Pub Date : 2025-07-21DOI: 10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100358
Mohammed H. Eldesouki , Usama Nour Eldemerdash , Mohamed Mokhtar Mohamed , Ahmed Abd El-Moneim
This research investigates the use of biochar derived from agricultural waste as a support material for Fe-based (Fe-Co-K) catalysts, with and without Zn, in CO and CO2 hydrogenation, benchmarking its performance against commercial activated carbon. Under semi-industrial Fischer-Tropsch conditions, biochar-supported catalysts, particularly the Zn-enhanced variant (ZFCK@C), delivered superior catalytic outcomes. The catalysts were prepared using ultrasound-assisted dissolution and incipient wetness methods and characterized using FTIR, XRD, BET, H2-TPR, CO2-TPD, XPS, and TEM. In CO hydrogenation at 340 °C and 20 bar, ZFCK@C achieved a remarkable 97 % conversion, with 32 % longer hydrocarbons selectivity (C5+), 39.6 % olefins distribution(C5+), an O/P ratio of 4.0, and 45.3 % gasoline-range (C5–C12) hydrocarbons distribution. For CO2 hydrogenation at 340 °C and 30 bar, the catalyst showed 40 % conversion, low CH4 selectivity (6.1 %), high C5+ selectivity (45 %), 38.7 % olefins distribution(C5+), an O/P ratio of 3.2, and 45.3 % kerosene-range (C6–C16) hydrocarbons distribution. Stability testing over 100 h demonstrated excellent durability with no significant deactivation or sintering, making the catalyst viable for extended industrial use.
{"title":"Semi-industrial CO and CO2 conversion with biochar-supported Fe-based catalysts","authors":"Mohammed H. Eldesouki , Usama Nour Eldemerdash , Mohamed Mokhtar Mohamed , Ahmed Abd El-Moneim","doi":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100358","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100358","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research investigates the use of biochar derived from agricultural waste as a support material for Fe-based (Fe-Co-K) catalysts, with and without Zn, in CO and CO<sub>2</sub> hydrogenation, benchmarking its performance against commercial activated carbon. Under semi-industrial Fischer-Tropsch conditions, biochar-supported catalysts, particularly the Zn-enhanced variant (ZFCK@C), delivered superior catalytic outcomes. The catalysts were prepared using ultrasound-assisted dissolution and incipient wetness methods and characterized using FTIR, XRD, BET, H<sub>2</sub>-TPR, CO<sub>2</sub>-TPD, XPS, and TEM. In CO hydrogenation at 340 °C and 20 bar, ZFCK@C achieved a remarkable 97 % conversion, with 32 % longer hydrocarbons selectivity (C<sub>5+</sub>), 39.6 % olefins distribution(C<sub>5+</sub>), an O/P ratio of 4.0, and 45.3 % gasoline-range (C<sub>5</sub>–C<sub>12</sub>) hydrocarbons distribution. For CO<sub>2</sub> hydrogenation at 340 °C and 30 bar, the catalyst showed 40 % conversion, low CH<sub>4</sub> selectivity (6.1 %), high C<sub>5+</sub> selectivity (45 %), 38.7 % olefins distribution(C<sub>5+</sub>), an O/P ratio of 3.2, and 45.3 % kerosene-range (C<sub>6</sub>–C<sub>16</sub>) hydrocarbons distribution. Stability testing over 100 h demonstrated excellent durability with no significant deactivation or sintering, making the catalyst viable for extended industrial use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52958,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Resources Conversion","volume":"9 2","pages":"Article 100358"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146175071","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The enormous amount of solid waste generated annually necessitates a transition toward circular economy strategies, especially targeting solid wastes such as waste tires, plastics, and biomass. This review explores microwave-assisted pyrolysis as a sustainable and efficient approach for converting these wastes into valuable products, specifically carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) and hydrogen gas (H2). Compared to conventional pyrolysis, microwave-assisted techniques offer superior energy efficiency, faster heating rates, and higher product quality. A core focus of this review is the significant influence of catalysts and process parameters on the outcomes of microwave pyrolysis. Transition metal catalysts, particularly iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and nickel (Ni), have demonstrated superior performance in enhancing both H2 yield and CNMs synthesis. Bimetallic and composite catalysts exhibit enhanced microwave absorption and catalytic efficiency, making them highly suitable for this application. Moreover, critical process parameters, including microwave power, temperature, and residence time, play a pivotal role in determining product yield and quality. High microwave power and optimal temperature promote selective hydrogen generation and improve CNMs morphology, while prolonged residence time enhances gas yield. Finally, this review identifies existing knowledge gaps and outlines promising future directions for the efficient production of CNMs and hydrogen from various solid wastes using microwave-assisted pyrolysis.
{"title":"Microwave-assisted pyrolysis of solid waste for the production of high-value carbon nanomaterials and hydrogen gas: a review","authors":"Amani Hussein , Raihan Mahirah Ramli , Suriati Sufian , Najib Al-mahbashi , Siti Shawalliah Idris , Abid Salam Farooqi","doi":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100355","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100355","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The enormous amount of solid waste generated annually necessitates a transition toward circular economy strategies, especially targeting solid wastes such as waste tires, plastics, and biomass. This review explores microwave-assisted pyrolysis as a sustainable and efficient approach for converting these wastes into valuable products, specifically carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) and hydrogen gas (H<sub>2</sub>). Compared to conventional pyrolysis, microwave-assisted techniques offer superior energy efficiency, faster heating rates, and higher product quality. A core focus of this review is the significant influence of catalysts and process parameters on the outcomes of microwave pyrolysis. Transition metal catalysts, particularly iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and nickel (Ni), have demonstrated superior performance in enhancing both H<sub>2</sub> yield and CNMs synthesis. Bimetallic and composite catalysts exhibit enhanced microwave absorption and catalytic efficiency, making them highly suitable for this application. Moreover, critical process parameters, including microwave power, temperature, and residence time, play a pivotal role in determining product yield and quality. High microwave power and optimal temperature promote selective hydrogen generation and improve CNMs morphology, while prolonged residence time enhances gas yield. Finally, this review identifies existing knowledge gaps and outlines promising future directions for the efficient production of CNMs and hydrogen from various solid wastes using microwave-assisted pyrolysis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52958,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Resources Conversion","volume":"9 2","pages":"Article 100355"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146175081","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-09DOI: 10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100356
Panagiota Diamantopoulou , George Aggelis , Seraphim Papanikolaou
In the present review-article several aspects dealing with the biotechnological production of two major groups of enzymes, viz. amylases and lignocellulases, are discussed. The chemical composition and structure of the substrates (viz. starch and related compounds and lignocellulose) on which these enzymes act, and the mechanisms implicated in substrate hydrolysis / transformation, are presented in detail. A significant number of microorganisms with very different physiology, i.e., belonging to bacteria, yeasts and fungi, is implicated in the production of these enzymes, under different conditions. As a result, the conditions concerning microbial growth and enzyme production are determined by the selected microorganism, carbon substrate and target enzyme. All these aspects, playing a critical role in enzyme production, together with biotechnological approaches used to maximize enzyme production are critically discussed. In conclusion, a plethora of prokaryotic and eukaryotic wild-type and / or genetically modified microorganisms can be implicated in the production of the above-mentioned types of enzymes. A significant number of renewable / low-cost compounds based on starch and / or lignocellulose can be subjected to microbial valorization with simultaneous production of these enzymes. The topic of the production of these enzymes is a timely and important one with long-range impact, given significant importance and the numerous applications that amylases and lignocellulases present in the agro-industrial, agro-food, biofuel, pharmaceutical, chemical and detergent facilities.
{"title":"Renewable carbon sources as microbial substrates for the production of amylases and lignocellulases","authors":"Panagiota Diamantopoulou , George Aggelis , Seraphim Papanikolaou","doi":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100356","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100356","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the present review-article several aspects dealing with the biotechnological production of two major groups of enzymes, <em>viz</em>. amylases and lignocellulases, are discussed. The chemical composition and structure of the substrates (<em>viz</em>. starch and related compounds and lignocellulose) on which these enzymes act, and the mechanisms implicated in substrate hydrolysis / transformation, are presented in detail. A significant number of microorganisms with very different physiology, i.e., belonging to bacteria, yeasts and fungi, is implicated in the production of these enzymes, under different conditions. As a result, the conditions concerning microbial growth and enzyme production are determined by the selected microorganism, carbon substrate and target enzyme. All these aspects, playing a critical role in enzyme production, together with biotechnological approaches used to maximize enzyme production are critically discussed. In conclusion, a plethora of prokaryotic and eukaryotic wild-type and / or genetically modified microorganisms can be implicated in the production of the above-mentioned types of enzymes. A significant number of renewable / low-cost compounds based on starch and / or lignocellulose can be subjected to microbial valorization with simultaneous production of these enzymes. The topic of the production of these enzymes is a timely and important one with long-range impact, given significant importance and the numerous applications that amylases and lignocellulases present in the agro-industrial, agro-food, biofuel, pharmaceutical, chemical and detergent facilities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52958,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Resources Conversion","volume":"9 2","pages":"Article 100356"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146175068","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Oleaginous yeasts hold significant potential as biodiesel feedstocks as they accumulate high content of lipids with similar fatty acid profiles to those of plant oils. However, the commercialization of yeast lipids is limited by the high cost of nutrients for yeast cultivation. This study aimed to explore the use of agro-industrial carbon wastes as low-cost nutrients and cultivation strategies for promising oleaginous yeasts. Four oleaginous yeasts were screened for their ability to grow on molasses, crude glycerol, and whey lactose. Among the yeast strains and agro-industrial wastes tested, Candida tropicalis X37 and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa G43 grew best on molasses and produced higher lipids than other strains. Both strains grew better when adding ammonium sulfate as a low-cost nitrogen source, but C. tropicalis X37 produced higher lipids when using only molasses. Through the fed-batch cultivation, C. tropicalis X37 could thrive in high molasses concentration and gave higher biomass and lipids than R. mucilaginosa G43. Scaling up in a bioreactor using an aeration rate of 1.0 air volume per liquid volume per minute further increased the production of biomass and lipids by C. tropicalis X37 up to 15.75 ± 0.42 g/L and 6.55 ± 0.35 g/L, respectively. The analysis of prospective fuel properties confirmed that the yeast lipids are suitable as biodiesel feedstocks. These strategies would contribute greatly to supporting green energy supply, sustainable management of wastes, and environmental protection.
{"title":"Bioconversion of agro-industrial carbon wastes into biodiesel feedstocks with superior fuel properties by promising oleaginous yeasts and cultivation strategies","authors":"Amporn Malisorn , Benjamas Cheirsilp , Asma Billateh , Yasmi Louhasakul , Apichat Upaichit","doi":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100354","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100354","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Oleaginous yeasts hold significant potential as biodiesel feedstocks as they accumulate high content of lipids with similar fatty acid profiles to those of plant oils. However, the commercialization of yeast lipids is limited by the high cost of nutrients for yeast cultivation. This study aimed to explore the use of agro-industrial carbon wastes as low-cost nutrients and cultivation strategies for promising oleaginous yeasts. Four oleaginous yeasts were screened for their ability to grow on molasses, crude glycerol, and whey lactose. Among the yeast strains and agro-industrial wastes tested, <em>Candida tropicalis</em> X37 and <em>Rhodotorula mucilaginosa</em> G43 grew best on molasses and produced higher lipids than other strains. Both strains grew better when adding ammonium sulfate as a low-cost nitrogen source, but <em>C. tropicalis</em> X37 produced higher lipids when using only molasses. Through the fed-batch cultivation, <em>C. tropicalis</em> X37 could thrive in high molasses concentration and gave higher biomass and lipids than <em>R. mucilaginosa</em> G43. Scaling up in a bioreactor using an aeration rate of 1.0 air volume per liquid volume per minute further increased the production of biomass and lipids by <em>C. tropicalis</em> X37 up to 15.75 ± 0.42 g/L and 6.55 ± 0.35 g/L, respectively. The analysis of prospective fuel properties confirmed that the yeast lipids are suitable as biodiesel feedstocks. These strategies would contribute greatly to supporting green energy supply, sustainable management of wastes, and environmental protection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52958,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Resources Conversion","volume":"9 2","pages":"Article 100354"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146175069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-22DOI: 10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100343
Milap G. Nayak
Biodiesel is a versatile energy source synthesized by trans esterifying various edible or nonedible oils using catalysts. It is preferable to diesel because of its higher flash points, reduced sulphur content, and biodegradability. Biodiesel synthesis by esterification or transesterification methods involves conventional homogeneous or heterogeneous, enzymatic, supercritical, ultrasound, and microwave techniques. Since the operating conditions and mechanisms in each method differ, a comprehensive evaluation is necessary. This manuscript examines and covers a comprehensive summary of conventional heating, homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic systems. A review of enzymatic, supercritical, microwave, electrolysis, and ultrasound-assisted biodiesel synthesis techniques is also included. The comparative study of a microwave with a conventional system shows that it is superior to the latter due to inverse temperature gradient, high thermal efficiency, and reduction in activation energy, resulting in improved product purity and operating time. It performs better than slower enzymatic processes that involve product inhibition. It outperforms supercritical transesterification, which involves high operating conditions (temperature 200 to 300 °C, pressure 20 to 30 MPa) and product deterioration. When compared to alternative approaches, microwave-aided transesterification significantly reduces response time and outperforms other methods. Techno-economic study and green chemistry principles are also favors in microwave-assisted biodiesel synthesis. Use of oleaginous microorganisms and microalgae as a feedstock, and process integration using valorization of waste glycerol, improved the sustainability of biodiesel synthesis.
{"title":"Review and comparison of the methodology adopted for biodiesel production","authors":"Milap G. Nayak","doi":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100343","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100343","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biodiesel is a versatile energy source synthesized by trans esterifying various edible or nonedible oils using catalysts. It is preferable to diesel because of its higher flash points, reduced sulphur content, and biodegradability. Biodiesel synthesis by esterification or transesterification methods involves conventional homogeneous or heterogeneous, enzymatic, supercritical, ultrasound, and microwave techniques. Since the operating conditions and mechanisms in each method differ, a comprehensive evaluation is necessary. This manuscript examines and covers a comprehensive summary of conventional heating, homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic systems. A review of enzymatic, supercritical, microwave, electrolysis, and ultrasound-assisted biodiesel synthesis techniques is also included. The comparative study of a microwave with a conventional system shows that it is superior to the latter due to inverse temperature gradient, high thermal efficiency, and reduction in activation energy, resulting in improved product purity and operating time. It performs better than slower enzymatic processes that involve product inhibition. It outperforms supercritical transesterification, which involves high operating conditions (temperature 200 to 300 °C, pressure 20 to 30 MPa) and product deterioration. When compared to alternative approaches, microwave-aided transesterification significantly reduces response time and outperforms other methods. Techno-economic study and green chemistry principles are also favors in microwave-assisted biodiesel synthesis. Use of oleaginous microorganisms and microalgae as a feedstock, and process integration using valorization of waste glycerol, improved the sustainability of biodiesel synthesis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52958,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Resources Conversion","volume":"9 1","pages":"Article 100343"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145915304","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a promising techno-economic method for biomass waste valorization owing to its advantages over other thermochemical processes. This study focused on carbon sequestration from sugarcane bioethanol distillery wastewater via HTC and chemical activation to produce activated carbon (AC). The resulting AC was then applied as an active material for supercapacitor electrodes. The introduction of redox molecules, such as 1,4-anthraquinone (AQ) and 9,10-phenanthrenequinone (PQ), on AC increased charge storage capability via redox transformation and enhanced the electrochemical performance of the supercapacitor electrode. Electrochemical testing showed that AC loaded with 16 wt% PQ achieved the highest specific capacitance of 488.21 F g−1 with remarkable capacitance retention of 95.3 % after 1000 charge–discharge cycles. N-doped AC obtained from the HTC of wastewater and melamine presented a slightly enhanced specific capacitance. Various commercial LEDs with a voltage range of 1.8–3.0 V were illuminated simultaneously by connecting them to two series of symmetric supercapacitors, demonstrating the potential application of our proposed strategy in energy storage systems. This study proposes a simple and efficient strategy to utilize wastewater and achieve net-zero emission goals in a Bio-Circular-Green Economy model.
水热炭化是一种很有前途的技术经济方法，具有其他热化学方法无法比拟的优越性。本研究主要针对甘蔗生物乙醇蒸馏废水进行碳固存和化学活化制备活性炭（AC）的研究。由此产生的交流电随后被用作超级电容器电极的活性材料。在交流电极上引入1,4-蒽醌（AQ）和9,10-菲醌（PQ）等氧化还原分子，通过氧化还原转化提高了电荷存储能力，提高了超级电容器电极的电化学性能。电化学测试表明，负载16 wt% PQ的交流电容达到了最高的488.21 F g−1，在1000次充放电循环后电容保持率达到了95.3%。从废水和三聚氰胺的HTC中获得的n掺杂交流电的比电容略有增强。通过将电压范围为1.8-3.0 V的各种商用led连接到两组对称超级电容器上同时照明，证明了我们提出的策略在储能系统中的潜在应用。本研究提出了一种简单有效的策略来利用废水，并在生物循环-绿色经济模型中实现净零排放目标。
{"title":"Carbon sequestration from high-BOD wastewater for efficient supercapacitor electrode","authors":"Supapit Rawisod , Thi Tuong Vi Tran , Chanatip Samart , Guoqing Guan , Prasert Reubroycharoen , Lalita Attanatho , Yoothana Thanmongkhon , Suwadee Kongparakul","doi":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100341","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100341","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a promising techno-economic method for biomass waste valorization owing to its advantages over other thermochemical processes. This study focused on carbon sequestration from sugarcane bioethanol distillery wastewater via HTC and chemical activation to produce activated carbon (AC). The resulting AC was then applied as an active material for supercapacitor electrodes. The introduction of redox molecules, such as 1,4-anthraquinone (AQ) and 9,10-phenanthrenequinone (PQ), on AC increased charge storage capability via redox transformation and enhanced the electrochemical performance of the supercapacitor electrode. Electrochemical testing showed that AC loaded with 16 wt% PQ achieved the highest specific capacitance of 488.21 F g<sup>−1</sup> with remarkable capacitance retention of 95.3 % after 1000 charge–discharge cycles. N-doped AC obtained from the HTC of wastewater and melamine presented a slightly enhanced specific capacitance. Various commercial LEDs with a voltage range of 1.8–3.0 V were illuminated simultaneously by connecting them to two series of symmetric supercapacitors, demonstrating the potential application of our proposed strategy in energy storage systems. This study proposes a simple and efficient strategy to utilize wastewater and achieve net-zero emission goals in a Bio-Circular-Green Economy model.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52958,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Resources Conversion","volume":"9 1","pages":"Article 100341"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145915303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bio-upcycling is an emerging end-of-life strategy for the polymer waste treatment that uses the power of microorganisms to biocatalyticaly convert the pre-treated polymer waste monomers into high-added materials. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), one of the leading synthetic polyesters in the global polymer market, produced from petrol based feedstock, still has no completely green alternative to meet global demand. Therefore, putting the PET based waste into a circular loop has become one of the major challenges of plastic waste management. In that context, the present study addressed the conversion of PET containing hydrolysates collected after the thermal pretreatment into bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), nowadays one of the most promising biopolymers produced in a sustainable manner. After the optimization of the BNC production cultivated under different conditions in PET hydrolysates, in a static way, the optimal conditions (yield of 3.0 mg/ml) was applied for scaling up. To further open the applicative potential of the BNC produced from PET containing plastic waste, platinum nanoparticles were deposited onto BNC developing new catalyst active in the methanol oxidation reaction. In order to enhance BNC ability to support Pt nanoparticles, it was blended with poly(vinyl alcohol), PVA, producing new PVA/BNC composites, recognized as an improved solid support, rich in hydroxyl groups that serve as an anchor points to Pt deposition. Due to the enrichment of BNC by PVA, it was possible to prepare highly active Pt-based catalyst with only 3 wt% of loaded Pt, which significantly reduce the cost of catalyst production. The cost-effective catalyst was prepared using sodium boron hydride as a reducing agent associated with film casting and fully characterized using FTIR, TGA, XRD, XPS, TEM, SEM-EDX analysis and its potential was confirmed in methanol oxidation reaction. This study explored the circular pathway from PET plastic waste to BNC and further to its potential application in direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC).
{"title":"Upcycling PET plastic waste into bacterial nanocellulose based electro catalyst efficient in direct methanol fuel cells","authors":"Sanja Stevanovic , Jelena Milovanovic , Ramesh Babu Padamati , Vladan R. Cosovic , Dragana Milosevic , Christos Argirusis , Georgia Sourkouni , Jasmina Nikodinovic-Runic , Marijana Ponjavic","doi":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100340","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100340","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bio-upcycling is an emerging end-of-life strategy for the polymer waste treatment that uses the power of microorganisms to biocatalyticaly convert the pre-treated polymer waste monomers into high-added materials. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), one of the leading synthetic polyesters in the global polymer market, produced from petrol based feedstock, still has no completely green alternative to meet global demand. Therefore, putting the PET based waste into a circular loop has become one of the major challenges of plastic waste management. In that context, the present study addressed the conversion of PET containing hydrolysates collected after the thermal pretreatment into bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), nowadays one of the most promising biopolymers produced in a sustainable manner. After the optimization of the BNC production cultivated under different conditions in PET hydrolysates, in a static way, the optimal conditions (yield of 3.0 mg/ml) was applied for scaling up. To further open the applicative potential of the BNC produced from PET containing plastic waste, platinum nanoparticles were deposited onto BNC developing new catalyst active in the methanol oxidation reaction. In order to enhance BNC ability to support Pt nanoparticles, it was blended with poly(vinyl alcohol), PVA, producing new PVA/BNC composites, recognized as an improved solid support, rich in hydroxyl groups that serve as an anchor points to Pt deposition. Due to the enrichment of BNC by PVA, it was possible to prepare highly active Pt-based catalyst with only 3 wt% of loaded Pt, which significantly reduce the cost of catalyst production. The cost-effective catalyst was prepared using sodium boron hydride as a reducing agent associated with film casting and fully characterized using FTIR, TGA, XRD, XPS, TEM, SEM-EDX analysis and its potential was confirmed in methanol oxidation reaction. This study explored the circular pathway from PET plastic waste to BNC and further to its potential application in direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52958,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Resources Conversion","volume":"9 1","pages":"Article 100340"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145915302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-05DOI: 10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100339
Chunhong Huang, Chuyang Tang, Jiaqi Liu, Xinyuan An, Shankun Zhou
This study investigated the catalytic pyrolysis of peanut shells (PNS) by employing three steel-industry solid wastes as catalysts: desulfurized ash (DA), mill scale (MS), and leaching solution of iron tailings (TLS). The objective was to enhance pyrolysis gas quality and yield while lowering catalyst cost, both critical for sustainable energy production. The catalytic effects on gas distribution and quality were investigated at 600 °C. Experimental results indicated that DA, MS, and TLS significantly increased the yield of pyrolysis gas, with TLS exhibiting the most pronounced effect. When the concentration of Fe2(SO4)3 in TLS-PNS was 15 wt%, the yield of pyrolysis gas reached a maximum of 42.26 wt% (daf). This value exceeds the yields obtained from pyrolysis of PNS alone and under catalysis of DA or MS. Comparing to pyrolysis of PNS alone, catalytic pyrolysis at a DA/PNS ratio of 40/100 increased the contents of CH4 and H2 in pyrolysis gas by 51.27 % and 77.30 %, respectively. Additionally, Ca(OH)2 in the DA absorbed CO2 generated during the DA-catalyzed pyrolysis of PNS, thereby improving the quality of the gas. The effect of CH4 and H2 enrichment and CO2 reduction resulted in a lower heating value (LHV) of 8.15 MJ/m3 for DA-catalyzed pyrolysis of PNS, which was 1.1 times higher than that pyrolysis of PNS alone (7.43 MJ/m3). Morphological and structural analyses of the biochar revealed that the integration of DA, MS, and TLS facilitated the thermal decomposition of PNS. This process resulted in increased porosity. The potential catalytic mechanisms of DA were further investigated using model compounds. These findings offer valuable insights into the use of low-cost catalysts for optimizing biomass pyrolysis, thereby contributing to the development of environmentally friendly energy sources.
{"title":"Insight into the catalytic role of industrial solid waste in improving gas quality during biomass pyrolysis","authors":"Chunhong Huang, Chuyang Tang, Jiaqi Liu, Xinyuan An, Shankun Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100339","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100339","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the catalytic pyrolysis of peanut shells (PNS) by employing three steel-industry solid wastes as catalysts: desulfurized ash (DA), mill scale (MS), and leaching solution of iron tailings (TLS). The objective was to enhance pyrolysis gas quality and yield while lowering catalyst cost, both critical for sustainable energy production. The catalytic effects on gas distribution and quality were investigated at 600 °C. Experimental results indicated that DA, MS, and TLS significantly increased the yield of pyrolysis gas, with TLS exhibiting the most pronounced effect. When the concentration of Fe<sub>2</sub>(SO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub> in TLS-PNS was 15 wt%, the yield of pyrolysis gas reached a maximum of 42.26 wt% (daf). This value exceeds the yields obtained from pyrolysis of PNS alone and under catalysis of DA or MS. Comparing to pyrolysis of PNS alone, catalytic pyrolysis at a DA/PNS ratio of 40/100 increased the contents of CH<sub>4</sub> and H<sub>2</sub> in pyrolysis gas by 51.27 % and 77.30 %, respectively. Additionally, Ca(OH)<sub>2</sub> in the DA absorbed CO<sub>2</sub> generated during the DA-catalyzed pyrolysis of PNS, thereby improving the quality of the gas. The effect of CH<sub>4</sub> and H<sub>2</sub> enrichment and CO<sub>2</sub> reduction resulted in a lower heating value (LHV) of 8.15 MJ/m<sup>3</sup> for DA-catalyzed pyrolysis of PNS, which was 1.1 times higher than that pyrolysis of PNS alone (7.43 MJ/m<sup>3</sup>). Morphological and structural analyses of the biochar revealed that the integration of DA, MS, and TLS facilitated the thermal decomposition of PNS. This process resulted in increased porosity. The potential catalytic mechanisms of DA were further investigated using model compounds. These findings offer valuable insights into the use of low-cost catalysts for optimizing biomass pyrolysis, thereby contributing to the development of environmentally friendly energy sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52958,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Resources Conversion","volume":"9 1","pages":"Article 100339"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145915301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-02DOI: 10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100338
Anastasios Kyriazis, George Aggelis, Alexandra Lianou
Pomegranate residues (PRs), namely pomegranate peels and seeds remaining after juice extraction, constitute a significant agro-industrial residue in Greece. Despite their ample content in carbon sources and bioactive compounds, PRs are largely unexploited, with their management being an increasing concern for the pomegranate processing industry. The objective of this study was the development and characterization of a bioprocess aiming at the biotechnological valorization of PRs for ethanol production. Specifically, a stepwise investigation was conducted, including (i) the production and chemical characterization of extracts/hydrolysates from PRs using distinct pretreatments not involving organic solvents or enzymatic hydrolysis; (ii) the assessment of the exploitability of a selected hydrolysate as fermentation feedstock using Saccharomyces cerevisiae; and (iii) the advancement of the bioprocess through the joined utilization in the fermentation substrate of PRs and seeded raisins (SRs), another important agro-industrial residue in Greece. The finally developed substrate, comprising a mixture of PRs/SRs extracts at concentrations 60/40 % v/v, was used in three fermentation trials, and the fermentation process was quantitatively described using the Aiba model. The developed bioprocess resulted in satisfactorily high bioethanol production with the maximum attained concentration being 50.0 ± 0.6 g/L. The maximum specific growth rate (µmax) of S. cerevisiae was estimated to be 0.135 1/h and the bioethanol yield (Yps), namely the amount of produced ethanol/amount of consumed reducing sugars, was estimated to be 0.423 g/g. Hence, PRs can be efficiently used in the development of a fermentation substrate for bioethanol production, providing an economic and environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional feedstocks.
{"title":"Pomegranate residues as fermentation feedstock for bioethanol production: Process design and characterization","authors":"Anastasios Kyriazis, George Aggelis, Alexandra Lianou","doi":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100338","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crcon.2025.100338","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pomegranate residues (PRs), namely pomegranate peels and seeds remaining after juice extraction, constitute a significant agro-industrial residue in Greece. Despite their ample content in carbon sources and bioactive compounds, PRs are largely unexploited, with their management being an increasing concern for the pomegranate processing industry. The objective of this study was the development and characterization of a bioprocess aiming at the biotechnological valorization of PRs for ethanol production. Specifically, a stepwise investigation was conducted, including (i) the production and chemical characterization of extracts/hydrolysates from PRs using distinct pretreatments not involving organic solvents or enzymatic hydrolysis; (ii) the assessment of the exploitability of a selected hydrolysate as fermentation feedstock using <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em>; and (iii) the advancement of the bioprocess through the joined utilization in the fermentation substrate of PRs and seeded raisins (SRs), another important agro-industrial residue in Greece. The finally developed substrate, comprising a mixture of PRs/SRs extracts at concentrations 60/40 % v/v, was used in three fermentation trials, and the fermentation process was quantitatively described using the Aiba model. The developed bioprocess resulted in satisfactorily high bioethanol production with the maximum attained concentration being 50.0 ± 0.6 g/L. The maximum specific growth rate (<em>µ</em><sub>max</sub>) of <em>S. cerevisiae</em> was estimated to be 0.135 1/h and the bioethanol yield (<em>Y<sub>ps</sub></em>), namely the amount of produced ethanol/amount of consumed reducing sugars, was estimated to be 0.423 g/g. Hence, PRs can be efficiently used in the development of a fermentation substrate for bioethanol production, providing an economic and environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional feedstocks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52958,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Resources Conversion","volume":"9 1","pages":"Article 100338"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145915277","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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