Hasil untuk "Standardization. Simplification. Waste"

J. Weinreb, J. Barentsz, P. Choyke et al.

B. Canton, A. Labno, Drew Endy

Jakub Leśkiewicz, Bartosz Furmanek, Michał Lipiński et al.

Topological simplification is the process of reducing complexity of a function while maintaining its essential features. Its goal is to find a new filter function, which reorders cells of the input complex in a way which eliminates some persistent homological features, without affecting the rest. We present a new approach to simplification based on the concept of forbidden regions and combinatorial dynamics. It allows us to reorder and cancel critical values, whose cancellation is not possible using existing methods because they are not consecutive in the total order. Each such cancellation takes O(c$\cdot$n) time in the worst case, where c is the number of birth-death pairs and n is the size of the input complex.

Yahya Terzi, Sedat Gündoğdu, I. Yandi et al.

Marine litter (ML) is a growing environmental concern worldwide, particularly in semi-enclosed basins such as the Black Sea, where limited water exchange and high anthropogenic pressure exacerbate pollution risks. This study presents the first large-scale, standardized assessment of marine litter along the Turkish Black Sea coastline, based on surveys conducted at 37 stations spanning diverse coastal settings. A total of 29,610 litter items were recorded, with an average density of 0.80 ± 0.07 items/m2, and plastics accounted for 88.2 % of all collected items. The most frequently encountered items were single-use plastics, including cigarette butts, food wrappers, and bottle caps. According to the Clean Coast Index (CCI), the majority of beaches ranged from "moderate" to "very dirty," with the highest pollution levels observed in the eastern part of the coastline. The Plastic Abundance Index (PAI) further classified beaches as having "moderate" to "very high" plastic pollution. Additionally, the Hazardous Item Index (HII) revealed considerable spatial variation, with some sites showing high concentrations of potentially dangerous litter such as syringes, broken glass, and sharp metal objects. While some spatial variability was noted among stations, statistical analyses indicated no significant differences in overall litter density or composition across the six defined basins. These findings highlight the pervasive and hazardous nature of plastic pollution in the region and emphasize the need for basin-wide monitoring programs, harmonized methodologies, and integrated waste management strategies.

Dennis Dika Dankwa, M. Boh, O. G. Clark

Composting is an important way of diverting municipal organics from landfills to reduce methane emissions. However, compost production is a source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). To develop emissions mitigation strategies, methods to accurately measure GHGs from composting are needed. A systematic review of techniques for measuring GHGs from composting was carried out to evaluate different methodologies and their suitability for various applications. A literature search was performed using the Web of Science and Scopus databases to find information about different measurement methods used during composting from 2014 to 2024. Of the measurement methods identified, the static chamber method was the most widely applied due to its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, but it provides limited spatial representation and can disrupt emissions. Dynamic chambers and micrometeorological techniques give superior temporal resolution but are complex and costly. Emerging technologies, such as automated chambers and remote sensors on unmanned aerial vehicles and satellites, can potentially provide scalable, high-resolution data, but cost, high detection thresholds, and environmental interference present challenges. In this review, approaches for improving existing measurement techniques and the importance of developing standardized methodologies for measuring GHGs during composting have been spotlighted. To improve measurement accuracy and data quality, future research should focus on developing low-cost, automated chambers with large footprints and combining multiple technologies for data cross-validation. This should enable researchers and waste management practitioners to make guided decisions on methods that increase measurement accuracy, which will lead to the development of strategic policies to reduce emissions and fight against climate change.

M. Nazim Uddin, Md.Abdus Salam, Salma Akhter et al.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the conventional management of municipal solid waste (MSW) are a serious environmental problem. Transformation of energy content present in MSW to combined heat and power (CHP) offers simultaneous advantages of reduction in GHG emission and pressure on finite fossil fuel reserve. Current research is devoted to developing a numerical model in Aspen Plus software to estimate the CHP generation potentiality of MSW and application to Bangladesh for the first time. CHP generation is accomplished through thermal treatment of gasification coupling with an internal combustion engine (ICE) system. Gasification model development is completed through calibration and validation. Model calibration is performed by comparing the experimental data on syngas generation from a blend of waste pulp (WP) and deinking sludge (DIS) in a pilot-scale fluidized bed reactor (FBR) whereas validation is by linking the outcomes on gasification of bamboo chips in an FBR at four different operating conditions. Sensitivity analysis identifies 850 °C and an equivalence ratio of 0.2 as the optimal conditions for air-gasification of MSW. The study estimates the CHP generation capacity of the analyzed MSW is 0.89 kWh/kg of dry solid (DS) MSW for electrical energy and 1.61 kWh/kg of DS for thermal energy. MSW in Bangladesh could generate approximately 3,300 GWh/yr of electricity and 6,000 GWh/yr of thermal energy in 2024. Electrical and thermal energy generation from MSW can reduce net annual GHG emissions of 2,510 Mt CO2/yr compared to similar quantities of CHP generation from fossil fuels. This ensures proper MSW management, greater GHG reduction, and some relief for Bangladesh’s energy crisis.

Carolina R. Conte, Abigail Nagano, Maya C. Gentry et al.

Biosolarization is an alternative to pesticides for soil pest management that can utilize food industry organic matter byproducts as soil amendments to create conditions conducive to pest suppression. Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) is the main byproduct of mushroom cultivation. New uses are needed for this waste stream as its production continues to increase. This study evaluated two types of SMS as sole amendments and as co-amendments with cover crop biomass for biosolarization. SMS consisted of rice bran with hardwood sawdust (BS SMS) and soybean hulls with oak sawdust (SO SMS). Cover crop biomass was a mix of Secale cereale and Trifolium incarnatum. Gas evolution, pH, biocidal organic acid (BOA) production, phytotoxicity, and soil nitrogen were tracked during and/or after simulated biosolarization. SMS and cover crop treatments were compared to rice bran-amended soil and unamended, solarized soil. Results indicate that SO SMS treatments can produce BOA concentrations and phytotoxic conditions comparable to rice bran-amended soil, with BOA content correlating to radish seed germination indices with a coefficient of determination of 0.683. The pH of treatments including cover crop biomass, whether as a sole or co-amendment, significantly decreased during biosolarization, but were higher than pH of rice bran controls. SO SMS and cover crop biomass as sole amendments significantly increased total nitrogen content compared to solarized soil (P < 0.05), likely due to the addition of nitrogen-containing organic matter, but not mineral nitrogen. These findings suggest that certain SMS compositions may be valuable amendments for agricultural pest control via biosolarization.

Abdullah-Al-Mamun, Sonia Nasrin, Saria Afrin et al.

Organic matter application is considered an important option to increase soil aggregate formation and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) in soil. In south Asia, different conventional strategies of soil management are used to improve soil quality. However, among these strategies the sustainable soil management option and the driver to enhance soil aggregation and MAOC still remain largely elusive. The objective of the present investigation was to optimize the sustainable soil management strategy for aggregation and MAOC stabilization. A short-term field study was conducted under widely used six crop residue management approach. These are: 1. Control, 2. Synthetic fertilization (NPK), 3. Straw, 4. Straw + NPK, 5. Straw burning (SB), 6. NPK + SB. Results exhibited that the highest aggregation was found in straw followed by straw + NPK. Moreover, straw and straw with fertilization increased SOC by 48 % and 32 %, respectively, compared to the control, while SB reduced soil aggregation and SOC (P < 0.05). The highest MAOC in small macroaggregates and microaggregates was found in residue with supplementary nutrients addition treatments. Soil aggregation enhancement was contributed by SOC, while mineral- and aggregate-associated SOC increment was contributed by fungal activity (P < 0.05). The findings show that only straw return increase the aggregation and SOC, while the integrated application of organic matter with synthetic fertilizers increases aggregation and MAOC triggering fungal activity to mitigate atmospheric carbon emissions in the subtropical clay soil.

Mohammad Albeldawi, Abdulla S. Al-Mohannadi, Kennedy Sigodo

Medical waste generation creates a major concern to health authorities. The State of Qatar represented by Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) previously used autoclave and open burning as primary medical waste treatment options. However, changes in medical waste management have increased the focus on minimizing the pollution and health impacts of relevant regulations and practices. In particular, issues related to safety, health and the environment are now receiving increased scrutiny. The rapid urban and infrastructure development, the lack of human resource experienced in medical waste advanced technologies and lack of understanding of benefits of integrated medical waste management system lead to a cumulative impact that hampers the development of integrated medical waste management system in Qatar. Hence, this review collates information from multiple sources to provide critical information on integrated medical waste management system in Qatar. The review presents the current practices, challenges, and opportunities for using both technical and nontechnical approaches in managing hazardous medical wastes in Qatar.

Abiy Gezahegn, Lemessa B. Merga, Siraj Mammo

As a result of discharge of untreated or inadequately treated industrial effluents into receiving environments, in Ethiopia, environmental pollution with persistent inorganic and organic residues are potential threat to human health and the environment. This review explores the potential impacts of industrial effluents to the environment and human health in Ethiopia. Various search engines were employed to collect relevant reports on physicochemical parameters and concentration levels of heavy metals reported in industrial effluents sampled from different industries located in Addis Ababa, and several regional states (Oromia, Amhara, and Sidama), Ethiopia. The results of this review study showed that large concentration levels of Electrical Conductivity, Total Dissolved Solids, Biological Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Total Suspended Solids, Total Nitrogen, and Total Phosphorus were found in all effluent samples of the studied industries which exceeds the permissible discharge limits established by the country, Ethiopia. In addition to the excessive release of these effluents into nearby receiving streams and rivers, the lack of adequate wastewater treatment facility was also observed. The review indicates that most water bodies receiving industrial effluents (e.g., rivers) in in the study areas are heavily contaminated with various physical and chemical pollutants, causing environmental and health problems for the communities relying on these water bodies.

Jinglei Xie, Junjie Liu, Yang Liu et al.

The use of recycled fibers in papermaking is critical for sustainability, cost reduction, and energy efficiency. However, their incorporation into tissue paper may adversely affect product properties. This study investigates the impact of recycled fibers on tissue paper wettability by analyzing a mix of wood and recycled fibers. Results indicate that as the recycled fiber ratio increased from 0 % to 100 %, surface hydrophilic functional groups increased at first and then decreased, and surface free energy also increased from 152 mJ/m2 to 191mJ/m2 and then decreased to 115 mJ/m2. The highest surface free energy appeared at the point of 34.3 % of recycled fibers. These findings demonstrate that a better control of recycled fibers content could improve tissue paper wettability, also providing a potential method for detecting recycled fiber content in paper products.

Nosa Idusuyi, Marzouq Adeyemi Adebayo, Chinenye Adaobi Igwegbe et al.

Dairy industry wastewater, laden with high levels of biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and various pollutants, poses significant environmental concerns. This study introduces the innovative use of recycled aluminium cans as electrodes for electrocoagulation, presenting an eco-friendly and cost-effective approach to wastewater treatment that aligns with circular economy principles. This study explores the efficacy of electrocoagulation (EC) in treating dairy wastewater, focusing on the influence of treatment duration, voltage, and pH levels on BOD, COD, and turbidity reduction. Utilizing recycled aluminium electrodes derived from beverage cans, a Taguchi design of experiments with a 3-factor, 3-level orthogonal array was employed. Results from nine experiments reveal that higher voltages and alkaline pH levels notably enhanced COD and BOD removal efficiencies. For instance, high removal rates of 91.67 % for COD and 95.36 % for BOD were achieved at 20 V and pH 9 over a 15-minute treatment duration were obtained from experiments. Furthermore, optimal overall EC performance parameters were obtained using Taguchi and Multi-response optimization using TOPSIS. Analysis of turbidity removal efficiencies demonstrates the significant impact of voltage and treatment duration. The study provides valuable insights into optimizing electrocoagulation processes for efficient treatment of dairy wastewater, offering a sustainable solution for environmental preservation and resource recovery.

Jurita Baishya, Tarun K. Maji

Sustainability concerns are driving industries to focus on eco-friendly substitutes for polymers and plastics. Waste fibers and bio-based materials are increasingly becoming popular as renewable options. They help lower carbon footprints and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. These materials also tackle environmental problems and support resource conservation and waste reduction. The primary objective of this endeavor is to develop green composites from coconut fiber, an abundant and underutilized byproduct of the coconut industry. This study assesses the effect of incorporating nanoclay at varying weight percentages (1, 3, and 5 wt%) on the properties of Coconut Fiber (CF) reinforced composites. The composites are fabricated using a compression molding process, with Methacrylic Anhydride modified Epoxidized Linseed Soybean Oil (MAELSO) serving as the polymer matrix, and Citric Acid (CA), a naturally derived crosslinker obtained from citrus fruits, to enhance the bonding within the material. The interaction between MAELSO, CF, CA and nanoclay was determined by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy techniques (TEM) were employed to investigate the delamination and dispersal of silicate layers. Evaluation of surface morphology was achieved by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) technique. The nanoclay-filled composites exhibited better mechanical property, higher thermal stability and flame retardant property compared to the nanoclay-free composites. Among all the nanocomposites those loaded with 1 wt% of nanoclay, exhibited the least amount of water vapor absorption capacity, volumetric swelling, and highest chemical resistance. The significance of this study lies in that the resulting composites promote sustainability by utilizing waste, renewable resources and biodegradable materials. This approach minimizes environmental impact while maintaining performance. As an eco-friendly alternative, these composites provide a viable substitute for conventional, non-biodegradable synthetic materials, supporting both environmental conservation and advanced material performance. The developed green composites demonstrate potential for construction and household applications due to their improved mechanical strength, thermal stability, and flame retardancy. Their low water absorption and improved chemical resistance make them suitable for humid environments, supporting sustainable material innovation.

Muhammad Ali, Omar Ali AlSuwaidi

In the realm of waste management, automating the sorting process for non-biodegradable materials presents considerable challenges due to the complexity and variability of waste streams. To address these challenges, we introduce an enhanced neural architecture that builds upon an existing Encoder-Decoder structure to improve the accuracy and efficiency of waste sorting systems. Our model integrates several key innovations: a Comprehensive Attention Block within the decoder, which refines feature representations by combining convolutional and upsampling operations. In parallel, we utilize attention through the Mamba architecture, providing an additional performance boost. We also introduce a Data Fusion Block that fuses images with more than three channels. To achieve this, we apply PCA transformation to reduce the dimensionality while retaining the maximum variance and essential information across three dimensions, which are then used for further processing. We evaluated the model on RGB, hyperspectral, multispectral, and a combination of RGB and hyperspectral data. The results demonstrate that our approach outperforms existing methods by a significant margin.

Begoña González, Diego Rossit, Mariano Frutos et al.

Few activities are as crucial in urban environments as waste management. Mismanagement of waste can cause significant economic, social, and environmental damage. However, waste management is often a complex system to manage and therefore where computational decision-support tools can play a pivotal role in assisting managers to make faster and better decisions. In this sense, this article proposes, on the one hand, a unified optimization model to address two common waste management system optimization problem: the determination of the capacity of waste bins in the collection network and the design and scheduling of collection routes. The integration of these two problems is not usual in the literature since each of them separately is already a major computational challenge. On the other hand, two improved exact formulations based on mathematical programming and a genetic algorithm (GA) are provided to solve this proposed unified optimization model. It should be noted that the GA considers a mixed chromosome representation of the solutions combining binary and integer alleles, in order to solve realistic instances of this complex problem. Also, different genetic operators have been tested to study which combination of them obtained better results in execution times on the order of that of the exact solvers. The obtained results show that the proposed GA is able to match the results of exact solvers on small instances and, in addition, can obtain feasible solutions on large instances, where exact formulations are not applicable, in reasonable computation times.

Yashodip Dharmendra Jagtap, Aaditya Ganesh Bagul

Electronic waste (e-waste) is a rapidly growing global problem caused by shorter device lifecycles and rising consumption. India ranks third globally in e-waste generation, producing over 1.7 million tonnes in 2023-24, of which less than half is formally processed. To address this, we propose Green Grid, an integrated AI-powered e-waste management platform combining IoT-enabled smart collection, AI-based device classification, blockchain-based traceability, and gamified citizen engagement. The system features smart recycling bins with sensors for real-time monitoring, deep learning models for device identification and sorting, a blockchain ledger for tamper-proof tracking, and a reward-based mobile or web app to encourage user participation. Additionally, Green Grid offers analytics dashboards and an eco-marketplace to support policymakers and recyclers. By bridging technology, sustainability, and community participation, the platform enhances transparency, increases formal recycling rates, and advances India's transition toward a circular economy.

Dalga Merve Özkan, Sergio Lucia, Sebastian Engell

This paper presents a general mathematical programming framework for the design and optimization of supply chain infrastructures for the upcycling of plastic waste. For this purpose, a multi-product, multi-echelon, multi-period mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model has been formulated. The objective is to minimize the cost of the entire circular supply chain starting from the collection of post-consumer plastic waste to the production of virgin-equivalent high value polymers, satisfying a large number of constraints from collection quota to the quality of the feedstock. The framework aims to support the strategic planning of future circular supply chains by determining the optimal number, locations and sizes of various types of facilities as well as the amounts of materials to be transported between the nodes of the supply chain network over a specified period. The functionality of the framework has been tested with a case study for the upcycling of rigid polyurethane foam waste coming from construction sites in Germany. The economic potential and infrastructure requirements are evaluated, and it has been found that from a solely economic perspective, the current status of the value chain is not competitive with fossil-based feedstock or incineration. However, with the right economic incentives, there is a considerable potential to establish such value chains, once the upcycling technology is ready and the economic framework conditions have stabilized.

P. Wongsirichot, Benjamin Barroso-Ingham, Alexander Hamilton et al.

Unavoidable food wastes could be an important feedstock for industrial biotechnology, while their valorization could provide added value for the food processor. However, despite their abundance and low costs, the heterogeneous/mixed nature of these food wastes produced by food processors and consumers leads to a high degree of variability in carbon and nitrogen content, as well as specific substrates, in food waste hydrolysate. This has limited their use for bioproduct synthesis. These wastes are often instead used in anaerobic digestion and mixed microbial culture, creating a significant knowledge gap in their use for higher value biochemical production via pure and single microbial culture. To directly investigate this knowledge gap, various waste streams produced by a single food processor were enzymatically hydrolyzed and characterized, and the degree of variability with regard to substrates, carbon, and nitrogen was quantified. The impact of hydrolysate variability on the viability and performance of polyhydroxyalkanoates biopolymers production using bacteria (Cupriavidus necator) and archaea (Haloferax mediterranei) as well as sophorolipids biosurfactants production with the yeast (Starmerella bombicola) was then elucidated at laboratory-scale. After which, strategies implemented during this experimental proof-of-concept study, and beyond, for improved industrial-scale valorization which addresses the high variability of food waste hydrolysate were discussed in-depth, including media standardization and high non-selective microbial organisms growth-associated product synthesis. The insights provided would be beneficial for future endeavors aiming to utilize food wastes as feedstocks for industrial biotechnology.

George E. Halkos, Panagiotis-Stavros C. Aslanidis

The current waste crisis calls for a stable and integrated institutional framework. Policymakers try to untangle the complicated and interconnected acts, regulations, and directives in the European Union (EU). However, it is not a plain sailing to observe and implement the vast regulatory armamentarium of the EU in the circular economy (CE) sectors to achieve sustainable waste management (SWM). Aim of the present study is to showcase the historic – international and European – institutional framework on waste management as well as the main hazardous and special waste streams in order to build an integrated SWM framework. Moreover, CE necessitates for the safeguarding of critical raw materials (CRMs) and energy, in order to blueprint policies for the Net-Zero Age. Hence, the present study would show how CE can establish SWM, even though CE is going to face complex challenges till the conclusion of Agendas 2030 and 2050.

Dharmendra Hariyani, Poonam Hariyani, Sanjeev Mishra et al.

In today's interconnected world, traditional approaches to managing resources and analyzing product life cycles are often inefficient and lack precision. Digital technologies offer a suite of tools and methodologies that can revolutionize these practices. Through a systematic literature review on the Scopus database, this study examines the (i) various ways in which digital technologies contribute to various aspects of circular economy initiatives, viz., promoting resource optimization, resource efficiency, waste reduction, and overall sustainability and (ii) life cycle analysis of the organizational value chain within the circular economy framework. Intersections of digital technologies with the circular economy and life cycle analysis can drive significant advancements in sustainability practices by optimizing resource efficiency and improving environmental impact assessments across industries. Key topics covered include digital technologies, data collection and management, resource optimization, product design optimization, lifecycle monitoring and assessment, predictive analytics and modeling, circular design and product lifecycle management, supply chain transparency and traceability, virtual reality (VR) platforms, etc. The study also highlights the potential benefits and challenges associated with the adoption of digital technologies in the context of circular economy initiatives and offers insights for practical implications and future research directions. By leveraging digital technologies strategically, organizations can drive innovation, overcome challenges, and accelerate progress toward a more sustainable and circular economy.