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A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental and Green Processes".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 May 2023) | Viewed by 35525

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Prof. Dr. Shicheng Zhang

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Guest Editor

Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
Interests: biomass conversion; organic waste utilization; hydrothermal conversion; pyrolysis; high value-added products; environmental remediation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Gang Luo

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Guest Editor

Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Interests: anaerobic digestion; anaerobic microbiology; organic waste utilization

Prof. Dr. Abdul-Sattar Nizami

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Guest Editor

Government College University, Lahore, Punjab 54000, Pakistan
Interests: waste biorefinery; waste-to-energy; biogas; pyrolysis
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Prof. Dr. Andrzej Bialowiec

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Department of Applied Bioeconomy, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
Interests: waste to carbon; waste management; torrefaction; biochar; landfill bioreactor; compressed biogas; landfill leachate; constructed wetlands; phytotoxicology; evapotranspiration; biodrying; biostabilization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Yan Shi

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Guest Editor

Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
Interests: solid wastes disposal and reutilization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The authors of certain papers from the The 12th National Conference On Enviromental Catalysis and Eco-Materials (12^th NCECM) held in Shanghai on 18-20 June 2021 will be recommended to extend and submit them to this Special Issue “Biomass Conversion and Organic Waste Utilization”.

Biomass and organic wastes are produced in huge amounts, and they can be utilized for the production of biofuels, biochemicals and biomaterials through biological and thermochemical methods. Anaerobic digestion (AD) has been widely used for the conversion of biomass and organic wastes to biogas. However, the stability and effiency of AD are generally low, which limits its application. In addition, the proper utilization of digestion remains to be investigated. Compost is also widely used, which can stabilize biomass and organic wastes and at the same time produce fertilizer. However, the quality of the fertilizer is low due to the instability of the process and the variation of the compostions of biomass and organic wastes. Pyrolysis is a typical thermochemical method for the utilization of biomass and organic wastes, which can produce different valuable products including biooil, biochar and syngas. The key problem for the technology is the low qulity of biooil, which needs further treatment. There are also other thermochemical technologies including hydrothermal conversion and gasification, which can also achieve the utilization of biomass and organic wastes. Considering the limitation of each technology, the combination of biological and thermochemical methods is also necessary. For example, hydrothermal treatment can be used as pretreatment to increase the efficieny of AD of reclcitrant organic wastes.

This Special Issue on “Biomass Conversion and Organic Waste Utilization” aims to highlight some of these advances in the technologies for the utilization of biomass and organic wastes. Topics include, but are not limited to:

Biological conversion of biomass and organic wastes;
Thermochemical conversion of biomass and organic wastes;
Coupled biological and thermochemical conversion for efficient utilization of biomass and organic wastes;
Upgrading of the products;
Life-cycle and techno-economic analysis of the technologies.

Prof. Dr. Shicheng Zhang
Prof. Dr. Gang Luo
Prof. Dr. Abdul-Sattar Nizami
Prof. Dr. Andrzej Białowiec
Dr. Yan Shi
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. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2400 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

anaerobic digestion
compost
pyrolysis
hydrothermal treatment
biomass
organic wastes

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 195 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Special Issue on “Biomass Conversion and Organic Waste Utilization”

by Yan Shi, Gang Luo and Shicheng Zhang

Processes 2023, 11(11), 3070; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr11113070 - 26 Oct 2023

Viewed by 810

Abstract

The recycling and utilization of biomass and organic wastes have emerged as effective strategies for saving energy and resources [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Conversion and Organic Waste Utilization)

Research

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18 pages, 5346 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cadmium Elimination via Magnetic Biochar Derived from Cow Manure: Parameter Optimization and Mechanism Insights

by Yi Wen, Dingxiang Chen, Yong Zhang, Huabin Wang and Rui Xu

Processes 2023, 11(8), 2295; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr11082295 - 31 Jul 2023

Viewed by 832

Abstract

Designing an efficient and recyclable adsorbent for cadmium pollution control is an urgent necessity. In this paper, cow manure, an abundant agricultural/animal husbandry byproduct, was employed as the raw material for the synthesis of magnetic cow manure biochar. The optimal preparation conditions were found using the response surface methodology model: 160 °C for the hydrothermal temperature, 600 °C for the pyrolysis temperature, and Fe-loading with 10 wt%. The optimal reaction conditions were also identified via the response surface methodology model: a dosage of 1 g·L⁻¹, a pH of 7, and an initial concentration of 100 mg·L⁻¹. The pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir model were used to fit the Cd(II) adsorption, and the adsorption capacity was 612.43 mg·g⁻¹. The adsorption was dominated by chemisorption with the mechanisms of ion-exchange, electrostatic attraction, pore-filling, co-precipitation, and the formation of complexations. Compared to the response surface methodology model, the back-propagation artificial neural network model fit the Cd(II) adsorption better as the error values were less. All these results demonstrate the potential application of CM for Cd(II) removal and its optimization through machine-learning processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Conversion and Organic Waste Utilization)

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15 pages, 3621 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Alkali Etching Hydrochar-Based Adsorbent Preparation Using Chinese Medicine Industry Waste and Its Application in Efficient Removal of Multiple Pollutants

by Xinyan Zhang, Shanshan Liu, Qingyu Qin, Guifang Chen and Wenlong Wang

Processes 2023, 11(2), 412; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr11020412 - 30 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1134

Abstract

The annual discharge (6–7 million tons per year) of Chinese medicine industry waste (CMIW) is large and harmful. CMIW with a high moisture content can be effectively treated by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) technology. Compared with CMIW, the volume and number of pores of the prepared hydrochar increased significantly after alkali etching (AE), and they had abundant oxygen-containing functional groups. These properties provide physical and chemical adsorption sites, improving the adsorbent activity of the alkaline etching of Chinese medicine industry waste hydrochar (AE-CMIW hydrochar). However, few studies have investigated the adsorption of organic dyes and heavy metals in mixed solutions. This study proposed a method of coupling HTC with AE to treat CMIW and explored the potential of AE-CMIW hydrochar to remove metal ions and organic dyes from mixed solution. We analyzed the removal rates of metal ions and organic dyes by the adsorbents and investigated their differences. The results showed that the lead ion, cadmium ion, and methylene blue could be efficiently removed by AE-CMIW hydrochar in a mixed solution, with removal rates of more than 98%, 20–57%, and 60–80%, respectively. The removal rates were different mainly due to the various electrostatic interactions, physical adsorption, differences in the hydrating ion radius of the metal ions, and functional group interactions between the AE-CMIW hydrochar and the lead ion, cadmium ion, and methylene blue. This study provides a technical method for preparing multi-pollutant adsorbents from CMIW, which enables efficient utilization of organic solid waste and achieves the purpose of treating waste with waste. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Conversion and Organic Waste Utilization)

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23 pages, 4294 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adsorption Characteristics and Mechanism of Methylene Blue in Water by NaOH-Modified Areca Residue Biochar

by Yixin Lu, Yujie Liu, Chunlin Li, Haolin Liu, Huan Liu, Yi Tang, Chenghan Tang, Aojie Wang and Chun Wang

Processes 2022, 10(12), 2729; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr10122729 - 17 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1381

Abstract

To solve the water pollution problem caused by methylene blue (MB), areca residue biochar (ARB) was prepared by pyrolysis at 600 °C, and modified areca residue biochar (M-ARB) was obtained by modifying ARB with 1.5 mol/L NaOH, and they were utilized to adsorb and eliminate MB from water. The structural characteristics of ARB and M-ARB were examined, and the main influencing factors and adsorption mechanism of MB adsorption process were investigated. The outcomes demonstrated an increase in M-ARB’s specific surface area and total pore volume of 66.67% and 79.61%, respectively, compared with ARB, and the pore structure was more abundant, and the content of oxygen element was also significantly increased. When the reaction temperature was 25 °C, starting pH of the mixture was 10, the initial MB concentration was 50 mg/L, the ARB and M-ARB dosages were 0.07 g/L and 0.04 g/L, respectively, the adsorption equilibrium was achieved at about 210 min, and the elimination rate for MB exceeded 94%. The adsorption behaviors of ARB and M-ARB on MB were more in line with the Langmuir isotherm model (R² > 0.95) and the quasi-secondary kinetic model (R² > 0.97), which was characterized by single-molecule layer chemisorption. The highest amount of MB that may theoretically be absorbed by M-ARB in water ranging from 136.81 to 152.72 mg/g was 74.99–76.59% higher than that of ARB. The adsorption process was a spontaneous heat absorption reaction driven by entropy increase, and the adsorption mechanism mainly involved electrostatic gravitational force, pore filling, hydrogen bonding, and π–π bonding, which was a complex process containing multiple mechanisms of action. NaOH modification can make the ARB have more perfect surface properties and more functional group structures that can participate in the adsorption reaction, which can be used as an advantageous adsorption material for MB removal in water. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Conversion and Organic Waste Utilization)

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21 pages, 6877 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation and Experimental Validation on the Effect of Twin-Screw Pulping Technology upon Straw Pulping Performance Based on Tavares Mathematical Model

by Huiting Cheng, Yuanjuan Gong, Nan Zhao, Luji Zhang, Dongqing Lv and Dezhi Ren

Processes 2022, 10(11), 2336; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10112336 - 09 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1275

Abstract

Rice straw is waste material from agriculture as a renewable biomass resource, but the black liquor produced by straw pulping causes serious pollution problems. The twin-screw pulping machine was designed by Solidworks software and the straw breakage model was created by the Discrete Element Method (DEM). The model of straw particles breakage process in the Twin-screw pulping machine was built by the Tavares model. The simulation results showed that the highest number of broken straw particles was achieved when the twin-screw spiral casing combination was negative-positive-negative-positive and the tooth groove angle arrangement of the negative spiral casing was 45°−30°−15°. The multi-factor simulation showed that the order of influence of each factor on the pulp yield was screw speed > straw moisture content > tooth groove angle. The Box-Behnken experiment showed that when screw speed was 550 r/min, tooth groove angle was 30°, straw moisture content was 65% and pulping yield achieved up to 92.5%. Twin-screw pulping performance verification experiments were conducted, and the results from the experimental measurements and simulation data from the model showed good agreement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Conversion and Organic Waste Utilization)

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Graphical abstract

13 pages, 2917 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Hydrothermal Solid Fuel Characteristics Using Waste Wood and Verification of Scalability through a Pilot Plant

by Tae-Sung Shin, Seong-Yeun Yoo, In-Kook Kang, Namhyun Kim, Sanggyu Kim, Hun-Bong Lim, Kangil Choe, Jae-Chul Lee and Hyun-Ik Yang

Processes 2022, 10(11), 2315; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr10112315 - 07 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1747 | Correction

Abstract

Increases in energy demand and waste are a major cause of natural resource depletion and environmental pollution, and technology capable of processing waste to convert it into energy is required to mitigate this issue. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is an example of this technology that can convert waste into energy, and various studies have been conducted using it for fuel conversion. This study focused on the production of a solid fuel equivalent to coal for power generation through HTC processes using waste wood. Unlike previous work, which consists only of laboratory-scale HTC experiments, we confirmed scalability through pilot-scale HTC experiments. Overall, it was possible to convert waste wood into HTC solid fuel with a calorific value of over 27,000 kJ/kg through the pilot plant HTC process. Additionally, heavy metal and hazardous substance analyses proved that it can be used as a biosolid fuel. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Conversion and Organic Waste Utilization)

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20 pages, 3027 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Techno-Economic Analysis of an Integrated Bio-Refinery for the Production of Biofuels and Value-Added Chemicals from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches

by Kean Long Lim, Wai Yin Wong, Nowilin James Rubinsin, Soh Kheang Loh and Mook Tzeng Lim

Processes 2022, 10(10), 1965; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr10101965 - 29 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2295

Abstract

Lignocellulose-rich empty fruit bunches (EFBs) have high potential as feedstock for second-generation biofuel and biochemical production without compromising food security. Nevertheless, the major challenge of valorizing lignocellulose-rich EFB is its high pretreatment cost. In this study, the preliminary techno-economic feasibility of expanding an existing pellet production plant into an integrated bio-refinery plant to produce xylitol and bioethanol was investigated as a strategy to diversify the high production cost and leverage the high selling price of biofuel and biochemicals. The EFB feedstock was split into a pellet production stream and a xylitol and bioethanol production stream. Different economic performance metrics were used to compare the profitability at different splitting ratios of xylitol and bioethanol to pellet production. The analysis showed that an EFB splitting ratio below 40% for pellet production was economically feasible. A sensitivity analysis showed that xylitol price had the most significant impact on the economic performance metrics. Another case study on the coproduction of pellet and xylitol versus that of pellet and bioethanol concluded that cellulosic bioethanol production is yet to be market-ready, requiring a minimum selling price above the current market price to be feasible at 16% of the minimum acceptable return rate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Conversion and Organic Waste Utilization)

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12 pages, 3485 KiB

Open AccessArticle

One-Step Synthesis of High-Performance N/S Co-Doped Porous Carbon Material for Environmental Remediation

by Xiaoyu Huo, Chao Jia, Shanshan Shi, Tao Teng, Shaojie Zhou, Mingda Hua, Xiangdong Zhu, Shicheng Zhang and Qunjie Xu

Processes 2022, 10(7), 1359; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr10071359 - 12 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1403

Abstract

Potassium thiocyanate (KSCN), a highly efficient “three birds with one stone” activator, might work with inorganic activators to produce excellent N/S co-doped porous carbon (NSC) materials for environmental remediation. However, the effects of inorganic activators on cooperative activation are unclear. As a result, the influence of inorganic activators on the synthesis of NSC materials was investigated further. This study shows that the surface areas of the NSC materials acquired through cooperative activation by potassium salts (KOH or K₂CO₃) were considerably higher than those acquired through KSCN activation alone (1403 m²/g). Furthermore, KSCN could cooperate with K₂CO₃ to prepare samples with excellent specific surface area (2900 m²/g) or N/S content. The as-prepared NSC materials demonstrated higher adsorption capability for chloramphenicol (833 mg/g) and Pb²⁺ (303 mg/g) (pore fitting, complexation). The research provides critical insights into the one-step synthesis of NSC materials with a vast application potential. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Conversion and Organic Waste Utilization)

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12 pages, 4159 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Molecular Dynamics Simulation for Structural Evolution of Mixed Ash from Coal and Wheat Straw

by Hengsong Ji, Xiang Li, Mei Zhang, Zhenqiang Li, Yan Zhou and Xiang Ma

Processes 2022, 10(2), 215; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr10020215 - 24 Jan 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1850

Abstract

We conducted molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the structural evolution of molten slag composed of wheat straw (WS) and Shenhua (SH) coal. The content of wheat straw in the slag was varied from 0 to 100 wt%. The MD results indicated a slight reduction in the sharpness of the radial-distribution-function curve of each ion–oxygen pair and a decrease in bonding strength with increasing WS content. WS introduced many metal ions to the ash system, increasing its overall activity. The number of bridging and non-bridging oxygen atoms changed upon straw addition, which affected the stability of the system. There were relatively few highly coordinated Si ions. The number of low-coordination Si was highest for a WS content of 30%, at which the density reached a minimum value. The degree of ash polymerization was analyzed by counting the number (Q) of tetrahedra with the number (n) of the bridging oxygen atoms. With increasing WS content, Q⁴ (tetrahedral Si) decreased, whereas Q³, Q², Q¹, and Q⁰ increased. Q⁴ reached a minimum value for a WS content of 30%, at which point the degree of ion aggregation was the weakest and the degree of disorder was the strongest. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Conversion and Organic Waste Utilization)

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Review

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16 pages, 516 KiB

Open AccessReview

Assessment of Manure Compost Used as Soil Amendment—A Review

by Elena Goldan, Valentin Nedeff, Narcis Barsan, Mihaela Culea, Mirela Panainte-Lehadus, Emilian Mosnegutu, Claudia Tomozei, Dana Chitimus and Oana Irimia

Processes 2023, 11(4), 1167; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr11041167 - 11 Apr 2023

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 6110

Abstract

Organic waste management is an important concern for both industries and communities. Proper management is crucial for various reasons, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting sustainability, and improving public health. Composted manure is a valuable source of nutrients and organic matter that can be used as a soil amendment in agriculture. Some important benefits of using composted manure in agriculture include: improves soil fertility, enhances soil structure, reduces soil erosion, suppresses plant diseases, and reduces reliance on synthetic fertilizers. Composted manure represents one of the most effective methods of organic waste valorization. Its macronutrients and micronutrients content can increase plant yield, without any reported negative or toxic effects on the soil and plants at various application rates. However, improper use of farmyard manure can have negative effects on the environment, such as air pollution from greenhouse gas emissions, soil acidification, and contamination of surface water and groundwater by nitrates and phosphates. The properties of the soil, including aeration, density, porosity, pH, water retention capacity, etc., can be improved by the structure and composition of manure. The slow-release source of nutrients provided by the nutrient content of compost can determine proper plants growth. However, it is crucial to use compost in moderation and regularly test soil to prevent excessive nutrient application, which can have adverse effects on plants and the environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Conversion and Organic Waste Utilization)

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24 pages, 1956 KiB

Open AccessReview

Composting Processes for Agricultural Waste Management: A Comprehensive Review

by Muhammad Waqas, Sarfraz Hashim, Usa Wannasingha Humphries, Shakeel Ahmad, Rabeea Noor, Muhammad Shoaib, Adila Naseem, Phyo Thandar Hlaing and Hnin Aye Lin

Processes 2023, 11(3), 731; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr11030731 - 01 Mar 2023

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 14614

Abstract

Composting is the most adaptable and fruitful method for managing biodegradable solid wastes; it is a crucial agricultural practice that contributes to recycling farm and agricultural wastes. Composting is profitable for various plant, animal, and synthetic wastes, from residential bins to large corporations. Composting and agricultural waste management (AWM) practices flourish in developing countries, especially Pakistan. Composting has advantages over other AWM practices, such as landfilling agricultural waste, which increases the potential for pollution of groundwater by leachate, while composting reduces water contamination. Furthermore, waste is burned, open-dumped on land surfaces, and disposed of into bodies of water, leading to environmental and global warming concerns. Among AWM practices, composting is an environment-friendly and cost-effective practice for agricultural waste disposal. This review investigates improved AWM via various conventional and emerging composting processes and stages: composting, underlying mechanisms, and factors that influence composting of discrete crop residue, municipal solid waste (MSW), and biomedical waste (BMW). Additionally, this review describes and compares conventional and emerging composting. In the conclusion, current trends and future composting possibilities are summarized and reviewed. Recent developments in composting for AWM are highlighted in this critical review; various recommendations are developed to aid its technological growth, recognize its advantages, and increase research interest in composting processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Conversion and Organic Waste Utilization)

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