Agro Residues Research Articles

Upcycling of agro residue with C/N > 50: case study of accelerated composting and fortified animal feed

Upcycling of agro residue with C/N > 50: case study of accelerated composting and fortified animal feed

Investigation of Cephalexin Removal Using Biochar Derived from Nephelium lappaceum Seeds

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%;margin-bottom:0cm;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-align:justify;text-autospace:none;"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;" lang="EN-US">The improper disposal of drugs into bodies of water has become a severe environmental and health issue. Biochar synthesized from different agro residues could be a potential material for the adsorption of pollutants in aqueous environments. </span><em><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal;"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;" lang="EN-US">Nephelium lappaceum</span></i></em><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;" lang="EN-US"> seeds were pyrolyzed at 600 °C in a pyrolysis reactor incorporating a slow pyrolysis process for carbonization. Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize the biochar before and after adsorption of the pharmaceutical pollutant cephalexin. The effects of several factors, including initial cephalexin concentration, time of contact, dosage of adsorbent, and pH, were considered for the sorption. The findings showed that the Freundlich model offered the greatest fit for adsorption. The better-fitted kinetic model was the pseudo-second-order kinetic. Based on Langmuir isotherm model, the maximum adsorption capacity of cephalexin was obtained as 63.69 mg/g. The adsorption process involves hydrogen bonding, surface complexation, electrostatic and π−π EDA interactions. The current study offers a feasible and optimistic method for using agricultural waste and an alternative adsorbent substance for recovering highly concentrated cephalexin from water-based solutions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

Optimization of mixed agro residue pellets for enhanced fuel quality and economic feasibility

Optimization of mixed agro residue pellets for enhanced fuel quality and economic feasibility

Employing soil isolated fungi for production of bioactive phenolic compounds: a fermentative approach

An efficient method of solid-state fermentation (SSF) is reported for producing bioactive phenolic compounds using soil-isolated fungi. Antioxidant activity using a rapid DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl), was employed to screen the 120 fungal isolates from soil. Aspergillus terreus 1, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus terreus 2, Penicillium citrinum, Aspergillus wentii1, Aspergillus wentii 2, Penicillium expansum and Penicillium granulatum were chosen, concerning their antioxidant activity and total phenolic content. These fungal strains were applied on agro residues viz. sugarcane bagasse, corn cob, rice straw, pea pod and wheat straw, to evaluate the release of phenolic compounds. The fermented extracts from various agro-residues showed good antioxidant activity against DPPH, ferric ion, and nitric oxide radicals. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in fermented extracts of sugarcane bagasse, followed by pea pod. Additionally, the total phenolic content in the fermented extracts positively correlated with antioxidant potential. This study highlights the significant potential of solid substrate fermentation using soil-isolated fungi and agro-residues to produce bioactive phenolic compounds with potent antioxidant properties. The utilization of SSF for the extraction of bioactive compounds from natural sources not only offers a clean and sustainable approach but also contributes to the valorization of agro-industrial residues.

A Comparative Study of the Effects of Biofertilizers and Chemical Fertilizers on Soil Physical and Biological Properties under Chickpea Crop (Cicer arietinum L.)

This study investigated the impact of solid biofertilizers and organic ameliorants on soil biological properties and chickpea yield. The experiment was conducted at the Instructional Farm of ANDUA&T Ayodhya India during the Rabi season of 2020-2021. The experiment was comprised of eleven treatments, control (T1); (T2); chemical fertilizers 100% RDF; (T3)chemical fertilizers 50% RDF (T4); FYM +Jeevamrit (T5); Agro residue Mulch + FYM + Jeevamrit (T6); Rhizobium +PSB (T7); FYM + Jeevamrit + Rhizobium +PSB (T8); T3 + FYM + Jeevamrit T9; T3 + T5, T10; T3 + T6, T11; T3 + T4 + T6, were replicated thrice in RBD. Chickpea variety KPG-59 was taken as test crop. The results showed that the application of solid biofertilizers and organic ameliorants with chemical fertilizer significantly improved some soil biological properties. The treatments that included FYM and Rhizobium + PSB showed the greatest improvements in soil health as well as chickpea yield. Soil properties as EC, OC and OM were found to be significant while physical property were non-significant.

Beauveria Bassiana Amylase-Polygalacturonase Production Using Lignocellulosic Biomass and Application in Juice Processing.

The search for sources of industrial biocatalysts, which are non-pathogenic and can utilise cheap nutrient sources, has been a continuous endeavour in the ~ 7 billion USD enzyme industry. Beauveria bassiana, an endophytic fungal entomopathogen, is non-pathogenic and possesses the potential to secrete various bioproducts while utilising readily available lignocellulosic biomass. This study investigated the optimised production of two glycosyl hydrolases, amylase and polygalacturonase, by B. bassiana while utilising readily available agricultural residues. Subsequently, the industrial potential of the enzymes in the clarification of fruit juice was evaluated. Initially, seven agro residues were screened for the concomitant production of amylase and polygalacturonase by B. bassiana SAN01. Subsequently, statistical optimisation tools, Plackett Burman Design (PBD) and Central Composite Design (CCD), were employed for the optimisation of enzyme production. The enzyme mixture was partially purified and applied in the clarification of pineapple juice. The production of B. bassiana SAN01 amylase and polygalacturonase was found to be maximal while utilising wheat bran. Subsequent to PBD and CCD optimisation, the optimal conditions for enzyme production were identified to be at 30 °C, pH 6.0 and wheat bran concentration of ~40 g.L-1. Under these optimised conditions, heightened production levels of 34.82 and 51.05 U.mL-1 were recorded for amylase and polygalacturonase, respectively, which were 179% and 187% of the initial unoptimised levels. In addition, the most effective clarification of the juice (~90%) was observed at 35 °C after an incubation time of 120 min with no significant effect on the pH and total dissolved solids. B. bassiana, a well-known biocontrol agent, was shown to produce amylase and polygalacturonase using readily available agricultural residues for the first time. These enzyme production levels are the highest for these enzymes from any known endophytic fungal entomopathogen. This study further demonstrates the potential applicability of B. bassiana in other industrial processes besides its widespread use as a biopesticide.

Optimisation of lactic acid production using cost effective agro residue for food applications

Sustainable lactic acid production using sugarcane bagasse.

An assessment of sustainability metrics for waste-to-liquid fuel pathways for a low carbon circular economy

The nexus of solid waste management problems and energy crisis necessitates the utilization of lignocellulosic biomass agro residues and municipal solid wastes for fuel and energy generation. Thermochemical technologies like pyrolysis, hydrothermal liquefaction and gasification are promising options to produce bio-oil, bio-crude and syngas from biomass, which can be further catalytically upgraded to hydrocarbon fuels. While there are technical merits associated with these processes and the products derived from them, the sustainability analysis of the processes from a systems level is imperative to evaluate their commercial viability. This perspective article presents fundamental understanding, importance and analysis of the different sustainability metrics based on mass and energy. The salient properties of biomass and wastes, and that of various fuels derived from them are presented. The three technologies are evaluated based on key metrics such as energy recovery/efficiency, E-factor, process mass intensity and CO2 footprint. The E-factor for different technologies follows the trend: hydrothermal liquefaction (0.14) ≈ gasification (0.13) < pyrolysis (0.5). However, it is clear from the analysis that the E-factor and GHG emissions of the HTL process, a promising feedstock-agnostic pathway, can be further reduced by valorizing the organic-laden aqueous phase and upgrading the bio-crude to hydrocarbons. The key results of process technoeconomics are presented and assessed from a sustainability viewpoint. This study recommends the use of simple sustainability metrics in research works on thermochemical conversion so that the results from different studies can be compared on a common sustainability platform.

Sustainability assessment of waste and wastewater recovery for edible mushroom production through an integrated nexus. A case study in Lazio

With a global population of eight billion people, improving the sustainability and nutritional quality of diets has become critical. Mushrooms offer a promising solution because of their nutritional value and ability to be grown from agricultural residues, in line with the circular economy. This study, therefore, focuses on assessing the environmental compatibility of Agaricus bisporus mushroom production in Italy, the world's third largest per capita consumer, by using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and an integrated Water-Energy-Nitrogen-Carbon-Food (WENCF) nexus analysis. The LCA results reveal that for a functional unit of 23,000 kg of the substrate, the production process emits 2.55 × 104 kg of CO2 eq. Sensitivity analysis shows that changing input quantities can reduce environmental impacts by about 5 %. In addition, one scenario evaluates the environmental effects of recycling resources by introducing water and ammonium sulfate from scratch instead of continuous recycling, along with water purification. The study shows that sustainable food production can mitigate resource depletion, climate-altering emissions, and intersectoral competition. Using agro residues for mushroom cultivation and optimizing resource management contribute to environmental sustainability. This approach could not only improve the resilience and efficiency of the food system but could also improve the sustainability of diets. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of adopting sustainable and circular approaches in mushroom production to address global challenges related to food sustainability.

Optimization of Mechanical Properties of Bonded Particle Boards Produced From Agricultural Waste Wood Chips

The aim of this research work was to optimize the production of particle boards from agricultural waste (wood chips). The mechanical properties investigated were the modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR). The production of particle boards was investigated under the following conditions: stacking time (14-21days), resin loading (386-463 g) and amount of agro residue (154-185 g) using Box-Behnken design. Statistically significant models (p&lt;0.05) were developed to represent the relationship between the responses (MOE and MOR) and the independent variables. Both models showed significant fit with experimental data with R2 values of 0.99 and 0.97 respectively. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) results showed that MOE and MOR were influenced by the stacking time, amount of resin and agro residue used. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the MOE and MOR and the optimization results showed that the maximum MOE and MOR values of 1114.09N/mm2 and 9.34 N/mm2 were respectively obtained at the optimum production conditions of stacking time, resin loading and amount of agro residue (i.e. 21days, 462.82g and 185.00 g respectively). The particle board produced at the optimized conditions satisfied the American National Standard Institute ANSI/A208.1-1999 specification for general purpose particle boards.

Assessment of process integration approach for coir biosoftening and lignin‐modifying enzyme production from agro residues

AbstractLignin present in the inner core of natural lignocellulosic fibers is preferably removed for use in the textile industry as it hinders fiber spinnability. This study focuses on integrating the bioprocessing of agro residues and a natural fiber source (coir) for the effective production of lignin‐modifying enzymes while simultaneously softening the natural fibers. The lignin content in the raw fibers (42.17%) could be reduced by 14–31% by treating them with Phanerochaete chrysosporium for 30 days in the presence of agro waste, such as paddy straw, groundnut husk, corn husk, coir pith, sugarcane bagasse, saw dust and coconut leaf. Among the lignocellulosic wastes tested, P. chrysporium‐fermented groundnut husk with coir produced the maximum yield of lignin‐modifying enzymes (lignin peroxidase, 2.05 U mg−1; manganese peroxidase, 7.50 U mg−1; laccase, 0.43 U mL−1), while the tensile strength of the fiber was decreased by 9.9% compared with the raw fiber (110.14 MPa) on 30 days of incubation. Similarly, SB dust demonstrated good lignin‐modifying enzyme activity (lignin peroxidase, −1.57 U mg−1; manganese peroxidase, 8.14 U mg−1; and laccase, 0.35 U mg−1) as well as the tensile strength of the coir also being increased. A reduction in flexural rigidity owing to delignification was observed and hence a minimum 16% increase in softness was achieved in the integrated process. Our study presents an efficient strategy that exploits low‐cost agro residues for enzyme production and generates bio‐softened coir of acceptable quality in the export and domestic markets. © 2023 Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley &amp; Sons Ltd.

Performance assessment of compression ignition engines powered by biogas, biodiesel, and producer gas mix derived from agriculture waste

This study provides insight into performance of internal combustion engines while using renewable fuels. Biogas and producer gas mix together with biodiesel was supplied to a spark ignition dual fuel engine and its performance was analysed. The engine was also operated on biodiesel alone in order to draw comparison in the performance on both the single fuel and dual fuel mode. The brake thermal efficiency (BTE) in mixed fuel mode was obtained 61.4% lower in a biodiesel-producer gas mode and 69.13% lower in a biodiesel-biogas-producer gas mode in comparison with diesel mode at 5 kW load. The brake specific energy consumption (BSEC) for biodiesel-biogas-producer gas mode at 6 kW load was higher by 164.80% and 87%, respectively, than for diesel operation. This work was carried out with the objective to explore the potential for utilization of waste agro residues as biofuels for dual fuel engines, used so prevalently in rural areas.

Sound Insulation Property of Waste Jute Fiber/Recycled High-Density Polyethene Composites

Noise pollution is a potential threat to human health and the environment. Using acoustic materials (barriers/insulators and absorbers) in the noise path is a customarily approach for noise control. Nowadays, compared to traditional sound insulating materials (metals, gypsum and concrete), polymers (plastics) have gained more interest among researchers because of their unique features like lightweight, ease of design, low cost, and available state-of-the-art technologies for mass production. Concurrently, the massive amounts of solid waste such as plastic, e-waste, garment waste (textile) and agro residue end up in landfills or are incinerated. Disposal of these solid wastes through landfilling or burning in the air deteriorates the environment. Therefore, in the context of these problems, the present research aims to prepare sound-insulating material by utilizing waste jute fibre (WJF) and recycled plastic (high-density polyethene-rHDPE) through compression moulding. The effect of WJF weight percentage on sound insulation property was studied. The prepared composites were thoroughly characterized for their properties related to sound insulation, i.e., density and tensile strength. The sound transmission loss of the composites was measured as per ASTM-E2611 using a four-microphone impedance tube setup. It was found that with the increase in WJF amount, the sound transmission loss was significantly improved. Moreover, the measured experimental results were compared with the theoretical results computed from mass and stiffness law equations, which showed a good agreement.

A Comprehensive Review on Feasibility of Different Agro Residues for Production of Bio-Oil, Bio-Char and Pyro-Gas

Burning of post-harvest non-edible agro residues (biomass) are the major source of environmental and soil pollution, affecting the lives of millions of people, especially in certain demography of developing countries like India. Non edible agro residues contain toxic structural constituents, making it unsuitable for cattle feed. However, due to its cellulosic and lignocellulosic constituents, it has the potential to be used as a promising feedstock to develop value added energy products. Authors in this review paper have comprehensively reviewed the technological aspects related to conversion of agro residues into value added energy products like bio-oil, bio-char, and pyro gas. Various non-edible agro residues like Cotton stalk, castor stalk, Maize stalk, Rice straw, Rice husk, Corn cob, Sugarcane bagasse, and wheat straw etc., have been reviewed for its potential as feedstock material for thermo chemical conversion to obtain energy products like bio-oil, bio-char, and pyro-gas. Different physio-chemical properties, its chemical characterization methods, different bio-oil upgradation techniques, Techno-economic analysis (TEA), and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) have been reviewed for different thermo-chemical conversion processes. The reviewed works reveal that byproducts derived from pyrolysis of non-edible agro residues have potential to be used as biofuels. Bio-oils after upgradation may be used as fuel, bio-char with appropriate pulversing may be used as soil nutrient, and pyro-gas may be used as energy gas or carrier gas for process industries. LCA of different processes for different agro residue-based biofuels indicate that conversion of biomass into energy fuels is an sustainable, and economical solution for the environment point of view and economic point of view through pyrolysis process as compare to the other conversion processes because pyrolysis process can accommodate agro waste and produce bio-char and pyro-gas along with bio-oil having capacity to generate good revenue.

Dynamic and thermo-mechanical properties of polypropylene reinforced with date palm nano filler

Lignocellulosic based nano-sized filler are effective substituent for switching from manmade nanofillers (i.e. carbon, glass etc.) to reinforce polymer composites owing to their lightweight, plentifulness, and fully compostable characteristics. The present study adapted a dry mechanical ball mill assisted downsizing process to produce nanoscale filler from waste date palm agro residue. Then, the melt mixing technique was used to fabricate biocomposites of polypropylene (PP) with 1–5 wt% loading of this nanofillers. To investigate the variations in dimensional stability of the composites, thermo-mechanical analysis (TMA) was used. The thermomechanical analysis indicated that these composites exhibits low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). The CTE values for the highest nanofiller loaded sample (i.e.5 wt%) was found to be 95 and 138 at 40 °C and 80 °C, respectively, when compared to neat PP (which is 80.4 and 125) at the same temperatures. Moreover, the viscoelastic parameters of the biocomposites, such as storage modulus (E’), loss modulus (E′′), and damping factor (tan δ) were examined by using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) in both solid and molten state. It is observed that the both E′ and E′′ decreases with temperature in all composites compared to the neat PP in the solid state. The storage modulus (E’) difference between the biocomposites and PP at −50 °C was found to be only 9 %. On the other hand, E′ and E′′ were found to increase with the entire angular frequency range in the molten state. The E’ at 0.1 rad/s of the neat PP is 732 Pa, while the sample with 1 wt% of nanofiller loading shows storage modulus 850 Pa. Overall, these composites demonstrated good dimensional stability in a given temperature range and frequency in the solid state, as well as typical viscoelastic behavior of entangled polymeric liquid in the molten state. Consequently, these analyses provided useful information for the development of natural fiber-based composites for long-term stability in outdoor applications.

Impact of Integrated Ultra Violet-Ozone Treatment on Textural and Structural Properties of Dough Made of Natural Fiber Based Agro Residues

ABSTRACT In this study, de-oiled rice bran (RB) and virgin coconut oil cake (VCOC) were selected as base materials. Corn starch, wheat bran, and guar gum were taken as binding agents. The doughs were treated with combined Ultraviolet (UV) (1000 μW/cm2 for 15 min) and Aqueous Ozone (AO) (3 mg/L, exposure time 5 min and pH of 4). The effect of these non-thermal treatments on microbial log reduction, textural characteristics, glass transition (Tg), and crystallinity was studied and compared with the control. The results for all samples, dough raising capacities differed widely by 10–30%. Bulk Density and True Density were 1.6 to 2.5 g/cm3 and 2.3 to 3.3 g/cm3. X-Ray Diffraction indicated 30–45% crystallinity, and crystallite size ranges between 0.54 and 0.90 nm. DSC indicated Tg and melting point between 49°C-55°C and 98°C-101°C for RB dough and at 54°C-60°C and 107°C-134°C for VCOC dough samples. UV with AO treated dough showed a maximum of 5.2 log microbial reduction compared to the untreated sample. The developed RB and wheat bran combination demonstrated the highest tensile strength (0.62 MPa) whereas RB-starch combination had the minimum water absorption (1.33 ml/min). This indicates the ability of additives to improve the characteristics of biodegradable cutlery made from agricultural residues.

Performance evaluation of biomass briquettes from agro residue in India

Performance evaluation of biomass briquettes from agro residue in India

Conversion of quinoa and lupin agro-residues into biochar in the Andes: An experimental study in a pilot-scale auger-type reactor.

In the last decades, the cultivation of quinoa and lupin became an important source of income for Andean farmers due to the demand for high nutrient-density foods from the Global North. The increase in the cultivation intensity caused by this exogenous demand led to the overexploitation of local ecosystems and a decrease in soil fertility. As an alternative to recover and improve soil quality, this work uses a pilot-scale auger pyrolysis reactor, implemented in the Andes, to assess the conversion of the agro residues generated in the post-harvesting processes of quinoa and lupin into biochar for soil amendment. Following the European Biochar Certificate guidelines, the pyrolyzed quinoa stems can be classified as biochar while the pyrolyzed quinoa husks can be classified as pyrogenic carbonaceous material. Both can be used for soil amendment considering their molar ratios (H/Corg, O/Corg) and carbon content. It was not possible to carbonize lupin stems and seedcases. Despite the altitude (2,632m.a.s.l), the CO concentration during the carbonization of quinoa stems and husks were 1,024.4 and 559 mg/Nm3, this last, near the European eco-design standard of 500 mg/Nm3. A subsequent SWOT analysis showed the need to explore low-cost and low-complexity pyrolysis reactors that allow the decentralized conversion of agro residues at the farm-scale. The development of local standards to regulate the production and use of biochar is also essential to grant the safety of the processes, the quality of the products, and mobilize funds that allow implementation at relevant scales.

Production optimization and enhancement by lignocellulosic biomass of a broad-spectrum antibacterial 5-butyl-2-pyridine carboxylic acid from Aspergillus fumigatus nHF-01

The main objectives of the study are to optimize and enhance the production of potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial compound (AMC) 5-butyl-2-pyridine carboxylic acid by Aspergillus fumigatus nHF-01 (GenBank Ac. No.: MN190286). The submerged fermentation (SmF) variants were optimized through response surface methodology. The production enhancement was done through solid-state fermentation (SSF) with lignocellulosic biomass. The strain produced a high amount (31.5 mg/100 ml) of AMC in 4 % malt extract (ME) and yeast extract (YE) (w/v, each) broth in a shake flask culture at 20 °C for ten days. Moreover, the yield had increased 32-fold with SSF of washed chopped bagasse in the same culture conditions. A significant variation was observed in the fungal hyphae biomass, extractable compound and specific activity in both SmF and SSF. Thus, a low-cost media with lignocellulosic agro residues could be used for large-scale production of the 5-butyl-2-Pyridine carboxylic acid from A. fumigatus nHF-01.

Investigation of physical and thermal properties of fuel briquettes made of bagasse

Biomass densification, which is also known as briquetting of sawdust and other agro residues, has been practiced for many years in several countries. The purpose of the present study was to produce fuel briquettes using heat-dried bagasse and to improve their physical properties and thermal value through using varying proportions of bagasse powder as the filler material and lignin as the natural binder. The results showed that lignin had a significant desirable effect on the entire properties of the prepared briquettes. In contrast, as a cellulose-based filler, bagasse powder was also able to significantly improve the thermal energy of the briquettes through increasing the briquettes’ density and mitigating porosity and moisture content. On this basis, according to the obtained results it can be stated that the process of heat-drying, using lignin as the binding element, and using cellulose-based powders, such as bagasse, as the filler are all suitable alternatives to increase the energy yielded by briquettes biomasses.