Laccase is widely known to oxidize numerous substrates. The laccase-producing isolate used in this study was obtained from a snail gut. Agrowastes were processed using 1 % NaOH and hydrolysed with agrowastes produced by Aspergillus niger. The hydrolysate was used in place of fructose and optimized using Box-Behnken response surface methodology. Submerged fermentation in a Luria Bertani broth supplemented with 0.01 % guaiacol was used to produce laccase based on the optimal conditions. The laccase was partially purified using ammonium sulphate precipitation and used to treat palm oil mill effluents (POME). The laccase-producing isolate was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (accession number OR687603). Corn cob had the highest capacity for laccase production (7.25 U/mL). The optimal production of laccase was achieved at 37°C, pH 9, 60 h and 3.3 % carbon source. Under these conditions, 60 mL laccase (10.76 U/mL) was produced from a 5 L medium. After treatment there were reductions in chemical oxygen demand (COD) (1875.10–1542.90 mg/L), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) (23.67 mg/L to 7.33 mg/L) and pH increased from 3.57 to 3.73. The result showed that the laccase produced using corncob as a carbon source can be developed as an environmentally sustainable alternative in POME treatment.
{"title":"Extracellular laccase production by bacterial isolates for sustainable treatment of palm oil mill effluents","authors":"Oluwafemi Adebayo Oyewole , Priscilla Yetu Tsado , Konjerimam Ishaku Chimbekujwo , Ummulkhair Salamah Ilyasu , Samia S. Alkhalil , Olabisi Peter Abioye , Evans Chidi Egwim , Solomon Bankole Oyeleke","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100201","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100201","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Laccase is widely known to oxidize numerous substrates. The laccase-producing isolate used in this study was obtained from a snail gut. Agrowastes were processed using 1 % NaOH and hydrolysed with agrowastes produced by <em>Aspergillus niger</em>. The hydrolysate was used in place of fructose and optimized using Box-Behnken response surface methodology. Submerged fermentation in a Luria Bertani broth supplemented with 0.01 % guaiacol was used to produce laccase based on the optimal conditions. The laccase was partially purified using ammonium sulphate precipitation and used to treat palm oil mill effluents (POME). The laccase-producing isolate was identified as <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> (accession number OR687603). Corn cob had the highest capacity for laccase production (7.25 U/mL). The optimal production of laccase was achieved at 37<sup>°</sup>C, pH 9, 60 h and 3.3 % carbon source. Under these conditions, 60 mL laccase (10.76 U/mL) was produced from a 5 L medium. After treatment there were reductions in chemical oxygen demand (COD) (1875.10–1542.90 mg/L), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) (23.67 mg/L to 7.33 mg/L) and pH increased from 3.57 to 3.73. The result showed that the laccase produced using corncob as a carbon source can be developed as an environmentally sustainable alternative in POME treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100201"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145361916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100184
Muhammad Irfan-ul-Hassan , Azhar Saleem , Umair Shahid , Abdul Hannan Imran , Ali Hassan Zafar , Taha Arshad , Hafiz Abdullah Nadeem , Jiao-Long Zhang
This research investigates the potential of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in the composites and building units involved in housing and building e.g., mortar: used for plaster and masonry work, concrete: used for flooring and roofing, bricks: used for masonry, blocks: used for load and non-load-bearing walls and pavers: used for pathways and driveways. OPC is partially replaced by SCMs in composites and building units with SCMs such as fly ash, bagasse ash, and calcined red mud (Calcined Clay Cement C3) at multiple replacement levels. Three techniques vibration, energy-intensive, and vibro-compaction—were employed, with vibration applied to composites, both vibration and energy-intensive techniques applied to laboratory-scale units, and vibro-compaction applied to industrial-scale production. Laboratory testing identified optimum mixes, which were then upscaled for industrial applications. The results showed that 20 % replacement of fly ash (F20C) achieved a 90‑day compressive strength of 37 MPa while reducing CO₂ emissions by 61 kg m⁻³ and lowering cost from PKR 420 m⁻³ to PKR 374 m⁻³ (cost index reduced from 12.73 to 10.10). Similarly, 20 % calcined red mud (RM20C) achieved 38 MPa at 90 days. For mortar, the F20M mix reached 27.3 MPa at 90 days and reduced CO₂ emissions by 84.5 kg unit⁻¹ , lowering the cost index from 0.97 to 0.88. The OB‑4 brick mix (5 % OPC, 20 % fly ash, 25 % bagasse ash, 30 % fines, and 20 % coarse aggregates) achieved a 56‑day compressive strength of 12.1 MPa, reduced CO₂ emissions from 585 kg to 202.5 kg per 1000 units, and lowered the cost index from 1.75 to 1.46. The optimized paver mix (F20P‑E2) reached 29.5 MPa at 56 days and reduced CO₂ emissions by 116 kg unit⁻¹ . Optimized building units exhibited reduced cost indices, making them viable for low-cost housing applications. Compressive strength tests revealed that vibration techniques were more effective for coarse aggregate-rich units, while energy-intensive techniques performed better for finer aggregates. The incorporation of SCMs led to a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions and overall material costs. These findings support the development of sustainable, eco-friendly construction materials that align with cost reduction goals and carbon footprint minimization, promoting sustainable development in the construction industry. In addition, this study aligns with of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
{"title":"Development of sustainable ash and Calcined Clay Cement (C3) based composites and building units: An effort towards low-cost housing solutions","authors":"Muhammad Irfan-ul-Hassan , Azhar Saleem , Umair Shahid , Abdul Hannan Imran , Ali Hassan Zafar , Taha Arshad , Hafiz Abdullah Nadeem , Jiao-Long Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100184","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100184","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research investigates the potential of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in the composites and building units involved in housing and building e.g., mortar: used for plaster and masonry work, concrete: used for flooring and roofing, bricks: used for masonry, blocks: used for load and non-load-bearing walls and pavers: used for pathways and driveways. OPC is partially replaced by SCMs in composites and building units with SCMs such as fly ash, bagasse ash, and calcined red mud (Calcined Clay Cement C3) at multiple replacement levels. Three techniques vibration, energy-intensive, and vibro-compaction—were employed, with vibration applied to composites, both vibration and energy-intensive techniques applied to laboratory-scale units, and vibro-compaction applied to industrial-scale production. Laboratory testing identified optimum mixes, which were then upscaled for industrial applications. The results showed that 20 % replacement of fly ash (F20C) achieved a 90‑day compressive strength of 37 MPa while reducing CO₂ emissions by 61 kg m⁻³ and lowering cost from PKR 420 m⁻³ to PKR 374 m⁻³ (cost index reduced from 12.73 to 10.10). Similarly, 20 % calcined red mud (RM20C) achieved 38 MPa at 90 days. For mortar, the F20M mix reached 27.3 MPa at 90 days and reduced CO₂ emissions by 84.5 kg unit⁻¹ , lowering the cost index from 0.97 to 0.88. The OB‑4 brick mix (5 % OPC, 20 % fly ash, 25 % bagasse ash, 30 % fines, and 20 % coarse aggregates) achieved a 56‑day compressive strength of 12.1 MPa, reduced CO₂ emissions from 585 kg to 202.5 kg per 1000 units, and lowered the cost index from 1.75 to 1.46. The optimized paver mix (F20P‑E2) reached 29.5 MPa at 56 days and reduced CO₂ emissions by 116 kg unit⁻¹ . Optimized building units exhibited reduced cost indices, making them viable for low-cost housing applications. Compressive strength tests revealed that vibration techniques were more effective for coarse aggregate-rich units, while energy-intensive techniques performed better for finer aggregates. The incorporation of SCMs led to a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions and overall material costs. These findings support the development of sustainable, eco-friendly construction materials that align with cost reduction goals and carbon footprint minimization, promoting sustainable development in the construction industry. In addition, this study aligns with of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100184"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145095260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100108
Okezie Emmanuel , Rozina , Thaddeus C. Ezeji
Developing efficient strategies to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) is essential to addressing the escalating challenges of global warming. Despite being a major greenhouse gas, CO2 holds significant potential as a sustainable feedstock for chemical production. It can serve as a solvent, a preservative, a raw material for producing fuels, carbonates, polymers, and chemicals, and as a recovery agent for processes such as enhanced coal bed methane and oil recovery. This review highlights significant progress made in CO2 capture and its integration into various industrial applications. While technologies such as adsorption, absorption, membrane separation, and cryogenics have shown promise, challenges related to cost, scalability, and the efficiency of capture and utilization continue to pose significant barriers to widespread adoption. Innovative strategies, including integrated carbon capture and conversion (ICCC) and integrated carbon capture and utilization (ICCU), present promising pathways to reduce costs by combining capture and utilization processes within a single facility. Additionally, catalytic processes and biological systems, such as microalgae and microbial strains (e.g., acetogens), are paving the way for sustainable CO2 conversion into high-value products. Successful large-scale deployment of these technologies will require sustained interdisciplinary collaboration, robust policy frameworks, and increased investment in research and development. Prioritizing sustainable energy development and management offers the potential to significantly reduce anthropogenic CO2 emissions while creating useful products. Advancing these technologies will not only help in mitigating climate change but also promote the transition to a circular carbon economy, which aligns with global sustainability goals.
{"title":"Advances in carbon dioxide capture and conversion technologies: Industrial integration for sustainable chemical production","authors":"Okezie Emmanuel , Rozina , Thaddeus C. Ezeji","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100108","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100108","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Developing efficient strategies to capture carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) is essential to addressing the escalating challenges of global warming. Despite being a major greenhouse gas, CO<sub>2</sub> holds significant potential as a sustainable feedstock for chemical production. It can serve as a solvent, a preservative, a raw material for producing fuels, carbonates, polymers, and chemicals, and as a recovery agent for processes such as enhanced coal bed methane and oil recovery. This review highlights significant progress made in CO<sub>2</sub> capture and its integration into various industrial applications. While technologies such as adsorption, absorption, membrane separation, and cryogenics have shown promise, challenges related to cost, scalability, and the efficiency of capture and utilization continue to pose significant barriers to widespread adoption. Innovative strategies, including integrated carbon capture and conversion (ICCC) and integrated carbon capture and utilization (ICCU), present promising pathways to reduce costs by combining capture and utilization processes within a single facility. Additionally, catalytic processes and biological systems, such as microalgae and microbial strains (e.g., acetogens), are paving the way for sustainable CO<sub>2</sub> conversion into high-value products. Successful large-scale deployment of these technologies will require sustained interdisciplinary collaboration, robust policy frameworks, and increased investment in research and development. Prioritizing sustainable energy development and management offers the potential to significantly reduce anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> emissions while creating useful products. Advancing these technologies will not only help in mitigating climate change but also promote the transition to a circular carbon economy, which aligns with global sustainability goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100108"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143163063","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100104
S.H. Mahmud , S.C. Das , A. Saha , T. Islam , D. Paul , M.W. Akram , M.S. Jahan , M.Z.I. Mollah , M.A. Gafur , R.A. Khan
The current work aims to utilize sustainable natural fibers such as jute fiber in composite materials and a sustainable technology such as gamma (γ) irradiation to further treat the composites for their performance enrichment. First, synthetic glass fibers were hybridized to improve the performance of natural fiber composites (NFCs) with different stacking sequences. Jute fabrics were used as a natural fiber reinforcement and unsaturated polyester resin was employed as a thermoset polymer matrix. Composite laminates were manufactured by compression molding using a heat press machine. After hybridization, the mechanical properties and water resistance were improved compared to the neat NFCs (i.e., jute fiber composites, J0). The tensile strength, bending strength, tensile modulus, bending modulus, and impact strength were improved to 7–56, 5–53, 21–54, 27–69, and 199–387 %, respectively, than the J0. Further, gamma (γ) irradiation (5.0 kGy) was employed as a sustainable and chemical-free technology to treat the hybrid composite materials and improve the performance, and the optimum improvement was revealed for H3 (G2J4G2) hybrid composites. For H3, the enhancement of tensile, bending and impact strength was revealed at approximately 28, 65 and 27 %, respectively, while the tensile and bending modulus were exhibited at approximately 27 and 71 %, respectively, compared to their non-irradiated composite ones. Further characterization of the composites was studied by FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) spectroscopy and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) experimentation.
{"title":"Effect of glass fiber hybridization and radiation treatment to improve the performance of sustainable natural fiber-based hybrid (jute/glass) composites","authors":"S.H. Mahmud , S.C. Das , A. Saha , T. Islam , D. Paul , M.W. Akram , M.S. Jahan , M.Z.I. Mollah , M.A. Gafur , R.A. Khan","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100104","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100104","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The current work aims to utilize sustainable natural fibers such as jute fiber in composite materials and a sustainable technology such as gamma (γ) irradiation to further treat the composites for their performance enrichment. First, synthetic glass fibers were hybridized to improve the performance of natural fiber composites (NFCs) with different stacking sequences. Jute fabrics were used as a natural fiber reinforcement and unsaturated polyester resin was employed as a thermoset polymer matrix. Composite laminates were manufactured by compression molding using a heat press machine. After hybridization, the mechanical properties and water resistance were improved compared to the neat NFCs (i.e., jute fiber composites, J0). The tensile strength, bending strength, tensile modulus, bending modulus, and impact strength were improved to 7–56, 5–53, 21–54, 27–69, and 199–387 %, respectively, than the J0. Further, gamma (γ) irradiation (5.0 kGy) was employed as a sustainable and chemical-free technology to treat the hybrid composite materials and improve the performance, and the optimum improvement was revealed for H3 (G<sub>2</sub>J<sub>4</sub>G<sub>2</sub>) hybrid composites. For H3, the enhancement of tensile, bending and impact strength was revealed at approximately 28, 65 and 27 %, respectively, while the tensile and bending modulus were exhibited at approximately 27 and 71 %, respectively, compared to their non-irradiated composite ones. Further characterization of the composites was studied by FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) spectroscopy and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) experimentation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100104"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143163066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100167
Sara Azamian
Achieving sustainable energy development critically depends on restructuring the energy system and transitioning to renewable sources. Two factors within Iran that exacerbate the severity of this issue should be noted: substantial potential for renewable energy and the substandard efficiency of its energy systems that necessitate urgent attention and replacement. Reliability and 24-hour availability pose significant challenges for renewable energy resources; therefore, implementing effective energy storage technologies within an integrated energy system is essential. Furthermore, it is essential to consider the characteristics of climatic zones that influence energy demand patterns and the potential for renewable energy. The household sector presents significant opportunities for exploring these concepts. This study aims to determine the optimal long-term structure for an integrated heat and power supply system that uses renewable energy storage technologies in a residential building across five different climatic zones in Iran. The optimization focuses on minimizing total costs by considering the social cost of emissions alongside other system costs. The optimization problem is linear, dynamic, and multi-criteria. The considered technologies include renewables, energy storage, integrated heating and power supply, recycling, and environmentally friendly technologies, assessed to determine if this replacement is feasible or if the current system remains preferable. The results indicate that it is not only optimal to replace the current energy system but also feasible to create a zero-emission system in some zones. This transition will reduce emissions by 429,000 tons, equivalent to 79.3 million USD over 10 years in a warm and arid zone.
{"title":"Developing a sustainable, dynamic, and long-term optimization model of an integrated energy supply system while considering renewable energy storage technologies for a residency building through different climates","authors":"Sara Azamian","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100167","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100167","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Achieving sustainable energy development critically depends on restructuring the energy system and transitioning to renewable sources. Two factors within Iran that exacerbate the severity of this issue should be noted: substantial potential for renewable energy and the substandard efficiency of its energy systems that necessitate urgent attention and replacement. Reliability and 24-hour availability pose significant challenges for renewable energy resources; therefore, implementing effective energy storage technologies within an integrated energy system is essential. Furthermore, it is essential to consider the characteristics of climatic zones that influence energy demand patterns and the potential for renewable energy. The household sector presents significant opportunities for exploring these concepts. This study aims to determine the optimal long-term structure for an integrated heat and power supply system that uses renewable energy storage technologies in a residential building across five different climatic zones in Iran. The optimization focuses on minimizing total costs by considering the social cost of emissions alongside other system costs. The optimization problem is linear, dynamic, and multi-criteria. The considered technologies include renewables, energy storage, integrated heating and power supply, recycling, and environmentally friendly technologies, assessed to determine if this replacement is feasible or if the current system remains preferable. The results indicate that it is not only optimal to replace the current energy system but also feasible to create a zero-emission system in some zones. This transition will reduce emissions by 429,000 tons, equivalent to 79.3 million USD over 10 years in a warm and arid zone.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100167"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144890649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Saline water electrolysis provides a sustainable route for hydrogen production by directly utilizing saltwater without desalination. We report a custom-built electrolyzer employing a corrosion-resistant hierarchical titanium anode coated with RuO₂–IrO₂ and a Ni–SS cathode. The oxygen-selective anode effectively suppressed chlorine evolution in chloride-rich media, enabling stable operation. Electrolysis of 3 % NaCl solution produced 140.7 mmol h⁻¹ hydrogen at 17.89 mA cm⁻² in a 1-L reactor, with cell performance strongly dependent on salinity and current density. Continuous operation for 72 h under 5 V demonstrated durability, while optimization algorithms improved system efficiency. These results highlight the potential of saline water electrolysis as a scalable pathway for green hydrogen generation.
盐水电解通过直接利用盐水而无需脱盐，为制氢提供了一条可持续的途径。我们报告了一种定制的电解槽，采用耐腐蚀的分层钛阳极涂有RuO₂-IrO₂和Ni-SS阴极。氧选择性阳极有效地抑制了富氯介质中氯的析出，使其稳定运行。3 % NaCl溶液在1-L反应器中以17.89 mA cm（⁻²）的速度电解产生140.7 mmol h（⁻¹ ）氢，细胞性能与盐度和电流密度密切相关。在5 V下连续运行72 h证明了耐久性，而优化算法提高了系统效率。这些结果突出了盐水电解作为绿色制氢的可扩展途径的潜力。
{"title":"Advancing green hydrogen production: Technological and economic perspectives on saltwater electrolysis","authors":"Sehba Anjum Mumtaz Ahmed , Kushagra Gabhane , Aparna Deshpande , Shilpa Kumari , Penumaka Nagababu , Sadhana Rayalu","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100187","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100187","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Saline water electrolysis provides a sustainable route for hydrogen production by directly utilizing saltwater without desalination. We report a custom-built electrolyzer employing a corrosion-resistant hierarchical titanium anode coated with RuO₂–IrO₂ and a Ni–SS cathode. The oxygen-selective anode effectively suppressed chlorine evolution in chloride-rich media, enabling stable operation. Electrolysis of 3 % NaCl solution produced 140.7 mmol h⁻¹ hydrogen at 17.89 mA cm⁻² in a 1-L reactor, with cell performance strongly dependent on salinity and current density. Continuous operation for 72 h under 5 V demonstrated durability, while optimization algorithms improved system efficiency. These results highlight the potential of saline water electrolysis as a scalable pathway for green hydrogen generation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100187"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145108765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100192
Abdurrazzaq Ahmad , Somtochukwu Godfrey Nnabuife , Eni Oko , Alex Ibhadon
Hydrogen liquefaction is essential to enable the global hydrogen economy by facilitating efficient hydrogen transport and storage. This review examines the fundamental thermodynamic principles, refrigeration cycles, and the critical role of ortho–para hydrogen conversion, including the latest developments in catalysts. Major challenges such as high energy consumption, capital costs, and boil-off losses are critically analysed with potential mitigation strategies. By thoroughly evaluating existing liquefaction processes and conceptual plant designs, this work identifies gaps and opportunities for improving efficiency and reducing costs. Emphasis is placed on novel refrigerants, process integration, and catalytic conversion methods. This review provides insights and a strategic roadmap for researchers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers to accelerate innovation and deployment of sustainable hydrogen liquefaction technologies, supporting the transition toward a decarbonised energy future.
{"title":"Comprehensive review of advances and challenges in hydrogen liquefaction","authors":"Abdurrazzaq Ahmad , Somtochukwu Godfrey Nnabuife , Eni Oko , Alex Ibhadon","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100192","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100192","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydrogen liquefaction is essential to enable the global hydrogen economy by facilitating efficient hydrogen transport and storage. This review examines the fundamental thermodynamic principles, refrigeration cycles, and the critical role of ortho–para hydrogen conversion, including the latest developments in catalysts. Major challenges such as high energy consumption, capital costs, and boil-off losses are critically analysed with potential mitigation strategies. By thoroughly evaluating existing liquefaction processes and conceptual plant designs, this work identifies gaps and opportunities for improving efficiency and reducing costs. Emphasis is placed on novel refrigerants, process integration, and catalytic conversion methods. This review provides insights and a strategic roadmap for researchers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers to accelerate innovation and deployment of sustainable hydrogen liquefaction technologies, supporting the transition toward a decarbonised energy future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100192"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anticipated increases in Nigeria's energy consumption correlate with urbanization, improved living standards, and population expansion. As society becomes more mindful of dwindling fossil fuel reserves and environmental issues, biodiesel emerges as a viable solution to meet future energy needs in both domestic and industrial sectors. Various feedstock alternatives exist for biodiesel production, with non-edible vegetable oils gaining attention due to their non-competitive nature with food crops. Nonetheless, a thorough examination of the feasibility of converting non-edible oils into biodiesel is necessary. This scrutiny is vital as biodiesel derived from any feedstock must adhere to ASTM and DIN EN specifications to ensure its suitability as a fuel. This research presents a detailed examination, both qualitatively and bibliometrically, of potential non-edible oils suitable for biodiesel production in Nigeria. Additionally, the aim is to evaluate the evolution of research outputs related to non-edible feedstocks over time, with a specific focus on the involvement of Nigeria as a nation, various institutions, journals, and authors. The analysis primarily focuses on original research publications and conference presentations, using search commands limited to article titles containing "Non-edible," "Seed oils," and "Nigeria." The results of the Scopus database searches were exported in BibteX format and further analyzed using R & R Studio. Findings indicate an increasing research interest over the past decade, with Jatropha, Neem, and Rubber seed oil appearing as the most frequently studied non-edible feedstocks in Nigeria. This study highlights the current research landscape and identifies promising directions for sustainable biodiesel development in the country.
尼日利亚能源消耗的预期增长与城市化、生活水平的提高和人口扩张有关。随着社会越来越关注日益减少的化石燃料储量和环境问题，生物柴油成为满足未来国内和工业部门能源需求的可行解决方案。生物柴油生产中存在多种替代原料，其中非食用植物油因其与粮食作物的非竞争性而受到关注。尽管如此，对将非食用油转化为生物柴油的可行性进行彻底的研究是必要的。这种审查是至关重要的，因为从任何原料中提取的生物柴油都必须遵守ASTM和DIN EN规范，以确保其作为燃料的适用性。本研究从定性和文献计量两方面详细考察了尼日利亚适合生产生物柴油的潜在非食用油。此外，目的是评估与非食用原料相关的研究成果随时间的演变，特别关注尼日利亚作为一个国家、各种机构、期刊和作者的参与。分析主要集中在原始研究出版物和会议报告上，使用的搜索命令仅限于包含“不可食用”、“种子油”和“尼日利亚”的文章标题。Scopus数据库搜索结果导出为BibteX格式，并使用R &； R Studio进行进一步分析。研究结果表明，在过去十年中，研究兴趣日益增加，在尼日利亚，麻疯树、印度树和橡胶籽油是最常被研究的非食用原料。这项研究强调了当前的研究前景，并确定了该国可持续生物柴油发展的有希望的方向。
{"title":"Prospective non-edible sources for biodiesel production: A comprehensive conventional and bibliometric review","authors":"A.O. Oyero , H.B. Adedayo , A.A. Daniyan , S.A. Obayopo , S.B. Akintunde , K.A. Oladejo , C. Mbohwa","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100194","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100194","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Anticipated increases in Nigeria's energy consumption correlate with urbanization, improved living standards, and population expansion. As society becomes more mindful of dwindling fossil fuel reserves and environmental issues, biodiesel emerges as a viable solution to meet future energy needs in both domestic and industrial sectors. Various feedstock alternatives exist for biodiesel production, with non-edible vegetable oils gaining attention due to their non-competitive nature with food crops. Nonetheless, a thorough examination of the feasibility of converting non-edible oils into biodiesel is necessary. This scrutiny is vital as biodiesel derived from any feedstock must adhere to ASTM and DIN EN specifications to ensure its suitability as a fuel. This research presents a detailed examination, both qualitatively and bibliometrically, of potential non-edible oils suitable for biodiesel production in Nigeria. Additionally, the aim is to evaluate the evolution of research outputs related to non-edible feedstocks over time, with a specific focus on the involvement of Nigeria as a nation, various institutions, journals, and authors. The analysis primarily focuses on original research publications and conference presentations, using search commands limited to article titles containing \"Non-edible,\" \"Seed oils,\" and \"Nigeria.\" The results of the Scopus database searches were exported in BibteX format and further analyzed using R & R Studio. Findings indicate an increasing research interest over the past decade, with Jatropha, Neem, and Rubber seed oil appearing as the most frequently studied non-edible feedstocks in Nigeria. This study highlights the current research landscape and identifies promising directions for sustainable biodiesel development in the country.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100194"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218890","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100208
Paul Rademacher, Alexandra Kaas, Christian Wilke, Urs A. Peuker
Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) play a key role in the energy transition, serving as storage solutions for both mobile and stationary applications. Recovering the valuable materials contained in LIB at the end of their life is central to developing a circular economy in line with sustainability principles.
Processes for the mechanical recycling of LIB have already been successfully developed and implemented, enabling most components of a LIB to be recovered, including the materials of the anode, cathode and separator foils, as well as the casing. The concentrate resulting from the coating of the electrode foils, which is called black mass, becomes an intermediate product for hydrometallurgical recycling processes for the recovery of lithium, among other materials.
Some OEM in the automotive industry are about to introduce cell-to-pack technologies, in which individual LIB cells are fixed and stabilised in position inside the large battery pack with the aid of a polymeric foam. This adds further materials to the battery pack. The effects of the foam on recycling are not yet known. Within the scope of this experimental work, several technological variants for enriching and separating the foam as an individual material fraction were investigated, achieving foam recoveries of between 79 % and 99 %. The overall goal is to minimise contamination of the valuable fractions by the foam. The effect of two different types of foam on the purity of the recycling products was analysed.
{"title":"Influence of foam composite in lithium-ion battery packs on their mechanical recycling","authors":"Paul Rademacher, Alexandra Kaas, Christian Wilke, Urs A. Peuker","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100208","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100208","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) play a key role in the energy transition, serving as storage solutions for both mobile and stationary applications. Recovering the valuable materials contained in LIB at the end of their life is central to developing a circular economy in line with sustainability principles.</div><div>Processes for the mechanical recycling of LIB have already been successfully developed and implemented, enabling most components of a LIB to be recovered, including the materials of the anode, cathode and separator foils, as well as the casing. The concentrate resulting from the coating of the electrode foils, which is called black mass, becomes an intermediate product for hydrometallurgical recycling processes for the recovery of lithium, among other materials.</div><div>Some OEM in the automotive industry are about to introduce cell-to-pack technologies, in which individual LIB cells are fixed and stabilised in position inside the large battery pack with the aid of a polymeric foam. This adds further materials to the battery pack. The effects of the foam on recycling are not yet known. Within the scope of this experimental work, several technological variants for enriching and separating the foam as an individual material fraction were investigated, achieving foam recoveries of between 79 % and 99 %. The overall goal is to minimise contamination of the valuable fractions by the foam. The effect of two different types of foam on the purity of the recycling products was analysed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100208"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145519426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100216
Samyak Singh , Bhavana Dixit , Anupama Raj , Ajay Kumar , V. Baswanth
Sal (Shorea robusta), a dominant tree species in tropical South Asian forests, plays a key role in supporting biodiversity, regulating microclimate, and maintaining ecosystem functions. However, escalating anthropogenic disturbances, i.e., grazing, felling, burning and collection of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) pose a significant threat to these forests. Understanding how tree diversity and forest structure respond to disturbances is crucial for effective management and conservation. Therefore, we examined how contrasting site conditions- closed (protected) versus open (disturbed) in Mixed and Pure Sal Forests influence phytosociological characteristics and diversity patterns in the Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve (AABR), India. In total, 24 tree species spanning 22 genera and 16 families were documented, with higher species richness and family diversity in the Mixed Sal Forest (MSF) closed sites (CS). Bray–Curtis similarity analysis revealed 52.3 % compositional overlap among the sites, indicating changes linked to disturbance intensity. Tree density ranged from 340 to 920 individuals (ind) ha⁻¹ , with the highest in MSFCS (Mixed Sal Forest closed site) and the lowest in Pure Sal Forest (PSF) open sites (OS). The basal area was greatest in the PSFOS (50.62 m² ha⁻¹), due to the larger girth of Shorea robusta, which also exhibited the highest Importance Value Index (IVI) across all sites. Diversity indices revealed significantly greater richness (Margalef's R = 4.42), evenness (E = 0.78), and Shannon diversity (H̄ = 2.22) in MSFCS, while dominance (CD) and beta diversity (βd) were more pronounced in PSFOS. Correlation analysis demonstrated that disturbance linked to human proximity, grazing, and Non-Timber Forest Products collection negatively affected tree density and diversity. The study highlights the importance of managing anthropogenic pressures to sustain forest biodiversity.
{"title":"Anthropogenic footprints on Sal Forests: A quantitative assessment of phytosociological attributes and diversity in an Indian Biosphere Reserve","authors":"Samyak Singh , Bhavana Dixit , Anupama Raj , Ajay Kumar , V. Baswanth","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100216","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100216","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sal (<em>Shorea robusta</em>), a dominant tree species in tropical South Asian forests, plays a key role in supporting biodiversity, regulating microclimate, and maintaining ecosystem functions. However, escalating anthropogenic disturbances, i.e., grazing, felling, burning and collection of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) pose a significant threat to these forests. Understanding how tree diversity and forest structure respond to disturbances is crucial for effective management and conservation. Therefore, we examined how contrasting site conditions- closed (protected) versus open (disturbed) in Mixed and Pure Sal Forests influence phytosociological characteristics and diversity patterns in the Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve (AABR), India. In total, 24 tree species spanning 22 genera and 16 families were documented, with higher species richness and family diversity in the Mixed Sal Forest (MSF) closed sites (CS). Bray–Curtis similarity analysis revealed 52.3 % compositional overlap among the sites, indicating changes linked to disturbance intensity. Tree density ranged from 340 to 920 individuals (ind) ha⁻¹ , with the highest in MSFCS (Mixed Sal Forest closed site) and the lowest in Pure Sal Forest (PSF) open sites (OS). The basal area was greatest in the PSFOS (50.62 m² ha⁻¹), due to the larger girth of <em>Shorea robusta</em>, which also exhibited the highest Importance Value Index (IVI) across all sites. Diversity indices revealed significantly greater richness (Margalef's R = 4.42), evenness (E = 0.78), and Shannon diversity (H̄ = 2.22) in MSFCS, while dominance (CD) and beta diversity (βd) were more pronounced in PSFOS. Correlation analysis demonstrated that disturbance linked to human proximity, grazing, and Non-Timber Forest Products collection negatively affected tree density and diversity. The study highlights the importance of managing anthropogenic pressures to sustain forest biodiversity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100216"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145578891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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