Phenolic compounds are key bioactive constituents with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties relevant to food applications. This study provides a multicriteria comparison of conventional solvent extraction and green-assisted technologies for the recovery of phenolics from Ficus carica L. agro-industrial residues. Conventional solid-liquid extraction using solvents of different polarity was compared with ultrasound-assisted extraction and homogenisation-ultrasound-assisted extraction. Extracts were characterised in terms of phenolic profile, antioxidant capacity, and antimicrobial activity, while process sustainability was evaluated through life cycle and life cycle cost analyses. The highest phenolic recovery was achieved using 40% ethanol-water under HUAE (36.5 mgGAE/gDW; 28.6 mgQE/gDW), with antioxidant activity strongly correlated to phenolic content (R2 > 0.85), while extracts exhibited the strongest antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes. Life cycle assessment revealed a reduction of up to 90% in environmental impact for ultrasound-assisted extraction, rendering an efficient and relatively low-cost alternative for food-grade phenolic recovery.

The global textile industry is a significant contributor to environmental degradation, responsible for high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and waste generation. The current linear consumption model characterized by “produce-use-disposal” practices has led to unsustainable resource extraction and waste disposal methods. The rapid rise of fast fashion, which is a production model characterized by inexpensive and quickly produced textiles, has fostered a frequently disposal culture. This paper explores innovative technologies and business models which have integrated circular practices into operations. The necessity of coordinated action among manufacturers, retailers, consumers, and policymakers to achieve circularity has been emphasized. Recommendations focus on technology innovation, sustainable design practices, consumer education, and regulatory support to foster a systemic transition toward circularity. While challenges remain, the transition provides significant opportunities to reduce environmental impacts, enhance economic resilience, and promote sustainability in the textile and fashion industry.

Drying is a critical postharvest preservation technique that determines the microbial safety, nutritional integrity, and sensory quality of fruits. This study evaluates the influence of osmotic dehydration pretreatment followed by freeze-drying (ODFD) on the physicochemical, microbiological, and functional properties of blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum). The combined treatment significantly reduced moisture content (from 83.65 +/- 0.89% to 19.62 +/- 0.78%) and improved microbial control compared to conventional freeze-drying, while maintaining visual and sensory appeal. Although direct freeze-drying retained higher total phenolic and flavonoid levels, ODFD samples exhibited superior anthocyanin retention (7.57 +/- 0.15 mg CE/100 g DW) and increased concentrations of key phenolics such as quercetin and malvidin-glucoside. The osmotic pretreatment modulated cell permeability and limited oxidative and enzymatic degradation, contributing to pigment stabilization and enhanced product quality. Moreover, life cycle assessment revealed a 16% lower environmental footprint and 12% cost reduction for the ODFD process compared with freeze-drying alone. These findings demonstrate that osmotic pretreatment prior to freeze-drying is a sustainable and safe dehydration strategy that enhances the functional quality and shelf-life of blueberries while reducing processing energy demand.

Substantial water consumption for industrial purposes and resource scarcity issues pave the way for water-efficient practices in the industrial sector. The aim of this study is to design and develop a modular, scalable and novel Water-specific Cyber-Physical System (WaterCPS) framework that enables real-time monitoring, cognitive assessment, automated optimisation of water use and reuse practices. The framework is validated and demonstrated across the production chain of the BASF Antwerp chemical industrial site. To the authors’ knowledge, few published documents report the CPSs demonstration in real production environments, such as manufacturing, energy and water sector. Therefore, WaterCPS framework integrates a Real-Time Monitoring (RTM) platform for cyber-secure data acquisition and communicates with the developed Digital Twins of intelligence services for dynamic process modelling and simulation, AI-based descriptive and predictive analysis, near-real-time life cycle assessment and optimisation through APIs. It is validated by demonstrating a real-time actuation loop at the BASF Antwerp chemical industrial site for water treatment and management. The treatment train Ultrafiltration−Closed Circuit Reverse Osmosis (UF−CCRO) is monitored through the RTM platform. The WaterCPS services enable the network’s simulation and data analysis, leading to automatic calculation of key parameters, e.g. UF critical flux, UF permeability and CCRO tank level. Based on degradation indicators, the WaterCPS autonomously initiates corrective actions, e.g. intensive backwash cycles and flow rate adjustments, ensuring stable and optimised performance. WaterCPS offers an integrated digital framework that bridges the physical and cyber environments, providing a novel solution to enhance water efficiency in real-time and accelerate the industrial digital transformation.

This study explores the potential of green solvents for extracting bioactive compounds from fig leaves, focusing on efficiency, sustainability, and antioxidant capacity. Comparative evaluations were performed using acetone, methanol, and water, with the latter identified as the most effective solvent due to its environmental benefits and robust extraction yields. The influence of pH, temperature, and time on extraction was also assessed. Results revealed that a slightly acidic pH, moderate temperatures, and short extraction times optimised the recovery of phenolic compounds, including rutin, chlorogenic acid, and quercetin. The optimised conditions, lower temperatures (37.5 degrees C), short extraction times (1-5 min), and a neutral to slightly acidic pH (pH 5-7), are industrially viable, as they help minimise energy consumption and processing duration. Water-extracted fig leaf polyphenols demonstrated significant antioxidant activity, positioning them as promising natural additives for food fortification. These findings highlight the economic and ecological advantages of agricultural by-products, contributing to circular economy practices. Further research is needed to validate scalability and explore industrial applications. Potential uses include enhancing the shelf life and functional properties of food products. This work underscores the importance of transitioning toward greener extraction methodologies that could extend to other leaf materials while addressing environmental concerns and unlocking traditional overlooked resources with commercial value.

The photocatalytic degradation of phenol, naphthalene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene, pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, and anthracene was investigated using a novel nitrogen-doped TiO2/acid-soluble collagen-polyvinyl pyrrolidone nanocomposite (N-TiO2/ASC-PVP). Characterization through X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the nanocomposite consists of spheroidal particles smaller than those of undoped TiO2. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the incorporation of nitrogen within the TiO2 lattice, appearing as both substitutional nitrogen (O-Ti-N) and interstitial nitrogen (Ti-O-N). The degradation process followed apparent first-order kinetics, with the N-TiO2/ ASC-PVP calcined at 200 degrees C and 400 degrees C demonstrating high photocatalytic degradation efficiencies. The nanocomposite achieved a remarkable 98.6% degradation of the targeted compounds within 120 minutes at a concentration of 10 mg/L. The enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light can be attributed to several factors: the smaller crystal size, increased surface hydroxyl groups, improved visible light absorption, and a reduced band gap energy. This N-TiO2/ASC-PVP photocatalyst shows significant potential for applications in materials science and nanotechnology, supporting advancements in environmental and energy-related fields.

The term “conventional” or “static” Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is used to describe the traditional application of LCA for the environmental impact assessment of a given instance of a system, to differentiate it from the recently developed Dynamic Life Cycle Assessment (DLCA). The latter is defined as monitoring and assessing the environmental performance of a continuously changing system. However, the term “dynamic” has been interpreted differently in various studies, with the temporal aspect of the analysis being satisfied either with the use of timeseries of (historical/predicted) data or with a real-time data collection for the system in question. The focus of this review paper is: (a) to examine the implementation of DLCA by findings common themes, differences and challenges in its application to different sectors, and (b) identify and highlight the differences between dynamic assessment and real-time assessment.The review has shown that in the last five years the published literature has grown, with the annual number of articles increasing from less than 30 (between 2015 and 2019) to 62 in 2023. In terms of the traditional LCA steps, the Dynamic Process Inventory is usually populated eiterh (a) with historical data for certain elementary flows and/or (b) using alternative scenarios for selected elementary flows. Dynamic Characterisation is only needed when the time horizon is longer than a decade, while Dynamic Systems had been mostly implemented in correlation with the Building Information Model (BIM). The sectors where DLCA has been predominantly used are: (a) buildings; (b) waste treatment and management; (c) agriculture; and (d) utilities (i.e. energy production and water supply).On the contrary, the term “real-time LCA” is rarely used, with only a handful of published papers referring to it, but none of these implemented in a real-life industrial system. Although several studies agree that real-time assessment leads to improved accuracy, better insight to the process and time savings in the analysis, the effort required to implement it and the added value to the industrial plant, does not currently justify its wider implementation. However, in the era of Industry 4.0 and the digitization of industrial plants, there is an opportunity to incorporate the environmental impact assessment in the continuous monitoring of process industries.

3D-printing of food is an emerging technology that has great potential not only to leading to more efficient food production with less waste but also for developing functional foods, suitable for consumers with specific medical conditions such as dysphagia. An aspect that has not been addressed so far, though, is its environmental performance compared to conventional food production and the potential economic benefits of decentralised 3Dprinting of food. We have examined the case of a care home which hosts between 10 and 30 dysphagic residents, with specific dietary requirements, and assessed three alternative scenarios: (a) decentralised 3D printed dysphagic food; (b) centralised 3D printed dysphagic food, distributed to the care home; and (c) centralised conventionally prepared dysphagic food. The analysis has shown that 3D-printing of dysphagic food has a better environmental performance compared to conventionally prepared food, with a 5-13 % improvement in all the midpoint impact indicators. Moreover, the purchase of a 3D-printer by the case home for decentralised production of dysphagic food can be a profitable investment, with the price of conventionally prepared food being the main parameter affecting the decision. A commercial purchase price conventionally prepared food higher than 3.80 pound per portion of 250 g will definitely render such an investment economically viable, while prices as low as 3.25 pound can also lead to a viable investment, when the number of residents increases.

The water-intensive oil refinery industry generates a high amount of wastewater that has the potential to be treated and reused for industrial and/or other purposes, with the aim of closing the water loop. A four-phase methodology was developed to identify fit-for-purpose technologies for treating wastewater derived from an oil refinery industry. The scope of this study is to simulate and assess the overall performance of five scenarios for the oil refinery wastewater (ORW) treatment in a real industrial oil refinery plant by utilising the existing industrial-scale conventional Ballast Water Treatment Plant (titled plate separator, mixing, coagulation/flocculation, dissolved air flotation) and implementing an advanced pilot-scale unit (aerobic granular sludge, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis). To this end, process modelling, simulation and life cycle assessment tools were performed. Six performance indicators (Waste Reduction, Water-Eco, Water Sustainability, Improved Water Quality, Digitalisation and Environmental Protection) were defined to compare the performance of all scenarios compared to the existing status (scenario 1). According to the results, scenario 5 (only pilot-scale ORW treatment) proved to be the most efficient and sustainable approach to close the water loop in the oil refinery plant, enabling the reuse of reclaimed water as cooling water, firefighting water, or fed into a biological unit for further treatment.

Red raspberry is considered a knowledge- and capital-intensive crop that targets a niche market globally; its quality attributes and enhanced health-promoting properties are highly appreciated by the consumers. In the context of the exponential growth in demand for this specialty crop that suffers from limited shelf life, it is imperative to expand raspberry cultivation by employing sustainably-sourced production models. In the current study, we used Cyprus as a case study that is characterised by increased production costs and lack of year-round production despite the fact that the latter is feasible under different production systems and cultivation methods in different altitude-related meso‑climates. Towards that goal, the current study assessed the life cycle environmental impact and life cycle costs of two different cultivation methods - open-field production that took place from May to November 2022 and protected cultivation in high-tunnels, from August 2023 to April 2024, using in both cases the same cultivar (Kwanza®) and plant type. The results indicated that protected cultivation has better environmental performance (3.7 mPt - milli eco-points - per kg of raspberry produced compared to 7.4 mPt for open-field production). Noteworthy, production cost is excessive and substantially higher compared to other countries; open-field production has a life cycle cost of 22.5 €/kg, while protected cultivation achieved a lower life cycle cost, equal to 14.0 €/kg yet still high. From an output perspective, a key observation is the increased yield of raspberries in protected cultivation as well as the enhanced water use efficiency of the crop, due to a reduction of the water footprint by 76 %. It is also important to highlight the increased harvest efficiency of the crop under high tunnel, with 500 g per plant compared to 350 g on open field cultivation. Hence, it is safe to conclude that despite the increased start-up costs and knowledge-intensive practices, the productivity of the crop is increased during the off-season months, that can be sold for a premium. The results highlight the environmental and economic impact of the two cultivation methods and will be useful for producers and crop advisors seeking to expand the raspberry cultivation in climates that resembles south-eastern Europe and are characterised as vulnerable to adverse climate change scenarios.

The purpose of this paper is to compare the environmental impact, using Life Cycle Assessment, and the total cost of two hydrophobic fluorocarbon treatment methods: a novel plasma surface modification technique and a traditional pad-dry-curing treatment of fabric. These two techniques have been chosen as two alternatives, with the pad-dry curing being a traditional liquid-based treatment and the plasma treatment a novel gas-based treatment. Such a comparison is a novel effort and will provide to the relevant industrial stakeholders an indication about the sustainability and the financial viability of the plasma treatment technique in comparison to the current state-of-the-art. The Life Cycle Inventory for both techniques has been compiled based on experiments performed at the Technical Textiles Research Centre, using lab scale equipment. The environmental impact has been assessed using the Environmental Footprint 3.0 method and is expressed in micro ecopoints (mu Pt). The findings have revealed that for plasma treatment (duration of 5 min using 13 cm(3)/min of C2F6), the environmental footprint is 47% lower than the conventional pad-dry-curing (8.95 mu Pt per 10 g of treated cotton compared to 18.9 mu Pt) and the total treatment cost is 81% lower (1.03 pound per 10 g of treated cotton compared to 5.47 pound using pad-dry-curing). The most significant contributor to the environmental performance of the plasma treatment is the electricity consumption, thus a minimization of the treatment time without losing the functionality of the process, and the subsequent operating expenses, will lead to the optimal plasma treatment conditions.

This authoritative Encyclopedia provides an innovative approach to theory, reviews, applications and examples relevant to the basic concepts of water science and water management issues in order to facilitate better interdisciplinary cooperation.

By implementing advanced wastewater treatment technologies coupled with digital tools, high-quality water is produced to be reused within the industry, enhancing process efficiency and closing loops. This paper investigates the impact of three innovation tools (process, circular and digital) in a Solvay chemical plant. Four technologies of the wastewater treatment plant "WAPEREUSE" were deployed, predicting their performance by process modelling and simulation in the PSM Tool. The environmental impact was assessed using Life Cycle Assessment and compared to the impact of the current industrial effluent discharge. The circularity level was assessed through three alternative closed-loop scenarios: (1) conventional treatment and discharge to sea (baseline), (2) conventional and advanced treatment by WAPEREUSE and discharge to sea, (3) conventional and advanced treatment by WAPEREUSE and industrial water reuse through cross-sectorial symbiotic network, where effluents are exchanged among the process industry, municipality and a water utility. Scenario 1 has the lowest pollutants' removal efficiency with environmental footprint of 0.93 mPt/m3. WAPEREUSE technologies decreased COD by 98.3%, TOC by 91.4% and nitrates by 94.5%. Scenario 2 had environmental footprint of 1.12 mPt/m3. The cross-sectorial symbiotic network on the industrial value chain resulted in higher industrial circularity and sustainability level, avoiding effluents discharge. Scenario 3 is selected as the best option with 0.72 mPt per m3, reducing the environmental footprint by 21% and 36% compared to Scenarios 1 and 2, respectively.

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In this study, solid olive mill waste (SOMW) was used to obtain antioxidant compounds using solid–liquid extraction. The effect of different extraction methods, namely microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), Soxhlet, and conventional solvent extraction, on the yield, total phenolics, and total antioxidant activity of SOMW extracts was investigated. Untreated and dried SOMW were subjected to extraction with water and methanol. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated using the DPPH assay, while their total phenolic content was measured using the Folin–Ciocalteu method. For the characterisation of the extracts, HPLC-DAD analysis was performed. The results showed that the extraction yield was significantly influenced (p < 0.05) by the solvent used, the material treatment prior to extraction, the moisture content of SOMW samples, and the extraction time. The optimised parameters were water, as the extraction solvent, and MAE as the extraction technique (extraction temperature of 50 °C and time of 1 h). The evaluation of the antioxidant activity of the extracts indicated that phenolics were the dominant bioactive compounds. The extracts were found to be rich in several hydroxytyrosol derivatives. Therefore, SOMW can be a valuable resource for bioactive compounds using conventional and innovative extraction techniques.

Although the significance of the social science agenda reflecting and affecting the carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) value chain has been acknowledged, there is still a scarcity of research about it. This work contributes in developing an understanding of public perceptions regarding the acceptance, use, and purchasing of carbon dioxide (CO2)-derived products through an online quantitative survey. Our research suggests the awareness and acceptance of such products are relatively high. Respondents were in favour of CO2-derived product promotion by policy makers and the industry, approved the funding of such schemes by government, and supported companies that use captured CO2 in their products. The product category seems to influence the willingness of people to use and buy CO2-derived products, with our respondents being more willing to use CO2-derived fuels than food or beverages, showing a caution toward health-related risks. Respondents were also more willing to buy a CO2-derived product if it was cheaper or better for the environment. Male respondents were in general less willing to pay for CCU-based products, while people aged 25 to 29 were more positive toward them. We conclude that the public will be in favour of CCU-based products and willing to buy them if the involved stakeholders do their part in delivering a safe product at a comparable quality and price to existing ones. Better information provision can also support this cause.

Slaughterhouses are significant industrial water users, ranking second highest in the livestock processing sector, and a potential pollution source for water bodies due to effluent discharge. This paper uses the wastewater composition of an actual slaughterhouse and models three alternative scenarios for the wastewater management; no treatment and discharge, primary treatment and discharge, and tertiary treatment followed by partial water reuse. All three scenarios are assessed in terms of their environmental performance following a Life Cycle Assessment, by using the Environmental Footprint 3.0 method. The results revealed that the best scenario for the slaughterhouse wastewater treatment is the third scenario with an overall footprint of 0.255 milliEcopoints (mPt), compared to 2.45 mPt and 1.31 mPt of the first and the second scenario, respectively.

The most important waste stream created during oil and gas production is oilfield-produced water. When discharged without treatment, it poses a significant risk of pollution of marine ecosystems. While adequate treatment before disposal is acceptable, achieving authorized discharge criteria continues to be a problem for the petroleum sector. This research examined the physicochemical characteristics of produced water at various month intervals before and after treatment. Heavy metal and organic component concentrations in water samples were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy and gas chromatography. The results indicate that produced water from a certain Niger Delta oilfield contains significant amounts of heavy metals and some organic compounds after treatment. The present laws, as well as the measurement of dispersed oil and grease content, have been in place for a long period of time without considerable change, even though most dangerous components in produced water are dissolved. It is recommendable for the prospective field developers/operators to consider the dissolved components of produced water and consider the economic consequences of adopting tertiary produced water polishing technologies.