Food Waste Materials Research Articles

Sustainable green technology for adaptation of circular economy to valorize agri-food waste: celery root peel as a case study

PurposeOne of the popular fields to replace linear economy approach with the sustainable circular approach is the valorization of agri-food waste and by-products by using green methods. Celery peel contains essential nutrients as much as celery root. This study aims to propose a novel framework for investigation of celery root peel waste, which has high nutritional value and is beneficial for healthy nutrition, valorization potential to re-formulate ayran (a traditional Turkish drink).Design/methodology/approachSustainable green extraction/distillation methods were applied to the celery root peel material to obtain water soluble extracts to be used in formulation of traditional Turkish drink “Ayran”.FindingsAs a result of the study, a new functional fermented drink derived from traditional drink ayran was obtained by using celery root peel extract. In addition to the positive characteristic properties of samples in terms of physical, chemical, microbiological and sensory parameters, it was observed that it increased the shelf life by at least 50% compared to the drink from which it was derived.Originality/valueSeveral studies focused the valorization of food waste materials; however, to the best of the author’s knowledge, no study has been taken an approach for using green methods to add additional properties to traditional foods by using celery root peel extracts. Therefore, the study is a remarkable contribution to the circular economy and is a role model for further studies.

Investigating the Influence of Fly Attractant on Food Waste Recovery through Fly Larvae Production

The food industry is one of the sectors that produces considerable amounts of solid waste on a daily basis. Handling such waste has been a significant issue of worldwide concern. As a result, research into developing low-cost and effective technology for the recovery of food waste is critical in order to keep pace with the rapidly developing world. This research investigated the potential of maggot production on the recovery of food waste. Four different food waste materials (banana, starch, pineapples, and oranges) were taken into consideration. Additionally, the effect of the fly attractant on the production system’s overall performance was assessed; the fly attractant was a mixture of cattle blood and meat waste. With a correlation index of 0.96 (without fly attractant) and 0.87 (with fly attractant), the number of days before harvesting and the average maggot weight had a very high (positive) correlation. Moreover, it was observed that using a fly attractant increased maggot yield substantially. For instance, the banana materials produced up to 94 g/kg of maggot weight on the eighth day, which is approximately a 32.4% increase from the same material without fly attractant. On the other hand, the trials’ relative dry weight reduction ranged from 52.5% to 82.4%. The results of this study also showed that producing maggots can be a practical method for recovering food waste, particularly when combined with the use of a fly attractant. The residue from the maggot production process can be applied as an organic fertilizer.

TPS-3R Program Strategy in Bandar Lampung City

Waste production in Bandar Lampung City reaches 4000 tons per day. Heaps of waste that do not decompose become problems such as plastic waste, food waste, and paper materials. The City Government of Bandar Lampung made Regional Regulation Number 05 of 2015 concerning Waste Management in the City of Bandar Lampung by implementing:waste management through TPS 3R. The TPS 3R concept is a place for collecting, sorting, reusing, recycling, and processing regional scale activities. The area of TPS 3R, larger than 200 m2, is equipped with a sorting room, organic waste composting, warehouse, buffer zone and does not interfere with aesthetics and traffic. This research leads to the development of waste processing facilities using a Cost Benefit Analysis approach with a plan for two scenarios, namely Scenario A (business-as-usual) and Scenario B (waste processing using TPS-3R. The pattern of waste management in Bandar Lampung City uses the direct collection method (door to door) and immediately accommodated in Bakung TPA A strategy to optimize waste management at 3R TPS through outreach to the public.

Photoluminescence characteristics of Ln3+-doped phosphors derived from sustainable resources for solid state lightning applications

Di-calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) phosphors doped with series of Ln3+ ions have been prepared by using high temperature solid-state reaction technique. The required raw chemicals of CaO from egg shell and SiO2 from rice husk powders have been used instead of chemicals which were derived from non-renewable minerals. The structural, morphological and photoluminescence characteristics were studied through XRD, SEM and FLS 980 spectrometer measurements, respectively. The XRD patterns of all the phosphors are fit well with the established ICDD card No.01–083–0464 with monoclinic crystal structure. Photoluminescence spectra of Ce3+, Pr3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Tb3+, Dy3+ and Er3+-doped phosphors exhibit characteristic sharp intense emission peaks at 385 (d-f), 606 (1D2→3H4), 600 (4G5/2→6H7/2), 703 (5D0→7F4), 544 (5D4→7F5), 573 (4F9/2→6H13/2) and 545 nm (4S3/2→4I15/2), respectively. Emission characteristics of developed phosphors such as CIE co-ordinates, correlated colour temperature, colour purity, lifetimes of fluorescent level, etc., of Ln3+ have been quantified. The decay curves for lower concentrations of Ln3+ ion exhibit single exponential behaviour and turns into bi-exponential behaviour accompanied with shortening in lifetime for higher concentrations. These results have been discussed with reported values and found to be better than many of the reported phosphors derived from non-renewable minerals. Therefore, Ca2SiO4:Ln3+ phosphors could also be useful to design and develop low-cost solid state lightning devices besides effective utilization of renewable agricultural and food waste materials.

Synthesis of graphene from food and agricultural wastes in ubon ratchathani province, thailand

This research aims to investigate the possibility of synthesis of graphene from food and agricultural waste materials by Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). The starting materials including coconut shells and cricket legs were used to synthesize graphene. The synthesized graphene specimens were characterized by Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, Dispersive Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and TEM. Both resultant graphene samples: coconut shells and cricket legs showed graphene characteristics with the maximum wavelength of UV spectrum of synthesized graphene in ethanol at ~244 nm comparable with a standard graphene. The graphene characteristics of coconut shells and cricket legs were also confirmed by XRD showing (002) peak at 2θ≈26°. The SEM images showed lamella structure and wrinkle texture, demonstrating the multilayered microstructure and crumpled sheets and folded sheets. The TEM images also confirmed the layered sheets restacking structure with the different numbers of sheets and expressed that the graphene is a semitransparent material. Data obtained from Raman spectroscopy indicated that the defect of structure band or D-band at 1,340 – 1,380 cm–1, the graphite band or G-band at 1,500 – 1,600 cm–1 corresponding to sp2 of carbon atom, the graphene band or 2D-band at 2,500 – 2,600 cm–1 showing that the structure of graphene is a multilayer with small sizes and the overtone band of graphite or 2G - band at 3,100 – 3,200 cm–1. On the basis of the result, graphene was possibly synthesized from coconut shells and cricket legs.

Managing food waste is key to tackling climate change

Managing food waste is key to tackling climate change

Physical, chemical, and microbial contaminants in food waste management for soil application: A review

Currently, 1.3 billion tonnes of food are thrown away each year, most of which are incinerated or landfilled causing large environmental, social, and economic issues. Therefore, the utilisation of food waste as biofertilisers, such as composts and digestates, is a solution to reduce the problems created by incineration and landfilling whilst simultaneously amending soils. The improper disposal of food wastes and bulking materials can contribute to high levels of contaminants within the end-product. Moreover, the food waste and bulking materials, themselves, may contain trace amounts of contaminants. These contaminants tend to have long half-lives, are easily mobile within soil and plants, can accumulate within the food supply chain, and have moderate to high levels of toxicity. This review aims to examine the current and emerging contaminants of high concern that impact the quality of food-waste fertilisers. The paper presents the volume of current and emerging contaminants of plastics, other physical (particulate) contaminants, heavy metals, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and pathogens within food-waste composts and digestates. Due to the large extent of organic chemical contaminants and the unknown level of toxicity and persistence, the risk assessment of organic chemical contaminants in the food-supply chain remains largely unknown. This study has presented available data from literature of various contaminants found in food waste, and composts and digestates derived from food waste, and evaluated the data with current regulations globally. Overall, to reduce contaminants in composts and digestates, more studies are required on the implementation of proper disposal separation, effective composting and digestion practices, increased screening of physical contaminants, development of compostable plastics, and increased regulatory policies on emerging, problematic contaminants. Moreover, examination of emerging contaminants in food-waste composts and digestates is needed to ensure food security and reduce future human-health risks.

The Potential of Fermented Food from Southeast Asia as Biofertiliser

The intensive amount of chemical usage in agricultural practices could contribute to a significant impact on food safety issues and environmental health. Over-usage of chemical fertilisers may alter soil characteristics and contaminate water sources, leading to several human and animal health issues. Recently, there have been efforts to use microbial biofertilisers as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practice in the common household of Southeast Asia. Traditionally, this method tends to utilise leftover food materials and readily available bacterial cultures, such as yoghurt drinks, and ferment them under a specific period in either solid or liquid form. So far, most of the testimonial-based feedbacks from local communities have been positive, but only limited information is available in the literature regarding the usage of biofertiliser fermented food (BFF). Previously, raw food waste has been used in the agriculture system to promote plant growth, however, the functional role of fermented food in enhancing plant growth have yet to be discovered. An understanding of the symbiotic relationship between fermented food and plants could be exploited to improve agricultural plant production more sustainably. Fermented food is known to be rich in good microbial flora (especially lactic acid bacteria (LAB)). LAB exist in different sources of fermented food and can act as a plant growth-promoting agent, improving the nutrient availability of food waste and other organic materials. Therefore, in this review, the potential use of seafood-based, plant-based, and animal-based fermented food as biofertiliser, especially from Southeast Asia, will be discussed based on their types and microbial and nutritional contents. The different types of fermented food provide a wide range of microbial flora for the enrichment of proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals content in enhancing plant growth and overall development of the plant. The current advances of biofertiliser and practices of BFF will also be discussed in this review.

Economic aspects of the formation of the innovative development of waste-free production of livestock products

The article is devoted to the economic aspects of the formation of innovative development of waste-free production of animal husbandry products. The purpose of the study is to develop, based on the generalization of research by scientists, practical recommendations for stimulating the waste-free production of animal husbandry products. During the research, general scientific and special methods of economic research were used, in particular: systemic approach, dialectical and abstract-logical, etc. We believe that in order to minimize losses and effective use of by-products by the subjects of the meat product sub-complex, it is necessary to implement: optimization of the sales cycle: rejection of the existing concept of "clogged shelves" in retail chains, transfer of edible food products to charity, use of by-products in secondary food production; waste processing: the use of food waste and secondary raw materials of the food industry and agriculture for the production of animal feed, processing of organic waste into soil and fertilizers, obtaining thermal energy due to the burning of organic waste, as well as the industrial release of associated gases from them (biofuel production). Today, in the business environment, priority is given to initiatives to optimize business processes in order to increase profits and reduce financial costs. Estimating the points of occurrence of losses at all stages of the production and sales chain, determining the cause-and-effect relationships of their formation, keeping statistics and monitoring are complex, interdisciplinary and expensive processes, their economic benefit for an individual enterprise is not obvious. At the same time, for small and medium-sized businesses, many practices for reducing food losses remain inaccessible due to their high cost or the complexity of legislative procedures. In connection with this, Ukraine needs business stimulation from the state to reduce food losses along the entire production and sales chain: in rural economy, food industry, retail trade and public catering. It has been established that efforts aimed at reducing food waste must be considered from the point of view of rational use of resources and obtaining certain value from the various participants involved. For manufacturers, the advantages may be as follows: increase in economic efficiency due to the use of unsolicited by-products, their implementation by interested market participants, improvement in the quality of food products; creating reputational advantages and added value in the eyes of investors and consumers. The interests of consumers are related to increasing the availability of food products, as well as improving their quality. State authorities are interested, among other things, in reducing food losses in terms of: strengthening the country's food security; reduction of social tensions (thanks to increasing availability of food products); reduction of ecological load on the environment; preservation of land and water resources.

Prevention of Campylobacter jejuni K49/4 adhesion to porcine small intestine cell line PSI cl1 using different plant extracts

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro anti–adhesive properties of chemically characterized ethanolic extracts from waste Pinot noir grape (GSS) skins and seeds, olive tree leaves (OE), thyme (Thymus vulgaris) prior to (TE) and its residue after (TE–R) hydrodistillation of the essential oil, as well as Alpinia katsumadai ethanolic seed extracts (SEE) and its hydrodistillation residue (hd- SEE–R) against the pig small intestine epithelial cell line, PSI cl1.
 Methods: Using PSI cl1, the anti– adhesion activities of these extracts, which normally represent "waste material" and by–products from the agro– food industry, were determined. Initially, the anti–Campylobacter jejuni and cytotoxic activities of GSS, TE, TE–R, SEE and hdSEE–R were determined to avoid any interference in the anti– adhesion assay being used.
 Results: The A. katsumadai extracts showed the strongest anti–adhesive activities against C. jejuni K49/4. When using TE and TE–R, C. jejuni adhesion to PSI cl1 cells was inhibited by almost 30% over a large concentration range of extracts. GSS extracts had the lowest impact on the adhesion rate of C. jejuni to PSI cl1 cells.
 Conclusion: Our findings suggest that agro–food waste material and many by–products from the agro–food industry represent sources of bioactive phytochemicals that are effective at low concentrations and could be used as therapeutic agents to prevent bacterial adhesion. This represents a step towards the application of new innovative strategies to control Campylobacter contamination and infection in the food chain. We suggest that not only plant extracts, but also waste material and agro–food industry by–products can be used as promising novel therapeutic agents with possible medical and industrial applications.

Machine learning tensile strength and impact toughness of wheat straw reinforced composites

The wheat straw reinforced composite is considered as a “green composite” as it utilizes biodegradable and recyclable food waste materials as reinforcing materials. Mechanical properties, such as tensile strength and impact toughness, are greatly dependent on the composite content and processing parameters. While compression molding is one of popular methods to fabricate the wheat straw/polypropylene composite, experimental trials to achieve targeted mechanical properties can be time-consuming and expensive. In this work, we develop the Gaussian process regression model to present the relationship among the fiber content, processing parameters of the compression molding, and mechanical performance of wheat straw reinforced polypropylene composites. The model achieves a correlation coefficient of 99.13% (95.68%), a root mean square error of 0.0857 (0.4369), and a mean absolute error of 0.0693 (0.3265) for tensile strength (impact toughness). The models are simple and fast to implement, produce predictions with high accuracy, and thus might be considered as efficient tools for mechanical property estimations. Should data become available, the model may be extended to include other descriptors, such as the wheat straw length, size distribution, and chemical treatment parameters.

Synergistic Effects of Limosilactobacillus fermentum ASBT-2 with Oxyresveratrol Isolated from Coconut Shell Waste.

Value-added phytochemicals from food by-products and waste materials have gained much interest and among them, dietary polyphenolic compounds with potential biological properties extend a promising sustainable approach. Oxyresveratrol (Oxy), a stilbenoid polyphenol, possesses great therapeutic potential, though its pharmacokinetic issues need attention. A good source of oxyresveratrol was found in underutilized coconut shells and the synbiotic applications of the compound in combination with a potential probiotic isolate Limosilactobacillus fermentum ASBT-2 was investigated. The compound showed lower inhibitory effects on the strain with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1000 µg/mL. Oxyresveratrol at sub-MIC concentrations (500 µg/mL and 250 µg/mL) enhanced the probiotic properties without exerting any inhibitory effects on the strain. The combination at sub- MIC concentration of the compound inhibited Salmonella enterica and in silico approaches were employed to elucidate the possible mode of action of oxy on the pathogen. Thus, the combination could target pathogens in the gut without exerting negative impacts on growth of beneficial strains. This approach could be a novel perspective to address the poor pharmacokinetic properties of the compound.

Lactic acid production from food waste using the lactogenic Escherichia coli strain JU15: optimization of reducing sugar recovery

AbstractBACKGROUNDd‐Lactic acid (DLA) has numerous industrial applications, including production of biodegradable polylactic acid, which is one of the most promising biodegradable polymers. Looking for alternative feedstocks is a high priority and recent focus has been on its biological synthesis and biotechnological valorization from food waste (FW) materials. In this study, a response surface methodology (RSM) approach and central composite design (CCD) were performed to hydrolyze FW, obtaining released reducing sugars (RRS) for DLA production using the lactogenic Escherichia coli strain JU15.RESULTSAfter an optimized sulfuric acid‐based pretreatment methodology using RSM and CCD, FW was utilized to obtain the maximum concentration of RRS, obtaining liquors containing glucose (85.59%), fructose (5.48%) and arabinose (8.92%) with an efficiency of ∼98% total sugar conversion from hydrolysis of FW. As the total sugar sources obtained titers of 26.85 ± 1.28 g L−1 (DNS) and DLA production was 22.66 ± 1.01g L−1, the DLA yield was 0.99 g g −1 total sugar. While arabinose was discretely consumed, with a remaining concentration of 0.36 ± 0.02 g L−1 after culture, the production of DLA through bacterial fermentation of the FW hydrolysates by the JU15 strain showed total depletion of glucose and fructose, achieving a maximum DLA production of 22.66 g L−1, with a maximum volumetric productivity of 0.73 g L−1 h−1 at 36 h.CONCLUSIONThis study provides an experimental optimization of a pretreatment to obtain released reducing sugars to lactic acid production from food waste as feedstock using the lactogenic E. coli strain JU15. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

Valorization of food waste as adsorbents for toxic dye removal from contaminated waters: A review

Industrial contaminants such as dyes and intermediates are released into water bodies, making the water unfit for human use. At the same time large amounts of food wastes accumulate near the work places, residential complexes etc. polluting the air due to putrefaction. The need of the hour lies in finding innovative solutions for dye removal from wastewater streams. In this context, the article emphasizes adoption or conversion of food waste materials, an ecological nuisance, as adsorbents for the removal of dyes from wastewaters. Adsorption, being a well-established technique, the review critically examines the specific potential of food waste constituents as dye adsorbents. The efficacy of food waste-based adsorbents is examined, besides addressing the possible adsorption mechanisms and the factors affecting phenomenon such as pH, temperature, contact time, adsorbent dosage, particle size, and ionic strength. Integration of information and communication technology approaches with adsorption isotherms and kinetic models are emphasized to bring out their role in improving overall modeling performance. Additionally, the reusability of adsorbents has been highlighted for effective substrate utilization. The review makes an attempt to stress the valorization of food waste materials to remove dyes from contaminated waters thereby ensuring long-term sustainability.

Bio-based material from fruit waste of orange peel for industrial applications

Bioplastics are plastics derived from natural resources like corn starch, biomass, sugarcane bagasse, and food waste. Unlike fossil fuel-based plastics, they are bio-degradable entirely or partially. Therefore, bioplastics are relatively less harmful to the environment. Cellulose and starch-based bioplastics are already used for applications like packaging, cutlery, bowls, straws. However, their cost and performance cannot match the conventional plastics. The present study was aimed to produce bioplastic from food waste material. As a result, orange peel is chosen because of its high cellulose content and good availability. The bio-plastic film from orange peel was produced using simple laboratory techniques. Its identification for potential applications is the new area of work. The developed film blends with glycerol as a plasticizer have indicated consistent and promising results. This has excellent strength, flexibility, and disintegration in soiling conditions, morphologically having a rough surface, and confirms the film's bio-degradability nature. Characterization methods such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), powderX-ray diffraction (XRD), and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis confirmed that the developed material's physicochemical and surface morphology belonged to bio-based plastic. A simple, novel, and economic process are described in the manufacturing of bio-based plastic.

A novel orange-red Sm3+-doped CaSiO3 nanostructured phosphor derived from agro food waste materials for white light applications

Trivalent samarium activated β-Wollastonite (β-CaSiO3:Sm3+) nanostructured phosphor powders have been synthesized by modified sol-gel method at various concentrations (0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1 mol %) employing rice husk ash (RHA) and eggshell (ES) as the precursors for SiO2 and CaO respectively. The powder x-ray diffraction peaks disclose structure of sintered samples as monoclinic structure with space group P1 21/c1. The average crystallite sizes were determined by Debye scherrer's formula in the range of 26–34 nm. The average particle size was 84.5 nm found from TEM images. The photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra recorded high intensity peak at 400 nm was owing to 6H5/2 → 4K11/2 transition. The emission (PL) spectra of prepared samples exhibit intense orange–red color emission peak at 602 nm due to 4G5/2→6H7/2 transition. All the prepared samples emission tuned towards white region of the CIE diagram with the increment of Sm3+ content. This new nanostructured phosphor material could be a probable candidate for white light display and solid-state lighting (SSL) applications.

Bioplastics offer carbon-cutting advantages but are no panacea

For at least 20 years, a few companies looking to enhance their green credentials have been making products out of bioplastics—polymers derived from plants, wood chips, food waste, and other renewable materials instead of oil or natural gas. In principle, bioplastics can be a welcome alternative to the fossil fuel-based plastics that represent a growing environmental scourge across much of the globe. And with advances occurring at a rapid pace, bioplastics may yet fulfill that promise. Corn is among the feedstocks used to make bioplastics, even though it’s not a particularly green crop owing to the amount of fertilizer and water it requires. Image credit: Shutterstock/TB studio. For now, however, there are serious questions about how sustainable and climate-friendly bioplastics actually are, especially once you account for all the fuel, water, and fertilizer required to produce them. Likewise, there’s plenty of confusion over bioplastics’ biodegradability—whether this assortment of materials will quickly break down and be consumed by microorganisms in the environment instead of piling on beaches and in landfills. By better understanding the various tradeoffs presented by different bioplastics, researchers, companies, and policymakers might be able to better determine which options, if any, are viable replacements for conventional plastics over the long run. “Bio-based” plastics made from organic material are hardly a new idea. Humans have been using latex-rich plant sap to make balls and other elastic items for thousands of years. In the 1850s, chemists developed the first commercial synthetic polymer by combining nitrocellulose derived from wood pulp with camphor extracted from laurel trees. Dubbed “celluloid,” the material quickly became a popular replacement for ivory knife handles, chess pieces, and the like and was used in applications such as ping pong balls and movie film well into the 20th century. Galalith, a milk-based plastic invented in the 1890s, is …

Influence of Coir Fiber Diameter and Length on Mechanical Behavior of Coconut Shell Powder–Based Polyester Resin Composites

Abstract Coir fiber is available in abundance in nature. Coconut shell is a food waste material. Both are procured from the coconut. Coir fiber–reinforced coconut shell powder–based polyester resin composite is fabricated by using the hand lay-up technique. Here, coir fiber acts as a reinforcing agent. Coconut shell powder acts as a filler material. Polyester resin acts as a binding material. Composites are fabricated as per ASTM standards. Tests of mechanical behaviors such as tensile strength and compressive strength are carried out, and the results are analyzed based on the influence of coir fiber diameter and length.

IMPROVEMENT OF USING CRUDE EXTRACT UREASE FROM WATERMELON SEEDS FOR BIOCEMENTATION TECHNOLOGY

In recent years,the formation of artificial beachrock and bio-cementation method has gained considerable attention as a sustainable alternative tool in the area of geotechnical and geo-environmental engineering field for soil improvement and construction materials. In general, earlier methods of soil improvement were mostly concentrated on microbes (Bacteria, Fungi, etc.) as a source of urease enzyme widely known as MICP method (Microbial Induced Carbonate Precipitation). To address some of the keylimitations of MICP method this study focused on using crude enzyme (low cost, eco-friendly). Crude enzyme was extracted from watermelon seeds (Citrullus lanatus)considered as “food waste material” and the carbonate formation process known as EICP “Enzyme Induced Carbonate Precipitation.” Crushed and blended watermelon seeds (both dry and germinated) used as a source of urease enzyme. Subsequently, their urease activity was also investigated with various environmental parameters (Temperature, pH, etc.) and investigated the carbonate precipitation trend using calcium chloride (CaCl2) and urea [(CO(NH2)2]. The form of carbonate (calcite, aragonite, vaterite, etc.) was also confirmed by XRD and SEM-EDX analysis. Finally, syringe (d = 2.3 cm, h = 7.1 cm) sand solidification test was conducted using commercially available “Mikawa sand” (mean diameter, D50 = 870 mm) and successfully achieved unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of about 1.2 MPa at neutral pH (~7) and temperature condition (30 °C) considering various curing days and conditions. This study could be useful as an eco-friendly and sustainable method for numerous bio-geotechnical applications (for instance, ground improvement, liquefaction mitigation, artificial beach rock formations, coastal erosion protection, etc.) and the extracted crude urease from watermelon seeds could play as an alternative to replace commercially available urease for carbonate precipitation.

Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs) Generated by Anaerobic Digestion Serve as Feedstock for Freshwater and Marine Oleaginous Microorganisms to Produce Biodiesel and Added-Value Compounds.

Given an increasing focus on environmental sustainability, microbial oils have been suggested as an alternative to petroleum-based products. However, microbial oil production relies on the use of costly sugar-based feedstocks. Substrate limitation, elevated costs, and risk of contamination have sparked the search for alternatives to sugar-based platforms. Volatile fatty acids are generated during anaerobic digestion of organic waste and are considered a promising substrate for microbial oil production. In the present study, two freshwater and one marine microalga along with two thraustochytrids were evaluated for their potential to produce lipids when cultivated on volatile fatty acids generated from food waste via anaerobic digestion using a membrane bioreactor. Freshwater microalgae Auxenochlorella protothecoides and Chlorella sorokiniana synthesized lipids rich in palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1), and linoleic acid (C18:2). This composition corresponds to that of soybean and jatropha oils, which are used as biodiesel feedstock. Production of added-value polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) mainly omega-3 fatty acids was examined in three different marine strains: Aurantiochytrium sp. T66, Schizochytrium limacinum SR21, and Crypthecodinium cohnii. Only Aurantiochytrium sp. T66 seemed promising, generating 43.19% docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and 13.56% docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) in total lipids. In summary, we show that A. protothecoides, C. sorokiniana, and Aurantiochytrium sp. T66 can be used for microbial oil production from food waste material.