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This study focuses on the synthesis and application of Co3O4 nanorods in post plasma catalysis (PPC) for toluene degradation. Results show that the addition of catalyst significantly improves the efficiency of the PPC system. Using non-thermal plasma (NTP) alone, O3 was produced and successfully used to completely oxidize toluene. Moreover, the system exhibits higher carbon dioxide selectivity and significantly reduces the production of VOCs and NOx. The nanorod structure of the catalyst plays a critical role in its remarkable performance due to the high surface area and more catalytic sites for reaction. Analysis of toluene degradation at various input powers showed complete oxidation at 40 W. These results indicate that the combination of cobalt oxide nanorods and NTP post plasma catalysis is a practical approach to lowering toluene and other unwanted secondary pollutants. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of Co3O4 nanorods as an effective catalyst for PPC systems in the treatment of volatile organic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research work, hollow structured Co3O4 nanospheres were prepared and applied in post plasma catalysis. The employed catalyst increased its potential to degrade the toluene efficiently. The study verified complete oxidation of toluene upon efficiently using O3 produced during the process. It also shows higher carbon dioxide selectivity, no risk of other VOCs' production and significant reduction in NOx production. The excellent performance resulted due to the peculiar structure of employed catalyst providing high surface area with greater number of catalytic sites. Furthermore, toluene degradation at different input powers was analyzed and found its complete removal at 40 W. All results obtained during the study indicate coupling of NTP with Co3O4 hollow nanospheres as the most viable approach for the control of toluene and other secondary byproducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orange peel waste (OPW), a discarded part of orange fruit, is a rich source of essential constituents that can be transformed into highly value-added bioproducts. OPW is being generated in million tonnes globally and returns to the environment without complete benefit. Thus, a high volume of annually produced OPW in the industry requires effective valorization. In this regard, limited data is available that summarizes the broader spectrum for the sustainable fate of OPW to produce value-added bioproducts. The main objective of this treatise is to explore the sustainable production of bioproducts from OPW. Therefore, this review covers all the aspects of OPW, from its production to complete valorization. The review encompasses the extraction technologies employed for extracting different valuable bioactive compounds, such as: essential oil (EO), pectin, and carotenoids, from OPW. Furthermore, the suitability of bioconversion technologies (digestion/fermentation) in transforming OPW to other useful bioproducts, such as: biochemicals (lactic acid and succinic acid), biopolysaccharides (xanthan and curdlan gum), and bioenergy (biomethane and bioethanol) is discussed. Also, it includes the concept of OPW-based biorefineries and their development that shall play a definite role in future to cover demands for: food, chemicals, materials, fuels, power, and heat. Lastly, this review focuses on OPW-supplemented functional food products such as: beverages, yogurts, and extruded products. In conclusion, insights provided in this review maximize the potential of OPW for commercial purposes, leading to a safe, and waste-free environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) represent a very important class of pollutants that causes serious health effects. There is an urgent requirement to establish efficient technologies that can reduce and control VOCs. Non-thermal plasma (NTP) is an emerging technology that can decompose low concentration VOCs. However, the low efficiency and high power cost are major hindrances in its commercialization. In this work, Co–Cu with TiO2 support catalysts are prepared by using the deposition precipitation method and utilized in post-plasma catalysis for the efficient degradation of toluene selected as a model VOC. The synergistic effect of Co–Cu/TiO2 with different Co/Cu molar ratios along with pure Co/TiO2 and Cu/TiO2 catalysts are studied for their catalytic activity. Results showed that the degradation efficiency of toluene for the control experiments (plasma-alone) increased from 10 to 85% with the increase in input power from 11 to 44 W. In comparison, a significant improvement in the degradation efficiency is achieved with post-plasma catalysis owing to better physicochemical properties such as particle surface area and microstructures of the Co–Cu/TiO2 catalysts. The Co50–Cu50/TiO2 exhibited highest degradation efficiency of toluene, i.e. 55% being 5.5 times higher than control at lowest input power of 11 W while 96% at the highest input power of 44 W, attributed to interaction of Co and Cu species, adsorbed oxygen content, and redox properties by exchange of pairs Co+3/Co+2 and Cu+2/Co+3. In summary, the post-plasma catalysis integrated with Co50–Cu50/TiO2 catalyst rendered optimal outcomes in terms of power consumption and degradation of VOCs, envisioning commercial viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial cell factories (bacteria and fungi) are the leading producers of beneficial natural products such as lycopene, carotene, herbal medicine, and biodiesel etc. These microorganisms are considered efficient due to their effective bioprocessing strategy (monoculture- and consortial-based approach) under distinct processing conditions. Meanwhile, the advancement in genetic and process optimization techniques leads to enhanced biosynthesis of natural products that are known functional ingredients with numerous applications in the food, cosmetic and medical industries. Natural consortia and monoculture thrive in nature in a small proportion, such as wastewater, food products, and soils. In similitude to natural consortia, it is possible to engineer artificial microbial consortia and program their behaviours via synthetic biology tools. Therefore, this review summarizes the optimization of genetic and physicochemical parameters of the microbial system for improved production of natural products. Also, this review presents a brief history of natural consortium and describes the functional properties of monocultures. This review focuses on synthetic biology tools that enable new approaches to design synthetic consortia; and highlights the syntropic interactions that determine the performance and stability of synthetic consortia. In particular, the effect of processing conditions and advanced genetic techniques to improve the productibility of both monoculture and consortial based systems have been greatly emphasized. In this context, possible strategies are also discussed to give an insight into microbial engineering for improved production of natural products in the future. In summary, it is concluded that the coupling of genomic modifications with optimum physicochemical factors would be promising for producing a robust microbial cell factory that shall contribute to the increased production of natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]