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Resource Utilization of Agricultural Wastes
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Resource Utilization of Agricultural Wastes

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 11669

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Tarek Rouissi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Institute of Scientific Research of Quebec (INRS), Quebec City, QC G1P 4S5, Canada
Interests: environmental science; bioprocess and process engineering; material science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Selma Etteieb

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Technological Center for Industrial Residues of Quebec, Rouyn-Noranda, QC J9X 0E1, Canada
Interests: environmental science; bioprocess and process engineering; emerging contaminants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Moncef Chouaibi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Higher School of Food Industries, Elkhadra City 1003, Tunisia
Interests: food process engineering; waste valorization; biotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Waste management (urban, agricultural, and industrial) is one of the main challenges of this century. With the increase in the global population and the diversity of human activities, environmental and socioeconomic impacts are becoming increasingly obvious. Organic matter is the main fraction of several types of these residues, especially agricultural and agri-food residues. It is also present in several other types of non-conventional industrial residues. This fraction is often converted into value-added (bio)products depending on the needs and profitability of existing technologies and biotechnologies. Despite scientific advancements, several challenges still arise. New demands for certain biomolecules (biopolymers, prebiotics, platform chemicals, biofuel, etc.) are constantly emerging, necessitating the continuous development of new valorization/conversion tools and concepts.

This Topic welcomes various articles covering the microbial, physical, and chemical valorization of industrial and agricultural residues for various applications. Review articles are also welcome.

Dr. Tarek Rouissi
Dr. Selma Etteieb
Dr. Moncef Chouaibi
Guest Editors

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

  • industrial and agricultural residues
  • biotechnology
  • environmental chemistry
  • bioprocess engineering
  • bioenergy
  • bioplastics
  • biopolymers

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 626 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Microwave-Assisted Organosolv Cellulose Recovery from Olive-Tree Pruning with Three Different Solvents
by Soledad Mateo, Giacomo Fabbrizi, M. Renee Chapeta and Alberto J. Moya
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(22), 10670; https://doi.org/10.3390/app142210670 - 19 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 831
Abstract
Research studies for cellulose recovery from lignocellulosic materials are essential in order to propose sustainable alternatives to harness residual biomasses, solving problems caused by their abundance and inadequate use. In this study, olive-tree pruning biomass has been subjected to different pretreatments with different [...] Read more.
Research studies for cellulose recovery from lignocellulosic materials are essential in order to propose sustainable alternatives to harness residual biomasses, solving problems caused by their abundance and inadequate use. In this study, olive-tree pruning biomass has been subjected to different pretreatments with different organosolvents (acetone, ethanol, and γ-valerolactone) with microwave radiation assistance. The effect of operating parameters has been studied, considering specific ranges of variables values according to each experimental design but, in any case, located in the ranges of 33–67% (chemical compound concentration), 130–170 °C (temperature), 5–30 min (reaction time), and 1/20–1/5 (solid/liquid ratio, s/L). Based on the R2 and R2adj values (mostly above 0.97), the experimental data were adequately adjusted to four selected response variables: post-solids cellulose and lignin content apart from removal percentages of both structural components. The optimization process resulted in post-treatment solids with meaningful cellulose yields (higher than 84.7%) and reduced lignin content (lower than 4.2%). The best results were obtained using 66.5% acetone (155 °C, 8.4 min and s/L = 1/19), involving greater material deconstruction, a high percentage of delignification (96.7%), not very significant cellulose loss (29.4%), and a post-treatment solid consisting almost exclusively of cellulose (≈99%). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resource Utilization of Agricultural Wastes)
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20 pages, 7123 KiB  
Article
Valorization of Grass Clipping Waste: A Sustainable Approach to Cellulose Extraction and Paper Manufacturing
by Azamat Taurbekov, Bayan Kaidar, Akniyet Baltabay, Aigerim Imash, Weon-Bae Ko, Jeong-Won Ko, Meiram Atamanov, Zulkhair Mansurov and Gaukhar Smagulova
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(15), 6680; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14156680 - 31 Jul 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2802
Abstract
This study investigates the physical, mechanical, and structural characteristics of handmade paper samples derived from cellulose extracted from grass clippings using two distinct methods as follows: (1) alkali treatment and (2) alkali treatment followed by bleaching, coupled with the incorporation of barium sulfate [...] Read more.
This study investigates the physical, mechanical, and structural characteristics of handmade paper samples derived from cellulose extracted from grass clippings using two distinct methods as follows: (1) alkali treatment and (2) alkali treatment followed by bleaching, coupled with the incorporation of barium sulfate as a mineral filler. Our investigation revealed that the handmade paper samples’ densities, moisture contents, and thicknesses varied within the ranges of 0.436 to 0.549 g/cm3, 5.60 to 2.51%, and 0.41 to 0.50 mm, respectively. The tensile strength and folding endurance of the papers produced through alkali treatment with barium sulfate were notably superior to those produced from bleached pulp and barium sulfate. Our analysis indicates that several critical factors, including paper density, thickness, the crystallinity index, and the microfibrillar structure of cellulose, intricately influence the mechanical and strength properties of the samples. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques, we identified characteristic cellulose bonds and examined cellulose’s crystalline and amorphous phases. Additionally, the crystallinity index of the samples was determined using both the Segal and peak deconvolution methods. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs revealed interconnected networks of cellulose fibers with varying thicknesses and lengths, along with incorporated mineral filler within the cellulose fiber structure. Variations in mineral particle retention were attributed to the presence or absence of cellulose microfibrils. These findings contribute to our understanding of the observed strength characteristics of the paper samples and underscore the potential applications of cellulose derived from grass clippings, especially when combined with barium sulfate as a mineral filler in paper production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resource Utilization of Agricultural Wastes)
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15 pages, 3200 KiB  
Article
Anaerobic Two-Phase Co-Digestion for Renewable Energy Production: Estimating the Effect of Substrate Pretreatment, Hydraulic Retention Time and Participating Microbial Consortia
by Lyudmila Kabaivanova, Venelin Hubenov, Neven Dimitrov and Penka Petrova
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(12), 5311; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14125311 - 19 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1141
Abstract
Green and sustainable economies have recently become a key issue in long-term growth and well-being. Co-digestion of various waste materials in an eco-friendly way through biogas production has become the preferred method for their utilization and valorization. The possibility of hydrogen and methane [...] Read more.
Green and sustainable economies have recently become a key issue in long-term growth and well-being. Co-digestion of various waste materials in an eco-friendly way through biogas production has become the preferred method for their utilization and valorization. The possibility of hydrogen and methane yield maximization depends on the most suitable alkali reagent for pretreatment of waste lignocellulosic material, which was revealed in batch tests to determine the hydrogen production potential. The mixture for digestion consisted of pretreated wheat straw mixed with waste algal biomass in a ratio of 80:20 (w/w). The maximum hydrogen yield was achieved after applying sodium hydroxide thermoalkaline pretreatment, with a two-fold higher yield than the untreated control. Hydrogen production was stable and methane was not present in the resultant gas. The influence of the hydraulic retention time (HRT) on the maintenance of cascade installation was studied. The maximum daily concentration of hydrogen was achieved at an HRT of 2 days—42.5% H2—and the maximum concentration of methane was 56.1% at an HRT of 6 days. Accumulation of volatile fatty acids was registered in the first step and their depletion was noted in the second one. The obtained values of the cellulose content demonstrated that it was utilized by up to 2.75% in the methanogenic bioreactor at the end of the process. Metagenomics analyses revealed the bacteria Thermocaproicibacter melissae (44.9%) and Clostridium cellulosi (41.9%) participated in the consortium, accomplishing substrate hydrolysis and acidogenesis in the first stage. Less in abundance were Thermoanaerobacterium butyriciformans, Calorimonas adulescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Anaerocolumna chitinilytica. Methanogenesis was performed by an archaeon closely related to Bathyarchaeota (99.5%) and Methanobacterium formicicum. The most abundant bacterial strains in the methanogenic fermenter were Abyssalbus ytuae (30%), Proteiniphilum acetatigenes (26%) and Ruficoccus amylovorans (13%). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resource Utilization of Agricultural Wastes)
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Review

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37 pages, 1547 KiB  
Review
Microbial Biopolymers: From Production to Environmental Applications—A Review
by Mohit Sharma, Nihed Tellili, Imen Kacem and Tarek Rouissi
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(12), 5081; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14125081 - 11 Jun 2024
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 6442
Abstract
Industrial evolution and agricultural expansion, explained by continuing population growth, have rendered enormous problems for the world throughout the past few decades, primarily because of waste generation. To reduce environmental impact and dependence on fossil fuels, scientists have explored replacing synthetic polymers with [...] Read more.
Industrial evolution and agricultural expansion, explained by continuing population growth, have rendered enormous problems for the world throughout the past few decades, primarily because of waste generation. To reduce environmental impact and dependence on fossil fuels, scientists have explored replacing synthetic polymers with environmentally friendly and sustainable alternatives in many emergent applications. In this regard, microbial biopolymers have gained special attention. Many biopolymers originating from various strains of bacteria, fungi, and algae have been reported and their possible applications have increased rapidly. This review focuses on the wide range of microbial biopolymers, their characteristics, and factors influencing their production. The present study also describes the environmental applications of microbial biopolymers. The use of these biopolymers is very attractive as a value-added and sustainable approach to wastewater treatment. By acting as adsorbents, coagulants, and flocculants as well as filters in membrane processes, microbial biopolymers shine as promising solutions beyond conventional methods. They can be integrated into various stages of the treatment process, further enhancing the efficiency of wastewater treatment methods. Microbial biopolymer applications in bioremediation and soil stabilization are also reviewed. Several studies have demonstrated the strong potential of biopolymers in soil improvement due to their ability to minimize permeability, eliminate heavy metals, stabilize soil, and limit erosion. Challenges related to scaling up and the downstream processing of microbial biopolymers, as well as its future perspectives in environmental applications, are also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resource Utilization of Agricultural Wastes)
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