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Highlights • Pulp and paper mills generate huge amount of wastewater. • Physicochemical processes have several limitations to treat wastewater. • Integrated microbial based technology improves the quality of wastewater. • Eco-friendly MBBR process creates opportunity for reuse of treated wastewater., From the beginning of the paper-making process, the pulp and paper industry has utilized a large amount of water and generated a vast amount of highly polluted wastewater. The paper industry faces global pressure to reduce water use and lower environmental pollution. However, traditional physicochemical methods of wastewater treatment need high energy input, and their ecological impact is questionable. Due to the zero discharged policy, the industries urgently require novel eco-friendly, sustainable, and efficient treatment techniques. Microbial technology is the most recommended option to treat wastewater and support sustainable growth. The present article describes the overview of traditional and novel methods, including membrane bioreactor (MBR) and moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) technology's with their current state and their limits for treating pulp and paper wastewater. It is expected to integrate the novel methods with advanced hybrid technology to fulfill wastewater treatment criteria and prospects. Furthermore, coupling MBR and MBBR technology make energy and water recovery possible, and recycling wastewater will be economically and environmentally feasible., Graphical abstract Image, graphical abstract

Paper derived from lignocellulose has great advantages over plastics as packaging material, nevertheless, the poor water- and oil-resistances of paper-derived products limited their application in high-end field. Herein, novel dimer acid-based waterborne polyurethanes (DWPUs) with different content of dimer acid-based polyester polyol (DG) were prepared and used as water- and oil-resistant coating for paper substrate. The effects of DG contents on water- and oil-resistances, mechanical properties and thermal stability of DWPUs coated papers were systematically investigated. When the content of DG reached up to 7 wt% (based on polyester glycol), the paper coated by DWPU exhibited 88.06% decrease in Cobb 60 value, 8.7 times increase in kit rating compared with uncoated paper. Meanwhile, DWPUs coated papers showed good mechanical properties and thermal stability. These improvements are attributed to the flexible long-alkyl chain, and six-ring structure of DWPUs as well as the continuous and homogeneous DWPU-derived membrane on the surface of paper. This study provides a new framework for the preparation of high quality, multifunctional, environmentally friendly water- and oil-resistant coatings for paper substrates.

To study the influence of different concentrations of zinc oxide (ZnO)/silicon dioxide (SiO2) composite coating on hydrophobic property and mechanical stability of paper mulch film, three kinds of ZnO/SiO2 composite coating paper mulch films (2%, 4%, 6%) with different coating substance contents were prepared by brush coating method. Through particle size analysis, contact angle, rolling angle and mechanical stability test, combined with scanning electron microscope, three-dimensional morphology and roughness measuring instrument, the optimal concentration of ZnO/SiO2 composite coated paper mulch film was screened out. Through acid-base salt corrosion test, silver mirror reaction and surface self-cleaning, the optimal concentration of composite coated paper mulch film was compared with the original paper mulch film to prove its excellent chemical stability and hydrophobicity. The results show that the paper mulch film with 4% coating material has excellent hydrophobicity and mechanical stability, can effectively reduce the surface roughness of paper mulch film, and has remarkable effects in resisting acid, alkali and salt and self-cleaning.

Sustainable and low-cost cellulose-based metallisation is the prerequisite for wearable and disposable electronics fabrication. In this paper, to realize the simplified, low-cost and high efficient metallisation, a new method had been proposed without both the noble metal activators and the corrosive chemicals. The modified electroless plating processes had been employed in activation and deposition procedure. The nickel ions were first physiadsorbed on the cellulose paper (CP) fibers and then reduced into clusters by reducing agent which can act as the seeds to initiate the electroless plating process. The gold galvanic displacement was conducted further to modify the nickel surface. Via these processes, the cellulose paper was metallised with Ni-P and Au/Ni-P successfully. The morphological and microstructural properties of the resulted Ni-P/CP and Au/Ni-P/CP hybrids were evaluated. The Ni-P/CP composites had a low surface resistance below 0.5 Ω sq-1 while the Au/Ni-P/CP composites are below 0.1 Ω sq-1. The relationship between the mechanical and electrical properties with the plating parameters is discussed. The results indicated that Au/Ni-P/CP had good electrical conductivity and mechanical flexibility. Finally, the application demonstration for supercapacitor with the modified metallisation method was exhibited. This work offers a facile and non-toxic path to develop high-performance metallisation for functional cellulose-based materials.

Over the past few years, what might not unreasonably be described as a true revolution has taken place in the field of machine vision, radically altering the way many things had previously been done and offering new and exciting opportunities for those able to quickly embrace and master the new techniques. Rapid developments in machine learning, largely enabled by faster GPU-equipped computing hardware, has facilitated an explosion of machine vision applications into hitherto extremely challenging or, in many cases, previously impossible to automate industrial tasks. Together with developments towards an internet of things and the availability of big data, these form key components of what many consider to be the fourth industrial revolution. This transformation has dramatically improved the efficacy of some existing machine vision activities, such as in manufacturing (e.g. inspection for quality control and quality assurance), security (e.g. facial biometrics) and in medicine (e.g. detecting cancers), while in other cases has opened up completely new areas of use, such as in agriculture and construction (as well as in the existing domains of manufacturing and medicine). Here we will explore the history and nature of this change, what underlies it, what enables it, and the impact it has had - the latter by reviewing several recent indicative applications described in the research literature. We will also consider the continuing role that traditional or classical machine vision might still play. Finally, the key future challenges and developing opportunities in machine vision will also be discussed.

The biotechnological use of xylans and xylanases has grown remarkably. Xylanases have stimulated great interest due to their potential application in several industries. Over the years the number of possible applications of xylanases in the pulp and paper industry has increased steadily, and several applications have been commercialized. Xylanases are being used for prebleaching pulp, modifying fiber, deinking, dedarking, and producing dissolving grade pulp. Apart from its use in the pulp and paper industry, xylanases are also used as food additives to poultry; in wheat flour for improving dough handling and quality of baked products; for the extraction of coffee, plant oils, and starch; in the improvement of nutritional properties of agricultural silage and grain feed; in combination with pectinase and cellulase for clarification of fruit juices; and in the degumming of plant fiber sources such as flax, hemp, jute, and ramie. Use of xylanases could greatly improve the overall economics of processing lignocellulosic materials for the generation of liquid fuels and chemicals. Xylanase and cellulase, together with pectinases, account for 20% of the world enzyme market.

ispartof: Journal Of Energy Chemistry vol:76 pages:165-174 status: published

As e-commerce drives the packaging growth, consumers are pushing for more sustainable packaging solutions. Considering the current societal needs, we have been able to engineer a new pathway for sustainable packaging solutions by developing lignin-containing micro- and nano-fibrillated cellulosic (LMNFCs) materials to strengthen the recycled fibers. LMNFCs from unbleached softwood pulp containing 14.4% lignin at high and low fibrillation levels were produced. Packaging papers from recycled old-corrugated containers were strengthened with LMNFCs with varying addition levels of 1 wt% to 3 wt% at two basis weights. The results show 2 wt% addition of LMNFC can enhance strength at low levels of fibrillation, and that basis weight can be reduced by 16.7%, from 150 gsm to 125 gsm, while maintaining a burst strength of 49-53 lbf. Reduction in basis weight and high lignin content of LMNFC also enhanced dewatering during sheet formation with the lowest increase in drainage time, 9%, relative to the 150 gsm with no LMNFC. The techno-economic analysis supports the feasibility of using LMNFC to produce lightweight and sustainable packaging materials at industrial scale with an 8% reduction in fiber cost.

Oxytetracycline (OTC) residues have been found in soil and water, and they may pose potential risks to agricultural ecological environments. One of the most impactful ways for OTC to enter the soil and water environments is through excrement used as organic fertilizer. Therefore, it is important to remove OTC during manure composting and to understand the transformation of the organic materials during composting in the presence of OTC. In the present paper, chicken manure and wheat sawdust spiked with OTC were composted under different initial moisture contents (MC) to evaluate the degradation of OTC and changes of organic matter during the composting process. The MC has a significant effect on OTC degradation during composting. A higher MC of 65% was more conducive to OTC degradation (77.4%) and compost maturity compared to the lower MC. However, the higher MC of 65% could increase the ammonia volatilization by promoting nitrification compared to the lower MC. An increase in the initial MC could improve the composting temperature. NMR results illustrated that the presence of OTC could affect the internal transformation of aliphatics, and OTC inhibited compost humification. Thus, an initial MC of 55–65% can alleviate the impacts of OTC on humification during manure composting.

Earthen buildings have gained popularity in recent years due to their eco-friendly sustainability approach in both materials and production technique. The materials' availability, ease of construction, and energy efficiency contribute to the utilization of wastes and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Gypsum and shredded plastic wastes are utilized in the production of modified Alker which is an improved earthen building. X-ray Powder Diffraction analysis is performed on the soil to obtain the basic elements in the soil, which show significant Magnesia content. The research studies the mechanical properties in Alker having 6% clay and modified with different percentages of SPW content by dry weight of the soil; 0.5%, 1% and 1.5%. The mechanical properties of matrix modified with 1% SPW show the best results. In addition, linear shrinkage tests are performed on the control and modified sample. The optimum sample modified with 1% SPW show significant reduction in linear shrinkage which is consistent with the crack analysis result performed using Matlab R2018a. It is observed that the optimum sample of 1% SPW has limited crack propagation compared to the other samples. Alker modified with shredded plastic wastes has shown to be a sustainable building material with improved properties.

Coated microneedles (MNs) are widely used for delivering biopharmaceuticals. In this study, a novel gel encapsulated coated MNs (GEC-MNs) was developed. The water-soluble drug coating was encapsulated with sodium alginate (SA) in situ complexation gel. The manufacturing process of GEC-MNs was optimized for mass production. Compared to the water-soluble coated MNs (72.02% ± 11.49%), the drug delivery efficiency of the optimized GEC-MNs (88.42% ± 6.72%) was steadily increased, and this improvement was investigated through in vitro drug release. The sustained-release of BSA was observed in vitro permeation through the skin. The rhIFNα-1b GEC-MNs was confirmed to achieve biosafety and 6-month storage stability. Pharmacokinetics of rhIFNα-1b in GEC-MNs showed a linearly dose-dependent relationship. The AUC of rhIFNα-1b in GEC-MNs (4.51 ng/ml·h) was bioequivalent to the intradermal (ID) injection (5.36 ng/ml·h) and significantly higher than water-soluble coated MNs (3.12 ng/ml·h). The rhIFNα-1b elimination half-life of GEC-MNs, soluble coated MNs, and ID injection was 18.16, 1.44, and 2.53 h, respectively. The complexation-based GEC-MNs have proved to be more efficient, stable, and achieve the sustained-release of water-soluble drug in coating MNs, constituting a high value to biopharmaceutical., Graphical abstract In the coated microneedle produced by the layer-by-layer coating method, the water-soluble drug-containing coating is encapsulated by the complexation-based gel (GEC-MNs). After GEC-MNs are applied to the skin, the release rate of the drug is reduced by the outer layer of the gel. The pharmacokinetic results of rh-IFNα-1b showed that compared with intradermal injection and water-soluble coated microneedles, the sustained release was achieved in GEC-MNs.Image, graphical abstract

A pre-hydrolysis Kraft pulping (PHK) process that was used to make dissolving pulp was enhanced by replacing conventional white liquor (WL) neutralization with green liquor (GL) neutralization prior to Kraft pulping. This resulted in a 10% increase in dissolving pulp production, and significant chemical savings, without compromising pulp reactivity. When the possible influence of the alkaline charge on fibre properties was assessed using methods such as viscosity, Simon's stain, Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) and SEM, it was apparent that stronger alkaline treatments (WL) resulted increased cellulose degradation, a lower cellulose DP and a slightly larger surface area. When these methods were complemented with an assay based on the selective binding of site-specific carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs), it was apparent that green liquor (GL) neutralization resulted in an increase in less-ordered cellulose being exposed. This likely contributed to its higher reactivity despite its lower overall surface area.

Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis) is commercially used for production of Gac oil. Gac pulp, which accounts for 40-50% of fruit weight, is major by-product. This study aimed to optimise extraction conditions including pH, temperature, time, ratio and ultrasonic power for recovery of pectin from Gac pulp, and compare its properties using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and acidic hot water extraction (AHWE) techniques, the typical advanced and conventional techniques for pectin extraction. Response surface methodology with Box-Behnken design was applied for both techniques. The results showed that pH was the most influential factor. Optimal AHWE conditions were identified at 90°C for 100 min with solvent to sample ratio of 50 mL/g and pH of 1.5, while optimal UAE conditions were 35 min, pH of 1.5, and ultrasonic power of 200 W. The recovery yield of pectin from UAE (53.80% ± 6.04) was significantly higher than that of AHWE (42.97%± 5.08). Pectin obtained from two techniques were low methoxyl pectin (DE

Baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) is a native Brazilian fruit consisting of a thin peel, a fibrous pulp, and a woody endocarp, which coats the nut covered by skin. The baru nut has relevant commercial value, and nutritional and functional properties. The peel and pulp are residues generated during the extraction of the nut in the agro-industrial processing of baru, and their chemical composition is poorly known. However, some studies indicate that they are a source of phytochemicals, such as dietary fiber and polyphenols, which have several health benefits, including prebiotic activity. This review presents an overview of the nutritional and functional attributes of the components of the baru fruit (nut, oil, skin, peel, and pulp); the health effects of the consumption of baru nut evidenced in preclinical and clinical studies; and the potential use of the different fractions of the baru fruit in functional food products.

The pumpkin pulp contains a greater composition of edible polysaccharides and has reported with excellent biological applications. This research pertains to optimize the extraction of polysaccharides from the fleshy portion of the pumpkin using aqueous assisted extraction (AAE). The result showed that the optimal extraction condition of pumpkin polysaccharide was as follows: extraction temperature at 55 °C, pH 4.5, and enzyme concentration of 4000 µ/g for 80 min. Under the optimal extraction condition, the yield of pumpkin polysaccharide via AAE (15.4) was significantly higher. The biological activities of extracted polysaccharide including α-amylase inhibition (57.41% at 1000 µg/mL) and anti-inflammatory (50.41% at 25 µg/mL) activity increased significantly. Additionally, the antioxidant activities of extracted pumpkin polysaccharides including IC50 values of DPPH and ABTS were 59.87% and 58.74%, respectively. The pumpkin polysaccharide has maximum inhibitory effects against bacterial strains especially for Escherichia coli than that of fungal strains. It is suggested that the aqueous assisted extraction of is a cost-effective promising method to decrease the processing time as well as enhancing extracted polysaccharide yield – times.

Carnobacterium sp., a lactic acid bacterium isolated from a maritime Antarctic lake, was evaluated for lactic acid production from a lignocellulosic hydrolysate. Eucalyptus sawdust, a residue from pulp and paper industries, was subjected to alkaline pretreatment to enhance its enzymatic hydrolysis. Fermentations were performed without and with pH control using eucalyptus enzymatic hydrolysate containing a mixture of glucose and xylose sugars. The sugars were successfully converted into lactic acid in 24 h, resulting in 7.6 g/L of lactic acid and a product yield of 0.50 g/g for pH controlled at 6.5. Fed-batch fermentation performed at a controlled pH of 6.5 improved both the lactic acid production (30 g/L) and the biomass growth (4.2 g/L). l -lactic acid optical purity higher than 95 % was obtained. These results demonstrated the potential usage of Carnobacterium sp in l -lactic acid production from eucalyptus.

The manufacturing of man-made cellulose fibers starts with the dissolution of wood pulp fibers. Pulps can dissolve at different rates and leave different amounts of undissolved particles. Thus, their properties can be modified to achieve better dissolution. Enzymatic treatments are an effective means of enhancing pulp dissolution, and this study compares the effect of endoglucanase (TrCel45A) and lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (LPMO, TrAA9A) on bleached softwood Kraft pulp at 20 % solids content. The enzymes were applied individually and in combination. Both enzymes increased fibrillation, fines content, porosity, water retention value, crystallinity index and crystallite size, but the largest changes were achieved with the enzyme mixture. For example, fiber saturation point and water retention value increased by 64 and 37 % with TrCel45A, by 27 and 25 % with TrAA9A, and by 73 and 52 % with both TrCel45A and TrAA9A. Pulp reactivity was indirectly assessed by measuring the dissolution time in cupriethylenediamine. The average dissolution time of the reference pulp measured 642 s, while those of the pulps treated with TrCel45A, TrAA9A and their mixture were 399, 473 and 298 s, respectively. The decrease in dissolution time correlated with the increase in fines, fibrillation, porosity, and water retention value.

This research explains the conversion of waste tobacco stalks into nitrocellulose to try to recover as much chemical potential contained in the biomass material as possible. Simple pioneering experiments were conducted using pulping tobacco stalks with a moisture content of 10.17 wt% and the soda pulping method being applied to produce cellulose pulp. The cellulose pulp was bleached using calcium hypochlorite to produce a dry white lignin-free pulp, which was subjected to nitration. The mixture used was 67% nitric acid and 98% sulphuric acid, and the acid ratio was varied between 3:7 and 7:3 v/v. Nitration time was varied between 5 and 25 min. This process produced nitrocellulose with all the various conditions. The nitrocellulose obtained with nitrogen content between 11 – 11.5% v/v was characterized using its solubility in acetone. An optimum nitrating mixture of 1:1 v/v with a nitration time of 5 min was used to produce nitrocellulose from tobacco stalks using soda pulping. The results show a great potential for tobacco farming countries to reduce their nitrocellulose import bill using this process.

The Application of a combination of enzymes is the best alternative to reduce the use of chemicals in the paper industry.

Bioremediation technologies are useful and sustainable solutions for recovering pollutants from ecosystems. In particular, the plant-assisted bioremediation or phyto-assisted bioremediation (PABR) strategy, relying on the synergistic actions between plant root system and natural microorganisms (bacteria and fungi), can be effective for stabilizing, storing, and degrading contaminants of polluted soils. Plant species through release of root exudates can stimulate biodegradation activity of natural soil microorganisms in the rhizosphere. The use of organic amendments (e.g., biochar, compost) in PABR applications can also be useful for enhancing plant growth, soil quality and increase the biodegradation of some contaminants. Moreover, PABR technology produces biomass, a by-product, which can be profitably valorised for producing energy in line with a circular economy. Deeper investigations on the overall processes in order to improve PABR effectiveness and ensure its zero impact on environment are desirable.

In this study, fertilizer drawn forward osmosis (FDFO) process was applied for the treatment of shale gas wastewater. The forward osmosis (FO) experiments with simulated shale gas wastewater and real shale gas wastewater were carried out, respectively. The effects of reverse salt diffusion on the inorganic fouling to the membrane surface was systematically investigated. Two commercial FO membranes were selected and the optimized operating conditions were evaluated. It was found that calcium sulfate scaling can be alleviated by optimizing the operating parameters, including increasing flow rate and decreasing temperature. Furthermore, the Aquaporin FO membrane, which has lower reverse salt flux and less surface charge potential, exhibited lower fouling tendency. Under the optimal operating conditions, the effects of reverse salt diffusion on the barium sulfate scaling were also analyzed. The presence of calcium ions can alleviate barium sulfate scaling, while sodium chloride will aggravate the barium sulfate scaling. In addition, the scaling behavior of real shale gas wastewater was further explored. Inorganic scaling phenomenon seriously affected the FO membrane performance and lower pH had beneficial effect on recycling the real shale gas wastewater. The present study provided both theoretical fundamentals and industry applicable practices for implementing FO technology in the treatment and resource recovery of shale gas wastewater.

Physico-chemical, functional properties, and filmogenic characteristics were determined in pulp (P) and whole (W) banana flours (BF), pretreated or not (preT and unT, respectively) with sodium metabisulfite, obtained from cultivars of Ecuadorian Musaceae: Musa acuminata AAA. The proximal composition revealed a high content of fat, protein, ash, and fiber in whole banana flours, while the total starch and amylose content was greater in pulp flours. The starch granules of both pulp and whole green banana flours presented an elongated and lenticular sizes and shapes, which could be related to the amount and variations in amylose and amylopectin structure in the raw materials. Pretreatment with metabilsulfite favors the increase in L* and b* parameters, while a* is reduced; likewise, the presence of the peel tends to darken the untreated flours. Water absorption, solubility and swelling capacity rose above 70 °C, matching the gelatinization temperature observed by DSC (74–78 °C). The temperature of gelatinization was higher for the pretreated whole banana flour, noticeably, the highest enthalpy ΔHgel (32.23 Jg-1) corresponded to the untreated whole banana flour. All banana flours had the ability to form filmogenic suspensions that showed a similar pseudoplastic behavior regardless of the flour composition, except for the pretreated pulp flour, which showed less shear thinning. The viscosity recovery capacity with the decrease in temperature was almost total in the untreated samples, while in the treated samples was lower (~20%). The higher amount of amylopectin favored the viscoelastic properties in the filmogenic suspension, while the lower content of this compound diminished these properties. For the aforementioned, green banana flours are an ingredient of interest and their ability to form filmogenic solutions can be a good alternative for its subsequent industrial application., The authors are grateful to Dirección de Investigación y Desarrollo (DIDE) and the Technical University of Ambato-Ecuador for financial support Resolution 1313-CU-P-2015, Project PFCIAL17 “Development of active biodegradable films from rejection banana flour (Musa genus) and its application”; Projects NANOALIVAL AGL 2017-84161 funded by MICINN, Spain and European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), and project 202070E218 funded by CSIC, Spain.

An ohmic assisted vacuum evaporation (OAVE) processes was used to concentrate orange juice from 11.4% total soluble solid content (TSSC) to 42% TSSC by applying 13 V/cm constant voltage gradient at different temperatures. The evaporation temperatures were adjusted to 100 degrees C, 85 degrees C, 75 degrees C and 65 degrees C by setting absolute system pressures of 101.32 kPa, 58 kPa, 39 kPa and 25 kPa, respectively. The total time for the processes, including heating and evaporation, was 34, 40, 48, and 54 min for 100, 85, 75, and 65 degrees C, respectively. As the evaporation temperature increased, the applied energy required for phase change decreased while maximum current values increased from 0.6 A at 65 degrees C to 2.52 A at 100 degrees C. During any given run, the current value increased as the orange juice pulp heated up, but then decreased after it began to boil, leading to a reduction in the rate of heat generation. Increasing evaporation temperature has a positive effect on evaporation rates, energy efficiency, specific water removal ratio (SWRR), exergy efficiency, and Improvement Potential (IP) (p < 0.05). The reduced energy requirement with higher temperature is partially due to reduced work from the vacuum pump at the higher absolute pressure. (c) 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Institution of Chemical Engineers.

Microbial contamination of dairy products is often through the release of bacteria from biofilms developing on almost any manufacturing plant surface. The microbial composition varies depending upon the product being manufactured and the environmental conditions in different parts of the dairy manufacturing plant. Microbial contamination of dairy products limits their value. Controlling biofilms through frequent cleaning costs the dairy industry in terms of labour and materials and by limiting the amount of product that can be manufactured. Recent studies on dairy biofilms have provided information on how dairy biofilms develop and suggest some alternative control measures to prevent or delay biofilm growth and reduce product contamination.

A study was steered to explore the effect of rock mineral addition (i.e., rock phosphate (RP), dolomite (DM) and mica (MC)) in organic wastes (e.g., water hyacinth and paddy straw) along with microbial inoculums on vermicompost quality. Different amalgamations of four microbial inoculums viz., Trichoderma viride, Azotobacter chroococcum, Bacillus polymixa and Bacillus firmus, and three rock minerals i.e., RP, DM, and MC were used during vermicomposting process to access their effect on the quality of mature vermicompost. A significant reduction in pH, organic carbon, C/N ratio, while significant increase in humic acid, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium was observed in each of the vermibeds. Furthermore, enzymatic activities were also boosted considerably due to Vermi-stabilization. Application of rock minerals at 10% (200 g in 2 kg organic waste mixture) along with microbial inoculants in the vermicomposting process promoted the availability of macronutrients as compared to control treatment. The results showed that the combination of rock minerals and microorganisms along with earthworms facilitated the decomposition and reduced the overall time required for composting besides producing a nutrient-enriched vermicompost product.

The feasibility of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) for in-line monitoring of pharmaceutical film coating processes has recently been demonstrated. OCT enables real-time acquisition of high-resolution cross-sectional images of coating layers and computation of coating thickness. In addition, coating quality attributes can be computed based on in-line data. This study assesses the in-line applicability of OCT to various coating functionalities and formulations. Several types of commercial film-coated tablets containing the most common ingredients were investigated. To that end, the tablets were placed into a miniaturized perforated drum. An in-line OCT system was used to monitor the tablet bed. This set-up resembles the final stage of an industrial pan coating process. All investigated coatings were measured, and the coating thickness, homogeneity and roughness were computed. The rotation rate was varied in a range comparable to large-scale coating operations, and no influence on the outcome was observed. The results indicate that OCT can be used to determine end-point and establish in-process control for a wide range of coating formulations. The real-time computation of coating homogeneity and roughness can support process optimization and formulation development., Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image

Mangifera sylvatica Roxb. is an underutilised and threatened wild fruit species found in Bangladesh, which is highly valued by local people as a source of fruit and is an important source of nutrition. As part of a feasibility study of the domestication and cultivar development potential of M. sylvatica, a preliminary study examined the morphological traits (fruit, kernel and pulp mass), nutritional profile (carbohydrate, sugar, pH, fat, protein, mineral and vitamins) and medicinal traits (total phenolic and phenolic profiling). The fruit of M. sylvatica is small (27.00g ± 7.03g) with a comparatively bigger kernel fruit (40% of its body weight). M. sylvatica fruit pulp has been proved to be a good source of carbohydrate, Vitamin C, sodium (Na) and potassium (K) and also has good medicinal properties (mangiferin and quercetin). The kernel is also a rich source of carbohydrate and has a good fatty acid profile (rich in stearic and oleic acids) consistent with cocoa butter, which indicates its potential to be used in the chocolate and confectionery industry. There is continuous variation in these traits, indicating opportunities for multiple trait cultivar development targeted at the food and pharmaceutical industries. The information generated in the study can be used as a stimulus to the process of domestication and to encourage widespread use of the species, which will ultimately help to conserve this wild underutilised fruit species.

A study on biofertilizer production via oxidation of heterogeneous mass and microbial decomposition of organic matter in the digestate obtained after anaerobic digestion of post biocoagulation sludge was undertaken. The digestate was characterized. Effect of process variables on composting was investigated. The kinetics of composting was studied. The characterization results show that digestate and saw dust contains macro (nitrogen-N, phosphorus-P, magnesium-Mg, sodium-Na, Calcium-Ca and potassium-K) and micro (manganese-Mn, zinc-Zn, Fe-iron and Cu-copper) nutrients that when composted can be used as biofertilizer/soil improver. Also, the final compost (biofertilizer) contains Zn, Cr, Cu, Cd and Pb that lay within the recommended limits for agricultural use. The kinetic data fitted very well to the second order model with R 2 of 0.9675 and activation energy of 1442.15 kJ mol . Composting kinetic analysis showed that temperature dependence of rates reaction clearly followed the Arrhenius equation. Also, the kinetics results revealed that the degradation of organic waste could be quantitatively predicted using the second order reaction model. It can be concluded that the composting of digestate with saw dust resulted in biofertilizer production; thus, converting waste to wealth.

In this work, a novel delignification process was proposed for the fractionation of invasive species such as Acacia dealbata wood. Organosolv process catalyzed with an acidic ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrosulfate was evaluated to obtain cellulose-enriched solids and liquid fractions rich in hemicelluloses derived compounds and lignin. Under selected operating conditions (190 °C, 60% ethanol, 60 min of reaction time and 0.6 g 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrosulfate/g wood), high solubilization of lignin and hemicelluloses and cellulose recovery (87.5%, 88.7% and 88.3%, respectively), with a pulp yield of 43.1% were achieved. Moreover, 62.6 % of lignin was recovered by precipitation from the black liquor (composed mainly by 4.43 g xylose/L, 7.66 g furfural/L and 3.59 g acetic acid/L). In addition, enzymatic digestibility of delignified wood was also assayed. Overall, this work presents an alternative biorefinery scheme based in the use of environmentally friendly solvent and catalyst for selective fractionation of A. dealbata wood., The authors acknowledge the financial support received from the Spanish “Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness” (Project CTQ2017-82962-R) and from “Xunta de Galicia” (GRC ED431C 2018/47 and Centro Singular de Investigación Biomédica “CINBIO”). These projects are partially funded by the FEDER Program of the European Union (“Unha maneira de facer Europa”). A. Romaní thanks BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01–0145-FEDER-000004) funded by European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 – Programa Operacional Regional do Norte., info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Recently, the demand for natural antioxidants in food manufacturing has increased significantly because of the possible toxicity of synthetic antioxidants. In this context, this research work was performed to evaluate the potentiality of seed (seed with kernel) and pulp (edible portion: pulp with peel) of Syzygium claviflorum to serve as natural antioxidants. The free radical scavenging capacity of S. claviflorum extracts was evaluated by 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazolin)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), and 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assays. In DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging assays seed extract demonstrated significantly (p

The objective of this work was to develop a new edible coating based on the ethanolic residue of the Ziziphus joazeiro fruit pulp (POLIJUA) and evaluate its application in the Coalho cheese, a fresh cheese type. Films were developed using different concentrations of glycerol and the best formulation was applied on cheeses to evaluate their physical-chemical and microbiological characteristics during 21 days of storage. The POLIJUA coating significantly decreased (p

This manuscript presents a 1 year in the laboratory and 3 years In-Situ evaluation of an alkoxysilane-based consolidant containing SiO2 nanoparticles (SiO2NPs) on Ostionera stone, a biocalcarenite traditionally employed in Southwestern Spain. C ' adiz Roman Theatre was selected for In-Situ application and testing. In order to safeguard the theatre, preliminary laboratory experiments were carried out. Firstly, the compatibility and the effectiveness of the consolidant product were evaluated in the laboratory, demonstrating that the incorporation of SiO2NPs improves drying time and consolidant effect. Subsequently, the consolidant was applied In-Situ and the long-term performance was monitored over 3 years through non-destructive tests. The treatment exhibit moderate incompatibility degree (6.1) and demonstrating the long-lasting performance of the SiO2NPs-based consolidant treatment., 1 This work has been supported by the Spanish Government MAT2017-84228-R (MINECO/AEI//FEDER,UE) and PID2020-115843RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. This work been cofinanced by the European Union under the 2014-2020 ERDF Operational Programme and by the Department of Economic Transformation, Industry, Knowledge, and Universities of the Regional Government of Andalusia. Project reference: FEDER-UCA18-106613. Giada M.C. Gemelli would also like to thank the Spanish Government for her predoctoral grants (PRE2018-085799). We thank the Cadiz Roman Theatre staff and Manuel Luna for their collaboration.

Carboxymethyl sago pulp (CMSP) with a degree of substitution 0.8 was synthesised from sago waste and cross-linked with chitosan to form a hydrogel by electron beam (EB) irradiation. Diclofenac sodium was loaded into 40% CMSP/3% chitosan solution mixture and irradiated at 25 kGy. The hydrogel exhibited pH and temperature-sensitive swelling behaviour. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis were performed to characterise its properties. Drug entrapment efficiency of diclofenac sodium-loaded hydrogel was 65.4 ± 0.2%. The release of diclofenac sodium from CMSP/chitosan hydrogel disc was low in an acidic environment (pH 1.2) and there was slow and sustained release in colonic pH (pH 6.8) over 32 h in a first-order manner. Based on the results of the disk diffusion test, the hydrogel exhibited antimicrobial activity against the tested microorganisms. Among tested formulations, 40% CMSP/3% chitosan hydrogel was shown to be the potential drug carrier for sustained drug delivery.

Respirable crystalline silica (RCS), in the form of quartz and cristobalite from occupational sources, was classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as carcinogenic to humans (category 1). In addition, RCS has recently been included in the Directive (EU) 2017/2398 about carcinogens and mutagens at work. Numerous studies suggest that the toxicity of quartz is conditioned by density and distribution of surface silanol groups, and it has been widely demonstrated at lab scale that masking these silanol groups significantly reduces silica toxicity. Based on these findings, a detoxifying, wet-coating method, using organosilanes as coating agent for reactive surface silanols, was previously developed and tested at industrial scale. In the present work, a new dry-coating process (patent pending) also using organosilanes was developed and applied to detoxify quartzes from different industrial branches. Dry-coating efficiency and stability were assessed and confirmed by both in-vitro tests (lactate dehydrogenase release and alkaline comet assay) and an intratracheal instillation study in rats. Finally, industrial trials were performed by different quartz end users (elastomers, foundry, adhesives, pigments and glazes) to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of implementing this dry-coating process at industrial scale. From the obtained results, it can be drawn that the proposed methodology seems to represent a promising strategy to significantly reduce the risk associated with the handling of RCS-bearing materials. This RCS coating approach shows enough flexibility to be adapted to different industrial processes without significantly interfering with product quality.

oreover, the second author also acknowledges the financial support through the following competitively funded projects: (i) Project Lisboa-01-0247-FEDER-035234 (“MicroALGAs: produção integrada e VALORização da biomassa e das suas diversas aplicações” - ALGAVALOR), in the context of the FCT Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (COMPETE 2020) and (ii) Project P319RT0025 (“Red Iberoamericana para el Tratamiento de Efluentes con Microalgas” - RENUWAL), in the context of the Red CYTED. The authors would also like to thank the company Avibom, S.A, for providing the poultry effluent used in this investigation, and Dinar Camotim, for proof-reading the article. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s) This work addresses how a pre-treatment involving biomass ash influences the poultry effluent's bioremediation using three microalga strains, such as Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorella protothecoides and Tetradesmus obliquus. The undiluted effluent served as the culture medium for the growth, both in batch and semi continuous modes, and the remediation efficiency and biomass production yield were quantified. The combination strategy in batch mode, allowed removal efficiency of 100% for total nitrogen, more than 80% for total phosphorus and over 70% for chemical oxygen demand. Average biomass productivities for 10 days of 94.9, 76.2 and 72.0 mg L−1 day−1 were obtained for T. obliquus, C. vulgaris and C. protothecoides, respectively. Regarding semi-continuous strategy (28 days), the biomass productivities achieved were 245 and 194 mg L−1 day−1 for T. obliquus and C. vulgaris, respectively. Remediation rates of 100% for total nitrogen and phosphorus, and over 92% for COD were attained. The microalga composition was assessed for protein, sugar, lipid, and ash contents. The produced biomasses were tested as biostimulant and showed a 147% increase in wheat germination index, for the C. vulgaris microalga. The use of the precipitate from the biomass ash pre-treatment as fertilizer in germination tests was also assessed and results in an increase of 26%, for 10% of precipitate incorporation. publishersversion published

This study focuses on the processing, characterization, and sugar and ethanol production potential of red-fleshed sweet potatoes (RFSP) and white-fleshed sweet potatoes (WFSP). These feedstocks were used for the production of sugar; and bioethanol from its pulp by the action of five different microbes. The characterization of raw sweet potatoes and desired products of raw sugar, and bioethanol were carried out through proximate analyses, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopic (FTIR) method, measurement of pol% by using a Refractometer, Polarimeter, Saccharimeter. The proximate analyses of feedstocks show the presence of a respectable amount of dry solids 25 ± 0.03g/100g with a lower amount of fat (0.025 ± 0.002) and ash (0.533 ± 0.076) contents make them promising crops for the production of sugar and ethanol. Comparatively, RFSP raw sugar (oZ: 95.25 ± 0.05) is considered purer than WFSP raw sugar (oZ: 94.6 ± 0.015). FTIR spectrums of the presently studied raw sugar and bioethanol have characteristic bands. It shows that the raw sugars products are rich in sucrose content, and confirms that the bioethanol was produced from the selected raw materials is at a satisfactory level. The efficiency of microbes was evaluated by taking a sample from the fermented wash to measure the residual sugar in (oBrix). Comparatively, fermented wash with sweet potato extracted yeast was found 14% Brixo (consume 86% of pulp) in RFSP, and 17% of Brixo (consume 83% pulp) in WFSP within 24 hours of fermentation. The alcohol level of bioethanol's produced from RFSP and WFSP pulps was tested using Ebuliometer and the result was found to be ranged 78 °C – 80 °C which is closer to the boiling point of absolute anhydrous alcohol (78.3 °C). Thus, the results of the present study proved that the sweet potato and its pulp are considered as a potential alternative sugar/energy feedstock., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Sweet potato is a cheaper sugar-containing crop and abundant resource. • Red-fleshed sweet potato has greater sucrose content with higher purity (95.42 g/L). • Industries can ease the production of sugar & bioethanol using sweet potato. • Efficiency of studied inoculums is graded as: SPY > LEY > SCY > KEY > SRB., Bioethanol, Fermentation, Pol, Saccharimeter, Sweet potato, Sucrose.

Highlights • AsA, one kind of ROS scavenger, is a low-cost, safe, and convenient preservative. • AsA treatment could help to retain better quality of longan fruit during storage. • AsA treatment reduced weight loss of fresh longan fruit. • AsA treatment retarded disease development and pericarp browning of fresh longans. • AsA showed a great potential application for postharvest fresh longan fruit., The impacts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger ascorbic acid (AsA) treatment on the storability and quality attributes of ‘Fuyan’ longan fruit were explored. Compared to control samples, the treatment of 4 g L−1 AsA solution clearly reduced fruit weight loss, indexes of fruit disease and pericarp browning, retained higher percentage of commercially acceptable fruit, higher values of chromaticity a∗, chromaticity b∗, and chromaticity L∗, delayed pigment degradation in longan pericarp, and retarded the decreases of nutritive ingredients in longan pulp. When stored for 6 d, vitamin C (0.08 g kg−1), sucrose (20.70 g kg−1), total soluble sugar (56.32 g kg−1), and total soluble solids (12.4%) in AsA-treated fruit displayed the clearly higher contents than those in control samples. These data suggested that the treatment of exogenous ROS scavenger AsA could effectively enhance the quality attributes and storability of postharvest longan fruit, thereby lengthen their postharvest shelf-life.

The use of Recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) obtained from construction and demolition waste not only reduces the need for virgin aggregates but also solves the problems associated with the disposal of construction and demolition (C&D) waste. Despite being a promising prospect, field utilization of RCA in bituminous mixes is limited due to the problems like lower strength and higher moisture susceptibility. To solve these issues present study aims at examining the effect of lime filler on RCA incorporated bituminous mixes. In the present study, RCA was obtained by mechanically treating C&D waste in a Los Angeles abrasion machine. Bituminous mixes were prepared by using 10%–50% of RCA. Additionally, 2% lime was added to the RCA incorporated mixes, and the parameter like optimum bitumen content, Marshall stability, Marshall quotient, Indirect tensile strength, Retained Marshall stability and Tensile strength Ratio were compared with the control mix to examine the effect of RCA and lime on mix properties. The inclusion of RCA was found to adversely affecting the properties of the mix whereas the inclusion of lime improved the properties. To provide a clear understanding of the environmental and economic benefits of utilizing RCA in bituminous mixes, economic and environmental assessment was also done. Based on different test results and analysis it was concluded that with the use of lime fillers it is possible to produce economical and environmentally friendly RCA incorporated bituminous mixes having properties comparable/better than conventional hot mix asphalt (HMA).

The objective of this research is to assess the effect of enzymatic treatment of guava puree on the physicochemical parameters of the juice. Pectinases from Aspergillus niger were applied to the puree at 43 ± 3 °C under constant stirring. Enzyme concentrations used were: 0.033 % (w/w), 0.055% (w/w), 0.078 % (w/w) and 0.1 % (w/w). For each enzyme concentration, the treatment times were varied from 3 – 90 min. Physicochemical parameters of raw puree and enzymatically treated juice were determined. These were: viscosity, pH, electric conductivity, protein and polyphenol content, galacturonic acid content, color, TSS, and antioxidant capacity. Particle distribution, homogeneity of raw puree and juice samples dried extracts were assessed using a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). A 91% viscosity decrease was recorded for each enzyme concentration after 3 min of enzyme reaction. That drecrase was accompanied by an increase in galacturonic acid content with increasing depectinization factors. Enzyme treatment of guava puree led to a decrease in pH, protein and polyphenol contents and an increase in conductivity and color. Analysis of FESEM images of guava samples bestowed a decrease in particle size, a scattering of particles in the medium, an increase in continuous phase proportion and an improvement of sample homogeneity with increasing values of processing parameters, due to the breaking-down of bigger particles and the solubilization during depectinization., Pectinases, hydrolysis, guava pulp, juice, FESEM

Artificial fruit ripening agents have become increasingly popular in recent years. During the ripening, various ripening agents are used for the ripening of banana fruits. The effects of various ripening agents of banana fruits (variety: Malbhog) were studied. Seven treatments consisting of distilled water, Gibberellic acid (GA3) @ 100 ppm, GA3 @ 200 ppm, GA3 @ 300 ppm, kinetin @ 3 ppm, kinetin @ 5 ppm, and kinetin @ 7 ppm were laid out in a Completely Randomized Design with three replications. The maximum loss in weight (9.195%), Total Soluble Solids (20.33˚B), the highest color score (6), pH (4.767), Total Soluble Solids/Titratable Acidity TA (34.23), and Pulp peel ratio (2.84) were observed in banana sprayed with distilled water whereas the minimum value for TSS (12.67˚B), pulp peel ratio (1.813), peel color rating (2.67), TSS/TA (15.32) were observed in GA3 @ 300 ppm treated fruits. The maximum (32.67 days) and the minimum (18.33 days) shelf-life was observed in GA3 @ 300 ppm and distilled water respectively. This research will help in the regulation of ripening as per the needs of consumers and the distance of the market. In horticulture, it will help to extend storage life and reduce quality and economic loss.

This study examined bacterial dynamics in response to lime addition to enhance kitchen waste composting using modular network analysis. Bacterial communities could be separated into three meta-modules corresponding to the mesophilic, thermophilic, and mature stage of composting. Lime addition at 1% (wet weight) suppressed acidogens and denitrifiers (e.g. Lactobacillus and Acinetobacter) at the mesophilic stage to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The matrix pH and temperature were also increased by lime addition via hydrogen reaction to favor bacterial growth and activity. Thus, thermophilic bacteria (e.g. Thermoactinomycetaceae and Planifilum) were enriched with lime addition to facilitate lignocellulose biodegradation for humus formation at the thermophilic stage. Further lime addition to 1.5% reduced ammonia emission at the thermophilic stage via chemical fixation. Moreover, lime inhibited denitrifiers but proliferated nitrifiers at the mature stage to decrease nitrous oxide emission and enhance nitrate content, respectively. As such, lime addition improved both biotic and abiotic composting performance.

Highlights • CUAE and PUAE parameters were optimized by the maximization of the yield in TPC. • Compared to conventional methods, UAE offered a higher yield of antioxidants. • Gallic acid was the most abundant polyphenolic compound in carob pulp extracts. • Solvent concentration was the most influential processing parameter. • DPA-6S demonstrated the best ability to recuperate the target analytes., Polyphenols in carobs have recently attracted great attention due to their wide range of biological and health promoting effects. A comprehensive study was conducted to find an optimum method for the extraction, purification and characterization of these valuable bioactive substances. Under this framework, the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of polyphenols from carob pulp was optimized by the maximization of the yield in total phenolics using response surface methodology. In particular, the effects of solid-solvent ratio, solvent concentration, extraction time, sonication amplitude, and sonication mode were investigated and optimized using a complete experimental design. In comparison to conventional extraction techniques, UAE offered a higher yield of antioxidants and a shorter processing time. Solid-phase extraction was evaluated as a clean-up strategy prior to the electrophoretic analysis of extracts. The results from the analysis of real samples revealed the predominance of gallic acid and highlighted the great influence of the ripening stage on carobs composition.

The addition of reinforced material (polymer and mineral fillers) to epoxy resin matrices results in the improvement of the overall performance of the composite, allowing the application of these materials as tribo-materials in industrial applications. Enhancement of the tribological properties (low friction coefficient, increased wear resistance and non-stick properties) of epoxy coatings is done by embedding fillers with various particle sizes and with different filler volume fractions. The aim of this work is to determine the factors influencing the wear-reducing mechanisms of the fillers. This was done by wear tests carried out on a pin-on-disc apparatus and on a Taber Abraser device. A significant decrease in the wear rate was recorded with the formulations containing polymer fillers such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyethylene (PE) and fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), due to their self-lubricating nature. The particle size of silica (SiO2) fillers was found to play a significant role, coarse particles reducing the wear rate due to the bond at the resin/filler interface. It was shown that not all fillers helped improving the wear resistance; the SiO2 fillers with lower particle size had a negative effect on the wear resistance of the epoxy coating, by causing discontinuities in the material. The worn surfaces were analysed using light microscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM), to help better understand the wear mechanisms involved.

A 62-day feeding trial was conducted to assess the effects of dietary black soldier fly pulp (BSFP) on growth performance, liver and intestine histomorphology, and liver lipid metabolism gene expression of Micropterus salmoides. Four isoproteic and isolipidic diets were formulated by adding BSFP (original substance) to the basal diet at the rate of 0% (BSFP0), 1% (BSFP1), 2% (BSFP2) and 4% (BSFP4), corresponding to inclusion of 0, 4.5, 9.0 and 18.0 g/kg DM in diets. Each diet was randomly assigned to triplicate groups of 35 fish per tank. Fish were fed twice daily to apparent satiation. Results indicated that fish fed BSFP2 had higher (p

Dragon fruit is a popular tropical fruit that has a high phenolic content which are the main contributors to the antioxidant potential and health benefits of dragon fruit pulp and peel waste. Although some phenolic compounds in dragon fruit have previously been reported, a comprehensive analysis of complete phenolic profile of the Australian varieties has not been conducted. Thus, the aim of this study was to extract, identify and quantify phenolics from dragon fruits grown in Australia. Phenolic compounds were extracted from the peels and pulps of white and red dragon fruit. Phenolic content was determined by total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and total tannin content (TTC), while antioxidant activities were measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2,2′-Azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). The results showed that dragon fruit pulp had a higher total phenolic content and stronger antioxidant capacity than peel, while the peel had a higher content of flavonoids and tannins than the pulp. Liquid chromatography electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS) was used for the characterization of phenolic compounds, a total of 80 phenolics including phenolic acids (25), flavonoids (38), lignans (6), stilbene (3) and other polyphenols (8) were characterized in all dragon fruits. High performance liquid chromatography equipped with photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA) quantified the phenolic compounds in different portion of dragon fruit and showed that dragon peel had higher concentrations of phenolics than pulp. The results highlighted that both dragon fruit peel and pulp are potential sources of phenolic compounds, with peel in particular being a source of antioxidant phenolics with potential as ingredients for the food and pharmaceutical industries.

The high process water content of many mineral tailings warrants development and application of new and cost-effective dewatering methods, involving high-capacity and regenerable water-absorbing polymers. The stimuli responsive nature of Super absorbent (SAB) polymers enables them to release absorbed water upon changing process conditions (e.g., temperature and pH), allowing super absorbent polymers recycling towards improving dewatering process economics. To understand the effect of process conditions and ore type coupled with cost effectiveness of super absorbent dewatering system, this study investigates recovery of the absorbed water by pH induced super absorbent regeneration. The super absorbent, sodium polyacrylate, absorbed water from hydrophilic saprolitic laterite and hydrophobic chalcopyrite slurries prior to the investigations. Specifically, the effect of pH of absorbed water, SAB dosage and acid type (CH3COOH, HCl) and dosage on the SAB's water recovery behaviour was studied. The SAB dosage of 2 g/100 g slurry and HCl dosage of 2 g/100 g absorbed water were conducive for maximum water recovery (~95%) from both slurries while their pH and mineralogy had no noticeable effect on the SAB dewatering process. The overall performance, based of maximum recovered water, of CH3COOH in the SAB dewatering system was lower than HCl, however, relatively higher water recovery (~70 wt.%) was observed for Ch3COOH under slightly acidic solution conditions (~ pH 4) compared with HCl (~45 wt.% water recovery). The findings aid to the development of improved, cost-effective management of both, hydrophobic and hydrophilic waste tailings. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Highlights • Critical analysis of the hybrid processes involving ultrasound, Fenton and ozone. • Guidelines for optimum operating conditions provided for maximum benefits. • Original study on treatment of two real industrial effluents. • US-Fenton approach followed by lime treatment established as the best approach. • Use of ozone does not add much benefits to US-Fenton treatment process., The present work demonstrates the significant role of ultrasound (US) in intensifying the efficacy of the combination with Fenton reagent and/or ozone for the treatment of real dye industry industrial effluent procured from the local industry. Initial part of the work focused on analysing the literature based on combination approaches of US with different oxidants applied for the treatment of real and simulated effluents focusing on the dyes. The work also provides guidelines for the selection of optimal operating parameters for maximizing the intensification of the degradation. The second part of the work presents an experimental study into combined approaches of ultrasound with ozone (O3) and Fenton’s reagent for treatment of real effluent. Under optimized conditions (100 W, 20 kHz and duty cycle of 70%), maximum COD reductions of 94.79% and 51% were observed using a combined approach of US + Fenton oxidation followed by lime treatment for the treatment of effluent-I and effluent-II respectively at H2O2 loading of 17.5 g/L, H2O2/Fe2+ ratio of 3, pH of 4, CaO dose of 1 g/L and an overall treatment time of 70 min. US + Fenton + O3 followed by lime was also applied for treatment under ozone loading of 1 g/h for the treatment of effluent-I and it was found that maximum COD reduction of 95.12% was obtained within 30 min of treatment time, indicating use of ozone did not result in significant value addition in terms of COD reduction but resulted in faster treatment. HC (inlet pressure: 4 bar) + Fenton + Lime scheme was successfully replicated on a pilot-scale resulting in maximum COD reduction of 57.65% within 70 min of treatment time. Overall, it has been concluded that the hybrid oxidative processes as US + Fenton followed by lime treatment is established as the best approach ensuring effective COD reduction at the same time obtaining final colourless/reusable effluent.