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Clean Technol.
Special Issues
Biomass Valorization and Sustainable Biorefineries
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Biomass Valorization and Sustainable Biorefineries

A special issue of Clean Technologies (ISSN 2571-8797).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 7903

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Antonio Caporusso

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Department of Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources (TERIN), ENEA C.R. Trisaia S.S. 106 Jonica, 75026 Rotondella, MT, Italy
Interests: biotechnology; industrial microbiology; biorefinery; lignocellulosic biomass; steam explosion; enzymatic hydrolysis; oleaginous yeasts; biofuels; green chemistry
Prof. Dr. Seraphim Papanikolaou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece
Interests: microbiology; biotechnology; industrial microbiology; food biotechnology; oleaginous yeasts; wine yeasts; biodiesel; biorefinery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a call for papers for a Special Issue entitled “Biomass Valorization and Sustainable Biorefineries”. This Special Issue provides a platform to showcase the latest advancements in biorefinery models designed for efficient biomass conversion into value-added products such as biofuels, bioenergy, biochemicals, and other biomaterials.

Our goal is to explore innovative biorefinery strategies, novel biomass pretreatment methods, process optimization approaches, bio-based product development, and the diverse applications of microbial products.

We invite the submission of original research articles, reviews, and case studies covering, but not limited to, the following topics:

  • Tailored biorefinery processes;
  • Innovative biomass pretreatment techniques;
  • The microbial or thermochemical valorization of lignocellulosic biomass and agro-industrial by-products;
  • Process optimization;
  • Strategies for improved product recovery;
  • Life cycle assessment and technical economic analysis of biomass valorization.

We look forward to your contributions to this Special Issue.

Dr. Antonio Caporusso
Prof. Dr. Seraphim Papanikolaou
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Clean Technologies 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 1800 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

  • new biorefinery models
  • wastewater treatment
  • agro-industrial by-product valorization
  • lignocellulosic biomass
  • biocatalytic processes
  • microbial valorization
  • biofuels
  • bioenergy
  • biochemicals

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 1002 KB  
Article
Optimization and Scale-Up of Tuber spp. Growth on Olive Mill Wastewater and Expired Glucose Syrup Substrates
by Ilias Diamantis, Gabriel Vasilakis, Seraphim Papanikolaou, Nikolaos G. Stoforos and Panagiota Diamantopoulou
Clean Technol. 2026, 8(2), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/cleantechnol8020033 - 3 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1027
Abstract
The present study investigates the potential of olive mill wastewater (OMW), supplemented with expired commercial glucose syrup, as a sustainable substrate for the submerged cultivation of Tuber spp. wild mushrooms. OMW contains considerable quantities of phenolic compounds, making it both a challenging pollutant [...] Read more.
The present study investigates the potential of olive mill wastewater (OMW), supplemented with expired commercial glucose syrup, as a sustainable substrate for the submerged cultivation of Tuber spp. wild mushrooms. OMW contains considerable quantities of phenolic compounds, making it both a challenging pollutant and a promising nutrient source. To assess fungal performance under increasing phenolic stress, culture media were prepared with varying OMW concentrations (0–75% v/v on agar; 0–50% v/v in liquid media), while glucose was adjusted to ~30 g/L using expired glucose syrup. A sequential experimental approach was followed, beginning with Petri dish screenings on substrate/strain selection (measuring the mycelial growth rate; Kr, mm/day), progressing to 25-day shake flask fermentations and subsequently scaling up the most promising strain (Tuber mesentericum) in a controlled stirred-tank bioreactor. Throughout cultivation, substrate consumption (glucose, phenolics), pH evolution and decolorization were evaluated, while the resulting biomass was analyzed for polysaccharides, β-glucans, proteins, lipids, fatty acids, antioxidants, phenolic acids and triterpenoids content. Results showed that increasing OMW concentration enhanced tolerance and metabolic activity in selected Tuber species, with T. mesentericum exhibiting the highest resilience and achieving comparable or higher biomass yields in OMW-based media than in glucose (control). Phenolic removal exceeded 60% in flasks and 50% in the bioreactor, confirming simultaneous bioremediation capacity. Bioreactor cultivation demonstrated efficient substrate utilization and biomass production, while OMW-grown biomass presented high lipid content, enriched with unsaturated fatty acids, high β-glucan levels and increased antioxidant and phenolic profiles. Overall, this study demonstrates that OMW (supplemented with expired glucose syrup) can serve as a cost-effective and environmentally beneficial substrate for Tuber biomass production with dietary and antioxidant properties, offering an alternative source to mushroom carposomes, as well as supporting the circular bioeconomy strategies within olive oil processing industries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Valorization and Sustainable Biorefineries)
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18 pages, 1446 KB  
Article
Arabinoxylans from the Distillers Grains and Solubles Co-Products of Ethanol Production: Extraction, Characterisation and Hydrolysis to Oligosaccharides
by Mohammad Alyassin, Saffa Izzati Kaderi, Grant M. Campbell, Helen Masey O’Neill and Michael R. Bedford
Clean Technol. 2026, 8(1), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/cleantechnol8010024 - 9 Feb 2026
Viewed by 913
Abstract
Arabinoxylans (AX) and their oligosaccharides (AXOS) have potential as functional ingredients. The emergence of biorefineries, leading to more Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) entering the animal feed market, encourages commercial production of AX products. Extracting AX from the two components of DDGS [...] Read more.
Arabinoxylans (AX) and their oligosaccharides (AXOS) have potential as functional ingredients. The emergence of biorefineries, leading to more Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) entering the animal feed market, encourages commercial production of AX products. Extracting AX from the two components of DDGS offers the opportunity to increase the biorefinery’s product portfolio and reduce costs. This paper explores AX extraction from solubles and wet grain, using a Gunt pilot-scale bioethanol plant to produce the two streams. After fermentation and distillation, solids were separated from the liquid to give Wet Distillers Grain (WDG), from which alkaline hydrogen peroxide extraction of water-unextractable AX (WUAX) was performed. The water-extractable AX (WEAX) was recovered from the solubles by ultrafiltration and ethanol precipitation. Both extracts were tested for suitability for AXOS production and characterised for their functionality. 10 kg of wheat yielded 3.2 litres of ethanol at 90% purity, 85 g of WUAX (51.6% purity, 110 kDa) and 92 g of WEAX (74.2% purity, 70 kDa). Enzymatic conversion of WEAX into oligosaccharides was 53%, whereas WUAX was unsusceptible to enzyme hydrolysis. Both AX fractions showed interactions with starch that could increase the shelf life of bakery products. AX-based products could be produced from a range of agricultural and biorefinery waste or low value streams, with the global market potentially > £1 billion per annum. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Valorization and Sustainable Biorefineries)
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19 pages, 2224 KB  
Article
Enhanced Biogas Production and Pathogen Reduction from Pig Manure Through Anaerobic Digestion: A Sustainable Approach for Urban Waste Management in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
by Alane Romaric N’guessan, Youan Charles Tra Bi, Edi Guy-Alain Serges Yapo, Akeyt Richmond Hervé Koffi, Franck Orlando Yebouet, Alessio Campitelli, Boko Aka and N’Dédé Théodore Djeni
Clean Technol. 2025, 7(4), 89; https://doi.org/10.3390/cleantechnol7040089 - 11 Oct 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4884
Abstract
In Abidjan, the treatment of pig waste is becoming a priority given the continued growth of pig farms, which readily reuse manure as organic fertilizer. This study evaluated the effectiveness of anaerobic digestion for simultaneous biogas production and pathogen reduction from pig farm [...] Read more.
In Abidjan, the treatment of pig waste is becoming a priority given the continued growth of pig farms, which readily reuse manure as organic fertilizer. This study evaluated the effectiveness of anaerobic digestion for simultaneous biogas production and pathogen reduction from pig farm residues. Two 1600 L biodigesters were installed at pig farms in Port Bouët (PBk) and Abobo (Ab). They were fed with pig manure and water (1:4 ratio) and monitored over 56 days. The total biogas production was 22.63 m3 and 16.31 m3 for the PBk and Ab digesters, respectively, with peak production occurring between days 14 and 28. Following biofilter treatment, the methane content increased to 80–82%, yielding potential energy outputs of 2.32–3.29 kWh/d, with optimal production occurring at a pH of 7.28–7.76. The COD, BOD5, organic acid, and total nitrogen levels decreased progressively in the biodigesters, while the mineral element content remained almost unchanged. Complete elimination was achieved for most of the bacteria tested (E. coli, Enterococcus, Salmonella, etc.). However, Bacillus and Clostridium were able to persist, albeit with significant reductions of between 3.11 and 5.79 log10. Anaerobic digestion is an effective method of combining waste treatment and energy recovery. It eliminates major pathogens while producing valuable biogas. This makes it a sustainable waste management solution for urban agricultural systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Valorization and Sustainable Biorefineries)
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