An energy-efficient upconcentration of the bio-based carboxylic acids using multiple-effect evaporators.

This study proposes an integrated process chain to upconcentrate short-chain carboxylic acids (SCCA) like acetic, propionic, and butyric acid, produced from anaerobic fermentation of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. The starting point is the residual biogas, which is produced from the anaerobic digestion of the solid fraction obtained after the acid fermentation. Using this biogas energy, integrated multiple-effect evaporator scenarios with varying SCCA initial concentrations from 10 to 40 g/L in the liquid fraction were simulated in Aspen Plus®.

Dynamic performance of combined biochar from co-pyrolysis of pig manure with invasive weed: Effect of natural aging on Pb and As mobilization in polluted mining soil.

Due to the natural biochar aging, the improvement of soil quality and immobilization of soil pollutants achieved by biochar may change; understanding the dynamic evolution of the in situ performance of biochar in these roles is essential to discuss the long-term sustainability of biochar remediation. Therefore, in this study, combined biochar from co-pyrolysis of pig manure and invasive Japanese knotweed - P1J1, as well as pure pig manure - PM - and pure Japanese knotweed - JK - derived biochar were applied to investigate their remediation performance in a high As- and Pb-polluted soil with prolonged incubation periods (up to 360 days). Biochar application, especially P1J1 and PM, initially promoted soil pH, dissolved organic carbon, and EC, but the improvements were not constant through time.

Post-treatment of high-rate activated sludge effluent via zeolite adsorption and recovery of ammonium-nitrogen as alternative fertilising products.

This study investigates the potential to connect nutrient flows between wastewater treatment and agriculture through a two-stage nitrogen (N) recovery system composed of high-rate activated sludge treatment in contact stabilisation mode (HRAS/CS) and column adsorption with zeolite. The HRAS/CS process removes organic matter and suspended solids in wastewater, leaving N behind in the effluent. The N was successfully recovered with the zeolite column under different scenarios, generating N and K-rich by-products.

Potential availability of metals in anaerobic mono- and co-digestion of pig manure and maize.

This study aims to analyse the potential availability of essential metals including as Co, Fe, Ni, Zn, Mn, and Cu and non-essential metals such as Pb, Cr, and Cd within anaerobic mono- and co-digestion of pig manure and maize. The metals partitioning was determined using the Modified BCR (European Community Bureau of Reference) sequential extraction at defined intervals over a 45-days period, correlating changes in metals speciation with key digestion variables. The findings revealed that Cr, Cu, Fe, and Pb were predominantly associated with the oxidisable fraction, while Zn, Mn, and Cd were potentially available in both processes.

From grass to gas and beyond: Anaerobic digestion as a key enabling technology for a residual grass biorefinery.

Roadside grass clippings hold potential as a sustainable source of bioenergy as they do not compete with crops for land use, and are only partially utilized for low-value applications. In this study, we proposed using roadside grass as a sole feedstock for anaerobic digestion (AD) in three different settings, and assessed the potential of producing biomaterials and fertilizers from grass-based digestate. Wet continuous digestion at pilot scale and dry batch digestion at pilot and large scales resulted in biogas yields up to 700 Nm.

Application of fourier transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy for quantification of nutrient contents and their plant availability in manure and digestate.

In this study, we assess the feasibility of using Fourier Transform Infrared Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (FTIR-PAS) to predict macro- and micro-nutrients in a diverse set of manures and digestates. Furthermore, the prediction capabilities of FTIR-PAS were assessed using a novel error tolerance-based interval method in view of the accuracy required for application in agricultural practices. Partial Least-Squares Regression (PLSR) was used to correlate the FTIR-PAS spectra with nutrient contents.

Enhancing swine manure treatment: A full-scale techno-economic assessment of nitrogen recovery, pure oxygen aeration and effluent polishing.

In regions with intensive livestock production, managing the environmental impact of manure is a critical challenge. This study, set in Flanders (Belgium), evaluates the effectiveness of integrating process intensification measures into the treatment of piggery manure to mitigate nitrogen (N) surplus issues. The research investigates the techno-economic benefits of implementing three key interventions: pure oxygen (PO) aeration, ammonia (NH) stripping-scrubbing (SS) pretreatment, and tertiary treatment using constructed wetlands (CW), within the conventional nitrification-denitrification (NDN) process.

Large reductions in nutrient losses needed to avoid future coastal eutrophication across Europe.

Rapid technological development in agriculture and fast urbanization have increased nutrient losses in Europe. High nutrient export to seas causes coastal eutrophication and harmful algal blooms. This study aims to assess the river exports of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and identify required reductions to avoid coastal eutrophication in Europe under global change.

Influence of biochar addition and plant management (cutting and time) on ryegrass growth and migration of As and Pb during phytostabilization.

Phytostabilization of metal-contaminated soils can be enabled or improved by biochar application. However, biochar-aided effects vary on biochar types, and little attention has been paid to plant management (time and cutting) to enhance phytostabilization efficiency in synergy with biochar. Therefore, biochars derived from pig manure (PM), Japanese knotweed (JK), and a mixture of both (P1J1) were applied to Pb and As mining soil with ryegrass cultivation to assess the biochar-induced effects on plant growth, dissolved organic matter (DOM), As and Pb mobility, and bioaccumulation within a phytostabilization strategy.

Impact of soil treatment with (NTA) on Cd fractionation and microbial biomass in cultivated and uncultivated calcareous soil.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) on cadmium (Cd) fractions and microbial biomass in a calcareous soil spiked with Cd under cultivated (  L.) and uncultivated regime subject to soil leaching condition. Expanding investigations related to soil-plant interactions on metal-contaminated soils with insights on microbial activity and associated soil toxicity perspective provides novel perspectives on using metal-chelating agents for soil remediation.

Nutrient recovery and recycling from fishery waste and by-products.

The circular bio-based economy offers great untapped potential for the food industry as possible valuable products and energy can be recovered from food waste. This can promote more sustainable and resilient food systems in Europe in follow-up of the European Commission's Farm to Fork strategy and support the global transition to more sustainable agri-food systems with the common agricultural and fisheries policies. With its high nutrient content, waste and by-products originating from fish and seafood industry (including aquaculture) are one of the most promising candidates to produce alternative fertilising products which can play a crucial role to replace synthetic mineral fertilisers.

Properties of Poultry-Manure-Derived Biochar for Peat Substitution in Growing Media.

Peat is considered a contentious input in horticulture. Therefore, there is a search for suitable alternatives with similar properties that can be used for partial or complete peat substitution in growing media. Poultry-manure-derived biochar (PMB) is considered such an alternative.

The Influence of Poultry Manure-Derived Biochar and Compost on Soil Properties and Plant Biomass Growth.

Promising methods for managing poultry manure (PM) include converting poultry manure through pyrolysis to biochar, which can be used for soil applications. The overall goal of this study was to determine the effects of poultry manure-derived biochar and compost on the soil and growth of cherry tomatoes. The biochar obtained at 475 °C was characterized by a relatively high organic matter content of 39.

Root radial apoplastic transport contributes to shoot cadmium accumulation in a high cadmium-accumulating rice line.

Radial transport of cadmium (Cd) in roots governs the amount of Cd loaded into xylem vessels, where Cd ions are translocated upward into shoots, while the mechanism of differential Cd radial transport between the high Cd-accumulating rice line Lu527-8 and the normal rice line Lu527-4 remains ambiguous. A higher Cd distribution in cross sections and root apoplast and higher bypass flow of Cd were found in Lu527-8, explaining a greater Cd translocation through the apoplastic pathway. The lower relative area of the epidermis and the constant relative area of the cortex in Lu527-8 opened-up root radial transport for Cd.

Metal behavior and soil quality changes induced by the application of tailor-made combined biochar: An investigation at pore water scale.

The remediation performance of biochar varies based on the biomass used for its production. Further innovation involves developing tailor-made biochar by combining different raw materials to compensate for the limitations of pure biochar. Therefore, tailor-made combined biochar produced from the co-pyrolysis of pig manure and invasive Japanese knotweed (P1J1), as well as biochars produced from these feedstocks separately, i.

Exploring the environmental consequences of roadside grass as a biogas feedstock in Northwest Europe.

The Russo-Ukrainian war has highlighted concerns regarding the European Union's (EU) energy security, given its heavy dependence on Russian natural gas for electricity and heating. The RePowerEU initiative addresses this challenge by targeting a significant increase in biomethane production (up to 35 billion m by 2030) to replace natural gas, aligning with the EU methane strategy's emission reduction and air quality improvement goals. However, the use of energy crops as biogas feedstock has raised land-use concerns, necessitating a policy shift towards alternative sources such as agro-residues, livestock manure, and sewage sludge.

Development of conversion factors to estimate the concentrations of heavy metals in manure-derived digestates.

During biogas production, a residual by-product rich in organic matter, nutrients, and trace elements - called digestate - is generated. Due to the nature of the anaerobic digestion process (i.e.

Pig Slurry Management Producing N Mineral Concentrates: A Full-Scale Case Study.

Manure treatment to recover nutrients presents a great challenge to delocalize nutrients from overloaded areas to those needing such nutrients. To do this, approaches for the treatment of manure have been proposed, and currently, they are mostly under investigation before being upgraded to full scale. There are very few fully operating plants recovering nutrients and, therefore, very few data on which to base environmental and economic studies.

Constructed wetlands and duckweed ponds as a treatment step in liquid manure handling - A life cycle assessment.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) was applied to evaluate duckweed ponds and constructed wetlands as polishing steps in pig manure liquid fraction treatment. Using nitrification-denitrification (NDN) of the liquid fraction as the starting point, the LCA compared direct land application of the NDN effluent with different combinations of duckweed ponds, constructed wetlands and discharge into natural waterbodies. Duckweed ponds and constructed wetlands are viewed as a viable tertiary treatment option and potential remedy for nutrient imbalances in areas of intense livestock farming, such as in Belgium.

Green Biorefinery systems for the production of climate-smart sustainable products from grasses, legumes and green crop residues.

Grasses, legumes and green plant wastes represent a ubiquitous feedstock for developing a bioeconomy in regions across Europe. These feedstocks are often an important source of ruminant feed, although much remains unused or underutilised. In addition to proteins, these materials are rich in fibres, sugars, minerals and other components that could also be used as inputs for bio-based product development.

PULSE process: recovery of phosphorus from dried sewage sludge and removal of metals by solvent extraction.

Phosphorus (P) is an indispensable nutrient for agriculture. Recovery and recycling of phosphorus from waste streams is necessary to ensure a circular P economy and reduce dependence on disproportionately distributed mineral P resources. In this study, a new process called 'PULSE' is presented for the recovery of P from sewage sludge, which can handle high metal contents.

Field evaluation of industrial non-food crops for phytomanaging a metal-contaminated dredged sediment.

Phytomanagement is a concept fit for a bio-based circular economy that combines phytotechnologies and biomass production for non-food purposes. Here, ten annual and perennial industrial non-food crops (Sorghum Biomass 133, Sorghum Santa Fe red, Linum usitatissimum L., Eucalyptus sp.

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) field cultivation in a phytoattenuation strategy and valorization potential of the fibers for textile production.

This paper evaluates the valorization potential of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) fibers produced on HM-contaminated soil as a safe feedstock for the textile industry. The chosen strategy was phytoattenuation, which combines the progressive soil quality improvement of contaminated land using phytoremediation techniques with the production of safe non-food biomass.