Sustainable biosurfactant production from secondary feedstock-recent advances, process optimization and perspectives.

Biosurfactants have garnered increased attention lately due to their superiority of their properties over fossil-derived counterparts. While the cost of production remains a significant hurdle to surpass synthetic surfactants, biosurfactants have been anticipated to gain a larger market share in the coming decades. Among these, glycolipids, a type of low-molecular-weight biosurfactant, stand out for their efficacy in reducing surface and interfacial tension, which made them highly sought-after for various surfactant-related applications.

Nexus of food waste and climate change framework: Unravelling the links between impacts, projections, and emissions.

This communication explores the intricate relationship between food waste and climate change, considering aspects such as impacts, projections, and emissions. It focuses on the pressing issue of waste generation and its potential consequences if current trends persist, and emphasises the importance of efficient solid waste management in improving environmental quality and fostering economic development. It also highlights the challenges faced by developing countries in waste collection and disposal, drawing comparisons with the waste utilisation methods used by developed nations.

Identification of microplastics in raw and treated municipal solid waste landfill leachates in Hong Kong, China.

Plastics are indispensable in modern society but also pose a persistent threat to the environment. In particular, microplastics (MPs) have a substantial environmental impact on ecosystems. Municipal solid waste landfill leachates are a source of MPs, but leakage of MPs from leachates has only been reported in a few studies.

Enhancing methane production from anaerobic digestion of secondary sludge through lignosulfonate addition: Feasibility, mechanisms, and implications.

This study explores the feasibility of using lignosulfonate, a byproduct of the pulp and paper industry, to facilitate sludge anaerobic digestion. Biochemical methane potential assays revealed that the maximum methane production was achieved at 60 mg/g volatile solids (VS) lignosulfonate, 22.18 % higher than the control.

Influences of specific surfactant structures on biohydrogen production from oily wastewater in batch and continuous anaerobic dark fermentation.

Residual oil in palm oil mill effluent (POME) poses difficulties in its treatment chain. Non-ionic surfactants containing different hydrophobic tail structures and their optimal concentrations were evaluated for effectiveness in biohydrogen production. By adding the surfactants at their critical micelle concentration in synthetic oily wastewater, the maximal H yield was increased by 2.

Integrated treatment of food waste with wastewater and sewage sludge: Energy and carbon footprint analysis with economic implications.

Food waste (FW) is a primary constituent of solid waste and its adequate management is a global challenge. Instead of disposal in landfills, integrated treatment of FW with wastewater (WW) can diminish both environmental and economic burdens. Utilizing steady-state modelling and life cycle assessment techniques, this study investigated the prospects of FW integration with biological WW treatment in terms of WW treatment performance, net energy and carbon footprint and economics of the process.

Integrated self-forming dynamic membrane (SFDM) and membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) system enhanced single-stage autotrophic nitrogen removal.

The membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) is a novel bioreactor technology, facilitating single-stage autotrophic nitrogen removal. Two laboratory-scale MABRs equipped with non-woven fabrics were operated simultaneously without and with a self-forming dynamic membrane (SFDM) filtration module. After 87 days of operation (system start-up), the reactor incorporated with SFDM filtration showed better performance in terms of total nitrogen removal (>80%) and effluent suspended solid (less than1 mg/L) than the MABR in the up flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) configuration (i.

Dynamic anaerobic membrane bioreactor coupled with sulfate reduction (SrDMBR) for saline wastewater treatment.

This study investigated organic removal performance, characteristics of the membrane dynamics, membrane fouling and the effects of biological sulfate reduction during high-salinity (1.0%) and high-sulfate (150 mgSO-S/L) wastewater treatment using a laboratory-scale upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactor integrated with cross-flow dynamic membrane modules. Throughout the operational period, dynamic membrane was formed rapidly (within 5-10 min) following each backwashing cycle (21-16 days), and the permeate turbidity of <5-7 NTU was achieved with relatively high specific organic conversion (70-100 gTOC/kgVSS·d) and specific sulfate reduction (50-70 gSO-S/kgVSS·d) rates.

Anaerobic self-forming dynamic membrane bioreactors (AnSFDMBRs) for wastewater treatment - Recent advances, process optimization and perspectives.

Recently, anaerobic self-forming dynamic membrane bioreactors (AnSFDMBRs) have attracted increasing attention, and are considered as an alternative to conventional anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs). The key advantages of AnSFDMBRs include high flux, low propensity towards fouling, and low capital and operational costs. Although there have been several reviews on AnMBRs, very few reviews on AnSFDMBR system.

Investigation of the short-term effects of extracellular polymeric substance accumulation with different backwashing strategies in an anaerobic self-forming dynamic membrane bioreactor.

The optimum operation strategy for a side-stream external anaerobic self-forming dynamic membrane bioreactor (AnSFDMBR) was investigated by coupling such a system with an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor. Time-based backwashing with different intervals and transmembrane pressure (TMP)-based backwashing were compared as the operation strategies of the AnSFDMBR. The system performance, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) accumulation in the dynamic layer and on the membrane mesh of the AnSFDMBR, and the physical properties of the dynamic layer were closely monitored.