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Advanced Technologies for Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "B: Energy and Environment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2023) | Viewed by 34904

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Gheorghe Voicu

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Biotechnical Systems Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Bucharest 060042, Romania
Interests: waste management, landfills, sanitation equipment, wastewater equipment, biomass, agricultural waste technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Gigel Paraschiv

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Biotechnical Systems Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Bucharest 060042, Romania
Interests: environmental protection,wastewater treatment, novel materials,
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, due to urbanization and industrialization, several pollutants and their derivatives are discharged into both water and land, thus exerting a significant impact on both the environment and human health. Thus, in order to ensure a sustainable future, consideration of the technologies and treatments applied constitute a necessity. Moreover, treatment technologies will contribute to achieving the concept and the objectives of zero waste.

This Special Issue entitled “Advanced Technologies for Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment” aims to attract high-quality scientific articles about wastewater and solid waste, discussing methods to reduce their quantities, but especially focusing on their treatment before being returned to the environment, to improve the preservation of the health of humans and animals but also of wildlife.

Thus, papers may address topics such as wastewater (ww) production; wastewater contaminants; ww mechanical, physical, and biological processing; ww chemical treatment; municipal solid waste (msw); landfills; treatment technologies for agricultural waste; solid waste composting; leachate and sludge treatment; landfill gas recovery and treatment, as well as any other relevant themes.

We encourage submissions in the form of scientific articles that explore problems involved in the promotion of innovative technologies, machines, and equipment, for the analysis and treatment of wastewater and waste for the purpose of recovering useful components, its neutralization, as well as energy production.

Prof. Dr. Gheorghe Voicu
Prof. Dr. Gigel Paraschiv
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

wastewater production, wastewater technologies and techniques
wastewater contaminants and analysis
municipal solid waste (MSW), waste composting technologies
wastewater and solid waste pre-treatment technologies
landfills, leachate recovery and treatment, landfill gas recovery and treatment
agricultural and forest wastes recovery and treatment
biorefinery and byproducts
mining waste treatment technologies, clean technologies
statistical analysis and modeling
end-of-life and waste treatment
waste and wastewater process monitors and sensors
life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA)
food wastewater treatment
risk and vulnerability assessment safety

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 4053 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Catalytic Additive Application on the Wood-Based Waste Combustion Process

by Błażej Gaze, Paulina Wojtko, Bernard Knutel, Przemysław Kobel, Kinga Bobrowicz, Przemysław Bukowski, Jerzy Chojnacki and Jan Kielar

Energies 2023, 16(4), 2055; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16042055 - 20 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1175

Abstract

The furniture industry is one of the most dynamically developing sectors of the Polish economy. Unfortunately, due to national law, it involves producing a significant amount of wood-based waste, which can only be incinerated in installations that meet the requirements for waste incineration or co-incineration plants. This is due to the presence of various types of chemical additives in post-production residues, which increases the emission of hazardous compounds into the atmosphere during combustion. This article presents an analysis of the impact of the use of catalytic additives on the amount of emissions produced from the combustion of wood-based waste. For this purpose, the analyzed material was pelletized by mixing it with the DESONOX catalyst or by spraying the fuel with the DESONOX + H₂O solution in a 1:1 ratio. Catalytic substances were introduced into the fuel until a concentration of 0.1% of its mass was obtained. The use of catalysts has significantly reduced CO and NO_X emissions into the atmosphere. In the case of carbon monoxide, the most effective was Ad2 (reduction by 44%), and in the case of nitrogen oxides, Ad1 (reduction by 31%) achieved the best outcome. The results from this analysis may be an indication for Polish legislation encouraging furniture plants to burn this waste in their own units using catalytic substances. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment)

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9 pages, 2585 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Analysis for Determining Potential of Wastewater Sludge Mixed with Degraded Biomass as Substrates for Biogas Production

by Adrian Eugen Cioabla, Francisc Popescu and Timotei Bogdan Bacos

Energies 2022, 15(22), 8773; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15228773 - 21 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1311

Abstract

In the context of increased energy demands and finding solutions for energetic autonomy, the use of waste base materials has increased in recent years in all areas of research. In this context, waste waters, sludge or slurry, biodegradable materials, second generation effluents, and their byproducts are some of the key substrates of interest to obtain biogas through AD (anaerobe digestion). The goal is to utilize these materials as a base for the generation of renewable energy and thereby make it the main source of energy for households or industries. This paper aims to characterize, from a physical and chemical point of view, wastewater from Timis county as a base substrate material in the co-fermentation process with cereal residual biomass. We aimed to determine the energetic potential of the wastewater and perform preliminary testing at a small and pilot-sized experimental installation for biogas production with Timis wastewater as the main energy carrier. The novelty of the paper stems from the use of a patented pilot installation as our experimental approach, as well as the use of a different comparative scale co-fermentation process for biogas production. The conclusions will be traced relative to the obtained results, and preliminary solutions will be proposed for further avenues on this topic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment)

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15 pages, 16214 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multifaceted Analysis of Landfill Gas Use for Energy Purposes

by Bernard Knutel, Błażej Gaze, Krzysztof Zając, Sara Góraj and Przemysław Bukowski

Energies 2022, 15(22), 8590; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15228590 - 16 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1095

Abstract

This paper assesses the use of gas from a landfill located in Kiełcz for energy purposes, considering energy, environmental and socioeconomic aspects. The literature review contains information on waste management methods in various regions of the world and the legal acts regulating them. The reference was also made to the methods of degassing landfills and the methods of reducing pollutants from this process. The research methodology describes, among other things, the method of measuring exhaust gas quality and temperature or gas composition. This section also presents the catalyst that was used as a reducer of flue gas emissions. The use of a catalyst in the flue gas duct allowed for the reduction in CO emissions by 85%, NO_X by 53%, SO₂ by 95%, and PM by 82%. For the socio-economic analysis, formulas and quantities were given that allow for the parameterization of profits. Three leading indicators were selected, i.e., the impact of the energy produced on the producer, the reduction in greenhouse gases, and the responsibility for the product. The section of results graphically presents the efficiency of using the catalyst. This part also contains a summary table of the socioeconomic analysis on the basis of which the social profit index SROI was determined, which amounted to 7.57. This analysis may be helpful for landfill managers/owners who may consider the potential commercial use of landfill gas for energy purposes, as well as for governments, which, amid the current global fuel crisis, can benefit from this analysis and include the use of landfill gas in their energy transition strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment)

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23 pages, 9487 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Environmental Pollution in Cement Plant Areas in Romania by Co-Processing Waste in Clinker Kilns

by Cristian Ciobanu, Paula Tudor, Irina-Aura Istrate and Gheorghe Voicu

Energies 2022, 15(7), 2656; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15072656 - 05 Apr 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3062

Abstract

Worldwide, in the rotary kilns of cement plants, various amounts of combustible waste are burned, which would otherwise end up in municipal landfills. The paper first analyzes the literature on the co-processing of waste in cement manufacture and its influence on the environment and human health. Then, it shows how the combustion components of co-processed waste can influence the final characteristics of clinker and cement. The main objective of the paper is to determine the level of emissions of the resulting pollutants (total dust and flue gases: NOx, SO₂, and CO) at the outlet of the chimney of the clinker kiln and flour mill to meet the requirements of the Integrated Environmental Permit (EIA) from Romania and present an estimation of the level of atmospheric air pollution using the climatological model of pollutant dispersion. Following these assessments (data shown), the cement factories will establish measures to reduce the pollution, if necessary, to comply with the regulations in force for the cement industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment)

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12 pages, 1681 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of Selected Technologies to Improve the Quality of Exhaust Gases from Landfill Gas Combustion

by Błażej Gaze, Bernard Knutel, Krzysztof Zając, Mateusz Jajczyk and Przemysław Bukowski

Energies 2022, 15(3), 778; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15030778 - 21 Jan 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1519

Abstract

This paper presents the results of research on exhaust gases from landfill gas combustion. The measurements were carried out in a reclaimed landfill in Kiełcz (a passive degassing system based on gas flare). The research concerned the effects of selected exhaust gas purification technologies (platinum catalyzer on a ceramic carrier, molecular sieve, copper(II) oxide) for the quality of exhaust gases, and their particulate matter content. This paper aims to indicate which catalytic systems are most suitable for this gas type and their most efficient positioning in the flue gas duct. Due to increasingly stringent emission standards, the outcomes presented in this article could be helpful for landfill owners who wish to avoid paying fines for not complying with applicable limits. The measurements were carried out using a flue gas analyser, a particulate matter analyser fitted with a probe, and four thermocouples connected with the data recorder. The research outcomes determined the percentage reduction of pollutant emissions into the atmosphere (CO, NO_x, and particulate matter) using catalysts. The potential benefits of using catalysts in landfill gas combustion systems due to their operating temperature ranges are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment)

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15 pages, 5077 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Circular Economy for Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Bottom Ash (MSWIBA) Management in Mortars with CSA and CEM I, MSWIBA Glassy Phase, and DTG

by Nikolina Poranek, Beata Łaźniewska-Piekarczyk, Adrian Czajkowski and Krzysztof Pikoń

Energies 2022, 15(1), 135; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15010135 - 25 Dec 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2688

Abstract

The increase in frequency and intensity of natural disasters is related to the changing global average temperature. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the extraction of natural resources is one of the solutions proposed by the European Green Deal and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) approved by the United Nations. The article presents research on municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash (MSWIBA), which is the basis for its circulation in the idea of the circular economy. The MSWIBA study presents differential thermogravimetry (DTG), glassy phase, and mortars using CSA and CEM I. The management of MSWIBA contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the extraction of natural resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment)

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25 pages, 8507 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Microwave Technology Using Low Energy Concentrated Beam for Processing of Solid Waste Materials from Rapana thomasiana Seashells

by Sorin Vasile Savu, Daniela Tarnita, Gabriel Constantin Benga, Ilie Dumitru, Iulian Stefan, Nicolae Craciunoiu, Adrian Bebe Olei and Ionel Danut Savu

Energies 2021, 14(20), 6780; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14206780 - 18 Oct 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1812

Abstract

The solid waste of Rapana thomasiana seashells both from domestic activities and natural waste on seashore can be used to obtain viable products for medical applications. However, conventional technologies applied for sintering the materials require massive energy consumption due to the resistance heating. Microwave heating represents an advanced technology for sintering, but the stability of the process, in terms of thermal runaway and microwave plasma arc discharge, jeopardizes the quality of the sintered products. This paper aims to present the results of research focused on viable heating technology and the mechanical properties of the final products. A comparative analysis, in terms of energy efficiency vs. mechanical properties, has been performed for three different heating technologies: direct microwave heating, hybrid microwave heating and resistance heating. The results obtained concluded that the hybrid microwave heating led to final products from Rapana thomasiana solid waste with similar mechanical properties compared with resistance heating. In terms of energy efficiency, the hybrid microwave heating was 20 times better than resistance heating. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment)

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22 pages, 8827 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Input and Control Parameters on the Process of Pelleting Powdered Biomass

by Iuliana Gageanu, Dan Cujbescu, Catalin Persu, Paula Tudor, Petru Cardei, Mihai Matache, Valentin Vladut, Sorin Biris, Iulian Voicea and Nicoleta Ungureanu

Energies 2021, 14(14), 4104; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14144104 - 07 Jul 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1778

Abstract

This paper presents theoretical and experimental research studying the influence of process parameters on the quality of biomass pellets. A validated mathematical model was developed, expressing the density of biomass pellets as determined by moisture content, compression pressure, process heat, the initial density of the material, pelleting speed and initial volume of the material. The experiments for determining the influence of these parameters on the compression of biomass into pellets and optimizing the process were conducted on a heated single pellet compression device, using fir sawdust as raw material. To describe and study the process, four input and control parameters were varied—raw material moisture, pelleting speed, maximum force applied and pelleting die temperature. From the experiments, it was noticed that overall, moisture and pressure have the most important effect on the compression process and pelleting speed, and heat applied also affected the process. Pellet density decreased when pelleting speed and material moisture increase and the density increased with a higher compression pressure and higher heat during the process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment)

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14 pages, 3105 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Regional Distance Routes Estimation for Municipal Solid Waste Disposal, Case Study São Paulo State, Brazil

by Laryssa Morais, Victor Nascimento, Silvio Simões and Jean Ometto

Energies 2021, 14(13), 3964; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14133964 - 01 Jul 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2352

Abstract

The urban population increase in the world, the economic expansion, and the rise in living standards associated with society’s habits and lifestyles accelerated the municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in undeveloped countries, such as in Brazil, in which the generation increased by 25% from 2012 to 2017. In the same period, the São Paulo state, the richest Brazilian state, increased its municipal solid waste generation by 51%. All this MSW needed to be collected and transported, and this process has a high economic and environmental cost. Therefore, this study aims to identify, using spatial analysis, the routes used by MSW trucks to estimate the distances traveled to dispose of the MSW on a regional scale considering all municipalities in the São Paulo state. The findings showed that the landfill numbers decrease, mainly individual ones, which receive MSW only from the city where it is located. Otherwise, the consortium landfills number is increasing, as well as the number of municipalities that share the same disposal site. Consequently, the distances to transport MSW from urban areas to final disposal sites increased by about 55% from 2012 to 2017, reaching 613 million kilometers during this period. This total distance is sufficient to make more than 12,806 laps on Earth and contribute to high fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emission. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment)

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Review

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24 pages, 2000 KiB

Open AccessReview

Anaerobic Co-Digestion: A Way to Potentiate the Synergistic Effect of Multiple Substrates and Microbial Diversity

by Mariana Ferdeș, Gigel Paraschiv, Mariana Ionescu, Mirela Nicoleta Dincă, Georgiana Moiceanu and Bianca Ștefania Zăbavă

Energies 2023, 16(5), 2116; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16052116 - 22 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2108

Abstract

In this paper, the latest research in the field of anaerobic co-digestion related to the advantages of using different mixtures of substrates on the performance of the process and increasing its efficiency is reviewed. The main aspects presented in this review refer to the study of the most commonly used types of substrates, highlighting their characteristics, the diversity of microbial communities involved in the production of biogas, the applied pretreatments, and the possibility of obtaining an improved digestate as a secondary product. The main types of substrates used in anaerobic co-digestion are food waste, sewage sludge, animal manure, lignocellulosic biomass, algae, fats, oils, and greases. The data from the studied works demonstrated that the anaerobic co-digestion process improves the carbon/nitrogen ratio and nutrient balance, increases the process stability, and diminishes the concentration of toxic inhibitors. At the same time, the use of appropriate mixtures of substrates leads to an increase in the diversity of microbial communities, among which synergistic relationships are established that ultimately favor the growth of the methanogenic potential. Finally, based on the research results found, one of the main trends is the need to adapt technology to the type of substrate and the industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment)

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27 pages, 3237 KiB

Open AccessReview

Food Waste Management for Biogas Production in the Context of Sustainable Development

by Mariana Ferdeș, Bianca Ștefania Zăbavă, Gigel Paraschiv, Mariana Ionescu, Mirela Nicoleta Dincă and Georgiana Moiceanu

Energies 2022, 15(17), 6268; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15176268 - 28 Aug 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 8431

Abstract

In the context of increasing pressure regarding the sustainable utilization of food waste in a circular economy, one of the trends is their biological transformation, through anaerobic digestion, into biogas as a renewable source of energy. We presented the physical-chemical properties of the main categories of food waste from different sources: dairy, meat, and poultry, fish, fruit and vegetable, cereal and bakery, brewing and winery industries, and others. Due to the high organic load, the presence of a multitude of nutrients, and an insignificant amount of inhibitors, food waste can be successfully used in the biogas production process in co-digestion with other materials. Physical (mechanical and thermal), chemical (alkali, acid, and oxidative), and biological (enzymatic, bacterial, and fungal) techniques have been widely used for pretreatment of different substrate types, including food waste. These pretreatments facilitate the degradation of pretreated food waste during anaerobic digestion and thus lead to an enhancement in biogas production. The purpose of this study is to review the situation of food waste generated in the food industry and to formulate the main trends of progress in the use of this waste in the anaerobic digestion process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment)

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10 pages, 1529 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recovery of Sewage Sludge in the Cement Industry

by Carmen Otilia Rusănescu, Gheorghe Voicu, Gigel Paraschiv, Mihaela Begea, Larisa Purdea, Ivona Camelia Petre and Elena Valentina Stoian

Energies 2022, 15(7), 2664; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15072664 - 05 Apr 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2632

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of the literature that studies the possibility of sewage sludge being used in the cement industry to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from cement production and thus solve the problem of disposing of sewage sludge so that it is no longer stored, avoiding soil pollution with heavy metals, and reducing pressure on the environment. The ash of sewage sludge is a good pozzolanic material, because when it is finely ground, it can be used as a partial substitute for Portland cement. This reduces waste storage costs. Sewage sludge ash was mixed with cement, and it was analyzed to determine whether the paste obtained could be used as a raw material in the cement industry. The presented results are on the hydration characteristics of the sewage sludge ash, the compressive strength of the cement determined after different days, the workability of the cement, and the porosity of the cement paste and the ash. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment)

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31 pages, 5739 KiB

Open AccessReview

Laccases—Versatile Enzymes Used to Reduce Environmental Pollution

by Gigel Paraschiv, Mariana Ferdes, Mariana Ionescu, Georgiana Moiceanu, Bianca Stefania Zabava and Mirela Nicoleta Dinca

Energies 2022, 15(5), 1835; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15051835 - 02 Mar 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3110

Abstract

The accumulation of waste and toxic compounds has become increasingly harmful to the environment and human health. In this context, the use of laccases has become a focus of interest, due to the properties of these versatile enzymes: low substrate specificity, and water formation as a non-toxic end product. Thus, we begin our study with a general overview of the importance of laccase for the environment and industry, starting with the sources of laccases (plant, bacterial and fungal laccases), the structure and mechanism of laccases, microbial biosynthesis, and the immobilization of laccases. Then, we continue with an overview of agro-waste treatment by laccases wherein we observe the importance of laccases for the biodisponibilization of substrates and the biodegradation of agro-industrial byproducts; we then show some aspects regarding the degradation of xenobiotic compounds, dyes, and pharmaceutical products. The objective of this research is to emphasize and fully investigate the effects of laccase action on the decomposition of lignocellulosic materials and on the removal of harmful compounds from soil and water, in order to provide a sustainable solution to reducing environmental pollution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment)

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