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Energy and Matter Recovery from Organic Waste Processing and Reuse Volume 2

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Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A4: Bio-Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 June 2023) | Viewed by 19821

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Anna Grobelak

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Guest Editor

Institute of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Infrastructure and Environment, Czestochowa University of Technology, 42-201 Czestochowa, Poland
Interests: bioremediation; biotechnology; environmental sciences; organic waste management; soil organic carbon sequestration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Aneta Kowalska

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Infrastructure and Environment, Czestochowa University of Technology, Brzeznicka 60a, 42-200 Czestochowa, Poland
Interests: soil carbon sequestration; soil remediation; mining; CO2 emissions; soils; environmental biotechnology; soil amendments

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Today, as we face sudden climate changes, an escalating level of pollution, and a constantly increasing human population, the world needs to abandon its selfish ways and the linear economy driven by the constant consumption of nonrenewable resources. It is vital that the everyday activities of each human being on the planet begin to comply with the 3R strategy. The main assumptions underlying the idea of the circular economy are the conservation and optimal use of natural resources, as well as the recycling and reuse of all matter derived from them. Our knowledge of this strategy has been derived from nature’s behaviour and its laws. Adaptation to environmental and climate conditions is a future challenge for all societies worldwide. This is why, today, it is our duty to step up and develop environmentally friendly technologies that mimic actual closed biological cycles found in nature. Biodegradable wastes resulting from various human activities, including municipal economies, industrial and business activities, food processing, and agriculture, have to be regarded as constant, valuable, and transferable sources of energy and matter. Consequently, recognizing the bio-based waste sector as one of the most resource-intensive sectors in the circular economy would, in turn, result in a unique opportunity to maximize the demand for recovery-based technological solutions and business models.

Therefore, this Special Issue seeks to contribute to the circular economy, end-of waste criteria (EWC), and life cycle assessment (LCA) agenda, through enhancing our scientific and multidisciplinary knowledge. In order to improve the performance of research in this area and identify novel perspectives, we propose to focus on the most sustainable strategies for sewage sludge management, including treatment and disposal. A description of the state-of-the-art in terms of legislation, characterization, ecotoxicology, waste management, and actual routes currently used in particular countries would allow us to present a holistic view of the treatment of biowastes in compliance with the concept of the circular economy.

Therefore, we invite the submission of original research papers, reviews, case studies, and analytical or assessment articles from different disciplines relevant to sustainable and renewable waste management systems that meet the requirements of closed loops in energy and matter cycles.

Dr. Anna Grobelak
Dr. Aneta Kowalska
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

waste
matter recovery
pollutant impact
organic waste
ecotoxicity assessment
treatment
disposal
resource recovery

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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29 pages, 7893 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Carbon Sequestration in Remediated Post-Mining Soils: A New Indicator for the Vertical Soil Organic Carbon Variability Evaluation in Remediated Post-Mining Soils

by Aneta Kowalska, Jana Růžičková, Marek Kucbel and Anna Grobelak

Energies 2023, 16(16), 5876; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16165876 - 8 Aug 2023

Viewed by 962

Abstract

The present study experimentally investigated two different open-cast post-mining areas with different remediation methods for the vertical distribution of sequestered soil organic carbon (SOC). The study has been performed for two soil layers (0–15 cm, and 15–30 cm) for the four areas with different remediation advancement (up to 20 years) at both studied post-mining soils: the limestone post-mining soil remediated with embankment and lignite post-mining soil remediated with sewage sludge. The study revealed that SOC is more stable within soil depths for lignite post-mining soil remediated with sewage sludge in comparison to the limestone post-mining soil remediated with embankment. The lignite post-mining soil remediated with sewage sludge showed a better hydrophobicity, humidity, aromaticity, and C/N ratio according to the ¹³C NMR. Therefore, in that soil, an increased microbial community has been observed. The study observed a positive correlation between GRSP content with a fungi community within soil depths. For lignite post-mining soil remediated with sewage sludge, the activity of ureases and dehydrogenases was generally lower compared to the post-mining soil remediation with embankment. The investigation found good parameters of Ce and NCER which for both studied areas were negative which indicate for the privilege of the higher capturing of CO₂ over its release from the soil into the atmosphere. The study finds no relevant changes in SOC, POXC, TC, and LOI content within soil depth and remediation age. Due to the lack of a possible well-describing indicator of the vertical distribution of SOC stability in post-mining remediation soil, we proposed two different indicators for differentially managed post-mining soil remediations. The model of calculation of vertical SOC variability index can be universally used for different post-mining soils under remediation, however, both proposed calculated indexes are unique for studied soils. The proposed model of an index may be helpful for remediation management, C sequestration prediction, and lowering the carbon footprint of mining activity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Matter Recovery from Organic Waste Processing and Reuse Volume 2)

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16 pages, 1436 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Innovative Method of Extraction of Humic Substances from Digested Sludge and Assessment of the Impact of Their on the Growth of Selected Plants

by Anna M. Anielak, Aneta Kłeczek and Bartosz Łuszczek

Energies 2023, 16(3), 1283; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16031283 - 25 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1349

Abstract

The paper describes a new, proprietary method of HS extraction from digested sewage sludge. HS was extracted using the processes of dissolving organic substances and precipitating mineral micropollutants. The obtained substances were tested by determining their IR spectrum, elemental composition, and content of micropollutants and comparing them with HS obtained using the classical method. Using Phytotestkit, it was shown that HSs isolated from digested sewage sludge contain relatively large amounts of the nutrients necessary for plants (including N and P) and are a good component of a biostimulating substance. The obtained HS contains more ammonium and phosphorus ions. During extraction, inorganic impurities (including heavy metals) are reduced, and the humic product does not contain pathogens, parasites, and their spores. The method is simple, economically justified, and can be used on an industrial scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Matter Recovery from Organic Waste Processing and Reuse Volume 2)

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15 pages, 3634 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Treatment of Agricultural Wastewater Containing Pesticides by Hydrophytic Method as a Preliminary Method of Water Recovery

by Katarzyna Ignatowicz, Jakub Łozowicki, Bożena Łozowicka and Jacek Piekarski

Energies 2023, 16(2), 660; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16020660 - 5 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1330

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of using a hydrophytic method to degrade selected pesticides (pyraclostrobin and boscalid) from agricultural waste (wastewater) and to evaluate their removal efficiency. This will allow the recovery of water and raw materials from agricultural wastewater. In addition, a biopreparation was used to increase the efficiency of the process and the rate of degradation and reduce the half-life of the compounds in wastewater. Pesticides, which are commonly used in agriculture, were selected for the experiments. The study was conducted on a pilot scale, in two identical hydrophytic treatment systems supported and not supported by microorganisms. At the same time, in order to identify pesticides, an analytical method based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was optimized, enabling the determination of applied pesticides in wastewater with satisfactory sensitivity, accuracy and precision. The kinetics of pesticide decomposition in the hydrophytic bed were determined on the basis of mathematical models and equations of the dynamics of pesticide disappearance in wastewater. The parameters of the DT₅₀ half-life of pesticides in wastewater and the parameters of theoretical time to reach the concentration level of 0.01 mg/L were determined. The use of three different layers (0.15, 0.40 and 0.15 m) of chemically inactive granulometrically differentiated (2 ÷ 8, 8 ÷ 20 and 20 ÷ 80 mm) filter material influenced the high treatment efficiency. During the entire experimental period, the wastewater feeding the bed was treated satisfactorily. The determined parameters of the pesticide half-life in DT₅₀ wastewater ranged from 2.33 to 3.29 for microorganisms and 3.42 to 3.79 without microorganisms. The determined parameters of the theoretical time to reach the concentration of 0.01 mg/L t_0.01 were about 22 and 38 days for microorganisms and 33 and 44 days without microorganisms. Thus, it can be unequivocally concluded that the biopreparation has influence on reducing the half-life of the tested pesticides Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Matter Recovery from Organic Waste Processing and Reuse Volume 2)

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23 pages, 3251 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Carbon Footprint for Post-Mining Soils: The Dynamic of Net CO₂ Fluxes and SOC Sequestration at Different Soil Remediation Stages under Reforestation

by Aneta Kowalska, Bal Ram Singh and Anna Grobelak

Energies 2022, 15(24), 9452; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15249452 - 13 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1291

Abstract

The remediation of open-cast post-mining soil remains a big challenge. Here, the post-mining soils are considered from the viewpoints of CO₂ emission and carbon sequestration. We investigated the dynamic of C stock in two different post-mining areas, i.e., the limestone post-mining soil remediated with embankment (S1), and the lignite post-mining soil remediated with sewage sludge (S2). Post-mining soils under four different remediation stages were used. The study was conducted in the spring of 2021 and 2022. The aim of the study was to assess the C sequestration in sewage sludge amended and non-amended post-mining soils at differently advanced remediation techniques. We noticed an increase in or stabilization of SOC in the S1. The stabilization of SOC was observed for the soil with a higher remediation age (S1C, S1D). The remediation of the S2 resulted in the increase in SOC among the soil remediation age. For both soils, we noticed a negative CO₂ emission from the soil under remediation, and the net CO₂ emission rate (NCER) further decreased after one year. A positive C feedback of both remediation techniques was shown to reflect lower active carbon (POXC). We also noticed an increase in nutrient content (K, Mg), and a decrease in heavy metals content after 1 year. Such a positive relationship between the remediation of post-mining soils and C sequestration indicates a step towards climate change mitigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Matter Recovery from Organic Waste Processing and Reuse Volume 2)

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12 pages, 1439 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Humic Substances—Common Carriers of Micropollutants in Municipal Engineering

by Anna M. Anielak, Katarzyna Styszko, Aneta Kłeczek and Dominika Łomińska-Płatek

Energies 2022, 15(22), 8496; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15228496 - 14 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 976

Abstract

Research over several years has shown that municipal engineering is an important source of humic substance formation (HS). Effluents from municipal landfills and digested sludge, due to high concentrations of organic pollutants, including HS and inorganic pollutants, are discharged to a biological treatment plant, where their largely non-biodegradable pollutants constitute a burden on the activated sludge and generate problems related to wastewater treatment. To demonstrate that humic substances, primarily soluble acids, are the carriers of micro-pollutants, their isolation was carried out from samples taken at different municipal management sites. The following analyses were performed: elemental composition, and the content of inorganic micropollutants, including heavy metals. In addition, the sorption affinity of pure HS to selected pharmaceuticals was investigated. The sorbed pharmaceuticals were Diclofenac and Estrone. HS commonly found in municipal engineering have been shown to be carriers of inorganic and organic micropollutants, including pharmaceuticals. Based on the study data, surface water’s primary source of micropollutants is treated municipal wastewater and fulvic acids are the transfer agent. To demonstrate the locations of HS occurrence within municipal engineering and the micropollutants they carry, their isolation was carried out from samples taken at different municipal management sites. Fulvic acids were studied due to their high mobility. Extraction was carried out according to the method recommended by the International Humic Substances Society (IHSS) with the author’s modification. The following analyses were performed: elemental composition (N, C, O, and H); the content of inorganic micropollutants, including heavy metals; and the IR spectrum. In addition, the sorption affinity of pure HS to selected pharmaceuticals was investigated. The sorbed pharmaceuticals were Diclofenac and Estrone. The study confirmed the occurrence of HS in municipal landfill effluents, activated sludge, excess and digested sludge effluents, and treated wastewater. At the same time, HS commonly found in municipal engineering have been shown to be carriers of inorganic and organic micropollutants, including pharmaceuticals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Matter Recovery from Organic Waste Processing and Reuse Volume 2)

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13 pages, 2194 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Production of Alternative Fuels Based on Municipal Sewage Sludge and Selected Types of ELV Waste

by Krzysztof Rećko

Energies 2022, 15(16), 5795; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15165795 - 10 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1380

Abstract

The construction of new wastewater treatment plants and the modernization of existing ones lead to the expansion of sewage networks, resulting in a sharp increase in the volume of municipal sewage sludge, which translates into a global problem of sludge management. The solution to this problem could be the recovery of energy from sewage sludge in the cement industry to exploit its energy potential. The aim of the present study was to examine the results of laboratory research on the production of alternative fuels based on municipal sewage sludge, plastic waste from end-of-life vehicles, and wood waste (sawdust) from carpentry enterprises. The tests were carried out for waste mixtures designated as PAZO I, PAZO II, PAZO III, and PAZO IV fuels, differing in the percentage of waste used and the type of plastic waste. The following parameters were evaluated in fuels: water content, ash content, sulfur content, and calorific value. Water content of the obtained fuels ranged from 17.1% to 19.4%, the ash content ranged from 2.5% to 3.4%, while PAZO II fuel was characterized by the highest ash content, which was 17.6%, but it remained within the limits permissible for alternative fuels.The sulfur and chlorine contents did not exceed the permissible values for alternative fuels. The calorific value of alternative fuels obtained was high and ranged from 16.5 MJ/kg to 33 MJ/kg. Furthermore, the composition of the individual fuel mixtures was selected to avoid energy-intensive sludge drying, whereas the fuel met the requirements for alternative fuels. The energy properties and water content of the obtained fuels indicate that the maximum amount of sewage sludge should not exceed 25% to maintain the parameters permissible for alternative fuels. Therefore, the analysis of the results leads to the conclusion that the obtained fuels, based on municipal sewage sludge, plastic waste, and wood waste (sawdust), meet the requirements for alternative fuels used in the cement industry. Today, the fuels based on municipal sewage sludge can be more of an alternative to conventional fuels used in the cement industry. The application of the fuels produced in the cement industry eliminates the formation of combustion byproducts in the form of slag and ash since they become a component of clinker. As an additional source of energy, the use of fuels in the cement industry will create an opportunity to move toward the circular economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Matter Recovery from Organic Waste Processing and Reuse Volume 2)

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Review

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18 pages, 1156 KiB

Open AccessReview

Circular Economy in Wastewater Treatment Plant—Water, Energy and Raw Materials Recovery

by Marzena Smol

Energies 2023, 16(9), 3911; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16093911 - 5 May 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3819

Abstract

Nowadays, the main challenge for industrial and municipal enterprises is related to the tightening regulations and recommendations regarding environmental protection, which have been included in the circular economy (CE) package. Enterprises from all sectors, including water and sewage management, are obliged to actively participate in the CE transition. Modern wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) should include actions aimed at a more sustainable use of available resources (water, energy, raw materials) to contribute to the protection of natural resources. In this way, they can be treated as resource facilities. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for a ‘Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Future’ that includes several technological solutions that take into account circular management of waste streams generated in WWTPs, such as wastewater (WW), sewage sludge (SS) and sewage sludge ash (SSA). Many actions have been already taken to modernize and build WWTPs that can respond to current and future challenges related to environmental protection. In the case of a CE ‘Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Future’, the recovery of water, energy and raw materials from available waste streams is strongly recommended. The implementation of CE solutions in analyzed facilities is incorporated into many strategies and policy frameworks, such as national and international (including European) documents. The proposed CE solutions could indirectly contribute to satisfying significant technological, social and environmental needs of the current and future generations, which is in line with sustainability principles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Matter Recovery from Organic Waste Processing and Reuse Volume 2)

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17 pages, 5434 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Oxygenic Photogranules—Current Progress on the Technology and Perspectives in Wastewater Treatment: A Review

by German Smetana and Anna Grosser

Energies 2023, 16(1), 523; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16010523 - 3 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1844

Abstract

Wastewater generation is a worldwide problem, and its treatment is an important practice for maintaining public health and environmental protection. Oxygenic photogranules (OPGs) are a relatively novel type of biogranules that have the potential to substitute the conventional activated sludge (AS) process due to the production of in situ oxygen, better physical properties such as settling velocity and density, as well as carbon and nutrient removal efficiencies. The formation of the granules is attributed to many factors, among which the most influential are light intensity, ammonium nitrogen concentration, and the presence of filamentous cyanobacteria that, along with heterotrophic microorganisms situated in the granule’s core, create a self-sustainable system that combines denitrification, carbon removal, and oxygen production. Hydrostatic and hydrodynamic cultivations are two ways that allow for obtaining OPGs. These two cultivation methods lead to the formation of various types of granules which differ in both structures as well as physical properties. This review article aims to aggregate the available literature information regarding the methods of cultivation of OPGs, their formation mechanisms, and factors that influence the cultivation as well as an overview of studies that were conducted thus far concerning this type of biogranules. Additionally, further research directions are proposed in the article. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Matter Recovery from Organic Waste Processing and Reuse Volume 2)

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16 pages, 1310 KiB

Open AccessReview

Utilization of Ashes from Biomass Combustion

by Joanna Irena Odzijewicz, Elżbieta Wołejko, Urszula Wydro, Mariola Wasil and Agata Jabłońska-Trypuć

Energies 2022, 15(24), 9653; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15249653 - 19 Dec 2022

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3748

Abstract

Biomass is one of the most important sources of renewable energy in the energy industry. It is assumed that by 2050 the global energy deposit could be covered in 33–50% of biomass combustion. As with conventional fuels, the combustion of biomass produces combustion by-products, such as fly ash. Therefore, along with the growing interest in the use of biomass as a source of energy, the production of ash as a combustion by-product increases every year. It is estimated that approximately 476 million tons of ashes per year can be produced from biomass combustion. For example, the calorific value of dry wood mass tends to be between 18.5 MJ × kg⁻¹ and 19.5 MJ × kg⁻¹, while the ash content resulting from thermal treatment of wood is from 0.4 to 3.9% of dry fuel mass. However, biomass ash is a waste that is particularly difficult to characterize due to the large variability of the chemical composition depending on the biomass and combustion technology. In addition, this waste is, on the one hand, a valuable fertilizer component, as it contains significant amounts of nutrients, e.g., calcium (Ca), potassium (K) and microelements, but on the other hand, it may contain toxic compounds harmful to the environment, including heavy metals and substances formed as a result of combustion, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or volatile organic compounds (VOCs). PAHs and VOCs are formed mainly in the processes of incomplete combustion of coal and wood in low-power boilers, with unstable operating conditions. However, it is important to remember that before the fly ash is used in various industries (e.g., zeolite synthesis, recovery of rare earth metals or plastic production) as an additive to building materials or fertilizers for cultivation, a number of analyses are to be conducted so that the by-products of combustion could be used to allow the by-product of combustion to be used. It is important to conduct tests for the content of heavy metals, chlorides, sulphates, microelements and macroelements, grain and phase composition and organic compounds. If such ash is characterized by low pollution levels, it should be used in agriculture and reclamation of degraded land and not directed to landfills where it loses its valuable properties. The purpose of this review is to present the properties of ashes generated as a result of biomass combustion in Poland and the world, to discuss factors influencing changes in its composition and to present the possibilities of their reuse in the environment and in various branches of industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Matter Recovery from Organic Waste Processing and Reuse Volume 2)

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11 pages, 555 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recovery of Cellulose, Extracellular Polymeric Substances and Microplastics from Sewage Sludge: A Review

by Ewa Wiśniowska and Mariusz Kowalczyk

Energies 2022, 15(20), 7744; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15207744 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2194

Abstract

Wastewater treatment plants are considered to be not only as treatment facilities, but also essential elements of the circular economy. Wastewater treatment plants can be essential chains of the circular economy cycle. Despite this, sewage sludge management and utilization are mostly limited to biodegradation and further agricultural uses or incineration. The recovery of valuable products is mainly limited to nitrogen and phosphorus compounds. Fewer analyses focus on generating, recovering, and removing various polymers from sewage sludge, such as cellulose or extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). On the other hand, sewage sludge also contains polymeric pollutants, such as microplastics. The recovery and use of biopolymers is significant considering the problems connected with the presence and effects of artificial polymers (microplastics) in the environment. Despite the technical possibilities, not many technical scale installations are operated. Law regulations should make some incentives to develop the technologies and sell the recovered polymers in the market not as waste material, but as a valuable product. This paper presents state-of-the-art technologies for selected polymers’ recovery from sludge, including technical parameters of the processes and possible applications of recovered products, but it also considers the possibility of microplastics’ removal from this waste material. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Matter Recovery from Organic Waste Processing and Reuse Volume 2)

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