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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. The explored scenarios include co-disposal and treatment with WW by using FW disposers and anaerobic co-digestion with sewage sludge in Hong Kong. Compared to the existing WW and FW treatment, the integrated scenarios significantly improved the energy balance (~83–126%), net greenhouse gas emissions (~90%), and economics of operation, with permissible impact on WW treatment performance. Therefore, utilizing the surplus capacity of the existing WW treatment facilities, these integrated scenarios are a promising solution for sustainable development. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.

Waste polymers have been studied for various applications such as energy generation and biochemical production; however, their application in asphalt roads still poses some questions. Over the last decade, several studies have reported the utilization of waste plastics in roads using different methodologies and raw materials, but there is still significant inconsistency around this topic. What is the right methodology to recycle waste plastics for road applications? What is the correct type of waste plastics to be used in road applications? What environmental concerns could arise from the use of waste plastics in road applications? Plastic Waste for Sustainable Asphalt Roads covers the various processes and techniques for the utilization of waste plastics in asphalt mixes. The book discusses the various material properties and methodologies, effects of various methodologies, and combination of various polymers. It also provides information on the compatibility between bitumen and plastics, final asphalt performance, and environmental challenges. Discusses the processes and techniques for utilization of waste plastics in asphalt mixes. Features a life-cycle assessment of waste plastics in road surfaces and possible Environmental Product Declarations (EPD). Includes examples of on-field usage through various case studies.

To improve future agricultural production, major technological advances are required to increase crop production and yield. Targeting the coding region of genes via the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR-associated Protein (CRISPR/Cas) system has been well established and has enabled the rapid generation of transgene-free plants, which can lead to crop improvement. The emergence of the CRISPR/Cas system has also enabled scientists to achieve cis-regulatory element (CRE) editing and, consequently, engineering endogenous critical CREs to modulate the expression of target genes. Recent genome-wide association studies have identified the domestication of natural CRE variants to regulate complex agronomic quantitative traits and have allowed for their engineering via the CRISPR/Cas system. Although engineering plant CREs can be advantageous to drive gene expression, there are still many limitations to its practical application. Here, we review the current progress in CRE editing and propose future strategies to effectively target CREs for transcriptional regulation for crop improvement.

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. The explored scenarios include co-disposal and treatment with WW by using FW disposers and anaerobic co-digestion with sewage sludge in Hong Kong. Compared to the existing WW and FW treatment, the integrated scenarios significantly improved the energy balance (~83–126%), net greenhouse gas emissions (~90%), and economics of operation, with permissible impact on WW treatment performance. Therefore, utilizing the surplus capacity of the existing WW treatment facilities, these integrated scenarios are a promising solution for sustainable development. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.

Baloch, H. A., Nizamuddin, S., Siddiqui, M. T. H., Riaz, S., Konstas, K., Mubarak, N. M., ... Griffin, G. J. (2021). Catalytic upgradation of bio-oil over metal supported activated carbon catalysts in sub-supercritical ethanol. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 9(2), article 105059. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2021.105059

Baloch, H. A., Siddiqui, M. T. H., Nizamuddin, S., Riaz, S., Haris, M., Mubarak, N. M., ... Srinivasan, M. P. (2021). Effect of solvent on hydro-solvothermal co liquefaction of sugarcane bagasse and polyethylene for bio-oil production in ethanol–water system. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 148, 1060-1069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2021.02.015