Waste Remediation Integrating with Value Addition: Biorefinery Approach Towards Sustainable Bio-based Technologies

Abstract

The perpetual increase in the environmental pollution and the diminution of fossil fuels are forcing mankind towards the usage of sustainable and eco-friendly technologies to build a green and global future. Similarly, increase in human population is eventually resulting in the discharge of huge quantities of waste that need serious attention. If the waste is managed aptly, the negatively valued waste would absolutely result in the generation of a definite value-added product. A multifaceted approach is needed to alleviate the energy crisis in an interdisciplinary way by integrating waste remediation towards bioenergy generation. Diverse forms of energy, viz. biohydrogen, bioelectricity, biodiesel and bioplastics could be produced by utilizing waste/wastewater as substrate by the catalytic action of bacteria. The inherent potential of the diverse bacteria present in wastewater can be effectively exploited for the generation of bioenergy along with the recovery of value-added products in a green and integrated approach. In this context, sustainable, green and eco-friendly technologies were described in this chapter to exploit the potential of waste/wastewater in the framework of biorefinery.