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Metabolism controls cellular phenotype and fate. In this report, we demonstrate that nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), a metabolic enzyme that regulates developmental stem cell transitions and tumor progression, is highly expressed in human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) lungs, and is induced by the pro-fibrotic cytokine, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in lung fibroblasts. NNMT silencing reduces the expression of extracellular matrix proteins, both constitutively and in response to TGF-β1. Furthermore, NNMT controls the phenotypic transition from homeostatic, proregenerative lipofibroblasts to pro-fibrotic myofibroblasts. This effect of NNMT is mediated, in part, by the downregulation of lipogenic transcription factors, TCF21 and PPARγ, and the induction of a less proliferative but more differentiated myofibroblast phenotype. NNMT confers an apoptosis-resistant phenotype to myofibroblasts that is associated with the downregulation of pro-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family, including Bim and PUMA. Together, these studies indicate a critical role for NNMT in the metabolic reprogramming of fibroblasts to a pro-fibrotic and apoptosisresistant phenotype and support the concept that targeting this enzyme may promote regenerative responses in chronic fibrotic disorders such as IPF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan has been facing an electricity shortage since the year 2005, which is negatively affecting the country's agricultural, industrial, and services sectors growth. In this study, Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP®) software was used for forecasting energy mix of Pakistan for the period of 2022–2050 under the baseline and transformation scenarios. Baseline scenario emphasizes to enhance the share of hydro while transformation scenario emphasizes to enhance the share of biomass in total energy mix of Pakistan. Transformation scenario is recommended because hydro plants will retire in future and delay in construction of new hydro plants is noticed due to limited budget. In this regard, electrical energy is harvested using biomass based distributed power generation (BBDPG) for the sustainable economic development of Pakistan. The aggregate capacity of biomass is used which includes agriculture residue, forest residue, municipal waste, and animal waste. The results of this study show that the share of hydro at around 54.09% (614.14 TWh) is dominated over other renewable sources in the baseline scenario, whereas, in transformation scenario the share of biomass at around 33.3% (378 TWh) is dominated over other renewable sources till 2050. Pakistan could generate a total of 1135.20 TWh energy units in 2050, which would be enough to meet the future energy demand of 966.05 TWh by 2050. • Modeling of Pakistan's energy systems for the period 2022 to 2050. • Create balance between power demand and supply for economic development. • Role of biomass in energy mix is significant. • Provide sufficient power at competitive price and avoid capacity shortfall. • Proposed an energy policy for achieving renewable energy supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the recent climate change, organizations all over the globe are developing plans for reducing carbon emissions by developing clean energy technologies and energy efficient devices. In this regard, the developments have not been done over the past two decades on green energy in Pakistan and in general, the representation of renewable sources especially biomass feedstock supply such as agriculture residue, forest residue, municipal waste and animal waste for green energy transition pathways is limited. Using the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP®) software, path for green energy transition is analyzed in Pakistan by incorporating the biomass feedstock under the ongoing and sustainable energy scenarios from 2022 to 2050. Results showed that the bioelectricity production will increase from 18.73 TWh (in the ongoing scenario) to the 265.20 TWh (in the biomass based sustainable energy scenario) till 2050. Furthermore, the development of biomass plants would help in reducing the CO 2 emissions from 138.47 million metric tonnes in the current scenario to 8.71 million metric tonnes in the sustainable energy scenario by 2050. This study will provide the fundamental data and aid the policy makers and other stakeholders to shift toward developing renewable and sustainable energy systems in Pakistan. • Role of biomass in energy mix is significant for Pakistan. • Pakistan is producing 560.19 million tons of biomass resource annually. • Bioelectricity production will increase from 18.73 to 265.20 TWh using biomass till 2050. • LEAP® model is developed for sustainable climate change. • Bioelectricity will reduce CO 2 emissions from 138.47 to 8.71 million metric tonnes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, solar photovoltaic (PV) technology has shown tremendous growth among all renewable energy sectors. The attractiveness of a PV system depends deeply of the module and it is primarily determined by its performance. The quantity of electricity and power generated by a PV cell is contingent upon a number of parameters that can be intrinsic to the PV system itself, external or environmental. Thus, to improve the PV panel performance and lifetime, it is crucial to recognize the main parameters that directly influence the module during its operational lifetime. Among these parameters there are numerous factors that positively impact a PV system including the temperature of the solar panel, humidity, wind speed, amount of light, altitude and barometric pressure. On the other hand, the module can be exposed to simultaneous environmental stresses such as dust accumulation, shading and pollution factors. All these factors can gradually decrease the performance of the PV panel. This review not only provides the factors impacting PV panel's performance but also discusses the degradation and failure parameters that can usually affect the PV technology. The major points include: 1) Total quantity of energy extracted from a photovoltaic module is impacted on a daily, quarterly, seasonal, and yearly scale by the amount of dust formed on the surface of the module. 2) Climatic conditions as high temperatures and relative humidity affect the operation of solar cells by more than 70% and lead to a considerable decrease in solar cells efficiency. 3) The PV module current can be affected by soft shading while the voltage does not vary. In the case of hard shadowing, the performance of the photovoltaic module is determined by whether some or all of the cells of the module are shaded. 4) Compared to more traditional forms of energy production, PV systems offer a significant number of advantages to the environment. Nevertheless, these systems can procure greenhouse gas emissions, especially during the production stages. In conclusion, this study underlines the importance of considering multiple parameters while evaluating the performance of photovoltaic modules. Environmental factors can have a major impact on the performance of a PV system. It is critical to consider these factors, as well as intrinsic and other intermediate factors, to optimize the performance of solar energy systems. In addition, continuous monitoring and maintenance of PV systems is essential to ensure maximum efficiency and performance. [Display omitted] • Environmental factors influencing performance of photovoltaic panels are reviewed. • Waste and pollution emissions evaluated during lifecycle of solar energy systems. • Recommendations and way forward to sustainable solar energy production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small-scale industries account for a large proportion of jobs and play a vital role in most countries' economic growth and prosperity. Due to the very low use of personal protective equipment (PPEs), employees are exposed to numerous physical, chemical, and accidental hazards in small-scale industries. PPEs are very effective in minimizing occupational injuries, accidents, and other hazards which otherwise result in substantial manpower and financial losses. The study objective was to assess the availability and use of PPEs as well as self-reported occupational exposures among workers in surveyed small industries in Jeddah. The study involved 102 workers from 28 small-scale industries (vehicle repair, welding, and paint). A survey was conducted to gather data of socio-demographic characteristics, self-reported occupational exposures, and frequency of PPEs used by workers. The occupational exposures (never exposed, sometimes exposed and always exposed) were reported in percentages including; noise exposure (19.6, 73.5 and 6.9%); dust/smoke exposure (9.8, 69.6 and 20.6%); vapors/fumes exposure (11.8, 60.8 and 27.5%); and direct sunlight (43.1, 56.9 and 0%), respectively. The reported use of different PPEs in descending order was; knee joints mats (50%), welding shields (50%), safety glasses (33.3%), gloves (27.5%), face masks (26.5%), safety shoes (10.8%) and earplugs/ muffs (8.8%). On the basis of this study findings, hand hygiene and general OSH awareness like interventions can be developed which will help in minimizing workplace exposures among small-scale industry workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to investigate the thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of CD case wastes over natural zeolite catalyst. The effect of temperature and catalyst on product yields have been investigated for each condition. The thermal pyrolysis experiments were carried out at the reactor temperature of 400, 450, and 500°C. Furthermore, the effect of natural zeolite (NZ) catalyst on pyrolysis products was also studied at various catalyst to feedstock ratio. The results showed that the temperature and catalyst affected the products yield and liquid composition. CD case pyrolysis produced highest liquid fraction at the temperature of 450°C. Furthermore an estimated 5.74 kW of electricity can be generated by pyrolysis oil produced from CD case wastes at a recycling site in Yogyakarta city, Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the economic and environmental benefits of recovered paper and potential contribution of the recovered paper to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Vision 2030. The Vision 2030 is an inclusive development policy, recently launched, with the objectives to build the best future for the country. The Vision 2030 is based on three ambitious goals: making the country a vibrant society, a thriving economy and an ambitious nation. It is estimated that by 2030, 5.05 million ton of waste paper would be recovered in the country. About 11.3 billion SAR (US $3.01 billion) would be added to the country’s GDP and would create about 16,536 new jobs if the recovered paper industry is built in the country. Moreover, a net environmental benefit of 9.6 million crude barrel oil savings and 4.5 million ton of CO 2 savings from GHG emissions could be achieved by 2030 only from the paper waste recovery in the country. The potential benefits of paper waste recycling in KSA highlight the needs of effective measures to optimize the economic and environmental opportunities inherited in the waste paper industry. These measures should focus on capitalizing the local waste paper processing industry, restrict the export of raw waste paper materials, and enhance the waste paper collection process and quantity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of energy from waste is getting popular nowadays across the globe, as being capable of producing multi fuels and value-added products from different fractions of municipal solid waste (MSW). The energy recovery technologies under this concept are anaerobic digestion (AD), pyrolysis, transesterification, refuse derived fuel (RDF) and incineration. This concept is very relevant to implementation in countries like Saudi Arabia, who wants to cut their dependence on oil. Moreover, the waste to energy becomes the imperative need of the time because of new governmental policy ‘Vision 2030’ that firmly said to produce renewable energy from indigenous sources of waste, wind and solar and due to given situations of Hajj and Umrah with massive amounts of waste generation in a short period. This study focused on two waste to energy technologies, AD and pyrolysis for food (40% of MSW) and plastic (20% of MSW) waste streams respectively. The energy potential of 1409.63 and 5619.80 TJ can be produced if all of the food and plastic waste of the Madinah city are processed through AD and pyrolysis respectively. This is equivalent to 15.64 and 58.81 MW from biogas and pyrolytic oil respectively or total 74.45 MW of continuous electricity supply in Madinah city throughout the whole year. It has been estimated that the development of AD and pyrolysis technologies will also benefit the economy with net savings of around US $63.51 and US $53.45 million respectively, totaling to an annual benefit of US $116.96 million. Therefore, in Saudi Arabia and particularly in Holiest cities of Makkah and Madinah the benefits of waste to energy are several, including the development of renewable-energy, solving MSW problems, new businesses, and job creation and improving environmental and public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fossil fuels accomplish almost 80% of the world energy needs. The ever increasing exploitation of fossil fuels has led to environmental pollution, global climate change and health problems to living beings. Hence to meet the needs of the future energy and to mitigate the environmental pollution, it is critical to look for the alternate fuels. Global energy infrastructure in the future is believed to be accomplished by the energy generated from the low-cost renewable resources. Algae biomass has emerged as a promising biofuel source, as microalgae-based biofuels are biodegradable, renewable, and eco-friendly in comparison to fossil driven fuels. This study aims to examine the importance of microalgae as an alternative renewable energy source and evaluate the key challenges in the production of microalgae biofuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the nonsterilized fermentation conditions for coproduction of pectinases and lipase enzymes using several fruit wastes as an energy source. Thermophilic fungal strain, Penicillium expansum CMI 39671 was used as a fermenting strain. The effect of process conditions including; nitrogen sources, pH, temperature, time and moisture contents, on the production of both enzymes were studied. The highest activities of pectinase and lipase (2817, 1870 U/g dry substrate) enzymes were found with orange peel feedstock, whereas the lowest activities of 1662 U/g and 1266 U/g were found with banana peel and papaya peel feedstocks respectively. Overall, pectinase showed higher enzymatic activities than lipase enzymes, both having similar increasing and decreasing trends, at all studied conditions. The optimum process conditions of peptone as a nitrogen source, pH 7, 40°C, 5 days and 70% moisture contents, were found to show highest enzymatic activities for both enzymes. The orange peel feedstock showed no significant difference in both enzymes’ activities at sterilized and nonnotarized process conditions. Pectinase and lipase enzymes showed (13791 U/g) and (8114 U/g) for sterilized and (14091 U/g) and (8324 U/g) for nonnotarized process conditions respectively. In addition, the fungal strains also produce bacteriocin-like compounds that could inhibit microbial growth. These findings will help to design and develop robust, cost-effective and less energy intensive enzyme production processes and consequently an efficient fruit waste to energy system through open fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), millions of worshippers come from across the globe to perform religious rituals of Pilgrimage (Hajj) and Umrah. Madinah-tul-Munawara is one of the holiest city, where pilgrims come after performing rituals in Makkah. In this city, most of the collected municipal solid waste (MSW) is disposed of in the landfills after a partial recycling of paper, cardboard, and metals (~10-20% of total MSW). The Saudi’s government has recently launched a new policy of Vision 2030, which outlined the safeguard of local environment through increased efficiency of waste recycling and management, pollution prevention strategies and generating renewable energy from indigenous sources, including the waste. Currently, the recycling practices in KSA are mainly regulated by an informal sector through waste pickers or waste scavengers. This has led to the need of recycling schemes, especially in the holiest cities of Makkah and Madinah through a public-private partnership (PPP). Huge amounts of energy can be conserved, that would otherwise be spent on raw material extraction, transportation, and manufacturing of materials, through recycling into the same materials. Around 10,009 TJ of energy can be saved through recycling of 24.21% of MSW in Madinah city, including glass, metals, aluminum, cardboard, and paper. It is estimated that around 10,200 tons of methane (CH 4 ) emissions and 254,600 Mt.CO 2 eq. of global warming potential (GWP) can also be saved. In addition, carbon credit revenue of US $5.92 million, and landfill diversion worth of US $32.78 million can be achieved with a net revenue of US $49.01 million every year only by recycling 24.21% of MSW in Madinah city. The waste recycling doesn’t require high technical skills and labor, and complicated technologies for large-scale implementation, and therefore, can be implemented easily in the holiest cities of Makkah and Madinah to achieve multiple economic and environmental benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulp mills without black liquor recovery cycle could play a major role in employing black liquor gasification (BLG) to produce transport fuels. In conventional chemical pulp mills, black liquor is burnt in recovery boilers to generate steam and electricity to meet energy demands. The inorganic chemicals are reused for the digestion process. However, the energy content and inorganic chemicals are not recovered in small scale pulp mills especially in the developing countries which do not employ recovery cycle. This study investigates the potential of synthetic natural gas (SNG) production by integrating BLG island with a reference pulp mill without chemical recovery cycle. The improvements in overall energy efficiency are evaluated using performance indicators such as biofuel production potential, integrated system’s efficiency, and energy ratios. The oxygen-blown circulating fluidized bed (CFB) gasification with direct causticization is integrated with reference pulp mill. The results showed considerable SNG production without external biomass import. However to compensate total electricity deficit, the electricity will be imported from the grid. There is a substantial CO 2 abatement potential of combining CO 2 capture using seloxol absorption, and CO 2 mitigation from SNG by replacing gasoline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been globally recognized as necessary to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for mitigating the adverse effects of global warming on earth. Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) capture and storage (CCS) technologies can play a critical role to achieve these reductions. Current CCS technologies use several different approaches including adsorption, membrane separation, physical and chemical absorption to separate CO 2 from flue gases. This study aims to evaluate the performance and energy savings of CO 2 capture system based on chemical absorption by installing an intercooler in the system. Monoethanolamine (MEA) was used as the absorption solvent and Aspen HYSYS (ver. 9) was used to simulate the CO 2 capturing model. The positioning of the intercooler was studied in 10 different cases and compared with the base case 0 without intercooling. It was found that the installation of the intercooler improved the overall efficiency of CO 2 recovery in the designed system for all 1-10 cases. Intercooler case 9 was found to be the best case in providing the highest recovery of CO 2 (92.68%), together with MEA solvent savings of 2.51%. Furthermore, energy savings of 16 GJ/h was estimated from the absorber column alone, that would increase many folds for the entire CO 2 capture plant. The intercooling system, thus showed improved CO 2 recovery performance and potential of significant savings in MEA solvent loading and energy requirements, essential for the development of economical and optimized CO 2 capturing technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the biogas potential for animal manure, wheat straw, food waste and rice straw. Batch experiments were performed at a laboratory scale using biomethane potential (BMP) assays for a period of 50 days. The biogas yield was observed higher when using rice straw (0.51 m 3 /kg VS added ) as a substrate, as compared to wheat straw (0.44 m 3 /kg VS added ) and animal manure (0.31 m 3 /kg VS added ) substrates. Around 12-25% of biogas was produced in the initial phase of 5 days for manure, wheat straw, and rice straw feedstocks. During the middle phase of 33 days for these feedstocks, 68-80% of biogas was produced. Less than 8% of biogas was produced during the final phase of last 12 days of the experiment. The biogas production from food waste was found lowest (0.17 m 3 /kg VS added ) among all substrates. Therefore, the co-digestion of food waste and animal manure is more appropriate with wheat straw and rice straw than mono-digestion for achieving higher biogas production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The massive production and extensive use of fossil-based non-biodegradable plastics are leading to their environmental accumulation and ultimately cause health threats to animals, humans, and the biosphere in general. The problem can be overcome by developing eco-friendly ways for producing plastics-like biopolymers from waste residues such as of agricultural origin. This will solve two currently prevailing social issues: waste management and the efficient production of a biopolymer that is environmentally benign, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). The current study assesses the environmental impact of biopolymer (PHA) manufacturing, starting from slaughterhouse waste as raw material. The Material Input Per Service Unit methodology (MIPS) is used to examine the sustainability of the PHA production process. In addition, the impact of shifting from business-as-usual energy provision (i.e., electricity from distribution grid network and heat provision from natural gas) to alternative renewable energy sources is also evaluated. As a major outcome, it is shown that the abiotic material contribution for PHA production process is almost double for using hard coal as an energy source than the petro-plastic low-density-poly(ethene) (LPDE), which PHA shall ultimately replace. Likewise, abiotic material contribution is 43 % and 7 % higher when using the electricity from the European electricity mix (EU-27 mix) and biogas, respectively, than in the case of LDPE production. However, PHA production based on wind power for energy provision has 12 % lower abiotic material input than LDPE. Furthermore, the water input decreases when moving from the EU-27 mix to wind power. The reduction in water consumption for various electricity provision resources amounts to 20 % for the EU-27 mix, 25 % for hard coal, 71 % for wind, and 70 % for biogas. As the main conclusion, it is demonstrated that using wind farm electricity to generate PHA is the most environmentally friendly choice. Biogas is the second-best choice, although it requires additional abiotic material input. • Assessment of environmental impact of biopolymer (PHA) manufacturing. • Conversion of waste and surplus materials towards value-added bioproducts. • Environmental analysis using Material Input Per Service Unit (MIPS) methodology. • Comparative analysis of PHA with the fossil-based competitor LDPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to control the particle size and morphology, zinc carbonate hydroxide Zn 5 (CO 3 ) 2 (OH) 6 nanoparticles have been synthesized using a reverse microemulsion technique. The pseudo-ternary phase diagrams of the two microemulsion systems, prepared using CTAB/1-butanol/n-octane/aqueous phase system with the aqueous phase comprised of either zinc nitrate (Zn(NO 3 ) 2 ) or sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ), were experimentally constructed. The nanoparticles synthesized by mixing of the two emulsion systems were further characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The nanoparticles were further characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Several important experimental parameters have been investigated for the ability to control particle size and morphology as the function of water/surfactant molar ratio (ω), water/oil molar ratio ( S ) and the initial concentration of reactants in the aqueous phase. Results indicate that ω values have the ability to affect the particle size and levels of aggregation, while S values had no apparent effect. In addition, the initial concentration of reactants in the aqueous phase was considered to be an important parameter as raising its values from 0.1 M to 0.5 M produced an unknown phase of zinc carbonate, exhibiting larger particle size with a unique flake like morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc carbonate hydroxide Zn 5 (CO 3 ) 2 (OH) 6 nanoparticles have been successfully synthesised by the hydrothermal treatment of an aqueous solution of zinc acetate dihydrate (Zn(CH 3 COO) 2 ·2H 2 O) and urea (NH 2 CONH 2 ) at 120 °C. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). XRD and SEM revealed Zn 5 (CO 3 ) 2 (OH) 6 nanoparticles produced in 20-40 nm size range with spherical morphology. TGA showed the expected one-step decomposition of zinc carbonate hydroxide to zinc oxide (ZnO) between temperatures of 180 °C and 350 °C. The hydrothermal reaction time (2, 3 and 4 hours) studied did not show any significant effect on the particle size and morphology. However, the crystallinity of the synthesised nanoparticles seems to be enhanced at longer hydrothermal reaction time by showing larger XRD diffraction peaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This virtual special issue published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews contains 25 high-quality selected extended papers presented at the HERAKLION 2019 7th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management held in Heraklion, Crete in Greece from 26th to June 29, 2019. The articles published in this special issue focus on recent developments in sustainable waste-to-energy systems and waste management practices and highlight the critical challenges and potential solutions. The editorial paper aims to give a brief overview of the key findings and future perspectives proposed in these 25 selected papers. It is worth noting that although the articles presented in this special issue covered a wider range of topics, they are categorized into five categories. These include the latest developments in 1) waste-to-energy technologies, 2) biofuels and bioenergy, 3) waste valorization, 4) emerging renewable and sustainable energy systems, and finally, 5) biorefineries and circular economy. • Twenty five high quality peer-reviewed papers were selected from HERAKLION 2019 Conference. • The mian theme of sustainable waste-to-energy systems catogorised into five topics. • It will support advancement of waste-to-energy technologies and circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of renewable fuel alternatives holds promise for reducing the financial burden of regulatory compliance and the social responsibility associated with greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is one of the most versatile technologies for converting renewable biomass feedstocks (especially in the wet state) into biofuel (biocrude oil) in a compact plant. Therefore, this review is devoted to thoroughly reviewing and critically discussing biocrude oil production from biomass feedstocks through the HTL process. This review starts by discussing the principles of biomass HTL processing and product upgrading, aiming to provide a grounded and broad understanding of current developments in this domain. The data reported in the published literature are analyzed and visualized in order to scrutinize the effects of the main process parameters on the quantity, quality, cost, and environmental impacts of resultant biofuels. Higher biocrude oil yields are obtained at temperatures, pressures, and residual times between 300 and 350 °C, 24–27 MPa, and 15–25 min, respectively. Concerning yield and calorific value, biocrude oil derived from homogeneous catalysts demonstrates figures of 23.6 % and 32.1 MJ/kg, whereas that from heterogeneous catalysts exhibits percentages of 66.8 % and 40 MJ/kg, respectively. The challenges and prospects for the future development of biocrude oil are also discussed. HTL has a long way to go before being used for biofuel production on a large scale. Future studies appear to be directed towards the use of HTL technology under the biorefinery framework to maximize the exploitation of biomass into value-added products, while minimizing waste generation. [Display omitted] • Biocrude oil production from biomass by hydrothermal liquefaction is reviewed. • The principles of hydrothermal liquefaction and biocrude oil upgrading are discussed. • The effects of the main parameters on various aspects of biocrude oil are investigated. • The higher biocrude oil yields are obtained at 300–350 °C, 24–27 MPa, and 15–25 min. • Environmental and economic aspects of biocrude oil production are thoroughly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the global population and economy grow, so does the energy demand. Over-reliance on non-renewable resources leads to depletion and price spikes, making renewable alternatives necessary. Biodiesel is an eco-friendly and non-toxic fuel that closely resembles traditional fossil fuels. It is produced from various sources, including animal fat, palm oil, and non-edible plant oil. Biodiesel releases fewer harmful air pollutants and greenhouse gases than fossil fuels and is simpler to manage. Despite these advantages, it cannot replace traditional diesel fuel on a large scale. This overview summarizes biodiesel production, explaining the different types of feedstock utilized and their benefits and drawbacks. Various biodiesel production methodologies are discussed. The primary objective of this article is to inform engineers, industrialists, and researchers involved in waste biodiesel, as well as to highlight waste biodiesel as a potential substitute for fossil fuels. This review article discusses the nano - additives in biodiesel and applications of internet of things, artificial intelligence, and machine learning in biofuel. This review shows that nano-additives can potentially improve biodiesel fuel properties, favorable economic and policy environments promoting biodiesel production, and internet of things, artificial intelligence, and machine learning technologies optimize the biodiesel production processes. These advances can help promote biodiesel as a cleaner, renewable energy source, lowering the consumption of fossil fuels. It also suggests further biofuel development by improving efficiency, expanding feedstock options, creating policy support, developing infrastructure, and increasing public awareness. • Biofuel methods, economic effects and sustainability with nano-additives discussed • Nano-additives transformed biodiesel with efficiency breakthroughs • Economic strategies and policy regulations driven sustainable biofuel transition • IoT, AI, and ML revolutionized biodiesel production and monitoring • Advancements in nano-additives and AI/ML technologies for biofuel sustainability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examines the efficiency of double metals (Cd and Mn) impregnated montmorillonite clay (Cd-Mn-Mmt) catalyst for the cleaner synthesis of biodiesel from novel non-edible seed oil of Prunus Cerasoides D. Don. (seed oil content 54.5%, and FFA content 0.45 mg KOH/g). X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) and Fourier Transform Infrared Radiation Spectroscopy (FTIR) were used for characterizing the newly synthesized catalyst. The highest (85%) fatty acid methyl ester yield (FAME) of Prunus Cerasoides D. Don. biodiesel was obtained at optimized transesterification reaction conditions; 5 h of reaction time at 120 °C, 12:1 M ratio of methanol to oil and 4% catalyst loading. Synthesized biodiesel was further characterized via FTIR, Gas Chromatography/Mass spectroscopy (GC/MS), and Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR (1H, 13C)). Additionally, the determined fuel properties, such as density (0.8612 kg/L), kinematic viscosity (4.11 mm2/s), flash point (73 °C), cloud point (−9 °C) and pour point (−10 °C), of synthesized biodiesel, agreed with International Standards of China GB/T 20828 (2007), American (ASTM-951, 6751) and European Union (EU-14214). Pseudo-first-order kinetics fitted well with the experimental data (R2 = 0.9172). The study findings recommended that the modified montmorillonite clay catalyst is a cleaner, cheaper, and easy to use along with high stability and catalytic performance in the transesterification process. • Potential of novel Prunus cerasoides seed oil as renewable energy. • Maximum biodiesel yield of 85% was obtained at reaction temperature of 120 °C. • The optimum methanol/oil ratio of 12:1 at 4.0% catalyst loading for 5 h was observed. • Pseudo-first-order kinetics was found fit with experimental data (R2 = 0.9172). • Clay-based catalyst exhibited cost effectiveness and high stability during the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently nanobiochar (NB) has been getting more attention than bulk biochar due to its ultrafine particles, desired chemical composition, and negatively charged surface. These properties make NB a great nano-additive to improve the agro-environmental value of any conventional fertilizer. However, the production of smart organic fertilizer with the help of NB is still not investigated. This study aims to synthesize NB and analyze its concentration dependent influence on ammonia emission, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) mineralization and the aforementioned nutrients uptake by maize from the vermicompost and nanobiochar mixture. The NB was synthesized from farmyard manure using pyrolysis (500 °C) and ball milling techniques. X-ray diffraction data confirmed the synthesis of nanobiochar, showing clear carbon peaks. In addition, FTIR spectroscopic analysis indicated the existence of OH, C-O, NH, and C-C functional groups on the NB surface. The electron microscopy images revealed the bi-model size and morphologies of synthesized NB particles. Different nanobiochar concentrations (2, 5, and 10% of applied N) were mixed with vermicompost and applied to maize. The lowest and intermediate NB concentrations did not affect any soil and plant parameters. The highest NB concentration decreased ammonia emission by 43% (68 vs 120 μg m−3) from vermicompost. This treatment increased soil microbial biomass carbon and N, mineral N (N min), P, and K by 71%, 120%, 95%, 72%, and 11%, compared to vermicompost. The highest concentration of NB in vermicompost also increased maize shoot dry matter (DM) yield by 32% (16,631 vs 12,562 kg ha−1), as well as N, P, and K uptakes by 42, 30, and 54%. This confirmed that NB acts as a nano-additive and improves vermicompost fertilizer efficiency, soil quality, and maize productivity. Hence, NB can be recommended as an additive in conventional fertilizers to achieve higher economic and environmental benefits. [Display omitted] • Nanobiochar (NB) was synthesized from farmyard manure using the ball mill method. • Three rates (2, 5, and 10% of recommended N) of NB were mixed in vermicompost (VC). • The highest NB rate reduced NH 3 emission and increased microbial biomass C and N in soil. • This rate also increased N, P, and K mineralization from VC in soil and maize productivity. • The lowest rate did not influence most of the studied soil and plant parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-target directed ligands (MTDLs) have recently attracted significant interest due to their exceptional effectiveness against multi-factorial Alzheimer's disease. The present work described the development of pyrazine-based MTDLs using multicomponent Petasis reaction for the dual inhibition of tau -aggregation and human acetylcholinesterase (h AChE). The molecular structure of synthesized ligands was validated by 1H &13C NMR and mass spectrometry. The screened compounds were shown to have a strong inhibitory effect at 10 μM concentration against tau -oligomerization and h AChE, but only moderate inhibitory activity against A β 42. Among all the compounds, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50) for 21 and 24 against h AChE were 0.71 μM and 1.09 μM, respectively, while they displayed half-maximal effective concentrations (EC 50) values of 2.21 μM and 2.71 μM for cellular tau -oligomerization, respectively. Additionally, an MTT experiment using tau -expressing SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells revealed that 21 was more neuroprotective than the FDA-approved medication donepezil. Furthermore, an MD simulation study was performed to investigate the dynamics and stability of AChE- 21 and AChE- 24 complexes in an aqueous environment. The MM-PBSA calculations were performed to evaluate the binding of 21 and 24 with AChE, and the relative binding energy was calculated as −870.578 and −875.697 kJ mol−1, respectively. As a result, the study offered insight into the design of new MTDLs and highlighted 21 as a potential roadblock to the development of anti-AD medications. [Display omitted] • A library of pyrazine-based new class of MTDLs synthesized by Petasis reaction. • MTDLs displayed IC 50 of 0.71 μM for h AChE & EC 50 of 2.21 μM for tau -oligomerization. • Neuroprotection assay revealed that MTDLs were more neuroprotective than donepezil. • MD simulation study demonstrated conformational stability of 21 & 24 with h AChE. • MM-PBSA calculations were performed to calculate the binding energies with AChE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRs) and Hox transcription factors have decisive roles in postnatal bone formation and homeostasis. In silico analysis identified extensive interaction between HOXA cluster mRNA and microRNAs from the miR-23a cluster. However, Hox regulation by the miR-23a cluster during osteoblast differentiation remains undefined. We examined this regulation in preosteoblasts and in a novel miR-23a cluster knockdown mouse model. Overexpression and knockdown of the miR-23a cluster in preosteoblasts decreased and increased, respectively, the expression of the proteinsHOXA5,HOXA10,andHOXA11; these proteins' mRNAs exhibited significant binding with the miR-23a cluster miRNAs, and miRNA 3'-UTR reporter assays confirmed repression. Importantly, during periods correlating with development and differentiation of bone cells, we found an inverse pattern of expression between HoxA factors and members of the miR-23a cluster. HOXA5 and HOXA11 bound to bone-specific promoters, physically interacted with transcription factor RUNX2, and regulated bone-specific genes. Depletion of HOXA5 or HOXA11 in preosteoblasts also decreased cellular differentiation. Additionally, stable overexpression of the miR-23a cluster in osteoblasts decreased the recruitment of HOXA5 and HOXA11 to osteoblast gene promoters, significantly inhibiting histone H3 acetylation. Heterozygous miR-23a cluster knockdown female mice (miR-23a CIWT/ZIP) had significantly increased trabecular bone mass when compared with WTmice. Furthermore, miR-23a cluster knockdown in calvarial osteoblasts of these mice increased the recruitment of HOXA5 and HOXA11, with a substantial enrichment of promoter histone H3 acetylation. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the miR-23a cluster is required for maintaining stagespecific HoxA factor expression during osteogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel magnetic SO 4 /Fe-Al-TiO 2 solid acid catalyst was synthesized for biodiesel production via the (trans)esterification of waste cooking oil (WCO). The nanocomposite catalyst was prepared by the sequential functionalisation of commercial rutile/anatase mixed phase TiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) with alumina as a buffer layer, and subsequently hematite to impart magnetic character, prior to sulfation with chlorosulfonic acid to introduce Brønsted acidity. XRD showed that the SO 4 /Fe-Al-TiO 2 catalyst comprised titania (rutile and anatase phases), aluminium sulphate, and hematite nanoparticles, while electron microscopy revealed the layer-by-layer assembly of these components within the SO 4 /Fe-Al-TiO 2 catalyst. FTIR confirmed the presence of surface sulphate groups SO 4 2− and S 2 O 7 2− /S 3 O 10 2− , creating a predominantly Brønsted acid catalyst with high acid loading. The catalyst achieved 96% fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yield from WCO after 2.5 h of reaction at 90 °C, using 3 wt% of the magnetic catalyst, and a methanol:oil molar ratio of 10:1. SO 4 /Fe-Al-TiO 2 was also effective for feedstocks containing up to 20 wt% of free fatty acid (FFA), and showed excellent stability for WCO (trans)esterification over 10 recycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the effect of different co-substrates on the anaerobic degradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) with simultaneous production of biogas. Acetate and glucose were added as co-substrates to monitor and compare the methanogenic reaction during PCP degradation. During the experiment, a chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of 80% was achieved. Methane (CH 4 ) production was higher in glucose-fed anaerobic reactors with the highest amount of CH 4 (303.3 µL) produced at 200 ppm of PCP. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrates the high porous structure of anaerobic sludge with uniform channels confirming better mass transfer and high PCP removal. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) revealed that methanogens were the dominating species while some sulfate reducing bacteria (SRBs) were also found in the reactors. The study shows that strategic operation of the anaerobic reactor can be a feasible option for efficient degradation of complex substrates like PCP along with the production of biogas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel, efficient and recyclable mesoporous TiO 2 /PrSO 3 H solid acid nano-catalyst was synthesised by the post-synthetic grafting of propyl sulfonic acid groups onto a mixed phase of a TiO 2 support. The synthesised nano-catalyst was characterised using FTIR, SEM, TEM, XPS, N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, XRD, DSC, TGA, and CHNS analysis. The loading percentage of propyl sulfonic acid on the TiO 2 support was calculated using CHNS analysis and TGA. The catalytic performance of TiO 2 /PrSO 3 H on the production of the fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) via simultaneous esterification and transesterification reactions from used cooking oil (UCO) has been studied. The effects of different process parameters showed that 98.3% of FAME can be obtained after 9 h of reaction time with 1:15 molar ratio of oil to methanol, 60 °C reaction temperature and 4.5 wt% catalyst loading. It was also found that the one-pot post-surface functionalisation strategy with hydrophilic functional groups (–SO 3 H) enhanced the acid strengths of the nano-catalyst providing more acid sites for the reactants, and improving the accessibility of methanol to the triglycerides (TG)/free fatty acids (FFAs) by increasing the pore volumes/sizes of the nano-catalyst. The solid acid nano-catalyst was re-used in four consecutive runs without significant loss of catalytic efficiency. Finally, the synthesised biodiesel fuel satisfied ASTM and EN standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An integrated process was developed for gasification and power production. • The impact of parameters on syngas and power production is investigated. • Power generation was in the range of 4 to 5 MW from 1000 kg/h feed. • Energy analysis was carried out using the Aspen Energy Analyzer tool. • 78% of heating utilities are fulfilled within the system using heating integration. Date palm waste (DPW) is an important waste that is abundantly available in the Middle East. However, this DPW is underutilization in the entire Middle East region. DPW could be a useful source of feedstock to generate sustainable and renewable energy via various thermochemical processes. The core objective of current investigation is to convert the DPW into syngas and the electricity generation from the produced syngas. Furthermore, to configure an integrated system to predict the gas composition and power generation under operating variables of temperature, steam/biomass ratio, compression ratio, and air flowrate. The integrated process simulation model of gasification and power generation model was developed using Aspen Plus V10®. The model consisted of two parts; the production of syngas from steam gasification and the second was the combustion-integrated power turbine system for power generation. The syngas composition at a temperature of 850 °C and steam/biomass of 1.0 was obtained as; H 2 37.88 vol%, CO 14.24 vol%, CO 2 11.29 vol%, CH 4 0.001 vol%. The power generation from the gas turbine increased from 3.2 to 3.6 MW with the increase in temperature. Whereas the total power generation was in the range of 3.2 to 5 MW with an increased steam flowrate of 500–2500 kg/h. Energy analysis shows that the process heat integration of the system is able to fulfill the 78 % utilities requirement within the system. This study provides the potential utilization of DPW for renewable fuel gas and electricity generation through a sustainable route and also provides environmentally friendly disposal of DPW in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different flame retardants (FRs) namely polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), emerging brominated/chlorinated flame retardants (Br/Cl FRs), and organophosphate FRs (OPFRs) were analyzed in cars, air conditioner (AC) filters and floor dust of different households from Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). To the best of our knowledge, this is first study in literature reporting emerging Br/Cl FRs and OPFRs in AC filter dust and also first to report on their occurrence in dust from KSA. Chlorinated alkyl phosphate, penta-BDEs, BDE-209, and decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) were the major chemicals in dust samples from all microenvironments. ΣOPFRs occurred at median concentrations (ng/g dust) of 15,400, 10,500, and 3750 in AC filter, car and house floor dust, respectively. For all analyzed chemicals, relatively lower levels were observed in floor dust than car and AC filter dust. The profiles of FRs in car dust were different from AC filter and floor dust, which reflected their wider application as FR and plasticizer in variety of household and commercial products. For toddlers, assuming high dust intake and 95th percentile concentrations, the computed exposure estimation for BDE-99 was higher than RfD values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aims to determine the dust-borne lead (Pb) levels into outdoor dust, which were collected from the areas nearby the cities/districts of Islamabad and Swat in Pakistan. In general dust samples from all land use settings (industrial, urban and rural) showed significantly higher ( p < 0.05 ) Pb-levels (median, ppm) from Islamabad (110, 52, 24) than those of Swat district (75, 37, 21), respectively. Index of Geo-accumulation (I geo values) indicated that industrial and urban areas of both sites were highly polluted due to severe anthropogenic influence, whereas the rural areas were in most parts unpolluted and where moderately polluted, this was mainly due to geological factors and short and/or long distance atmospheric deposition from surrounding polluted areas. According to the calculated chemical daily intake (mg/kg-day) values, dust ingestion is one of the major routes of human exposure for lead. Hazard Index (HI) values, calculated for both adult and children populations, were above unity in industrial and urban areas, indicating serious health risks especially to the children populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable and eco-friendly economic growth of a country is associated with its economic progress and the advancement of its bioenergy sector. Biowaste can be used to produce bioenergy and is increasingly being recognized as a promising resource for filling the energy gap. However, in developing countries, biowaste-to-energy techniques are relatively immature owing to economic and technological challenges, forcing these countries to export cheap biowaste and obtain expensive energy imports. In this study, country-wise export data of potential biowaste materials were gathered, assessed, and filtered according to the feasibility of bioenergy generation. Five developing countries (Argentina, Brazil, India, Thailand, and Ukraine) were selected for the economic assessment based on the export value and revealed comparative advantage (RCA). Argentina has the most exports (9.59 billion USD), with seven biowaste products having RCA >1. The product space model (PSM) was employed to evaluate the income potential of biowaste and to appraise the studied countries overall level of sophistication, and then a suitable industrial policy was proposed according to PSM indicators. All the considered biowaste products have low-income potential, so it is better to produce bioenergy from these products. Thailand has the highest country-level sophistication, followed by India, Brazil, Ukraine, and Argentina. However, according to the PSM, the EXPY values exhibit significant growth for India (52.3%) and Thailand (31.9%), while the remaining countries experience moderate EXPY growth. Furthermore, Thailand and Ukraine can generate more revenues by opting to bio-energy production. On the PSM industrial policy map, India, Thailand, Brazil and Ukraine lie in "let it be quadrant", while Argentina is in a "parsimonious industrial policy" region. The implementation of the suggested industrial policies can enhance the productive structure of the studied countries and help them achieve their projected growth targets. • Application of Product Space Model is presented in the study. • Product-space analysis considering PRODY, EXPY and Open Forest is carried out. • Ukraine and Thailand can generate more revenues by opting to bio-energy production • Thailand and India have high values of EXPY that shows high potential for future growth. • Brazil, Ukraine, Thailand and India lie in the most desired quadrant of product space [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid transportation biofuel production is a promising strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrothermal gasification (HTG) has shown great potential as an effective method for valorizing wet biomass. The high-quality syngas produced using the HTG process can be chemically/biochemically converted to liquid biofuels. Therefore, this paper aims to comprehensively review and critically discuss syngas production from biomass using the HTG process and its conversion into liquid biofuels. The basics and mechanisms of biomass HTG processing are first detailed to provide a comprehensive and deep understanding of the process. Second, the effects of the main operating parameters on the performance of the HTG process are numerically analyzed and mechanistically discussed. The syngas cleaning/conditioning and Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis are then detailed, aiming to produce liquid biofuels. The economic performance and environmental impacts of liquid biofuels using the HTG-FT route are evaluated. Finally, the challenges and prospects for future development in this field are presented. Overall, the maximum total gas yield in the HTG process is obtained at temperature, pressure, and residence time in the range of 450–500 °C, 28–30 MPa, and 30–60 min, respectively. The highest C 5+ liquid hydrocarbon selectivity in the FT process is achieved at temperatures between 200 and 240 °C. Generally, effective conversion of biomass to syngas using the HTG process and its successful upgrading using the FT process can offer a viable route for producing liquid biofuels. Future studies should use HTG technology in the biorefinery context to maximize biomass valorization and minimize waste generation. [Display omitted] • Syngas production from biomass using hydrothermal gasification is thoroughly reviewed. • Conversion of syngas into liquid biofuels using Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is discussed. • The mechanisms of hydrothermal gasification and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis are detailed. • The economic and environmental aspects of biofuel production from syngas are evaluated. • The challenges and prospects for future development in this field are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investment in biofuels, as sustainable alternatives for fossil fuels, has gained momentum over the last decade due to the global environmental and health concerns regarding fossil fuel consumption. Hence, effective management of biofuel supply chain (BSC) components, including biomass feedstock production, biomass logistics, biofuel production in biorefineries, and biofuel distribution to consumers, is crucial in transitioning towards a low-carbon and circular economy (CE). The present study aims to render an inclusive knowledge map of the BSC-related scientific production. In this vein, a systematic review, supported by a keywords co-occurrence analysis and qualitative content analysis, was carried out on a total of 1,975 peer-reviewed journal articles in the target literature. The analysis revealed four major research hotspots in the BSC literature, namely (1) biomass-to-biofuel supply chain design and planning, (2) environmental impacts of biofuel production, (3) biomass to bioenergy, and (4) techno-economic analysis of biofuel production. Besides, the findings showed that the following subject areas of research in the BSC research community have recently attracted more attention: (i) global warming and climate change mitigation, (ii) development of the third-generation biofuels produced from algal biomass, which has recently gained momentum in the CE debate, and (iii) government incentives, pricing, and subsidizing policies. The provided insights shed light on the understanding of researchers, stakeholders, and policy-makers involved in the sustainable energy sector by outlining the main research backgrounds, developments, and tendencies within the BSC arena. Looking at the provided knowledge map, potential research directions in BSCs towards implementing the CE model, including (i) integrative policy convergence at macro, meso, and micro levels, and (ii) industrializing algae-based biofuel production towards the CE transition, were proposed. [Display omitted] • The findings revealed four major research hotspots in the BSC domain. • Algal biofuels have recently gained momentum in the circular economy (CE) debate. • Integrative policy convergence is needed to link bioeconomy with the CE. • Future research avenues for BSC management towards the CE transition were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global trend is shifting toward circular economy systems. It is a sustainable environmental approach that sustains economic growth from the use of resources while minimizing environmental impacts. The multiple industrial use of microalgal biomass has received great attention due to its high content of essential nutrients and elements. Nevertheless, low biomass productivity, unbalanced carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio, resistant cellular constituents, and the high cost of microalgal harvesting represent the major obstacles for valorization of algal biomass. In recent years, microalgae biomass has been a candidate as a potential feedstock for different bioenergy generation processes with simultaneous treating wastewater and CO 2 capture. An overview of the appealing features and needed advancements is urgently essential for microalgae-derived bioenergy generation. The present review provides a timely outlook and evaluation of biomethane production from microalgal biomass and related challenges. Moreover, the biogas recovery potential from microalgal biomass through different pretreatments and synergistic anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) with other biowastes are evaluated. In addition, the removal of micropollutants and heavy metals by microalgal cells via adsorption and bioaccumulation in their biomass is discussed. Herein, a comprehensive review is presented about a successive high-throughput for anaerobic digestion (AD) of the microalgal biomass in order to achieve for sustainable energy source. Lastly, the valorization of the digestate from AD of microalgae for agricultural reuse is highlighted. [Display omitted] • Biomethane recovery potential from algal biomass is evaluated. • Technical harvesting methods of algal biomass are reviewed. • Microalgae is a great low-cost contender for biogas fermentation. • Algal biomass to bioenergy offers good environmental remediations. • Key challenges and opportunities of sustainable algal biomass valorization to bioenergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Algal biomass (AB) have received significant research attention in 3G biorefinery. • Microbial conversion of AB can produce diverse industrially important products. • Microbial AB processing can produce biopolymers, peptides, bioacids, and biofuels. • Future advancement of green technology utilizing algal-microbial systems. The global demand for clean products obtained from biobased resources has increased significantly with the rapid growth of the world's population. In this context, microbially-produced compounds are highly attractive for their safety, reliability, being environment friendly and sustainability. Nevertheless, the cost of the carbon sources required for such approaches accounts for greater than 60% of the total expenses, which further limits the scaling up of industries. In recent years, algae have been used in numerous industrial areas because of their rapid growth rate, easy cultivation, ubiquity and survival in harsh conditions. Over the past decade, notable advances have been observed in the extraction of high-value compounds from algae biomass (ABs). However, few studies have investigated ABs as green substrates for microbial conversion into value-added products. This review presents the potential of ABs as the substrates for microbial growth to produce industrially-important products, which sheds light on the importance of the symbiotic relationship between ABs and microbial species. Moreover, the successful algal-bacterial gene transformation paves the way for accommodating green technology advancements. With the escalated need for natural pigments, biosurfactants, natural plastics and biofuels, ABs have been new resources for microbial biosynthesis of these value-added products, resolving the problem of high carbon consumption. In this review, the fermentative routes, process conditions, and accessibility of sugars are discussed, together with the related metabolic pathways and involved genes. To conclude, the full potential of ABs needs to be explored to support microbial green factories, producing novel bioactive compounds to meet global needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Straw-based black liquor was employed to generate H 2 via biological dark-fermentation. • Anaerobes immobilised on magnetite nanoparticles improved HY by 2.3-folds. • Digestate-derived biochar enjoyed carbonization properties for using as soil amendment. • Study outcomes are linked to paper industry; crops cultivation; bio-energy production. • H 2 /biochar promotes sustainable development goals: environmental; economic; social. Black liquor (BL) rich phenolic and complex compounds is generated from pulp and paper mill manufacturing processes which should be treated before reaching the environment. The potential of achieving several sustainable development goals (SDGs) by recovering energy and valuable by-products from BL was extensively investigated. Results revealed that under a dark-fermentation process, the organic content in BL was effectively bio-degraded by anaerobes to achieve a hydrogen yield (HY) of 0.62 ± 0.04 mol/mol glucose. Fortunately, the HY was significantly increased up to 1.41 ± 0.13 mol/mol glucose by immobilizing the anaerobes onto magnetite nanoparticles (MN). α-amylase, xylanase, CM-cellulase, polygalacturinase, and protease enzymes activities were increased by 2.3, 23.7, 2.7, 26.8, and 31.1 folds with supplementation of MN. Moreover, the conversion efficiencies of protein and carbohydrate were improved by values of 36 and 113.3% and total phenolic compounds (TPC) were enhanced by 23.5% compared with the control test. Electron-equivalent and COD mass balances were estimated to comprehensively describe the effect of Mn supplementation on the HY performance and fermentation pathways. Digestate generated from the fermentation process was utilized to produce biochar, having C (58.2%), O (32.4%), Na (4.7%), and P (1.1%). The study outputs were interlinked to bio-energy generation, pollution minimization, biochar as a soil amendment, nanoparticles and paper manufacturing industrialization, meeting environmental, economic, and social related SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines point and non-point sources of air pollution and particulate matter and their associated socioeconomic and health impacts in South Asian countries, primarily India, China, and Pakistan. The legislative frameworks, policy gaps, and targeted solutions are also scrutinized. The major cities in these countries have surpassed the permissible limits defined by WHO for sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and nitrogen dioxide. As a result, they are facing widespread health problems, disabilities, and causalities at extreme events. Populations in these countries are comparatively more prone to air pollution effects because they spend more time in the open air, increasing their likelihood of exposure to air pollutants. The elevated level of air pollutants and their long-term exposure increases the susceptibility to several chronic/acute diseases, i.e., obstructive pulmonary diseases, acute respiratory distress, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. More in-depth spatial-temporal air pollution monitoring studies in China, India, and Pakistan are recommended. The study findings suggest that policymakers at the local, national, and regional levels should devise targeted policies by considering all the relevant parameters, including the country's economic status, local meteorological conditions, industrial interests, public lifestyle, and national literacy rate. This approach will also help design and implement more efficient policies which are less likely to fail when brought into practice. [Display omitted] • Air pollution and particulate matter are emerging challenges in South Asia. • Legislative and policy gaps on air pollution in South Asia were scrutinized. • South Asia has surpassed the permissible limits of air quality. • India, China and Pakistan have severe health issues due to air pollution. • Spatial-temporal monitoring studies in China, India, and Pakistan are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid depletion of fossil fuel resources and climatic changes has triggered the researchers' attention to find an alternative and renewable energy source. Thus, biodiesel has been recognized as a potential alternative to petrodiesel for its biodegradability, non-toxicity, and environment-friendly attributes. In this study, an efficient and recyclable Cu–Ni doped ZrO 2 catalyst was synthesized and used to produce biodiesel from a novel non-edible caper (Capparis spinosa L.) seed oil. The synthesized catalyst was characterized by x-ray diffraction, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray analysis. The catalyst was reused in four consecutive transesterification reactions without losing any significant catalytic efficiency. Transesterification reaction conditions were optimized via response surface methodology based on Box-Behnken design for predicting optimum biodiesel yields by drawing 3D surface plots. Maximum biodiesel yield of 90.2% was obtained under optimal operating conditions of 1:6 M ratio of oil to methanol, reaction temperature of 70 °C, reaction time of 1.5 h, and 2.5% catalyst loading. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H and 13C) analysis confirmed the high quality of biodiesel produced from non-edible caper (Capparis spinosa L.) seed oil. The fuel properties of the produced biodiesel were also found, such as kinematic viscosity (4.17 cS T), density (0.8312 kg/L), flash point (72 °C), acid no (0.21 mgKOH/g) and sulphur content (0.00042 wt%). These properties were matched and are in close agreement with the International Biodiesel Standards of European Union (EU-14214), China GB/T 20,828 (2007), and American (ASTM6751). Thus, non-edible Capparis spinosa L. seed oil and Cu–Ni doped ZrO 2 catalyst appeared to be highly active, stable, and cheap candidates to boost the future biodiesel industry. • Biodiesel was produced from novel non-edible caper (Capparis spinose L.) seed oil. • An efficient and recyclable Cu–Ni doped ZrO 2 catalyst was synthesized and used. • Response surface methodology based on Box-Behnken design used for process optimization. • Maximum biodiesel yield of 90.2% was obtained at optimum process conditions. • Biodiesel showed excellent potential as a sustainable and renewable source of bioenergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critically reviews the current status of utilization of municipal solid waste and biomass blends for energy and resources recovery together with identifying the opportunities for future development in technological equipment and physicochemical waste compositions involved in such complex processes. Among numerous thermochemical conversion techniques, gasification of municipal solid waste with different biomass blends has unveiled as an auspicious technology to develop a sustainable waste management system that would substantially reduce pollution and maximize energy and materials recovery. Municipal solid wastes and biomass have different properties and elemental compositions and are abundantly available. These materials have the potential to produce various types of value-added products in terms of energy and chemicals through the gasification process. Recently, hybrid systems have been introduced with simple gasification technologies in terms of fuel oxidation system, plasma torch, or some biochemical conversion systems to enhance the process efficiency, energy, economics, quality, the yield of syngas, and to alter the composition of gaseous products. Consequently, gasification of biomass and waste would be the most suitable option to reduce toxic elements and harmful gases for the surroundings. For instant, ecological influence is not the real issue for limitation of biomass and waste gasification development, while a feasible economic return could appeal to investors and initiate its commercialization. Energy and resource recovery is assessed as an integrated approach to overcoming limitations. Also, techno-economic and environmental impact, life cycle assessment, and their implications are discussed in detail. Key bottlenecks that need urgent attention to facilitate global recognition of hybrid technology are highlighted. Image 1 • Blending practices of municipal solid waste with biomass are critically reviewed. • Hybrid configurations of gasification are assessed to overcome technological limitations. • Gasification of biomass and waste could reduce toxic elements and harmful gases. • Practical approaches of the gasification process are till on an initial point of utilization. • Hybrid systems with gasification would enhance process efficiency and energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A molasses-based bioethanol production process was exergetically analyzed. • The exergetic efficiency of the studied industrial process was 35.9%. • The unit exergoeconomic cost of the product was calculated to be 20.9 USD/GJ. • The unit exergoenvironmental impact of the product was found to be 31.5 mPts/GJ. • More exergetically-sustainable alternatives should be considered for natural gas. An industrial-scale molasses-based bioethanol production system was modeled and studied by conducting exergy, exergoeconomic, and exergoenvironmental analyses. The entire process was represented by a control volume, and its exergoeconomic and exergoenvironmental parameters were determined using the specific exergy costing (SPECO) approach. These exergy-based analyses were carried out to measure the overall exergy dissipation, cost, and environmental impact of the bioethanol production process based on actual operational thermodynamic, economic, and environmental data. Natural gas showed the highest contribution to the total input exergy (61.1%) and total environmental impact rate (56.6%) of the process, while the highest contribution to its total cost rate (75.7%) was from molasses. The exergetic efficiency determined for the process was 35.9%, while the exergy dissipation accounted for 60.8% of its total input exergy. The unit exergoeconomic costs of the fuel and product were determined to be 6.2 and 20.9 USD/GJ, while the unit exergoenvironmental impacts of the fuel and product were 15.5 and 31.5 mPts/GJ, respectively. The exergoeconomic factor of the process was found to be 29.4%, while the exergoenvironmental factor was 0.74%. Overall, natural gas consumption was the most significant exergetic hotspot of the process, and hence more exergetically-sustainable alternatives should be considered to improve the process. Low-cost waste feedstocks need to be utilized to improve the economic viability of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]