High strength pig manure slurry poses significant challenges for anaerobic digestion, particularly under elevated free ammonia nitrogen (FAN) conditions where methanogenesis and microbial resilience are compromised. To address these limitations, a plug flow reactor was continuously operated for 120 days with and without magnetite (Fe3O4) supplementation, targeting DIET (direct interspecies electron transfer) activation under FAN levels ranging from 400 to 850 mg-N/L. The sharp escalation of FAN was primarily driven by a subtle increase in pH (7.76 to 8.04), which quantitatively resulted in an 80.6
The present article explores the ongoing challenges of limited electron generation in microbial fuel cells (MFCs), emphasizing its considerable reliance on the choice of organic substrate. Carrot functioned as a practical and nutrient-dense organic substrate, whereas bisphenol A (BPA) served as the target organic pollutant. Electrochemical assessments validated improved electron mobility, and the system generated 341.7 mV during a 30-day operational period. The 5.62 mW/m² was achieved power density at 1000 Ω external resistance, resulting in a voltage of 365 mV within 23 days. The biofilm development progressed gradually, achieving a peak capacitance (Cp) of 0.00005 F/g on day 25. The 46.05 mA/m² was maximum current density and the internal resistance measured 212.62 Ω. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry corroborated efficient electron transport. A bacterial analysis revealed the existence of microbes which indirectly facilitates energy generation and direct pollutant degradation. The taxa include Paracandidimonas, Achromobacter, and Bordetella. Further degradation evaluations revealed a 95.03
Biomass-reinforced hydrogel composites prepared using twin-screw extrusion were explored for agricultural purposes. The hydrogels (HG) were synthesized from acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (AM), composited with dried water hyacinth biomass (WH) and urea to enhance water retention and optimize nutrient release. Key formulation parameters, including water content, monomer ratios, and initiator and co-initiator concentrations, were systematically investigated to alter hydrogel properties. The HG/Urea formulation exhibited the highest water absorption capacity of 266 g/g, whereas HG/WH10 and HG/WH10/Urea exhibited water absorption capacities of 190 ± 11 and 235 g/g, respectively. Gel fraction decreased following urea incorporation. FTIR, SEM, and TGA analyses confirmed successful polymerization and the effective integration of WH biomass and urea into the composites. The incorporation of WH biomass slowed gravimetric soil water loss, with the HG/WH15 showing 21.9
The present study investigated the influence of particle size and process-intensification technique on cellulose recovery from groundnut shell (GS). Three particle-size fractions (300, 450, and 600 μm) were evaluated using ultrasound, microwave, hot-water-bath, and enzyme-assisted pretreatments, followed by recovery and characterization of the cellulose in comparison with commercial cellulose (CC). During particle-size screening, the 450 μm fractions showed the highest cellulose recovery and was therefore selected for comparative evaluation of the processing approaches. Microwave-assisted treatment produced the highest cellulose recovery yield, ranging from 49.80 to 56.75
The Amazonian buriti or morete fruit (Mauritia flexuosa L.) is an underutilized biomass rich in lipids, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds. This study proposes an integrated sequential biorefinery strategy combining supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), and ultrasound-assisted extraction using natural deep eutectic solvents (UAE–NADES) to selectively recover different classes of bioactive compounds from buriti biomass. SFE enabled high-yield lipid recovery, producing an oil with a predominance of oleic acid (67.5
