmented co-pyrolysis system and use FeCl3 and MCM-41 as in situ catalysts for Choerospondias axillaris seeds (CAS) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE), respectively, to analyze the relationship between different in situ catalyst addition ratios (0%, 3%, 5%, 7% and 10%) and pyrolysis products. In addition, the product distribution of the various parts of the segmented co-pyrolysis system as well as the comparison of segmented and traditional mixed co-pyrolysis were investigated. The results showed that FeCl3 can help in promoting the conversion of hemicellulose and cellulose to furans from CAS. The relative content of furans in the liquid product reached 61.08 wt% when its addition was 7%. MCM-41 can achieve its best catalytic effect when its addition was 5% in LDPE. Furthermore, segmented co-pyrolysis can promote the Diels–Alder reaction between furans and olefins and result in the content of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs) in the liquid product reaching up to 72.01 wt%. Compared with traditional mixed co-pyrolysis, the relative content of MAHs of segmented co-pyrolysis was 13.53 wt% higher and the wax yield was 14.49 wt% lower. Therefore, segmented co-pyrolysis can offer potential benefits for future industrial application, compared to a traditional co-pyrolysis process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenylation Astragalus polysaccharides (Se-APS) was fabricated by an optimized microwave-assisted method. Their physicochemical properties, antioxidant capacities and selenium (Se) release rate under gastrointestinal conditions were determined. Se-APS with the highest Se content (18.8 mg/g) was prepared in 0.4 % nitric acid, under the microwave conditions of 90 min and 80 °C. FTIR and XPS spectra indicated that Se was bound to the polysaccharide chain in the form of O-Se-O and O-H···Se, and most of Se+4 was reduced to Se0. Meanwhile, the micromorphology of Se-APS became clusters, loose and porous, which decreased its hydrodynamic particle size and negative surface charges. Besides, Se-APS displayed strong scavenging capacities towards ABTS and superoxide anion free radicals than Na 2 SeO 3 , and showed higher Se release rate (12.52 ± 0.31 %) under intestinal fluid comparing with gastric fluid (3.14 ± 0.38 %) during 8 h in vitro digestion. The results provided efficient preparation method references for selenylation polysaccharides, and broaden the application fields of APS. [Display omitted] • The selenylation modification of APS by a microwave-assisted method was achieved. • The Se content under optimum Se-APS preparation condition was 18.8 mg/g. • The valence state of Se in Se-APS was composed of +4 and 0. • Se-APS had good ABTS and superoxide anion free radical scavenging capacities. • Se-APS had higher Se release rate (12.52 ± 0.31 %) under intestinal fluid in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass valorization to chemicals is an important application of this renewable resource. This study reports the production of two versatile value-added organic acids, i.e., gluconic acid (GOA) and glucuronic acid (GUA), from biomass-derived glucose via microwave-assisted catalytic oxidation. A series of novel low-cost biochar-supported Cu-based catalysts prepared under various synthesis conditions were studied with a view to facilitate glucose conversion and improve the product selectivity by tuning the CuOx species and functionality of the biochar support. The yield of GUA and GOA could reach up to 39.0% and 30.7%, respectively, within 20 min at 160 °C over the CuBC600N catalysts. The enhanced catalytic performance is mainly attributed to a high percentage of Cu and Cu2O species and abundant O-containing functional groups as well as the less π–π conjugated area of the biochar support. The reaction pathways were elucidated by density functional theory (DFT) simulation. It is found that Cu2O and Cu sites are favourable for glucose ring-opening and oxidation steps, showing synergistic effects for oxidation of cyclic glucose to GOA and GUA. In the third run of the reaction, the catalytic performance was still 70% higher than those of bare biochar catalysts, demonstrating the importance of the CuOx species stabilized on the biochar support in catalytic activity improvement. Based on these findings, this study can provide valuable information for the design of low-cost and microwave-absorbable Cu-biochar catalysts for high-efficiency glucose oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND The application of Pickering emulsions stabilized by food‐derived particles is of great interest, studies have focused on development of natural functional emulsifiers from agricultural byproducts. Dietary fiber (DF) has been recognizing for its excellent physiological functions. Moreover, physicochemical properties of pomelo peel DF (PDF) make it a potential emulsifier. However, pristine PDF is not suitable as emulsifier due to its compact physical structure and high hydrophobicity, which seriously limits its utilization. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of cellulase on physicochemical properties of PDF and to illustrate the feasibility of cellulase modified PDF (MPDF) as natural functional emulsifier. RESULTS: Cellulase modification significantly improved (P < 0.05) specific surface area, water‐holding capacity/oil‐holding capacity, viscoelasticity, hydrophobicity, and pore structure while decreased crystallinity index and particle size of PDF. Emulsion could remain stable over 30 days as MPDF concentrations up to 1 wt% and oil/water ratio 3:7. The appearance stability of emulsions was not influenced by temperature (4–60 °C), pH (3.0–12.0), and ion concentration (0–200 mmol L−1) which was similar to Pickering emulsions. The mechanism of MPDF as an emulsifier was mainly attributed to the combination of Pickering effect and the three‐dimensional network. In addition, MPDF showed higher antioxidant capacity in emulsions than other classical emulsifiers. CONCLUSION: The results illustrated that MPDF has a favorable feasibility for preparation of stable Pickering‐type emulsions, which will be a practical support for application of PDF as a natural functional emulsifier and will be helpful to realize the resource utilization of DF in pomelo industries. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic waste has become a major global concern, due to the widespread use of plastics, resulting in plastic waste accumulation in landfills, and poor plastic waste management that has caused discarded plastics to accumulate in oceans, worldwide. Pyrolysis, a thermochemical treatment technique, offers a sustainable and efficient solution by reducing pollution and recovering valuable energy and products. This paper provides an overview of existing pyrolysis techniques for plastic waste and discusses the parameters that influence product yield and selectivity. It explores the impact of different catalysts on the pyrolysis process and offers a comparative assessment with the conventional pyrolysis. By recovering plastic waste through pyrolysis, the dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels can be reduced, bolstering energy sustainability while mitigating plastic waste's environmental repercussions. This paper also discusses the deactivation and regeneration mechanisms of the catalysts, as well as strategies to optimize liquid oil production from plastic waste, highlighting the potential for utilizing pyrolysis-derived liquid oil as a more sustainable energy source. Lastly, the paper includes a discussion on the future outlook of the pyrolysis industry. This review would provide recommendations for future research directions, enabling researchers and stakeholders to identify key areas of interest and develop new projects accordingly. [Display omitted] • Pyrolysis technology has the capability to convert plastic waste into valuable fuels and chemicals. • A comprehensive review of recent advancements in plastics-to-fuels and chemicals technology was presented. • The product yield and selectivity are determined by operating parameters and catalysts. • Emphasis was placed on the importance and significance of establishing a circular economy for plastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Microwave pyrolysis treated polyethylene terephthalate and low-density polypropylene simultaneously. • Coconut husk carbon showed favorable process features and product features as microwave absorbent. • This process enhances the synergistic production of monocyclic aromatics. • High yields of oil (42.50 wt%) were obtained with a high content of monocyclic aromatics (77.11 %). The application of biochar as microwave absorbers in microwave-assisted catalytic fast pyrolysis (MACFP) has been widely studied. It has been reported that coconut husk carbon (CHC) showed good process characteristics and product distribution as microwave absorbers. However, the existing studies did not pay much attention to the reusability of CHC absorbers. In this study, the CHC absorbers prepared from agricultural and forestry wastes were reused in multiple cycles in the MACFP of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Compared with typical microwave absorbers such as spherical silicon carbide (SiC) and granular activated carbon (GAC), CHC demonstrated favorable process characteristics with relatively high heating rate (29 °C/min) and short heating time (within 12 min). In terms of product properties, the highest liquid yield of 51.67 wt% and the highest content of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs) of 82.82 % were obtained at the appropriate pyrolysis temperature (550 °C). After five consecutive uses, the CHC bed still produced comparable heating profiles and product distributions, compared to that of SiC. At the same time, a positive synergistic effect between PET and LDPE was observed. The co-feeding of PET and LDPE (50L50P) appropriately increased the liquid yield (42.50 wt% vs 38.75 wt%) and the relative content of MAHs (77.11 % vs 72.96 %) in comparison to their theoretical value. Finally, this study supplies a new strategy for utilizing recycled CHC as a microwave absorber for the treatment of hydrogen-rich and hydrogen-deficient mixed plastic wastes to produce MAHs products, which also reduces waste and realizes energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Pomelo peel insoluble dietary fiber (PIDF) can be used as an effective emulsifier; • Micronization by ball milling cannot fully support emulsifying capacity of PIDF; • Cellulase endowed PIDF emulsibility combined Pickering and 3D network mechanism; • Further ball milling after cellulase made PIDF lose emulsification gradually; • Breakage of intact porous structure of PIDF cause reduced emulsion stability. Emulsion gels from the pomelo peel insoluble dietary fiber (PIDF) were developed. The emulsification potentials of PIDFs subjected to various degrees of ball milling (M−PIDFs), cellulase hydrolysis (C-PIDF), and cellulase hydrolysis followed by ball milling (CM-PIDFs) were evaluated. Emulsions prepared by M−PIDFs for different lengths of ball milling time exhibited similar stability characteristics, confirming that M−PIDF emulsion stability might be determined by the three-dimensional structure formed by M−PIDF stacking and oil droplet capture. C-PIDF had characteristics resembling those of Pickering particles. CM-PIDF emulsions got destabilized with ball milling time prolongation. Interface tension and particle size of C/CM-PIDF decreased gradually during ball milling. Rheological and fluorescence microscopy results revealed that the intact internal crosslinking structure frameworks were disrupted in CM-PIDF emulsions. Therefore, intact fiber-based networks, rather than small particle size or low interfacial tension, determine the stability of PIDF emulsions. This study deepens the understanding of PIDF as a clean emulsifier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of organic-complexed copper and zinc in anaerobic digestate effluent (ADE) poses persistent ecological toxicity. This study investigated the detoxification performance and biotic responses of indigenous bacteria against ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA)-complexed Cu(II) and Zn(II). Heavy metals (HMs) stress induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and enhanced extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secretion. At a Cu(II) influent concentration of 20.0 mg·L−1, indigenous bacteria removed 88.2% of Cu(II) within nine days. The majority of copper and zinc sequestered by bacteria were stored in the cell envelope, with over 50% of copper and 60% of zinc being immobilized. Transmission electron microscopy mapping (TEM-mapping) revealed significant mineralization of copper and zinc on the cell wall. Proteins abundant in EPS, alongside humic acid-like substances, effectively adsorbed HMs. Indigenous bacteria exhibited the capacity to reduce cupric to the cuprous state and cupric is preferentially reduced to cuprous before reaching reducing capacity saturation. Sulfur precipitation emerges as a crucial pathway for Zn(II) removal. Metagenomic analysis indicated that indigenous bacteria upregulated genes related to HMs homeostasis, efflux, and DNA repair, enhancing its resistance to high concentrations HMs. This study provided theoretical guidance for employing bacterial consortia to eliminate HMs in complex aquatic environments. [Display omitted] • Indigenous bacteria were effective in EDTA-complexed Cu(II) and Zn(II) elimination. • High heavy metals (HMs) concentrations induced ROS generation and EPS secretion. • Over 50% copper and 60% zinc in bacteria were immobilized on the cell envelope. • Cu(II) reduction and Zn(II) sulfide precipitation were key detoxification ways. • Indigenous bacteria upregulated related HMs resistant genes to mitigate HMs stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Machine learning predicts surface area, pore volume, yield in activated carbon. • Gradient boosting regression with better test R2 outperformed random forest. • The soaking process and activation temperature are crucial to AC properties. • To predict the AC yield, one-step and two-step activation datasets can be merged. The successful application of gradient boosting regression (GBR) in machine learning to forecast surface area, pore volume, and yield in biomass-derived activated carbon (AC) production underscores its potential for enhancing manufacturing processes. The GBR model, collecting 17 independent variables for two-step activation (2-SA) and 14 for one-step activation (1-SA), demonstrates effectiveness across three datasets—1-SA, 2-SA, and a combined dataset. Notably, in 1-SA, the GBR model yields R2 values of 0.76, 0.90, and 0.83 for TPV, yield, and SSA respectively, and records R2 of 0.90 and 0.91 for yield in 2-SA and combined datasets. The model highlights the significance of the soaking procedure alongside activation temperature in shaping AC properties with 1-SA or 2-SA, illustrating machine learning's potential in optimizing AC production processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the associated economic and trade consequences have added to the global food security disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and invasion has led to increased demand for these important sources of fertilizer macronutrients.

As a group of green biocatalysts, fungal laccases have aroused great interest in diverse biotechnological fields. Therein, yellow laccase has advantages over blue laccase in catalytic performance, but it is not common in the reported fungal laccases. Here, we report a yellow laccase from white-rot fungus Coriolopsis gallica NCULAC F1 about its production, purification, characterization, and application. Laccase production in the co-fermentation of pomelo peel and wheat bran reached the enzyme activity by 10,690 U/L after 5 days with a 13.58-time increase. After three steps of purification, laccase increased the specific activity from 30.78 to 188.79 U/mg protein with an activity recovery of 45.64%. The purified C. gallica laccase (CGLac) showed a molecular mass of about 57 kDa. CGLac had a yellow color and no absorption peaks at 610 nm and 330 nm, suggesting that it's a yellow laccase. CGLac exhibited stability towards temperature (40–60 °C) and neutral pH (6.0–8.0). Fe3+ and Mn2+ strongly stimulated CGLac activity by 162.56% and 226.05%, respectively. CGLac remained high activities when exposed to organic reagents and putative inhibitors. Additionally, CGLac contributed to 90.78%, 93.26%, and 99.66% removal of phenol, p-chlorophenol and bisphenol A after 120 min, respectively. In conclusion, a green efficient production strategy was introduced for fungal laccase, and the obtained CGLac presented great enzymatic properties and catalytic potential in the removal of phenolic pollutants. Key points: Pomelo peels and wheat bran are great nutritional sources and laccase inducers. CGLac showed the spectral characteristic of yellow laccase. CGLac had great stability and catalytic ability for phenolic pollutants removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past decades have witnessed increasing interest in developing pyrolysis pathways to produce high-quality chemicals from biomass. However, the numerous defects of bio-oil produced by biomass pyrolysis severely restrict its further application. A promising upgrading technology is considered to be the application of catalytic methods in biomass pyrolysis. Among various catalysts, metal catalysts have been well developed due to their flexible tailorability and unique characteristics. This review is dedicated to revealing the reasons for the biomass conversion pathways catalyzed by different metal catalysts (single and multi-metal catalysts, including Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and their combinations) and the conversion mechanisms of metal catalysts in the catalytic process. The interaction between different metal catalysts and the reasons why the combination improves catalytic activity were also introduced. At last, the research trends and perspectives on future development of metal catalysis in the field of biomass pyrolysis were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential hazards of humic acid (HA) associated with hog waste effluent, coupled with increasing awareness of environmental problems, have prompted many countries to control disposal of effluents into water bodies and to maximize removal of HA. Here we employed the white-rot fungus, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, to degrade the HA in composted hog waste effluent, evaluated by the response surface method. Preliminary experiments demonstrate that pH, temperature and quantity of inoculum are significant variables determining success of the fungus. In total, 13 experiments were conducted with three variables designated as A (pH), B (temperature) and C (inoculum amount). The optimal conditions for reduction of HA by P. chrysosporium are pH 6, 31.5 °C and an inoculum quantity of 5.86 g. Predicted and experimental results exhibit strong agreement, indicating efficiency in the model obtained by response surface method. Therefore, P. chrysosporium is an effective micro-organism for removal of HA from composted hog waste effluent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ex-situ co-catalytic pyrolysis of corncob for improving bio-oil was studied. • Effect of combining of HZSM-5 and AC was investigated for the first time. • Co-catalytic pyrolysis significantly improved the generation of mono-aromatics. • 97% jet fuel range aromatis in bio-oil were achieved in co-catalytic process. Zeolite and activated carbon (AC) have been demonstrated as promising and facile catalysts in degrading biomass into high-value added chemicals and bio-fuels, while the effects of combining zeolite and AC on the catalytic degradation of biomass have not been well understood. Here, co-catalytic pyrolysis of corncob over HZSM-5 and AC to produce aromatic-rich bio-oils was investigated for the first time. The effects of HZSM-5/AC ratio, pyrolysis temperature and catalyst/corncob ratio on products yields and components were explored. The optimal conversion condition was HZSM-5/AC ratio of 2:1, pyrolysis temperature of 500 ℃ and catalyst/corncob ratio of 1:1. Up to 97.47% of the obtained bio-oil chemicals were jet-fuel ranged hydrocarbons, in which the selectivity of aromatics was 96.56%. The results revealed the existence of synergistic effect between HZSM-5 and AC. The present work suggested an economical and novel pathway to produce transportation jet fuel to ultimately expand the biomass application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The effect of metal ions on microwave absorption properties of soap was studied. • The larger the metal ion radius, the greater the heating rate. • Divalent metal soap cannot be heated to the goal temperature by absorbing microwaves. • Microwave pyrolysis promotes aromatization and the release of CO, H 2 and CH 4. • The radius of metal ions affects the strengthening effect of microwaves. The pyrolysis of metal soaps to produce hydrocarbon rich fuel has been studied extensively. However, the combined effects of microwave radiation and metal ion types on hydrocarbon production have not been addressed. In this study, the microwave and conventional pyrolysis experiments were conducted on five metal soaps (Li soap, Na soap, K soap, Ca soap, Mg soap). The results demonstrated that the metal ions at the carboxyl end of the soap enhanced the polarity of the reactants, leading to a rapid increase in temperature under microwave conditions. With the ion radius increasing, the heating rate increased gradually. Compared with conventional pyrolysis, microwave pyrolysis exhibited a more rapid heating rate, a higher degree of carbon chain fracture, and a greater abundance of small olefin compounds, which promoted aromatization reaction and the release of CO, H 2 and CH 4. In addition, the composition of the pyrolysis products derived from different metal soaps is affected by the characteristics of metal ions. As the radius of metal ions increased, the oxygen content in the liquid products decreased gradually, while the carbon content increased. The strengthening effect of microwave was further analyzed. With the increase in the radius of metal ions, the strengthening effect of microwaves on olefins formation was gradually weakened, while the inhibiting effect on alkanes formation was gradually enhanced. The structure of carboxylate network is affected by the radius of metal ions, which results in the regular change of the strengthening effect of microwave on olefins and other products. This study is highly significant in guiding the pyrolysis of soapstock waste to prepare olefins and alkanes with high efficiency and low energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic pyrolysis technology proves to be a highly effective approach for waste cooking oil management. However, high-pressure drops and easy deactivation of powder catalysts hinder the industrialization of this technology. In this study, a bifunctional SiC ball (ZSM-5/SiC ball structured) catalyst was prepared to produce monocyclic aromatics. Bifunctional SiC ball catalyst demonstrates notable microwave-responsive properties and remarkable catalytic efficacy. Results showed that the content of monocyclic aromatics under BFSB catalysis with microwave heating was the highest. Weight hourly space velocity is no longer one of the main factors affecting microwave-assisted catalytic pyrolysis under bifunctional SiC ball catalyst. Monocyclic aromatics content did not decrease significantly and was still higher than 86% when space velocity increased from 30 h−1 to 360 h−1. The highest space velocity could only be 180 h−1 under Powder ZSM-5, and the content of the monocyclic aromatics dropped rapidly to 67.68%. Furthermore, even after five operating cycles, the content of monocyclic aromatics with bifunctional SiC ball catalyst continues to surpass the initial content observed with Powder ZSM-5 at 500 °C and 180 h−1. Related characterizations revealed that coking is the primary cause of catalyst deactivation for both catalyst types; however, the bifunctional SiC ball catalyst exhibits a 29.1% lower occurrence of polyaromatic coke formation compared to Powder ZSM-5. [Display omitted] • A bifunctional catalyst was prepared for the production of monocyclic aromatics. • Aromatics content remained above 90% at weight hourly space velocity of 360 h−1. • Initial activity of bifunctional catalyst was higher than that of Powder ZSM-5. • Polyaromatic coke in bifunctional catalyst was 29.1% lower than that of Powder ZSM-5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Pyrolysis of metallized food plastic packaging into gasoline-range hydrocarbons. • Al was removed from metallized food plastic packaging through NaOH pretreatment. • NaOH pretreatment reduced the complexity of the pyrolysis reaction. • High monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (80.50%) were obtained in the liquid oil. • A synergistic relationship was observed between PP and PET polymers during pyrolysis. Metallized food plastic packaging waste (MFPPW), as found in packaging bags like potato chips and coffee, presents an intricate structural and compositional complexity, rendering its recycling considerably more challenging in comparison to pure plastic packaging. In this work, a process route to produce monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs) from caustic (NaOH) treatment MFPPW through microwave pyrolysis coupled with ex-situ catalytic reforming was proposed. NaOH pretreatment disrupted the chemical bonds between the plastic layers and aluminum layer, reducing the complexity of the subsequent pyrolysis reaction. The removal of the aluminum layer diminished its shielding effect on the microwave, and enhanced the efficient conversion of the microwave energy into heat energy, thus accelerating the pyrolysis of the remaining plastic. After pretreatment, the activation energy for the pyrolysis reaction decreased from 250.55 kJ/mol to 189.70 kJ/mol, and the MAHs content of the liquid oil increased. The highest MAHs content of 80.50% was achieved with an HZSM-5 (Si/Al = 50) zeolite catalyst, pyrolysis temperature of 550°C, and catalysis temperature of 550°C. The unique characteristics of the MFPPW demonstrate its suitability for MAHs production. MFPPW is predominantly composed of PP and PET polymers. PP, as a hydrogen-rich plastic, provides abundant hydrogen-rich free radicals to the PET and promotes hydrogen transfer reactions, thus facilitating the formation of MAHs. Following pretreatment, these two polymers come into closer contact, further enhancing their synergy. This study provides valuable insight into waste management and recovery for metallized food plastic packaging waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Indigenous bacterial consortium (IBCs) was efficient in Cu(II) elimination. • Intracellular Cu(II) decreased and EPS-bound Cu(II) increased under Cu(II) stress. • High PN/PS ratio, reversed Zeta potential, functional groups in EPS resisted Cu(II). • Genes related to EPS secretion, efflux, and DNA repair in IBCs were upregulated. • IBCs excelled in actual wastewater and sludge-water separation was easily achieved. The presence of excessive residual Cu(II), a high-risk heavy metal with potential toxicity and biomagnification property, substantially impede the value-added utilization of anaerobic digestion effluent (ADE). This study adapted indigenous bacterial consortium (IBCs) to eliminate Cu(II) from ADE, and their performances and resistance mechanisms against Cu(II) were analyzed. Results demonstrated that when the Cu(II) exposure concentration exceeded 7.5 mg/L, the biomass of IBCs decreased significantly, cells produced a substantial amount of ROS and EPS, at which time the intracellular Cu(II) content gradually decreased, while Cu(II) accumulation within the EPS substantially increased. The combined features of a high PN/PS ratio, a reversed Zeta potential gradient, and abundant functional groups within EPS collectively render EPS a primary diffusion barrier against Cu(II) toxicity. Mutual physiological and metagenomics analyses reveal that EPS synthesis and secretion, efflux, DNA repair along with coordination between each other were the primary resistance mechanisms of IBCs against Cu(II) toxicity. Furthermore, IBCs exhibited enhanced resistance by enriching bacteria carrying relevant resistance genes. Continuous pretreatment of actual ADE with IBCs at a 10-day hydraulic retention time (HRT) efficiently eliminated Cu(II) concentration from 5.01 mg/L to ∼0.68 mg/L by day 2. This elimination remained stable for the following 8 days of operation, further validated their good Cu(II) elimination stability. Notably, supplementing IBCs with 200 mg/L polymerized ferrous sulfate significantly enhanced their settling performance. By elucidating the intricate interplay of Cu(II) toxicity and IBC resistance mechanisms, this study provides a theoretical foundation for eliminating heavy metal barriers in ADE treatment. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contamination of heavy metals has always been a pressing concern. The dry-wet alternately treated carboxymethylcellulose bentonite (DW-CB) was successfully prepared by intercalating bentonite (BT) with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) obtained by solvent processes using enzymatically digested wastepaper as cellulosic raw material, and the adsorption capacity of Cu2+ on DW-CB in aqueous solution was investigated. A 98.18 ± 2.31 % removal efficiency was achieved by 4 g/L of DW-CB after 8 h in a solution containing 100 mg/L of Cu2+, which were 4.1 times and 1.5 times of that of BT and adsorbent prepared without alternating dry-wet process, respectively. The introduction of –COOH groups during the preparation of DW-CB enhanced the electrostatic interaction between DW-CB and Cu2+, which was the main driving force for Cu2+ removal. The pseudo-first-order kinetic model and Langmuir model better described the adsorption process and adsorption capacity of Cu2+ on DW-CB. DW-CB still showed high removal of Cu2+ (19.61 ± 0.99 mg/g) in the presence of multiple metal ions, while exhibiting the potential for removal of Zn2+, Mg2+ and K+, especially Mg2+ (22.69 ± 1.48 mg/g). However, the interactions of organics with Cu2+ severely affected the removal of Cu2+ by DW-CB (removal efficiency: 17.90 ± 4.17 % - 95.33 ± 0.27 %). In this study, an adsorbent with high targeted adsorption of Cu2+ was prepared by utilizing wastepaper and BT, which broadened the way of wastepaper resource utilization and had good economic and social benefits. [Display omitted] • Bentonite was intercalated by carboxymethylcellulose prepared from wastepaper. • The alternating dry–wet process improved Cu2+ removal by intercalated bentonite. • The removal efficiency of Cu2+ on intercalated bentonite was 98.18 %. • The intercalated bentonite showed good potential for removing multiple metal ions. • The introduction of -COO- was the key to Cu2+ removal by intercalated bentonite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Optimizing integrated solar-bioenergy system for emission and cost reductions. • LSTM-RNN model for system dynamics prediction. • Monte Carlo simulation to generate datasets for machine learning model development. • Combined LSTM-RNN and Monte Carlo simulation for robust system evaluation. • Carbon tax impacts optimal system configuration and trade-off avoidance consideration. The combination of solar and biomass energy systems is regarded as a highly promising technology for tackling the challenges related to greenhouse gas emissions from energy generation and the increasing costs of energy production. This research centers on an integrated solar-bioenergy system, which includes a concentrated solar tower, thermal energy storage, and a combined cycle gas turbine. The system was evaluated using a multi-objective optimization approach considering life cycle assessment and cost-benefit analysis. The long short-term memory recurrent neural network algorithm with 5.1 % average error had been employed to capture the intricate temporal dependencies and dynamics of the system. The scenarios are expanded by using the Monte Carlo approach to address the challenges of limited specialized models and experiments for the system. The optimal solution is determined through the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution method. Carbon tax significantly influenced the results of the multi-objective optimization. The optimal configuration of the system could avoid the trade-off phenomenon when treating the carbon tax as revenue. The best scenario of the system with the cumulative reduction in global warming potential amounted to 415,960 tons of CO 2 -eq and a 30-year net present worth of €4,298 million. Without considering the carbon tax as revenue, the trade-off is present. The best scenario of the system with the cumulative reduction in global warming potential amounted to 132,615 tons of CO 2 -eq and net present worth of €3,042 million. The findings highlight the robust prospects of the system across environmental and economic dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Microbial lipid accumulation to provide alternative oil resources is an exciting research area, obtaining increasing attentions recently for the biodiesel production due to its high production efficiency and less demand of agricultural land. The aim of this study is to optimize the lipid accumulation of Chlorella vulgaris by using various carbon sources in heterotrophic and mixotrophic cultures. Different cultivation factors were studied on their influences to the cell growth and oil accumulation. Our results revealed that C. vulgaris could grow on autotrophic, mixotrophic and heterotrophic modes; and the mixotrophic cultivation especially could produce more cell biomass than the autotrophic or heterotrophic cultures individually or combined. The substrate concentration significantly influenced the final cell yield of the mixotrophic cultivations while the cell lipid content remained relatively constant. Glycerol was inhibitive to the cell growth while the microalgae strain could actively utilize acetate as the carbon source. This provides a promising niche in reducing the overall cost of biofuel production since this substrate can be obtained from some waste processes such as anaerobic digestion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An image analysis method was developed to determine the color change of rice–glucose–lysine blend during extrusion. The color of extrudates was analysed and compared by using different extrusion conditions. Extrusion process variables included moisture content, screw speed, barrel temperature, and screw geometry. The influence of specific mechanical energy input (SME) and product temperature on the color of extrudates was significant. The color parameters were related to product temperature and SME by a 4th degree polynomial. Product temperature and color were modeled and tested using rice–glucose–lysine blend at various screw configurations and extrusion conditions with reasonable accuracy. Validations of product temperature and color models were done using different screw geometries and other processing variables with reasonable accuracy. Extrusion tests indicated that the developed predictive models can be of use for extrusion processing. The results also showed that the image analysis method developed provides an objective and efficient approach for assessing the color development of extrudates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study investigated the effect of different site and vacuum package on catfish quality during slurry ice storage and feasibility of rapid detection of fillet quality using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRs). The results showed the nutrients content of fillet had significant difference (p <.05) between front and rear mid‐line site in catfish (using the ventral back end as the mid‐line). After 30 days slurry ice storage, drop loss and ΔΕ significantly increased to 6.04% and 5.92, respectively. Total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N), thiobarbituric acid (TBA), pH, and total viable count (TVC) of fillet were over acceptable limit for fish at day 30. The accuracy (R2) for TVB‐N, TBA, drip loss, L*, ΔE, and whiteness detection by partial least squares regression (PLSR) models was 0.86–0.90 and residual predictive deviation (RPD) was 2.66–3.19, indicating that NIRs technology combined with PLSR calibration analysis had great capability for qualitative and quantitative of catfish freshness. Practical applications: The development of rapid freshness detection method is important to meet the requirements of quality evaluation and grading of fish products. In this study, using chemometrics method to fit infrared spectra data with freshness of catfish, the optimal infrared quantitative prediction model of catfish fillets could be established to evaluated freshness of catfish, which will provide a simple, rapid, viable, and not destructive method for freshness determination in the process of production and circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]