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Application of Biological Processes in Waste Treatment and Valorisation
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Application of Biological Processes in Waste Treatment and Valorisation

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2025 | Viewed by 3140

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Luciana Pereira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710–057 Braga, Portugal
Interests: environmental biotechnology; wastewater biorremediation; waste valorization; anaerobic bioprocesses; micro and nanotechnology; nanomaterials engineering, photocatalysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The growing concern for environmental sustainability and the need for effective waste management have heightened the focus on innovative and efficient waste treatment methods. Biological treatments offer a promising avenue for addressing the complexities of waste treatment due to their eco-friendly and cost-effective nature. This research area is crucial as it explores the use of microorganisms and natural processes to degrade, detoxify, and recycle waste materials, thereby reducing the environmental footprint of various industries while valorising waste.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, where we aim to gather cutting-edge research and comprehensive reviews that advance our understanding and application of biological treatments in waste management. By sharing novel insights and developments, we hope to promote the adoption of these sustainable methods across different sectors.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome to be submitted. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Innovations in bioremediation techniques for industrial waste;
  2. Advances in microbial treatment of municipal and agricultural waste;
  3. Application of biological and enzymatic processes in waste degradation;
  4. Biological processes for waste valorisation;
  5. Challenges in biological processes for bioremediation;
  6. Case studies on the implementation of biological waste treatment in real-world scenarios.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Luciana Pereira
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • waste treatment
  • industrial waste
  • municipal and agricultural waste
  • waste degradation
  • bioremediation
  • biological processes

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 2850 KiB  
Article
Conversion of Kitchen Waste into Sustainable Fertilizers: Comparative Effectiveness of Biological, Microbial, and Thermal Treatments in a Ryegrass Growth Trial
by Ksawery Kuligowski, Izabela Konkol, Lesław Świerczek, Adrian Woźniak and Adam Cenian
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(10), 5281; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15105281 - 9 May 2025
Viewed by 99
Abstract
This study investigated the conversion of kitchen waste into environmentally friendly fertilizers and soil improvers using five various treatments: (1) inoculation with effective microorganisms followed by anaerobic fermentation, (2) 12 days of decay before adding a double dose of effective microbes, (3) sterilization [...] Read more.
This study investigated the conversion of kitchen waste into environmentally friendly fertilizers and soil improvers using five various treatments: (1) inoculation with effective microorganisms followed by anaerobic fermentation, (2) 12 days of decay before adding a double dose of effective microbes, (3) sterilization at 70 °C for 1 h after 12 days of decay, and (4) sterilization followed by effective microbes addition. In (5), waste was decayed, sterilized, and digested without effective microbes. For comparison, a commercial NPK fertilizer and pelleted cow manure were also applied. These treatments were tested in a ryegrass growth experiment in a glasshouse under warm conditions in northern Poland, with four successive harvests. Measurements included dry matter yield, N uptake, N utilization per hectare, and soil properties. Results showed that granulated cow manure and (5) were the most effective fertilizers during the first two months, while other kitchen waste treatments performed better in months 3 and 4, functioning as slow-release fertilizers. The relative agronomic effectiveness after four months was 88%, 67.8%, 60.2%, 48.6%, and 48.6% for (5), (4), (2), (3), and (1), respectively, compared to cow manure, and 36.3%, 27.9%, 24.8%, 20%, and 20% compared to NPK fertilizer. The study indicated that using a double dose of effective microbes produced yields comparable to sterilized waste, suggesting that microbial treatments could replace energy-intensive sterilization, reducing costs. Soil properties were largely unaffected, but residual soil N levels increased from 0.5 to 1.1 g/kg. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Biological Processes in Waste Treatment and Valorisation)
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19 pages, 3895 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Biomass Production of Chlorella vulgaris in Anaerobically Digested Swine Wastewater Using Carbon Supplementation and Simultaneous Lipid Production
by Chenkai Zhou, Mingmin Yuan, Cuifeng Huang, Qiqi Chen, Jiamin Wang, Xinting Chen, Hua Yang, Jun Fang and Bo Yang
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(9), 5103; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15095103 - 4 May 2025
Viewed by 241
Abstract
This study investigated anaerobically digested swine wastewater (ADSW) as a nutrient source for Chlorella vulgaris FACHB-8 cultivation under mixotrophic conditions with carbon supplementation. The microalgal strain was grown in ADSW supplemented with six carbon sources, followed by concentration optimization. Under optimized conditions (20 [...] Read more.
This study investigated anaerobically digested swine wastewater (ADSW) as a nutrient source for Chlorella vulgaris FACHB-8 cultivation under mixotrophic conditions with carbon supplementation. The microalgal strain was grown in ADSW supplemented with six carbon sources, followed by concentration optimization. Under optimized conditions (20 g/L glucose), FACHB-8 demonstrated a high biomass productivity (271.31 mg/L/day) and a specific growth rate of 0.42 per day. The system achieved an 88.70% total nitrogen removal and an 82.93% total phosphorus removal. The biomass contained 45.59% lipids, 29.72% proteins, and 13.05% carbohydrates, with fatty acid methyl esters showing balanced proportions of saturated (50.77%) and unsaturated fatty acids (49.23%). These findings highlight the potential of glucose-based mixotrophic cultivation for simultaneous wastewater treatment, renewable biomass production, and value-added lipid production. This work proposes a scalable swine wastewater treatment system that synergizes bioremediation and renewable energy production via carbon-enhanced microalgae cultivation, offering a dual-functional strategy for sustainable livestock wastewater reuse. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Biological Processes in Waste Treatment and Valorisation)
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19 pages, 3257 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Study on Endocrine Disruptor Removal from Wastewater Using Different Microalgae Species
by Noelia García, Rosalía Rodríguez, Gemma Vicente, Juan J. Espada and Luis Fernando Bautista
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(1), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15010132 - 27 Dec 2024
Viewed by 784
Abstract
The concentration of endocrine disruptor compounds (EDCs) in wastewater is increasing, posing significant risks to living organisms. This study concerns the simultaneous degradation of a variety of EDCs from wastewater, including methylparaben (MeP), propylparaben (PrP), butylparaben (BuP), benzophenone (BP), bisphenol A (BPA), and [...] Read more.
The concentration of endocrine disruptor compounds (EDCs) in wastewater is increasing, posing significant risks to living organisms. This study concerns the simultaneous degradation of a variety of EDCs from wastewater, including methylparaben (MeP), propylparaben (PrP), butylparaben (BuP), benzophenone (BP), bisphenol A (BPA), and estrone (E), in the presence of the microalgae Scenedesmus sp. or Chlorella vulgaris. The potential for the abiotic removal of these EDCs and their underlying degradation mechanisms were also studied. The presence of microalgae significantly enhanced the degradation of parabens, achieving complete removal within 7 days, primarily through the mechanism of biodegradation. BPA removal was also improved by microalgae, reaching 82% and 90% within 7 days with Scenedesmus sp. and C. vulgaris, respectively. BP degradation was predominantly abiotic, accomplishing 95% removal in 7 days. E degradation was mainly abiotic, achieving approximately 40% within 7 days, with a notable contribution from a biodegradation mechanism in the later stages, accounting for 27% and 40% of the final total removal in the presence of Scenedesmus sp. and C. vulgaris, respectively. This study provides insights into the mechanisms of EDC degradation by microalgae, highlighting the potential of Scenedesmus sp. and C. vulgaris to remove a mixture of EDCs from wastewater. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Biological Processes in Waste Treatment and Valorisation)
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14 pages, 1251 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Greywater Treatment: High-Efficiency Constructed Wetlands with Seashell and Ceramic Brick Substrates
by Adriano P. Feitosa, Kelly Rodrigues, Waleska E. Martins, Sara M. P. R. Rodrigues, Luciana Pereira and Glória M. M. Silva
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(19), 9011; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14199011 - 6 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1637
Abstract
Constructed wetland (CW) systems have been recognized as a sustainable technology for wastewater treatment that can be easily integrated into the local natural environment, offering both low cost and high efficiency. In this study, synthetic greywater was treated using a vertical subsurface flow [...] Read more.
Constructed wetland (CW) systems have been recognized as a sustainable technology for wastewater treatment that can be easily integrated into the local natural environment, offering both low cost and high efficiency. In this study, synthetic greywater was treated using a vertical subsurface flow CW operated in batch mode with 7-day cycles across two phases, operated in parallel: I, non-vegetated, and II, vegetated, with Echinodorus subalatus. The mixed filter bed was composed of seashells, ceramic brick fragments, and sand. No statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed between the non-vegetated and vegetated phases for most parameters. The removal efficiencies of organic matter, anionic surfactants, and total phosphorus in the non-vegetated versus vegetated phases were (91.0 ± 3.8)% versus (94.0 ± 1.1)%; (71.9 ± 14.1)% versus (60.0 ± 9.5)%; and (35.2 ± 4.6)% versus (40.2 ± 15.5)%, respectively. Phosphorus removal exceeded values reported in the literature for both phases, primarily due to the calcium present in the seashells, which increased the electrical conductivity and hardness of the effluent compared to the influent. The macrophyte exhibited leaf desiccation, possibly due to contact with greywater and its young age (30 days), which may have negatively impacted the system’s performance during the vegetated phase. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Biological Processes in Waste Treatment and Valorisation)
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