Advanced Bioprocessing Approaches in Energy and Nutrient Recovery from Waste

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable energy and nutrient recovery from manure and wastewater is essential to advancing circular economy principles and minimizing environmental impact. This Special Issue presents innovative technologies for efficient resource recovery from organic waste streams, with a primary focus on biogas production and alternative conversion methods.

The Special Issue primarily emphasizes anaerobic digestion (AD), a cornerstone technology for converting organic waste into bioenergy, while exploring recent advancements in biogas upgrading and purification technologies aimed at maximizing methane yield, reducing contaminants, and improving the quality of biogas for diverse applications. In addition, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is investigated as a thermochemical conversion process that transforms wet biomass into hydrochar, which can be used as a renewable energy source or soil amendment. The integration of thermochemical and biological processes for nutrient and energy recovery is also examined, highlighting the synergies between these methods to optimize resource recovery from waste.

Microbial components play a crucial role in improving process efficiency and stability. This Special Issue delves into the latest research on microbial communities involved in anaerobic digestion and other waste treatment systems, offering strategies for microbial optimization to enhance nutrient and energy recovery.

Furthermore, computational modeling and machine learning are emerging as powerful tools to advance these technologies. This Special Issue explores the use of computational modeling for optimizing system design, predicting microbial behavior, and simulating integrated recovery systems. Additionally, machine learning techniques are investigated for enhancing system performance, optimizing operational conditions, and improving predictive capabilities for large-scale applications.

This Special Issue provides a comprehensive overview of the latest innovations in nutrient and energy recovery, integrating cutting-edge conversion technologies, microbial optimization, and modeling approaches (including machine learning) to drive sustainable waste management practices.

Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal
Dr. Chunjiang An
Guest Editors

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