Resource Recovery Research Articles

The role of Penicillium brevicompactum in bioprocessing plastic and metals from printed circuit boards.

Dual application of Spirodela polyrhiza and Lemna minor in sewage phytoremediation and feedstock production for black-soldier fly larvae cultivation: A novel bio-circular system.

Enhanced selective adsorption of rare earth elements from wastewater using Pinus massoniana-derived carbon-nano zero-valent iron.

Ultrasound-driven centralized reactor strategy for enhanced sludge valorization: From cavitation field regulation to sustainable resource recovery

Hybrid layered double hydroxide-bacteria systems for wastewater treatment: Toward tunable bio-inorganic interfaces and environmental remediation.

Biomineralization-driven simultaneous carbon/phosphorus recovery and membrane fouling control in anaerobic membrane bioreactor for swine wastewater treatment.

Reducing the generation of excess sludge and achieving resource recovery are crucial for enhancing the economic efficiency and environmental sustainability of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This study utilizes ultrasonic cavitation technology to transform organic matter into excess sludge to achieve sludge reduction and carbon source recovery. To this end, we systematically investigated the effects of various ultrasonic cavitation conditions on sludge reduction, organic matter conversion, and denitrification efficiency. The results showed that the optimal sludge reduction effect occurs at an original mixed liquid suspended solids (MLSS) of 10 g/L, under neutral and non-aerated conditions, reaching 15.07%. Ultrasonic cavitation treatment significantly enhanced the conversion efficiency of organic matter in the sludge, greatly increasing the concentration of organic matter in the supernatant, with soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) maintained around 900 mg/L, thereby significantly improving the denitrification process. Furthermore, through magnetic-nanoparticle mediated isolation (MMI) and metagenomic sequencing analysis, the dominant denitrifying bacteria and their functional genes that utilize organic matter in the supernatant of ultrasonically treated sludge as a carbon source were identified. Finally, long-term pilot-scale operations further validated the practical application potential of ultrasonic cavitation technology for excess sludge reduction and resource utilization.

The Special Issue “Unlocking the Potential of Agri-Food Waste for Innovative Applications and Bio-Based Materials” brings together recent advances and emerging strategies for the valorization of agri-food residues. This Editorial provides an overview of the contributions included in the Special Issue, highlighting innovative approaches that convert waste streams into valuable bio-based materials, chemicals, and products. The collected works demonstrate how hydrodynamic, chemical, biological, and catalytic processes can be integrated to achieve sustainable waste management and circular resource recovery. By summarizing the main findings and perspectives, this Editorial emphasizes the growing relevance of agri-food waste valorization within the framework of the circular bioeconomy and encourages further interdisciplinary collaboration to accelerate the transition toward sustainable production systems.

Efficient extraction of iodide ion (I-), the dominant form of aquatic iodine, is crucial for both resource recovery and pollution mitigation, particularly in seawater, nuclear wastewater, and drinking water. However, this remains a significant challenge due to the lack of adsorbents that simultaneously offer high affinity, fast kinetics, and reliable reusability for I- capture. Herein, a novel cationic metal-organic framework featuring monodispersed silver (Ag+) sites (MOF-monoAg), which outperforms conventional Ag-loaded materials that rely on post-synthetic loading, enabling uniformly dispersed and highly accessible binding sites for selective and efficient I- extraction, is presented. The unique Ag+ sites exhibit extraordinary binding affinity and utilization efficiency, achieving an exceptional distribution coefficient (Kd) of 1.16 × 104mL g-1 and ultrafast adsorption rate of 10.48mg g-1 min-1. MOF-monoAg shows a breakthrough iodine extraction capacity of 114.2mg g-1 in natural seawater, over 50 times the iodine concentration in seaweed, and a 98.7% removal rate for I- in simulated nuclear wastewater. Additionally, MOF-monoAg-based membrane effectively reduces the I- concentrations in iodine-exposed water to below drinking water standards, providing a promising solution for iodine resource recovery and iodine pollution remediation.

The extensive use of chemical laboratories for experimental and research activities has resulted in the substantial accumulation of latex glove waste, a widely used form of personal protective equipment (PPE). This study presents a novel and sustainable approach for converting laboratory latex glove waste into liquid fuel using microwave-assisted pyrolysis (MAP), which aligns with the principles of green chemistry. Under optimal conditions, including a microwave power of 800 W and an irradiation time of 30 min, the process achieved a liquid product yield of 52.58 wt%, with 41.86 wt% consisting of gasoline-range hydrocarbons (C₅–C₁₂). The primary compound identified in the liquid product was D-limonene (C₁₀H₁₆), a valuable monocyclic terpene. Compared to conventional pyrolysis conducted in a semi-batch reactor, the MAP process exhibited superior performance in terms of liquid yield, gasoline-range hydrocarbon content, total hydrocarbon composition, and calorific value. This innovative waste-to-fuel conversion method demonstrates the strong potential of MAP as an efficient and environmentally responsible strategy for waste valorization and resource recovery. Copyright © 2025 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

ABSTRACT Agrarian reform movements have fostered the revitalization of agricultural landscapes, integrating trees into agroecosystems, contrasting with the dominant agro-export models. This study focused on the transformation of agroecosystems located in a rural settlement in São Paulo, Brazil, resulting from the adoption of tree planting. The motivations for settlers to plant trees were evaluated, as their perceptions of the impacts created from this practice. Semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and field visits were conducted in 11 allotments (20%), with data analyzed through content analysis and descriptive statistics. The results indicate that, following land redistribution under agrarian reform, settlers have implemented different strategies to incorporate trees into their systems, with usual restoration strategies, and adopting socio-productive restoration, with agroforestry systems and homegardens (combining food production with forest restoration). In all allotments forest cover has increased, and the main motivations for tree cultivation were categorized as pragmatic: water resources protection and recovery, and income generation. Farmers reported positive perception of the outcomes of tree planting, particularly regarding improvements in landscape quality, soil fertility, biodiversity, and water availability. These results highlight the importance of tree integration in agricultural systems as a promising pathway for reconciling food production, environmental conservation, and social justice in agrarian reform territories.

The concept of urban mining refers to the recovery and valorization of valuable resources from urban and industrial waste, contributing to circular economy principles. Within this framework, the present study provides a critical review of alkali-activated binders incorporating bivalve mollusk shells as alternative calcium sources. Shells from oysters, scallops, mussels, clams, cockles, and periwinkles were examined, either in their natural or calcined forms, for use as calcium sources, alkaline activators, or fillers in low-carbon binders. The review evaluates key processing parameters, including precursor composition, type and concentration of alkaline activators, curing conditions, and calcination temperatures, and compares the resulting mechanical, chemical, and microstructural properties. In addition, several studies report applications of these binders in soil stabilization and heavy metal immobilization, demonstrating performances comparable to Portland cement. The findings confirm the technical potential of mollusk shell residues and their contribution to the circular economy by diverting aquaculture waste from landfills and marine environments. Nonetheless, significant knowledge gaps persist, including the limited investigation of non-oyster species, the absence of field-scale studies, and the lack of resource mapping, life cycle, or economic assessments. This synthesis highlights preliminary insights, such as optimal calcination temperatures between 700 and 900 °C and effective combinations with silica and alumina-rich residues. Overall, it outlines a pathway toward transforming an underutilized waste stream into sustainable and technically viable construction materials.

ConspectusWhile acyl radicals have been harnessed in synthetic chemistry since their discovery in 1932, their environmental applications remain largely unexplored. Conventional water treatment predominantly utilizes inorganic radicals (•OH, SO4•-, H•) for their potent redox capabilities. Recent advances in peracetic acid (PAA)-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have spotlighted the peroxyacetyl radical (AcOO•), an oxidative derivative of the acetyl radical (Ac•). Though PAA activation cannot directly generate Ac•, the untapped capabilities of Ac• merit dedicated investigation.Our work bridges this knowledge gap by establishing low-molecular-weight diketones (LDKs) as tunable precursors for targeted Ac• generation. Through integrated electron paramagnetic resonance, laser flash photolysis, and mass spectrometry, we tracked the generation of Ac• and its key derivatives─Ac•(OH)2 and AcOO•─in UV/LDK systems. Crucially, dissolved oxygen (O2) serves as a molecular switch: under oxic conditions, Ac• reacts barrier-free with O2 to form oxidative AcOO•, whereas reductive species (Ac• and Ac•(OH)2) dominate under anoxic conditions. This O2-dependent speciation creates a unique dual-reactivity platform. Ac• and its derivatives exhibit moderate yet selective reduction potentials, enabling tailored applications─from precision pollutant degradation and metal resource recovery to point-of-use disinfection─all controlled solely by O2 modulation without additional chemicals.By unifying mechanistic insights with environmental innovation, this Account establishes acyl radicals as a transformative paradigm for advanced redox technologies. We invite chemists to expand radical selection criteria beyond conventional oxidants, prioritizing tunable, selective, and operationally simple systems enabled by Ac• chemistry. Key priorities to advance this field include: (1) establishing systematic frameworks for reaction pathways, kinetics, and structure-reactivity relationships across Ac• generating systems; (2) quantifying interconversion dynamics among Ac•, Ac•(OH)2, and AcOO• through combined computational and experimental approaches; and (3) investigating radical acetylation mechanisms and targeted biomolecule modification.

The Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generation rate is exponentially expanding in India with the urban areas contributing significantly due to rapid population growth and changing living styles. The real extent of waste recycling is only 13-20% despite efforts under various initiatives such as the Swachh Bharat Mission, leaving millions of tons end up in landfills. There are many initiatives in the community-level as well as Urban Local Body (ULB)-level, but their efforts lack efficiency and preparedness for handling the huge variability in the whole cocktail of wastes. Viewing the growth and transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various fields of decision-making, this review explores the managerial perspectives of AI in effectively managing MSW management apart from the technological purview. The application of AI technologies, including machine learning, computer vision, and IoT integration have demonstrated success in waste characterization, route optimization, recycling, and waste-to-energy conversion. Several case studies from the Indian cities, such as Pune and Bengaluru highlight the implications of AI-driven innovations, while comparisons with global practices in cities such as Tokyo, underscore the opportunities for improvement. The study categorically identifies the challenges, such as inconsistent data collection, high implementation costs, and policy gaps that hinder widespread adoption. Considering the goal of achieving sustainability through circular economy, this review emphasizes the role of AI in reducing landfill dependency, optimizing resource recovery, and minimizing environmental impact. We propose that it is possible to revolutionize India?s waste management systems by aligning AI solutions with policy frameworks and fostering public-private partnerships for providing strategic insights for the stakeholders.

ABSTRACT Wastewater treatment is essential for safeguarding public health, preserving ecosystems and ensuring sustainable water management. Conventional treatment technologies are often hindered by persistent challenges such as membrane fouling, electrode degradation and structural failures, which reduce efficiency and increase operational costs. Electrochemical membrane bioreactors (EMBRs) combine membrane filtration with electrochemical processes to enhance contaminant removal and enable resource recovery, yet their long‐term performance remains constrained by the deterioration of critical components. Self‐healing membranes, although increasingly studied for their autonomous damage repair and fouling resistance in water treatment applications, have not yet been integrated with electrochemical systems. This review introduces the concept of self‐healing electrochemical membrane bioreactors (SH‐EMBRs), highlighting the innovative potential of combining well‐established self‐healing materials with EMBRs. The integrated SH‐EMBR system combines electrochemical contaminant removal with membranes capable of autonomous self‐repair, enabling continuous mitigation of fouling, microcracks and electrode degradation while maintaining consistent filtration efficiency.

Photocatalytic reforming of waste biomass provides a promising approach for the simultaneous clean energy production and resource recovery. Herein, we report the efficient coupling of hydrogen (H2) evolution with the oxidation of waste chitin, achieving the coproduction of H2 and value-added chemicals. Through systematic screening, anatase TiO2 has been identified as the optimal material for the coupled photocatalytic system, with its reforming activity being closely associated with the production of hydroxyl radicals (•OH). Based on this mechanism, TiO2 dominated by {001} facets was successfully synthesized, achieving an H2 evolution rate of 291.0 μmol·g-1·h-1. This performance represents significant enhancements of 42.2 and 5.0 times compared to TiO2 dominated by {101} and {100} facets, respectively. This superior activity is attributed to the {001} facets, which facilitate the formation of •OH and enhance the adsorption of chitin. What is more, practical scalability was demonstrated by directly converting real-world crab shells into H2 under mild conditions using a combined mechanical ball milling and photocatalytic reforming process. This work proposes an efficient and scalable strategy for marine waste reforming coupled with clean energy production and highlights the importance of facet engineering in designing photocatalysts for biomass valorization.

Abstract The accumulation of nuclear waste presents a significant challenge to nuclear energy development. The actinide–lanthanide elements separation from nuclear waste is the key to achieving sustainable development of nuclear energy. Herein, this work presents a selective precipitation method for UO 2 2+ recovery via supramolecular self–assembly using 1,4–bis(imidazol–1–ylmethyl)benzene (BIMB), a flexible, acid–stable and environmentally friendly ligand. BIMB rapidly assembles and forms stable polymers driven by UO 2 2+ , achieving near–complete uranium removal (99.9%) within 10 min, with an adsorption capacity of 714.3 mg g −1 . Compared with the crystallographic data and theoretical calculations results of uranium and lanthanum polymers, the selective self‐assembly behavior of BIMB toward uranium is mainly due to its stronger coordination ability toward UO 2 2+ , and the ligand can form a more stable BIMB@U coordination polymer through stronger hydrogen bonds, more stable coordination structures, and stacking modes. This innovative strategy demonstrates separation factors (SF) of 10 3 –10 4 and a 99.9% uranium recovery from simulated nuclear wastewater, with residual concentrations below US EPA standards (30 ppb). This efficient and straightforward solid–liquid separation approach offers great potential for practical applications in U(VI) remediation and resource recovery.

Rare earth elements (REEs) represent critical industrial resources, yet conventional extraction methods face substantial environmental and efficiency constraints. Fungal bioleaching emerges as an eco-friendly alternative, leveraging organic acid secretion to facilitate REEs dissolution and adsorption. However, progressive REEs accumulation inhibits microbial activity, with fungal resistance mechanisms remaining incompletely understood. Here, we report the discovery of Aspergillus niger FH1, a highly REEs-tolerant strain exhibiting remarkable Ce(III) tolerance (600 mg/L maximum) and achieving 74.05% adsorption efficiency under optimized conditions. Integrated physicochemical characterization (SEM, FTIR, XPS) revealed dual adsorption mechanisms: physical entrapment evidenced by Ce(III)-induced cellular invagination, and chemical monolayer binding via extracellular functional group coordination (amino, hydroxyl, carboxyl, carbonyl, phosphate), with specific moieties enabling Ce(III) capture through surface complexation. Transcriptomic analysis identified 3,733 differentially expressed genes under Ce(III) stress. Functional annotation (GO/KEGG) demonstrated: (1) Significant repression of oxidative phosphorylation genes; (2) Concomitant upregulation of glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, and amino acid metabolism genes indicating metabolic rerouting for energy maintenance; (3) Enhanced expression of antioxidative/chelating metabolite synthesis pathways. Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing revealed conserved global 5mC DNA methylation levels (0.32% vs. 0.36% in controls) with preferential CHH-context targeting. Collectively, these adaptation strategy combines extracellular sequestration, metabolic plasticity, and stress mitigation to confers exceptional resilience against rare earth metal toxicity. The demonstrated adsorption-tolerance synergy positions A. niger FH1 as an important bioagent for sustainable recovery of recalcitrant rare earth resources.

The article explores the civic engagement of forced migrants from Ukraine as an important factor in their integration into host societies and after potential return to their homeland. The relevance of the study is driven by the scale of current forced migration from Ukraine caused by the full-scale invasion, which has introduced new challenges for migrants, governmental bodies, and civil society. The purpose of the article is to investigate the involvement of Ukrainian forced migrants in civic activities abroad, to identify their sociodemographic characteristics and return intentions, and to outline the prospects for civil society organizations in the reintegration of returnees. The study is based on the analysis of empirical data collected through a sample survey of Ukrainian forced migrants. The survey was conducted online and covered 429 respondents residing in 31 countries. Methods of grouping, comparison, and statistical analysis were used to structure the data. The research findings show that over 60 % of respondents are engaged in some form of civic activity abroad, confirming the significant role of civic initiatives in the adaptation of displaced persons. It was found that factors such as age, presence of children, financial well-being, language proficiency in the host country, and likelihood of return to Ukraine do not significantly influence the level of civic engagement, indicating a high degree of internal motivation among participants. At the same time, differences in levels of civic engagement between Germany and Poland were observed, which may be attributed to the historical presence of the Ukrainian diaspora and local integration conditions. The article examines the role of civil society organizations in the reintegration of return migrants to Ukraine. In particular, it is shown that the experience of civic engagement abroad can serve as an important resource for the post-war recovery of the country. Civil society organizations have the potential to become key support institutions and mediators between migrants, governmental bodies, and society in both host countries and Ukraine. Future research may focus on developing strategies for the effective use of civic experience acquired abroad in the processes of Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction.

The article is devoted to studying the issues of optimizing the development system and increasing the efficiency of reserve production in the conditions of water-oil zones of the BS8 shelf object using the example of one of the fields of the West Siberian oil and gas province. The results of the analysis of actual well drilling data, well operating modes, hydrodynamic modeling of the operation of horizontal and multilateral horizontal wells made it possible to identify criteria for the efficiency of drilling and operating wells in conditions of oil deposits with the presence of underlying water.To reduce the negative impact of the effect of pulling up underlying water, it is possible to maintain high bottomhole pressure values during well operation, which allows reducing depression on the formation. This decision leads to a decrease in the amount of extraction from the oil part of the reservoir, which in turn negatively affects the return on costs of drilling and surface development. It is possible to solve both problems — reducing depression and maintaining high productivity — by drilling wells using the Fishbone technology. Increasing the well's drainage area by drilling side branches in the oil-saturated part of the formation allows maintaining high production rates while achieving low drawdown. The operating mode of the wells is justified by carrying out multivariate calculations on a hydrodynamic model. Actual drilling results confirm the design indicators.The positive experience gained in drilling multilateral horizontal wells in a separate section of the oil-water zone of the BS8 facility served as a decisive factor for starting to scale up this type of well completion in similar geological conditions. The analysis clearly showed the advantage of the multilateral well completion technology used at the field in comparison with standard horizontal wells in the same geological conditions. The starting parameters of wells in the first month of operation and changes in parameters over time were taken into account.The study demonstrates that Fishbone multilateral wells provide a powerful tool for improving oil production efficiency through a unique design that provides large drainage area, uniform resource recovery and adaptation to contact reservoir conditions.