The rapid decarbonization of energy grid is shifting the climate mitigation burden in built environment from operational to embodied emissions. This paper evaluates the potential of bioplastics, polylactic acid (PLA; degradable), polyethylene furanoate (PEF; non-degradable), and polypropylene (PP; non-degradable) as carbon storing construction materials. Using a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment for the New York State determined that bioplastics assemblies reduce operational energy demand by 5-10% and lower net life cycle emissions by 110 kg CO2-eq/m2 for PEF and 210 kg CO2-eq/m2 for PP. These savings are driven by biogenic carbon storage, effectively transforming building envelopes into carbon sinks. Remarkably, as grid carbon intensity declines, the embodied-to-operational emissions ratio quadruples (0.5 to 2), isolating material selection as the critical variables. Therefore, integrating non-degradable bioplastics into building infrastructure offers scalable, robust strategy for long-duration carbon storage necessary to meet net zero targets.

The aviation sector faces an urgent need to decarbonize while maintaining energy density, reliability, and safety standards that limit the viability of direct electrification. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) derived from lignocellulosic biomass offers one of the most credible near- and mid-term solutions for reducing lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in aviation. This review synthesizes recent techno-economic and life cycle assessments (TEA–LCA) of lignocellulosic SAF pathways, focusing on the interplay between feedstock type, conversion technology, plant scale and environmental performance. Harmonized minimum selling prices (MSPs) range from approximately $0.11 to $5.43/L, with most values clustering between $1.0 and $2.0/L, exceeding conventional jet fuel prices ($0.5–0.9/L). Plant capacities span approximately 10 to over 12,000 Mg/day; however, scale effects are extremely weak (R2 = 0.06), with capacity doubling reducing MSP by 17%. Sensitivity evaluation identifies fuel yield, feedstock cost, and capital expenditure are the dominant drivers of MSP, with a median impact of approximately 0.40. In parallel, lifecycle analysis revealed that lignocellulosic SAF pathways can achieve 70–95% GHG emission reductions, with electrified thermochemical systems reaching up to 98%. Policy consistency together with technological innovation and supply chain optimization, rather than scale alone, are critical to advancing cost-competitive, low-carbon SAF deployment.

Composting solid waste materials creates a nutrient-rich soil amendment and reduces the burden on landfills and incineration facilities. However, the presence of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in various waste-derived products used as soil amendments poses potentially significant risks to human health and the environment. This study aimed to establish baseline knowledge on the presence and level of 13 PFAS compounds across five commercial composts, three soil amendments, two biosolid-derived fertilizers, and five common food-contact paper products (K-O). The total concentration of 13 PFAS compounds (Ʃ13 PFAS) among the products was as follows: biosolid-based fertilizers (25.41 ± 12.98 μg/dry kg, n = 2) > compost (9.07 ± 12.22 μg/dry kg, n = 5) > soil amendments (1.99 ± 0.23 μg/dry kg, n = 3). The total concentration of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (ΣPFCAs) was higher than that of perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (ΣPFSAs) and perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA) across all product categories. Short-chain PFCAs, such as perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), and long-chain PFCAs, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), were prevalent in yard waste composts, while the long-chain PFSA, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), was most prevalent in biosolid-based fertilizers. In food service paper products, the highest concentrations were observed for PFHxA, perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS). This study emphasizes that besides waste products, conventional coating materials, such as food-contact paper products, which are frequently accepted without testing, represent a significant source of PFAS. These findings contribute to identifying potential contamination sources and informing science-based regulations aimed at improving compost quality and ensuring public safety. The insights provided here are expected to support environmental monitoring and policymaking efforts. Further large-scale surveys across diverse geographical areas should validate our findings. This work underscores an urgent need for stricter regulations and innovative solutions to mitigate PFAS contamination while advancing sustainable agriculture and circular waste management practices.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable polyesters with the potential to replace petroleum-derived plastics. However, large-scale adoption of PHAs remains constrained by high production costs and limited material versatility. Producing co-polymers from food processing waste feedstock with tunable mechanical properties could potentially overcome these challenges. Acid whey, a common dairy co-product produced in large quantities by the dairy industry, is a potential feedstock for PHA production. With recognition of the challenge that high lactic acid content of acid whey might introduce, we investigated whether recombinant E. coli LSBJ harboring a plasmid containing the genes phaABCJ and pct could efficiently convert untreated acid whey to a co-polymer of hydroxybutyrate and lactate (3HB-co-LA). This recombinant strain, E. coli LSBJ pC1ABJ4-Pct, was able produce a 3HB-co-LA co-polymer containing similar to 35 mol% lactate, with covalent linkage of the different monomers and other physical properties established by mass spectrometry. Challenges introduced by using acid whey without additional pretreatment are discussed.

Although wood is the primary raw material for pulp and paper manufacturing, there is a growing interest in non-woody raw materials to meet the increasing demand of paper. Non-woody biomass rice straw is geographically abundant in South Asia which can be used as a potential raw material for pulp and paper production due to less chemical and shorter cooking time required in pulping process. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of temperature and active alkali concentration (Na+) on pulp yield (%) and screened rejects (%) during the kraft pulping of rice straw. The kraft pulping was carried out at 15:1 liquor-to-straw ratio for an hour in a bomb digester with the variation of temperature from 80˚C to 120˚C and the active alkali (AA) concentration was increased up to 20%. At the temperature of 120˚C and with an AA charge of 20%, the screening process yielded a minimum pulp reject of 0.20%.However, the maximum pulp yield (55.16%) was achieved at the same temperature (120˚C) but reduced AA charge (16%) which are also the optimum pulping conditions for this study due to less chemicals (white liquor) and energy consumption. This optimum kraft pulping process can be used to convert more than half of the rice straw input into pulp with lower chemicals and energy use compared to the conventional wood-based pulping. Chemical Engineering Research Bulletin 24: (Issue 1) :30-40

Growing demand for hardwood in the United States for different commercial purposes, is generating large amounts of forest wood residue biomass. These hardwood residues offer a largely untapped feedstock for sustainable biomanufacturing, currently underutilized or burned for low-value energy. Forest residue biomass (FRB) contains carbohydrates that can be converted to fermentable sugars (glucose and xylose) for the production high-value bioproducts, improving wood processing economics and supporting the circular bioeconomy. However, the inherent variation in biomass composition across hardwood species can directly affect sugar recovery, fermentation efficiency, and overall bioproduct yield. This study evaluates the effects of variability among individual hardwood species (Ash, Cherry, and Maple), and their mixtures, on sugar yields, thereby on possible fermentative applications, offering insights for more reliable, feedstock-flexible biorefineries. Hardwood residues (FRB) showed notable variation in raw composition, with glucan ranging from 32.8 to 36.7

Escherichia coli LSBJ is a strain engineered to produce polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) from diverse carbon sources with enhanced control of PHA composition. We report a high-quality annotated genome with 98.68% completeness, 4,547 coding sequences, 75 tRNAs, and 1 copy each of the 5S, 16S, and 23S ribosomal RNA sequences.

Plastic pollution, resulting from the persistence of conventional polymers, remains a critical environmental challenge that necessitates the development of biodegradable alternatives. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) represent an attractive solution, being naturally synthesized by microorganisms under nutrient-limited conditions. This study investigates the production of PHAs using lignocellulosic wood waste, specifically sal and teak residues, as an economical carbon source. Fermentable sugars were obtained via dilute sulfuric acid hydrolysis (10% w/v biomass with 4% v/v H2SO4), incubated at 120 °C for 1 h, and filtered to yield a hydrolysate containing approximately ~ 36 mg/mL total reducing sugars (DNS assay). The hydrolysate served as the carbon source in bioprocess optimization (optimal carbon concentration: 2.50%, equivalent to 25 g/L). Potential PHA-producing isolates were screened using Nile Blue and Sudan Black staining. The most efficient producer, Klebsiella pneumoniae strain DSM 30,104 (MK2023), confirmed through 16 S rRNA sequencing, demonstrated notable PHA accumulation. Process parameters-including carbon and nitrogen concentrations and Temperature-were optimized through Plackett-Burman Design (PBD) followed by Response Surface Methodology (RSM) using a face-centered central composite design. Optimal production was achieved at 2.50% carbon, 0.105% nitrogen, and 34 °C, yielding 5.7 mg/mL PHA after 72 h with 10% (v/v) inoculum. UV-Vis and FTIR analyses confirmed the polymer's identity as polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). The study highlights wood waste as a viable, low-cost substrate for PHA synthesis, promoting sustainable biopolymer production while advancing circular bioeconomy practices.

Developing biodegradable bioplastics from renewable feedstocks is critical to reduce dependence on fossil-based plastics. This study assessed the feasibility of producing polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) from a fast-growing woody crop, Shrub willow (Salix spp.), and examined the effects of pretreatment severity and nutrient parameters on PHB production. Importantly, the study systematically evaluated different nitrogen sources and the carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio, key factors influencing PHB accumulation. Biomass was pretreated using hot water at 160–220 °C, followed by disk milling. The highest glucose yield during subsequent hydrolysis was observed at 200 °C; however, the hydrolysate obtained from 180 °C supported the highest PHB titer of 1.63 g/L. Among the various organic and inorganic nitrogen sources investigated, yeast extract improved the cell growth by nearly twofold (6.33 g/L) at a C/N ratio of 20 compared to the control. Investigation of a broader range of C/N ratios identified 10 as the most favorable, producing 9.1 g/L cell dry weight, 44.7

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are renewable, high-value nanomaterials with broad industrial applications. Based on laboratory-scale experimental data, this study demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing sugar maple forest residues for 10 metric tons per day (MTPD) production of CNC through an integrated techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA). The minimum selling price (MSP) of CNC was estimated at $16.03/kg, with a global warming (GW) impact of 28.60 kg CO2 eq/kg CNC. Sensitivity analysis identified CNC yield and pretreatment solids loading as key drivers for the economic and environmental performance of the process. Monte Carlo simulations yielded 90% MSP confidence interval of $13.33-19.23/kg, while key impact categories including GW, marine eutrophication, smog formation, and ozone depletion showed low variability, indicating model robustness. The environmental risk assessment revealed that forest residues offer a sustainable valorization pathway with the process accompanied by risks tied to chemical usage and waste management.

Unlike stem biomass, the residues after the extraction of cannabidiol (CBD) oil from hemp flower are challenging to utilize because of their high extractive content ( 40 Valorization of hemp processing waste as biofiller for PLA-based 3D printing biocomposites. NaOH pretreatment removed up to 50

Lignin is a chemically complex, diverse, and abundant plant polymer mainly composed of aromatic monomers. These aromatic monomers make lignin a potential source of aromatics and a viable substitute for petrochemically-derived aromatics. However, the structural recalcitrance of lignin requires harsh reagents from the chemical process and expensive catalysts for effective depolymerization. This chemical process often results in poor yields of chemical intermediate mixtures of varying bioavailability and/or toxicity. Furthermore, the cost of additional reagents required to separate or detoxify these intermediates makes processing lignin impractical. We report progress towards the use of such chemically depolymerized lignin streams by employing bacterial strains to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). PHAs are a group of biodegradable microbial polyesters that have potential as a replacement for petroleum-based plastics. In this study we utilized two distinct lignin streams obtained after chemical depolymerization of lignin under alkaline and acidic pH in the presence of catalysts. We mixed the alkali-treated depolymerized stream with the acid-treated depolymerized stream to create a solution of neutral-pH chemically depolymerized lignin (CDL). We found moderate to substantial growth of both native and non-native PHA producers on the mixture of CDL as well as its aliphatic and aromatic components. PHA was detected by Sudan Black B staining in C. necator H16, P. putida KT2440, and E. coli LSBJ STQKAB grown on mixed CDL as the sole carbon source. For C. necator H16 and E. coli LSBJ STQKAB we found that PHA content was greater when grown on mixed CDL when compared to their preferred carbon source by GC-FID quantification. Our study provided progress towards a cost-competitive, sustainable, and industrially relevant use for lignin.

The growing demand for renewable fuels has intensified interest in lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for bioethanol production. Shrub willow (Salix spp.), a fast-growing woody crop, offers favorable composition with high carbohydrates, high yields, and short rotation cycles, making it an attractive resource for bioenergy applications. This study evaluates a chemical-free, two-step pretreatment approach-hot water pretreatment followed by disk refining-to improve ethanol production from willow biomass. Pretreatment temperatures ranging from 140 to 200 degrees C were tested to assess their effects on sugar release, inhibitor formation, and fermentation performance. A genetically engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae SR8 strain, capable of co-fermenting glucose and xylose, was used for co-fermentation. Importantly, the fermentation was carried out without any washing or detoxification of the pretreated biomass. Compared to untreated biomass, which released only 18.8 g/L glucose and 2.8 g/L xylose, the two-step pretreatment at 180 degrees C increased glucose and xylose concentrations to 47.5 g/L and 17.5 g/L, respectively, corresponding to a 2.5-fold and 6.2-fold improvement. Cellulose conversion during enzymatic hydrolysis reached 95.6 %. Simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation of biomass pretreated at these conditions resulted in the highest ethanol titer of 26.9 g/L, with over 50 % of the released xylose successfully fermented. However, pretreatment at 200 degrees C led to high inhibitor levels, completely halting ethanol production. These findings demonstrate a robust, scalable, and detoxification-free process for bioethanol production from willow biomass, reinforcing its promise as a sustainable lignocellulosic feedstock.

Background: Aquaculture relies significantly on effective aeration systems to ensure optimal conditions for aquatic organisms. This 96-day study investigates the dynamic relationship between Oxygen Transfer Rates (OTR) and seasonal variations, with a specific focus on the impact of seasonal dynamics and the placement of paddle wheel aerators. The study recognizes the pivotal role of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) as key water quality parameters influencing aeration efficiency. Methodology: A series of water circulation experiments were conducted at regular intervals to assess mixing rates, revealing a nuanced trajectory ranging from 27.05 to 14.22 m3/kWh. The study scrutinized the influence of TDS and TSS on these rates. Additionally, water velocity variations, ranging from 0.45 to 1.67 m/s, were examined, highlighting density-dependent changes, particularly evident post four weeks of operation. Oxygen stratification analysis provided insights into deviations in Dissolved Oxygen (DO) concentrations, with particular attention to climatic aberrations. Rigorous statistical analyses, including chi-squared, Pearson correlation, Gaussian distribution checks, and student's t-tests, validated the methodological robustness and data reliability. Significant findings: Employing a Seasonal Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) model, the study achieved a remarkable 97 % accuracy in forecasting DO levels for the subsequent 96 days. Real-time validation, complemented by a Chi-square goodness of fit test, reaffirmed the model's reliability, establishing congruence between observed and forecasted values. This research underscores the critical roles of strategic aerator placement and seasonal considerations in optimizing pond aeration efficiency, providing substantive insights for the sustainable management of aquaculture ecosystems.

The use of micro-algae for wastewater treatment is a promising technique that contributes to CO2 capture and nutrient recovery. However, the lack of effective forecasting models limits the scalability of this technique. This study aims to develop a time-series-based forecasting model to predict the growth curve of microalgal biomass under environmental conditions similar to those found in wastewater. Data collected on microalgal growth was used to train six time-series models: Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA), Random vector functional link (RVFL), Physics-informed neural networks (PINN) and Prophet. The model performance metrics were compared, and the best model was identified. The results demonstrated that the RVFL was the most accurate model, with minimal prediction errors ( < 0.01). Residual analysis confirmed a normal distribution of errors without outliers, supporting the model's reliability. These findings suggest that the proposed RVFL model can effectively forecast microalgal growth, potentially reducing the need for costly and labour-intensive laboratory trials and advancing microalgae-based wastewater treatment.

The conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into high-value fermentation products generates a lignin-rich hydrolysis residue (LRR), which is predominantly combusted for process heat, offering limited valorization potential. This study investigates the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of this residue derived from forest residue biomass (FRB) to produce high-energy-density hydrochar. HTC, a thermochemical conversion process conducted in the presence of water, enables direct processing of wet lignin-rich residues without the need for drying or solvent-based lignin extraction or purification, thereby reducing costs and complexity. Experiments were conducted at 200–280 °C, with a fixed reaction time of 1 h, and the resulting hydrochars were thoroughly characterized for their chemical composition, structural morphology, and thermal behavior. Thermogravimetric analysis confirmed improved pyrolysis properties of the HTC products. Hydrochar yield decreased by 26.26% as the temperature increased from 200 to 280 °C, accompanied by marked improvements in fuel quality. The maximum higher heating value, observed at 280 °C, was 1.75 times greater than that of raw LRR. Elemental analysis and a Van Krevelen evaluation confirmed enhanced carbonization, as evidenced by increasing carbon content and decreasing oxygen content. The specific surface area peaked at 2.66 m2/g at 200 °C before declining with further temperature increases. This study demonstrates a sustainable pathway for valorization of lignin-rich residues from lignocellulosic biorefineries into solid biofuels, advancing circular bioeconomy and offering insights into using HTC for energy and environmental applications.