Potential Biomass Research Articles

Extraction and separation of pigments from Saccharina latissima using eutectic solvents

Harnessing the untapped potential of marine biomass has emerged as a pivotal strategy to address growing demands for natural bioactive compounds across many industries. Among these, Saccharina latissima, a prolific marine alga, is a rich source of fucoxanthin and chlorophylls — molecules of significant biotechnological interest. This work used Saccharina latissima as a source of pigments to develop an integrated platform to promote the extraction and separation of chlorophyll and fucoxanthin using eutectic solvents (ES). Hydrophobic ES were investigated in the extraction of these pigments, and operational conditions were optimised. Among four hydrophobic ES screened, the Ment:LevA system, enhanced with 20 % (v/v) of water, exhibited the greatest potential, yielding an optimised extract rich in fucoxanthin with 137.2 ± 2.6 µgfucoxanthin·gbiomass-1. Additionally, a unique ES-ES biphasic system facilitated the selective partitioning of pigments: chlorophylls predominantly remained in the hydrophobic phase, while 95 % of fucoxanthin migrated to the hydrophilic. To further refine the quality of the extracted fucoxanthin, a subsequent purification step using water was implemented successfully, resulting in a concentrated pigment product. This work highlights ES as potential biocompatible solvents for the recovery of value-added compounds from marine biomass.

Assessment of Bioenergy Potential in Vindhya Plateau, Madhya Pradesh

Evaluating agricultural residue availability is crucial for assessing sustainable biomass energy production. Crop waste, a byproduct of agricultural production, can be used for soil amendment, animal feed, and energy generation. A survey in seven districts of central India (Bhopal, Damoh, Guna, Raisen, Sagar, Sehore, and Vidisha) was conducted to assess the availability of agricultural residue in the Vindhya Plateau, which comprises about 16% of Madhya Pradesh's geographical area. Agricultural residue availability was determined by selecting a crop, gathering data on yield and generated biomass (including surplus), and estimating the bioenergy potential. The cultivable areas in the selected districts have bioenergy potentials of 19.91, 15.19, 7.88, 21.89, 13.71, 15.09, and 17.21 kJ ha-1 for crops like soybean, rice, wheat, gram, and maize, respectively. The total residue potential, surplus residue potential, and bioenergy potential of the Vindhya Plateau were assessed as 6.08 MT, 2.42 MT, and 40 GJ, respectively. Vindhya Plateau's Raisen district offers the highest biomass potential, making it ideal for bioenergy development and fuel production from biomass.

Exploring the Design of Financial Instruments and Tax Incentives to Upscale Renewable Energy Generation in South Africa

South Africa is at the precipice of an existential energy crisis. Notably, the country’s endowment comprises vast stores of biomass, wind and solar energy potential that provide the country with a comparative advantage. Transiting from coal to renewable energy sources can stimulate the green economy and mitigate the country’s power shortages. Moreover, by advocating for the decarbonization of the energy sector, a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, this research underscores the potential for advancing South Africa’s decarbonization objectives. This paper explores the design of financial instruments and tax incentives to promote the upscale of renewable energy development in South Africa. A qualitative appraisal is conducted on South Africa’s incentive regime. The study contributes to the scholarship on policy design to stimulate renewable energy generation.

Production and optimization of biofuels from locally isolated algal biomass: Strategies for circular economy integration

In the present study, we investigated the potential of locally isolated algal strains as alternative energy sources for sustainable biofuel production. The focus of this study was to identify algal strains that are capable of accumulating oils rich in essential fatty acids. Algal samples were collected from different areas and 14 isolates were obtained. Among the various pretreatment methods tested, hydrothermal pretreatment using sulfuric acid at 95 °C yielded the best results, with sample IIB-14 containing more than 2% reducing sugars. These sugars were then used for fermentation with the S. cerevisiae strain, resulting in an ethanol concentration of 3.52% ± 0.2%. This holistic approach contributes to the development of low-cost and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional energy sources. While algal biofuels offer a promising substitute for fossil fuels, further advancements are needed before they can be widely adopted in the fuel market. Among these, isolates IIB-8 and IIB-9 showed the highest oil yields of 22.84% and 24.69% (w/w), respectively. The specific environmental settings for optimal growth of these strains were determined, and the physicochemical parameters of the oils, including iodine value, viscosity, density, acid value, saponification value, unsaponifiable mass, and peroxide value, were analyzed. The transesterification of oils into fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) revealed the presence of significant amounts of fatty acids, including EPA, DHA, and linoleic acid. Moreover, the study also explored the potential of algal biomass for bioethanol production, addressing the sustainability concerns of renewable energy supplies. Hydrothermal pretreatment using sulfuric acid at 95 °C yielded the highest concentration of reducing sugars (>2%) in IIB-14. Sugar extracted from algal biomass was used for fermentation. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain used for the fermentation process yielded an ethanol concentration of 3.52% ± 0.2%. This holistic approach contributes to the development of low-cost and environment-friendly alternatives to renewable energy sources. Algal biofuels may offer a practical substitute for fossil fuels, but there is still a long way to go before they can enter the fuel market and are widely used.

Predicting the higher heating value of products through solid yield in torrefaction process

Torrefaction is a widely employed method to upgrade biomass for energy purpose. The higher heating value (HHV) serves as a vital indicator for assessing the energy potential of biomass. Nevertheless, HHV measurement is a time-consuming and costly process. HHV of raw biomass, torrefied biomass, and biochar has been extensively estimated using the results of elemental analysis and/or proximate analysis. However, these data must be repeatedly measured for each target object. To reduce the efforts required for the measurement of each object, this study proposes, for the first time, the use of solid yield (the most easily obtainable data) to predict the HHV of torrefied biomass.A total of 215 sets of data were retrieved from different biomass types undergoing various torrefaction technologies. Artificial neural network (ANN) and hierarchical linear regression (HLR) were employed to develop prediction models. Solid yield demonstrated a clear correlation to HHV for each individual biomass; however, diverse biomass types exhibited significant variation. Therefore, the results of elemental analysis of raw feedstocks were incorporated to account for variations in feedstock types and to iterate the models. Generally, ANN is superior to HLR in predicting the HHV of torrefied biomass with the optimized model achieving an R2 of 0.9133. Additionally, two biomasses subjected to two torrefaction technologies were used to validate the model, and an R2 of 0.9676 was achieved.As a result, in a torrefaction process, once the raw biomass is analyzed, the HHV of any torrefied biomass can be predicted simply by measuring the weight of the product.

Unlocking the potential of shellfish biomass: refining protein extraction from Baltic blue mussels for sustainable food applications

Unlocking the potential of shellfish biomass: refining protein extraction from Baltic blue mussels for sustainable food applications

Enhancing methane yield from microalgae: abiotic stress and cells disruption with quartz powder

This study investigates the biochemical methane potential (BMP) of microalgal biomass, introducing a novel cells disruption method using quartz powder (SiO2). A two-phase algae cultivation, involving nitrogen deprivation and salinity shifts, was employed to biochemically modify the biomass of two brackish green algae strains, Chlorella vulgaris and Monoraphidium contortum, enhancing their methane (CH4) production potential. Mechanical disruption of the algal cells further increased BMP, with C. vulgaris yielding 305 mL CH4/g volatile solids (VS) and M. contortum reaching 324 mL CH4/g VS, reflecting respective increases of 51 % and 86 %. The integration of this efficient mechanical cell disruption method with a simple, stress-based cultivation strategy presents significant potential for enhancing the methane yield of microalgal biomass.

CRITIC-TOPSIS Method

The increasing demand for electricity has driven the development of hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) in developing countries and remote areas. HRES combines various renewable energy sources to overcome the limitations of each source by utilizing their respective strengths. Although HRES has advantages such as flexibility and low pollution, the development of renewable energy needs to consider environmental impacts and principles of sustainable development. This study aims to find the optimal configuration of a hybrid renewable energy system in the new capital region of Indonesia, namely IKN Nusantara in East Kalimantan province. We conducted a geospatial approach and literature review to gather relevant information, such as solar radiation data, hydropower potential, and biomass potential. We utilized the hybrid optimization model for electric renewables (HOMER) software to design the HRES, and we optimized the results using the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method. The experimental results show that the combination of PV and hydro is the optimal configuration in terms of energy and environmental aspects, with a relative closeness value of 0.675 compared to the ideal solution. Therefore, the implementation of MCDM to evaluate and determine the best configuration of HRES in the IKN Nusantara region is worth considering for further research and development.

Technologies of the Integrated Development of Hydrogeothermal Resources of the North Caucasian Region

This paper focuses on the technologies of the integrated development of high-parametric geothermal brines with steam release. They differ from each other depending on initial parameters. Such way of brine utilization will make it possible to transform thermal energy to electrical power along with significant increasing its salinity that contributes to chemical components extraction. The opportunity is considered of this technology application in the Tarumovka geothermal field with electric power generation in steam-turbine and binary power plants, and consequent obtaining valuable mineral components. The geothermal and biogas technologies are given proposing integrated utilization of thermal water for various applications. Such systems make it possible to use resource potential of geothermal well and biomass that will result in improvement of economic and environmental situation in the North Caucasus region.

An ecological framework to index crop yields using productivity and Ecosystem Fit: A case study from India

On the global scale, agricultural crop yields have decreased or plateaued over the last several decades. This suggests that the current focus on selecting crop varieties based on a plant’s light-use efficiency (photosynthetic and nitrogen-use-efficiency metrics) may not be sensitive to the site’s edaphic parameters, which limit growth. This study introduces a new framework to determine if crops can achieve higher yield potentials by assessing how plants adapt to the edaphic properties that impact growth, especially when contending with climate change. The new approach calculates an Ecosystem Fit index using a ratio of remotely sensed (or observed) total net primary productivity to the theoretical maximum productivity of the site. Then, it uses that index as a benchmark to judge quantitatively whether any new crop species or variety is improving potential biomass or economic yields at that specific site. It can also determine the best soil types for those crop varieties and monitor their potential adaptability relative to climate change over time. This study used a database of 356 spatially independent reference sites to develop this framework using a landcover classification of crops across 21 ecoregions and five biomes in India. It includes total net primary productivity data, theoretical maximum productivity potential, and soil and climatic data. This comparison showed that the light-use efficiency model, as intended, was not sensitive to variations in soil characteristics, temperature, or precipitation. Our framework showed significant differences in growth by soil type and precipitation and three significant productivity thresholds by soil type. The results of this study demonstrate that total crop productivity and Ecosystem Fit create a useful index for local land managers to assess growth and yield potentials across diverse edaphic landscapes and for decision-making with changing climates.

An Environmentally Sustainable Approach for Raw Whey Treatment through Sequential Cultivation of Macrophytes and Microalgae

The cheese industry produces substantial amounts of raw cheese whey wastewater (RW), which requires effective treatment prior to environmental disposal. This study presents an innovative sequential batch system that combines macrophyte and microalgal cultivation for RW remediation. The efficacy of Lemna minor MO23 in first-line photobioreactors (PBR-1) and Chlorella sp. MC18 (CH) or Scenedesmus sp. MJ23-R (SC) in second-line photobioreactors (PBR-2) for pollutant removal was evaluated. The nutrient removal capacity of L. minor, CH, and SC was assessed at optimal tolerance concentrations, alongside nutrient recovery from treated RW (TRW) by PBR-1 for microalgae biomass production. The results demonstrate that all three species effectively purified the cheese whey wastewater. L. minor efficiently removed COD, nitrate, phosphate, and sulfate from RW, producing TRW effluent suitable for microalgal growth. CH and SC further purified TRW, enhancing biomass production. CH outperformed SC with a 4.79% higher maximum specific growth rate and 20.95% higher biomass yield. Biochemical analyses revealed the potential of CH and SC biomass for applications such as biofuels and aquaculture. After treatment, the physicochemical parameters of the effluent were within the regulatory limits. This demonstrates that the PBR-1 and PBR-2 series-coupled system effectively purifies and recovers dairy effluents while complying with discharge standards.

A high-flux, photocatalytic wood-derived filter for high-efficiency water purification

Wastewater purification has evolved into a global problem in the face of increasing scarcity of freshwater resources. Photocatalysis technology possesses prominent advantages in treating pollutants in water because of its low cost and mild reaction conditions, which provides an effective way to treat multiple pollutants and reduce membrane fouling. Herein, we combine photocatalysis technology with filtration technology via in situ reduction Bi0 with Bi2SiO5 strategy incorporating a carbonized wood filter to synthesize carbon/Bi2SiO5@Bi bi-functional composite. Thus, simultaneous filtration and photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B and tetracycline were achieved. After filtrating for 30 min, the degradation rate of RhB and TC were 94.23 % and 81.39 %, respectively. Especially, the flux of RhB and TC were up to 2162.16 L m−2 h−1 and 1811.32 L m−2 h−1. In addition, the composite filter also has good recyclability and reusability, after 5 cycles, the degradation efficiency of RhB remains at 91 %. This study utilized photocatalytic technology combined with membrane filtration technology to successfully solve the contradiction between catalytic efficiency and water flux, which realized rapid and dynamic removal of organic pollutants from water. Besides, the use of carbonized wood-based materials provides a potential biomass technology for the preparation of bifunctional photocatalytic filters.

Toxic and non-toxic cyanobacterial biomass as a resource for sustainable agriculture: A lettuce cultivation experiment

Cyanobacteria represent a promising resource for sustainable agriculture, as they have demonstrated the ability to restore soil fertility even after death and decay. However, several cyanobacteria can also release secondary metabolites, such as cyanotoxins, which may compromise the quality of agricultural products and pose a potential risk to human health. Depending on the concentration of exposure, few studies reported deleterious effects on plant species when irrigated with cylindrospermopsin (CYN) contaminated water, impairing plant growth and leading to food product contamination, while other studies show promoting effects on plant yield. To evaluate the potential of cyanobacterial biomass (cyanotoxin-containing or not) as a sustainable resource for soil amendment, biostimulants or fertilizers for lettuce cultivation, a study was carried out that consisted of the culture of lettuce plants under controlled conditions, in soil: (1) with no extra nutrient addition (control) and supplemented with 0.6 g of freeze-dried Raphidiopsis raciborskii biomass of (2) a non-CYN-producing strain, (3) a CYN-producing strain, and (4) the same CYN-producing strain pasteurized. Results showed no significant differences in photosystem II efficiency with the amendment addition. On the contrary, shoot fresh weight significantly increased in lettuce plants grown with the cyanobacterial biomass addition, especially in condition (3). In addition, there were significant differences in mineral concentrations in lettuce leaves after the cyanobacterial biomass addition, such as K, Na, Ca, P, Mg, Mn, Zn, Cu, Mo, and Co. CYN accumulation was detected under conditions (3) and (4), with concentrations observed in descending order from roots > soil > shoot. Nevertheless, the CYN concentration in edible tissues did not exceed the WHO-proposed tolerable daily intake of 0.03 μg/kg/day. These findings suggest that incorporating cyanobacterial biomass as a soil amendment, biostimulant or fertilizer for lettuce cultivation, even with trace amounts of CYN (1–40 μg/g), may enhance plant yield without leading to cyanotoxin accumulation in edible tissues above the WHO-recommended tolerable daily intake.

Pemanfaatan Jerami Padi Dan Serbuk Kayu Menjadi Biopelet Sebagai Bahan Bakar Alternatif

Most human activities use fossil energy to meet their energy needs. Fossil energy is limited in quantity and non-renewable in nature, raising concerns that it may no longer sustain future energy demands. Bio-pellets are an alternative fuel that can address the scarcity of stove fuels such as kerosene and gas. Rice straw is one of the potential biomass materials for bio-pellet production due to its abundance and environmental sustainability. The addition of wood powder in bio-pellet manufacturing can increase calorific value and improve pellet energy efficiency. This research aims to find a bio-pellet formula combining rice straw and wood powder that complies with SNI 8021:2014. The method employed in this study is experimentation, involving the creation of three different bio-pellet compositions. The selection of the best bio-pellet is determined by analyzing the collected data using single-factor RAL in SPSS 24 software. The chosen bio-pellet formulation in this study is KJ1 with a density of 1.457 g/cm3, moisture content of 9.076%, calorific value of 3,924.48 cal/g, and water boiling rate of 284 seconds.

Considerable energy crop production potentials in the Russian Far East

High-latitude regions are not traditionally considered for energy crop production due to unfavorable production conditions, e.g., low temperatures and short growing seasons. However, with increasing pressures on land use in warmer regions, rising global food demands, and climate change, shifting energy crop production to cold climate regions has become a desirable alternative. Increasing attempts have been made in recent decades to cultivate cold-tolerant energy crops in high latitudes. This study aims to assess the potential biomass and bioenergy productivities of willow, poplar, and miscanthus over the Russian Far East (RFE) federal district, with a yield-predicting model built on newly published data from high latitude. We evaluated the potentials of energy crop production and greenhouse gas mitigation in RFE under three land use scenarios. Our analysis reveals that the RFE has the potential to produce 1.3 × 109 Mg of biomass per year on 215 Mha of spare land with an average yield of 6 Mg ha−1 under the most extensive land conversion scenario, which can be converted to 24 EJ of bioenergy and thus lead to a net mitigation of 4.1 × 108 Mg CO2e greenhouse gas emissions. The productivity and mitigation potential remain substantial (78 % of the most extensive land conversion scenario) under the scenario that all the RFE's existing croplands and forests are preserved. Our assessment offers valuable insights into the potential of energy crop development in the RFE and other high-latitude regions globally, presenting a novel land-use solution for a low-carbon future.

An algal regulation-based molasses vinasse anaerobic digestion strategy for enhancing organic matter removal and methane production

Microalgae are suitable type of anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) substrate that can effectively alleviate microbial inhibition caused by substrate characteristics (molasses vinasse, MV). Therefore, our investigated the synergistic effects, organic matter removal, and potential microbiological impacts in the AcoD of MV and Desmodesmus opoliensis strain GXU-A4. We conducted batch AcoD using simple dehydrated GXU-A4 (Fresh D. opoliensis, FDO) and lipid-extracted GXU-A4 (Pretreated D. opoliensis, PDO). The highest methane potential of PDO biomass was 124.9 ± 0.8 mL g−1 VS, while AcoD with MV increased methane production by 11 % and promoted acetic acid production. FDO biomass reduced nitrogen-containing organic matter and humic-like production. Microbial community and functional prediction analyses revealed that AcoD altered the distribution of hydrolytic acidogenic bacteria, such as Bacteroidetes and Cloacimonadota (W5). Our study provide a new insight into the control strategy of AcoD for methane production, removal of organic matter, and microbial mechanisms in algae biomass.

Lindane degradation potential of methanotrophs and soil microbial biomass from HCH contaminated sites

In the present study, soil physico-chemical properties, hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers, lindane degrading soil methanotrophs and soil microbial biomass-C, N and P were investigated by selecting 6 study sites in Lucknow and Renukoot region of Uttar Pradesh, Northern India. The ANOVA revealed significant variations soil physico-chemical properties (P<0.001), HCH residues concentrations (P<0.001) and lindane degradation by soil methanotrophs (P<0.001), across different study sites. The GC and GC-MS/MS analysis revealed soil contamination by α, β-, γ-, and δ-HCH, along with organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) including aldrin, β-endosulphan, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). The concentration of soil HCH isomers (0.43-310.97 μg g−1) was higher in the soil samples of Lucknow region, compared to the Renukoot (0.12–194.44 μg g−1) region. These results depict that methanotrophic isolates SBRJS01, SBIJS02 and SBJS03 compared to control, showed better growth at selected environmental parameters. During lindane degradation the maximum Cl− release among the methanotrophic isolates showed the trend as SBJS03> SBRJS01> SBIJS02> ControlURRH3. A positive linear relationship (R2=0.7951) was noted between lindane degradation and Cl− release during the methanotrophic isolates incubation period. A greater SMB–C, –N and –P values (365.2, 65.5, and 26.8 μg g−1 soil, respectively), having higher HCH residues were, recorded in the soil samples of Renukoot region, compared to the soils of Lucknow region.The negative correlation between SMB–C, –N, and –P values and different soil HCH isomers suggests that higher concentrations of lethal HCH residues persisting in soils negatively impacts the quantity of soil microbial biomass. Therefore, on-site monitoring and methanotrophic mediated bioremediation of HCH soil residues might be a viable and eco-friendly option in removal of this particular persistent soil pesticide from the contaminated area.

Utilization of banana peel waste for the production of bioethanol and other high-value-added compounds

Bananas (Musa sp.) are one of the most produced crops worldwide, surpassing 100 million tons per year, and considering that approximately 30 % of their weight consists of peels, the annual generation of these residues is significant. Banana residues are rich in nutrients; nowadays, they are all disposed of in landfills. As a novelty, this work showed that it could be used for other things, such as alcohol, D-Limonene, and citric acid production. This study characterized the biomass, optimized pretreatment, and enzymatic hydrolysis and evaluated the fermentation process using this biomass, using the central composite design (CCD) methodology. The planning variables included sulfuric acid (H2SO4) concentration, banana peel waste mass in the pretreatment stage, and commercial cellulase enzyme (Sigma-Aldrich) concentration in the enzymatic hydrolysis stage. The responses quantified were sugars, ethanol, and acids using high-performance liquid chromatography, and the D-Limonene content was determined on a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer. The highest yield of total reducing sugars found after enzymatic hydrolysis was 11.88 g/L, while the ethanol yield was 1.37 g/L. In the recovery of D-Limonene, the obtained value was 0.56 mg/g. The values of fermentable sugars confirm banana peel waste as a potential biomass for biorefinery processes. Furthermore, the possibility of an integrated D-Limonene recovery is essential in obtaining bioproducts. In this sense, it can be concluded that utilizing these residues is promising in reducing environmental issues and valorizing food waste.

The name for a well-known crop: Rumex kioviensis, a hybridogenous taxon derived from R. patientia × R. tianschanicus (Polygonaceae)

The new crops developed at the M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kyiv from the initial artificial interspecific crosses Rumex patientia × R. tianschanicus are variously known in botanical and agricultural literature under the hybrid formula or informal names “Shchavnat”, “Hybrid Dock”, “Rumex K-1”, “Rumex OK-2”, or names of cultivars cv. ‘Kyivskyi Ultra’, cv. ‘Shpinat Uteusha’, cv. ‘Nastavnyk’, etc. A brief overview of the history of development of these cultivars is provided. These robust perennial plants are cultivated at present as spinach greens, fodder, and high-yield biomass producers for bioenergy applications in several European and other countries (Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Romania, etc.). Numerous agricultural, horticultural, and biotechnological publications about these new crops are now available, including various aspects of and data on their biochemistry, physiology, genetics, morphology, propagation, agrotechniques, biomass and biofuel production potential, nutritional value, etc. Also, these hybrid cultivars were reported in several regions of Central Europe as potentially invasive weeds escaped from cultivation. Considering the growing popularity of the Hybrid Dock as a green leaf vegetable, a biomass and biofuel producing crop (among other uses), and a potentially invasive alien, we think that a proper botanical name should be assigned to that taxon. Here it is described as a new hybridogenous species Rumex kioviensis Rakhmetov, A. Mosyakin &amp; Mosyakin. Diagnostic characters distinguishing this new taxon from its parent taxa and other related species are indicated. Some remaining taxonomic and nomenclatural problems regarding Asian taxa related to R. patientia are briefly discussed.

Date Palm Flower Stalk: A Potential Low-cost Biomass for Efficient Removal of Textile Dyes from Wastewater

Date Palm Flower Stalk: A Potential Low-cost Biomass for Efficient Removal of Textile Dyes from Wastewater