Hasil untuk "Environmental effects of industries and plants"

G. Berg

Roiswahid Dimas Pangestu, Dewi Larasati, Aswin Indraprastha

Indonesia's housing sector faces a persistent housing backlog alongside heavy reliance on carbon-intensive construction materials. Although timber is widely recognized as a low-carbon material within circular bioeconomy frameworks, its adoption in housing remains limited, and the alignment between housing demand, timber supply, and consumer acceptance is poorly understood. This study aims to quantify national timber demand associated with housing development in Indonesia, assess whether current timber supply can meet this demand, and evaluate the viability of regional supply–demand balance models when consumer preferences are incorporated. The novelty of this study lies in providing the first national-scale estimation of housing-related timber demand evaluated against regional production capacity, demonstrating how the incorporation of consumer preferences reshapes regional feasibility outcomes, and distilling a transferable analytical framework for assessing timber substitution in housing across emerging economy contexts. A mixed-method approach integrates an empirical database of 389 housing layouts, an online consumer preference survey (n = 214), and secondary data on housing needs and timber production to develop and evaluate multiple Model of Supply-Demand (MSD). The results indicate that MSD under timber supply consistently provides reliable strategies, highlighting the need for national regulations to focus on maximizing the absorption of currently available materials. Further regional analysis was conducted and shows the need to adapt regulations to local conditions to optimize strategies. Sensitivity analysis confirms that these strategic insights remain robust under varying market conditions. The study provides a policy-relevant and transferable framework to support low-carbon, timber-based housing transitions in Indonesia and comparable emerging economies.

Kari Ylivainio, Risto Uusitalo, Johanna Nikama et al.

Phosphate fertilizer production relies on finite mineral resources. However, much of the phosphorus (P) taken up by crops eventually ends up in different waste streams. Ensuring P supply for agricultural sustainability requires a circular economy approach to producing bio-based fertilizers (BBFs) from these nutrient-rich side streams. This necessitates addressing not only the fertilizer value of BBFs but also the often-overlooked environmental impacts, which are surely affected not only by BBFs composition but also by soil properties. This study aimed to assess P losses promoted by BBFs, depending on their nature and the properties of soil to which they are applied, using a rain simulation after a 3-week incubation. To this end, 11 BBFs and triple superphosphate (TSP) were applied on soils originating from Finland (FI, pH 5.7), Germany (DE, pH 7.4), and Spain (ES, pH 8.1). The BBFs encompass a wide range of raw materials (plants, manure, animal by-products, sewage sludge) and production technologies (anaerobic digestion and composting, fermentation and distillation, various thermal treatments, and precipitation). The concentrations of dissolved reactive P (DRP) and molybdate-unreactive P (MU-P) in percolation water varied greatly depending on the soil properties and the P sources. Soil P tests that extract easily soluble P fractions predicted DRP concentrations in percolation water better than those extracting less soluble P fractions. The highest P concentration, especially DRP, was measured in the low P retention DE soil mixed with TSP. In acidic and calcareous soils, TSP, digested and composted pig slurry, and mineral/precipitate BBFs led to the greatest DRP mobilization. Organic BBFs containing tricalcium/hydroxyapatite and ash-based ones led to the least P mobilization in all soils. Granulation of BBFs effectively reduced P losses among BBFs with similar P speciation, while also offering improved handling and P utilization. Thus, compared with soluble mineral P fertilizers, BBFs offer a means to reduce P losses; however, minimizing P losses requires knowledge of both soil and BBF properties.

Makrem Cherni, Hajer Ben Ammar, Mohamed Guesmi et al.

Introduction: Olive cultivation is a major agroecosystem in the Mediterranean basin, yet the environmental performance of its production systems remains poorly quantified, particularly in North Africa where life cycle inventory (LCI) data are limited. Methods: This study applied a comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to eight representative olive production systems (traditional, integrated, and intensive). Primary data were obtained from field surveys and farm records, while secondary data from the Ecoinvent database were used for background processes. Environmental impacts were evaluated per hectare and per ton of olives for global warming potential, acidification, eutrophication and water consumption. Results: Fertilization and soil management emerged as dominant hotspots across all assessed impact categories, with synthetic inputs contributing up to 576 kg CO2-eq/ha to global warming potential and driving nutrient-related burdens. Water consumption ranged from 0.98 to 1767 m3/ha, primarily influenced by irrigation intensity. Overall global warming potential varied from 617 to 2583 kg CO2-eq/ha, reflecting substantial differences in input levels and resource-use efficiency among systems. Discussion and conclusions: The results demonstrate that environmental performance is strongly shaped by fertilizer regimes, irrigation practices, and soil management. Precision nutrient management, optimized irrigation, reduced tillage and agroecological interventions could substantially reduce impacts. This study provides one of the first structured LCAs for Tunisian olive systems and offers essential evidence to support the development of robust regional LCI datasets for Mediterranean olive production.

B. Aydın, L. Barbas

Abstract High incidence of cancer and other diseases have boosted the interest in herbal products to be used as alternatives to synthetic drugs worldwide. Plants that present biological activity are frequently processed, and their extracts are marketed as over-the-counter natural medicines. Such a trend is also observed in the aquaculture sector. The number of studies investigating the potential activity of plant-based products to substitute synthetic fish anesthetics has increased substantially over recent years. This paper summarizes the current data available and knowledge about the use of essential oils and active substances for fish sedation and anesthesia. Clove oil is the most commonly used plant-based anesthetic in aquaculture and several other studies have been conducted on the use of essential oils of basil, thyme, mint, rosemary, lavender, citronella, verbena and camphor for the different fish species. In recent years, active substances such as eugenol, menthol, myrcene, 1,8-cineole, linalool, limonene, citronellal, thymol, carvacrol, spathulenol, α- and β-pinene, 4-allylphenyl acetate and globulol, found as constituents of essential oils have also been investigated for sedation and anesthesia purposes in fish. This paper describes some of the sedative and anesthetic effects of essential oils and their active substances on the modulation of fish behavior, physiology and biochemistry. Such structured information could be useful for the aquaculture industry as natural anesthetics could be potentially more environmentally friendly, cost-effective and safer products than synthetic drugs for the management and welfare of aquatic organisms.

Georona Kusma Albarki, Vannya Julia Sizilia, Syahrul Kurniawan et al.

The eruption of Mount Semeru in East Java released pyroclastic materials that damaged agroecosystems and degraded the soil physical properties. Pyroclastic materials tend to form surface crusts, leading to compaction and decreased permeability, which hinders soil recovery. To accelerate rehabilitation, adaptive vegetation and indigenous microbes were introduced to improve the physical properties of pyroclastic materials. This study aimed to assess the incorporation of indigenous microbes and adaptive vegetation in improving soil quality after an eruption. This study employed a factorial randomized complete block design with two factors: vegetation type, i.e., Napier grass (Vn), Centrosema sp. (Vc), and Indigofera sp. (Vi); and microbial application, i.e., without microbes (M0) and with indigenous microbes (M1). Soil bulk density, total porosity, permeability, available water content, and evapotranspiration were measured. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and LSD at 5% significance level, followed by regression and correlation analysis. The results showed that incorporating indigenous microbes with adaptive vegetation significantly increased total porosity, permeability, and available water content while decreasing bulk density and evapotranspiration. Specifically, the Napier grass with microbe treatment (VnM1) was most effective in reducing compaction, attributed to its extensive root system and enhanced microbial activity. This treatment improved water retention and provided a sustainable solution for rehabilitating pyroclastic materials, supporting long-term agricultural recovery after the eruption.

Abhilash Thapa, Neha W. Qureshi, P.S. Ananthan et al.

The Hooghly-Matlah Estuarine System (HMES) supports rich fisheries and millions of livelihoods, but overfishing and habitat loss are driving stock declines. Ensuring sustainable fisheries is essential to protect the ecosystem and dependent communities. This study explores how sustainable HMES fisheries truly are, using a modified Rapid Appraisal for Fisheries (RAPFISH) approach. We based our assessment on the hypothesis that current fishing practices may be less sustainable, largely due to challenges across five dimensions—ecology, economy, social, technology, and governance. Multi-dimensional scaling was used to score 45 attributes, followed by leverage analysis to identify key drivers. Data were collected from 38 fishing sites across four zones (8029 km2), including 238 fisher interviews, focus group discussions (4), key informants, and secondary sources. Species- and zone-specific RAPFISH results showed sea catfish fisheries as the most sustainable (57.01 %) and tiger prawn seed fisheries as the least (34.34 %). None of the 22 fisheries were in ‘good’ (75.1–100 %) or ‘poor’ (0–25 %) categories, suggesting room for improvement. Marine zone II (MZII) was “quite sustainable” (53.83 %), while marine zone I (MZI), true estuary (TE), and freshwater (FW) zones were “less sustainable” (25.1–50 %), largely due to lower scores in social, governance, technology, and ecology. Overall RAPFISH scores for HMES were 47.06 % (species-based) and 46.7 % (zone-based), indicating a “less sustainable” status. Although economic and governance dimensions showed moderate strength, zone-specific actions—such as conflict resolution (TE, MZI); enhancing vessel registration and fishing bans (FW, TE); and consolidating governance in MZII, etc., can build resilience and support sustainable estuarine fisheries.

Jerlin Regin, Maria Rajesh Antony, Raya Said Mohammed Al-Zaabiya, May Darwish Ali Al Balushi, Hamdah Ali Ahmed Al Shehhi, Nooralsnaa Abdallah Mohammed Al-Farsi and Athari Khalifa Handi Al-Saadi

The research addressed the effective and sustainable ways to enhance the thermal insulation properties of concrete without compromising its structural integrity. Traditional methods of enhancing thermal insulation in buildings, such as using thick layers of insulation materials, can be costly and may not always be practical in certain settings. Additionally, the disposal of waste materials such as date palm fiber, shopping plastic bags, and thermocol beads presents an environmental challenge. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the potential use of these waste materials as additives in concrete to improve its thermal insulation properties while also providing a sustainable solution for waste disposal. Date palm fiber is a natural material that is widely available in the Gulf region. Plastic bags are a huge waste from the shops every day, and from the packing materials, this thermocol is a huge waste product. We have to recycle it very efficiently to protect the environment. Three types of special materials, such as thermocol beads (30%), date palm fiber (3%) & shopping plastic bag fiber (3%), were tested in this research. Thermocol beads, when used, reduce their strength and increase the thermal resistance of concrete, while date palm fiber and shopping bag waste fiber, when used, increase the strength of concrete and also increase the thermal resistance of concrete, so it is an excellent reinforcing material and thermal barrier for shopping plastic bags fiber and date palm fiber. Based on this research result, when thermocol beads are used, they prevent heat by 42 percent, while when added with date palm fiber and plastic fiber, they also block heat by an average of 30% percent; thus, all three ingredients are considered excellent thermal insulation material. The reduction in thermal conductivity was attributed to the formation of air voids and the low thermal conductivity of the waste materials. The density of the concrete decreased with the addition of the waste materials. The study suggests that the incorporation of date palm fiber, shopping bag waste fiber, and thermocol beads can be an effective way to enhance the thermal insulation properties of concrete while also providing an environmentally sustainable solution for waste disposal. It will boost green energy technology in the construction industry.

O. J. Oyebode and A.M. Umar

Effective stormwater management can be used to regulate water quantity and quality for environmental sustainability, flood control, pollution reduction and other advantages of civil engineering infrastructures. Pollution of the environment and contamination of water sources can emanate from improper stormwater management. This study used a small-scale model of rainwater harvesting to analyze the design and model of urban stormwater management and treatment infrastructure for the neighborhoods in Abuja. The water quality of the treated stormwater retrieved has improved as a result of the usage of memory foam, alum, and chlorine to filter out contaminants and pathogens. With the fictitious stormwater treatment model created for this study, average values of the physicochemical parameters were collected from the stormwater discharge after it had been filtered and treated. The use of potash alum has had a variety of effects on the water’s quality. From 697 mg.L-1 to 635 mg.L-1, the total dissolved solids dropped. The DO dropped from 5.87 mg.L-1 to 3.92 mg.L-1 as well. Additionally, the turbidity rose from 4.42 FNU to 4.58 FNU, and the salinity rose from 0.7 PSU to 1.44 PSU, respectively. pH decreases from 19.78 to 15.17 mg.L-1, BOD decreases from 8.35 to 6.51, and COD decreases from 2.55 to 1.9. Calcium hardness has decreased from 287 mg.L-1 to 265.83 mg.L-1. The conductivity increases marginally from 3.24 ms.cm-1 to 3.82 ms.cm-1. The Fe2+ and Zn2+ ions exhibit a little decrease from 0.143 mg.L-1 to 0.055 mg.L-1 and from 0.092 mg.L-1 to 0.045 mg.L-1, respectively. Due to inadequate or nonexistent drainage systems in the many states and villages throughout the country, stormwater run-off management and treatment in Nigeria have been a colossal failure. Effective stormwater management can be sustained by using legal and environmental laws.

R. S. Sabale, S. S. Bobade, B. Venkatesh and M. K. Jose

Every facet of life, including human habitation, economic development, food security, etc., depends on water as a valuable resource. Due to the burgeoning population and rapid urbanization, water availability needs to be simulated and measured using hydrologic models and trustworthy data. To fulfill this aim, the SWAT model was processed in this work. The SWAT model was formulated to estimate the hydrological parameters of Yeralwadi using meteorological data from IMD (India Meteorological Department) for the period 1995-2020. The observed discharge data was collected from the HDUG Nasik group and used in the calibration and validation of the Model. The SWAT model was corrected & validated through the SUFI-II algorithm in SWAT-CUP to get a better result. The model’s sensitivity is checked by using statistical parameters like Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) and a coefficient of determination (R2). NSE values were 0.72 and 0.80 in calibration and validation, and R2 were 0.80 & 0.76 in calibration and validation, respectively, indicating the acceptance of the model. Results show that 40.6% of the total yearly precipitation was lost by evapotranspiration. The estimated total discharge from the Yeralwadi catchment was 55.6%, out of which 41.2% was surface runoff and 14.4% was baseflow. The other 17.8% was made up of percolation into confined and unconfined aquifers, which served as soil and groundwater storages. The surface runoff is influenced by Curve number (CnII), SOL_AWC, ESCO, and base flow was influenced by ALPHA-BF and GW_REVAP. This study will be useful to water managers and researchers to develop sustainable water resource management and to alleviate the water scarcity issues in the study basin.

Enrico Vagnoni, Pasquale Arca, Mauro Decandia et al.

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study was carried out to assess the environmental profile of the main Sardinian dairy sheep farming systems, with the scope to provide a detailed and robust baseline for the identification of effective mitigation solutions at farm level and to develop environmental strategies at regional scale. Both product- and area-based functional units (FUs) were adopted, considering sixteen impact categories and soil carbon sequestration estimates as well. Water Use, Climate Change, Land Use, Ecotoxicity Freshwater, Marine Eutrophication and Fossils Resource Use resulted the main impact categories, cumulatively contributing over 80% of the total environmental impact (single score). Environmental performances significantly varied according to the geo-pedological traits of the different sheep milk production areas and were driven by the farming systems’ structure and production level. The group of farms located in less fertile areas showed significantly worse environmental performance per kg of normalized milk for the impact categories Climate Change and Land Use, whereas no significant differences were observed for the remaining main impact categories. Considering the area-based FU, this farm group resulted less impacting for all main categories compared to the group of farms located in more plain and productive soils, with a significantly lower impact observed for Marine Eutrophication and Fossils Resource Use. Regardless of the FU used, feed supply management represented a key area of improvement, and soil carbon sequestration impact compensated the high GHG emission intensity of grassland-based farms despite the limited nutritional value of natural pasture. Regional strategies should be based on ecosystem services optimization and eco-innovative solutions tailored according to both the specific geo-pedological conditions and the production level of each farming system.

Balasubramanian Senthilmurugan and Jayaprakash Sandhala Radhakrishnan

Mineral scales of calcite are common in the oil field and pose a serious integrity problem in the wellbore, flow lines, and equipment. It is also a challenge faced by industries such as refineries and power plants. Scale deposition is a complex process depending on various factors such as concentration of scaling species, temperature, pH, and flow rates. Deterministic models are used to predict the scale formation from the level of supersaturation of the scaling species in the water at the operating conditions. However, due to the complexity of the interaction of variables affecting the scaling and inhibition by chemicals, it is suitable to be represented by statistical models. This work focused on applying statistical analysis techniques such as response surface methodology to understand the effect of different operating parameters on the inhibition efficiency of maleic acid-acrylamide copolymer on CaCO3 scales. The copolymer was synthesized, and its inhibition efficiency on the calcite scale was tested using static jar tests at different pH, temperature, and inhibitor concentrations. The effect of the critical parameters on the inhibition efficiency was analyzed using the statistical technique of Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The design of experiments (DoE) was created using a Box–Behnken design with three levels for each factor. The linear and the quadratic effects of the factors were studied and the interaction effects were analyzed using analyses of variance (ANOVA) and RSM. A desirability function was used to optimize the performance for the combination of the variables. The analysis showed that the linear effect of the parameters had the highest impact on the inhibition efficiency. Significant interaction effects were also identified between the operating variables. A transfer function was used to model the experimental data of inhibitor performance.

Arun Karnwal, A. Dohroo, Tabarak Malik

The increasing public concern over the negative impacts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on food security and sustainability has led to exploring innovative methods that offer both environmental and agricultural benefits. One such innovative approach is using plant-growth-promoting bioinoculants that involve bacteria, fungi, and algae. These living microorganisms are applied to soil, seeds, or plant surfaces and can enhance plant development by increasing nutrient availability and defense against plant pathogens. However, the application of biofertilizers in the field faced many challenges and required conjunction with innovative delivering approaches. Nanotechnology has gained significant attention in recent years due to its numerous applications in various fields, such as medicine, drug development, catalysis, energy, and materials. Nanoparticles with small sizes and large surface areas (1-100 nm) have numerous potential functions. In sustainable agriculture, the development of nanochemicals has shown promise as agents for plant growth, fertilizers, and pesticides. The use of nanomaterials is being considered as a solution to control plant pests, including insects, fungi, and weeds. In the food industry, nanoparticles are used as antimicrobial agents in food packaging, with silver nanomaterials being particularly interesting. However, many nanoparticles (Ag, Fe, Cu, Si, Al, Zn, ZnO, TiO2, CeO2, Al2O3, and carbon nanotubes) have been reported to negatively affect plant growth. This review focuses on the effects of nanoparticles on beneficial plant bacteria and their ability to promote plant growth. Implementing novel sustainable strategies in agriculture, biofertilizers, and nanoparticles could be a promising solution to achieve sustainable food production while reducing the negative environmental impacts.

Patrycja Talarska, M. Boruczkowski, J. Żurawski

Silver and gold nanoparticles can be found in a range of household products related to almost every area of life, including patches, bandages, paints, sportswear, personal care products, food storage equipment, cosmetics, disinfectants, etc. Their confirmed ability to enter the organism through respiratory and digestive systems, skin, and crossing the blood–brain barrier raises questions of their potential effect on cell function. Therefore, this manuscript aimed to summarize recent reports concerning the influence of variables such as size, shape, concentration, type of coating, or incubation time, on effects of gold and silver nanoparticles on cultured cell lines. Due to the increasingly common use of AgNP and AuNP in multiple branches of the industry, further studies on the effects of nanoparticles on different types of cells and the general natural environment are needed to enable their long-term use. However, some environmentally friendly solutions to chemically synthesized nanoparticles are also investigated, such as plant-based synthesis methods.

Y. Fang, ·. X. He, ·. X. Long et al.

Ahmad Arquam, Minal Deshmukh and Aadil Pathan

It is extremely difficult to clean up accidental oil spills in water since conventional oil sorbents absorb much more water in addition to the oil. Alternatively, cleanup techniques might lead to secondary contamination. This study examines and measures the oil absorption capacities of two hydrophobic natural fibers: water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). At the laboratory scale, the absorption of engine oil, vegetable oil, and diesel oils onto various dry biomass materials, including water hyacinth and lotus with different particle sizes (BSS-44, BSS-60, BSS-100, BSS-120, BSS-160, and BSS-200), was investigated. Water hyacinth shows a higher absorption efficiency for all samples as compared to the lotus.

X. Zhang

The paper investigated the adsorption of Cr(VI) on biochar in simulated wastewater by static adsorption method, Fourier Transform Infrared spectra (FTIR), Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM) characterization analysis. The results show that biochar can effectively remove Cr(VI) in wastewater, and the adsorption equilibrium can be quickly reached within 100 min. The kinetic analysis shows that the quasi-second-order kinetic model can better fit the kinetic process of Cr(VI) adsorption by biochar, which shows that the main mechanism of the adsorption is the chemical bonding cooperation between Cr(VI) and the functional groups on the surface of biochar. Fit analysis of the isotherm at different temperatures shows that temperature increase promotes the adsorption of Cr(VI) on biochar, and thermodynamic analysis reveals that the adsorption of Cr(VI) on biochar is a spontaneous endothermic process. The Freundlich model effectively fits the adsorption isotherm of Cr(VI), indicating that the surface of biochar is uneven and Cr(VI) has undergone multilayer adsorption. The adsorption isotherm of Cr(VI) under the influence of HA and FA can be effectively fitted by the Freundlich model, and the adsorption efficiency is the highest when FA is added. The national analysis of Fourier Transform Infrared spectra (FTIR), Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM) further reveals the bond cooperation between Cr(VI) and the surface functional groups of biochar. The results show that biochar has potential application value in treating chrome-containing wastewater.

Sapna S. Mishra, M. Ghanim

Liberibacter is a group of plant pathogenic bacteria, transmitted by insect vectors, psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea), and has emerged as one of the most devastating pathogens which have penetrated into many parts of the world over the last 20 years. The pathogens are known to cause plant diseases, such as Huanglongbing (citrus greening disease), Zebra chip disease, and carrot yellowing, etc., threatening some very important agricultural sectors, including citrus, potato and others. Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), the causative agent of citrus greening disease, is one of the most important pathogens of this group. This pathogen has infected most of the citrus trees in the US, Brazil and China, causing tremendous decline in citrus productivity, and, consequently, a severely negative impact on economic and personnel associated with citrus and related industries in these countries. Like other members in this group, CLas is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP, Diaphorina citri) in a persistent circulative manner. An additional important member of this group is Ca. L. solanacearum (CLso), which possesses nine haplotypes and infects a variety of crops, depending on the specific haplotype and the insect vector species. Ongoing pathogen control strategies, that are mainly based on use of chemical pesticides, lack the necessary credentials of being technically feasible, and environmentally safe. For this reason, strategies based on interference with Liberibacter vector transmission have been adopted as alternative strategies for the prevention of infection by these pathogens. A significant amount of research has been conducted during the last 10-15 years to understand the aspects of transmission of these bacterial species by their psyllid vectors. These research efforts span biological, ecological, behavioural and molecular aspects of Liberibacter–psyllid interactions, and will be reviewed in this manuscript. These attempts directed towards devising new means of disease control, endeavoured to explore alternative strategies, instead of relying on using chemicals for reducing the vector populations, which is the sole strategy currently employed and which has profound negative effects on human health, beneficial organisms and the environment.

Ha-Won Jang, Meehee Cho

This study examines consumers’ intentions to purchase plant-based meat alternatives (PBMA), which have been created to protect animal rights, the global environment, and consumers’ health. Data from 319 Korean consumers were analyzed to establish a causal relationship among personal values (egoistic, biospheric, and social-altruistic), the dual concern theory (anticipated positive effect and empathetic concern), and PBMA purchase intentions. Multigroup analysis was performed for all paths according to generation, divided into Generation MZ and the older generation; “MZ” is a compound term referring to millennials and Generation Z, who have grown up in a digital environment; this collective generation comprises individuals born after 1980. Our analysis revealed that, among personal values, biospheric and social-altruistic values had positive effects on both anticipated positive effect and empathetic concern. In turn, these aspects positively influenced PBMA purchase intentions. Particularly, anticipated positive effect had a strong influence. Finally, a moderating effect was confirmed for two paths, and only Generation MZ demonstrated the enhancing influence of biospheric value on both anticipated positive effect and empathetic concern. This study has several implications and contributes to the sustainable growth and development of PBMA and the overall food service industry.

K. R, Alavinezhad S.S, P. M.M. et al.

Feed preparation is the most expensive part of the aquaculture industry. In recent years, studies have been conducted on the utilization of plants’ wastes and by-products (such as peel, pulp, and kernels) as phytogenetic materials and sources of protein and nutrients for preparing feed in the aquaculture industry, which have yielded promising results. These wastes are recycled by processing as feed additives and returned to the feed chain, and because they are waste products of plants and fruits, prepared phytogenic feed additives cannot be regarded as feed sources for humans. In the future, there will be large quantities of fruit and vegetable waste, which have the potential to be recycled and returned to the feed chain by being processed as additive feed for aquatic animals. Phytogenics encompass a wide range of substances that can be classified based on plant origin, the processing method, and composition but generally found in the form of herbs and spices, or as plant extracts, essential oils, and oleoresins. The phytogenic properties of plants are related to the various secondary metabolites produced by them. These metabolites are used as growth and appetite stimulants. Furthermore, these metabolites induce the secretion of bile and other digestive enzymes. They are not a threat to the environment, and their benefits as substitutes for antibiotics have been promising. The antioxidant, anti-cancer, analgesic, antimicrobial and antiparasitic effects of these products have been proven so far but the main function reported for these compounds in the host is to improve gastrointestinal microbiota and immune function (modulating cytokine production by epithelial cells). However, the mechanisms of action of these products are not yet completely understood, and further studies are needed to divulge the potential side effects of phytogenic substances on the host, the environment, and on gastrointestinal microbiota. Understanding these mechanisms will ensure us about the safety of these herbal additives for fish, consumers, and the environment. Despite some applications of plant materials in aquaculture, their widespread use for feed preparation is still limited due to the lack of sufficient knowledge on the mechanisms of action of phytogenic materials. So, a better understanding of the effects of these compounds, which are derived from plant and fruit wastes, on the host’s physiology will provide us with the opportunity to use these substances more widely in the aquaculture industry. In the present review, we discuss the studies conducted on the use of phytogenic materials as feed additives for aquatic animals, as well as their effects, advantages, and disadvantages.