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Utilization and Repurposing of Industrial, Construction and Agricultural Waste and By-Products in Environmental Remediation: An Approach to a Circular Economy

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2025 | Viewed by 4100

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Michael R. Mucalo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Associate Professor in Chemistry, School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Interests: biomedical materials; calcium phosphate chemistry; metal colloids; IR spectroelectrochemistry; repurposing of byproducts/waste; application of IR spectroscopy; solid state NMR; drug delivery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As our population grows, so too does the strain on the environment, given the greater utilisation of water resources, higher industrial activity, and other activities, such as intensive agriculture, which place a strain on resources and lead to by-products which may be sent to landfills. These waste by-products have the potential to be utilised for remediating the environment via their use as adsorbents, which not only provides benefits in terms of preventing its being sent to a landfill, but also cost advantages. In doing so, we begin an approach to a circular economy which, even if partially achieved, will provide benefits to the planet and its environment via the more efficient utilisation of resources

This Special Issue seeks novel experimental (or experimental with modelling) studies that utilise waste by-products from industrial, agricultural, or construction sources for environmental remediation, such as in the treatment of water or other applications. Such studies should show the potential for using these, hence avoiding the need for such materials to be sent to landfills. The studies could illustrate the materials being used to achieve various purposes, such as the adsorption of harmful substances from water or from air, for instance. Studies should demonstrate the good characterisation of the materials via various techniques, clearly proving their value as potential materials in environmental remediation. While welcoming fundamental bench scale studies, we would also appreciate to see studies where the scale-up from the bench has been demonstrated, alongisde its benefits. Manuscripts will be subject to rigorous peer review.

Dr. Michael R. Mucalo
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. Materials 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 2600 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
  • by-products
  • remediation
  • adsorption
  • repurposing
  • circular economy

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 2598 KiB  
Article
Recycling Fiber-Reinforced Polyamide Waste from the Automotive Industry: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of an Advanced Pyrolysis Process to Reclaim Glass Fibers and Valuable Chemicals
by Blanca María Caballero, Alexander Lopez-Urionabarrenechea, Jean Paul Gonzalez-Arcos, Borja Benjamín Perez-Martinez, Esther Acha, Maider Iturrondobeitia, Julen Ibarretxe, Aritz Esnaola and Maider Baskaran
Materials 2025, 18(7), 1594; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18071594 - 1 Apr 2025
Viewed by 407
Abstract
The generation of pyrolysis liquids and gases with poor quality is a limiting factor for the development of the recycling process of fiber-reinforced plastic waste. In this article, the life cycle assessment (LCA) of an advanced two-step pyrolysis process to recycle glass fiber-reinforced [...] Read more.
The generation of pyrolysis liquids and gases with poor quality is a limiting factor for the development of the recycling process of fiber-reinforced plastic waste. In this article, the life cycle assessment (LCA) of an advanced two-step pyrolysis process to recycle glass fiber-reinforced polyamide waste is presented. First, the solid waste is pyrolyzed by heating up at 3 °C/min to 500 °C in a tank reactor. The generated volatiles are subsequently thermally cracked at 900 °C in a tubular packed bed reactor. The process is able to reclaim the glass fibers similarly to the conventional one reactor pyrolysis, while producing liquids and gases with better properties. The large quantity of oxygenated pyrolysis oils generated in the conventional pyrolysis are cracked into gaseous hydrocarbons, CO, CO2 and a minor aqueous liquid. The pyrolysis gases become the main product of the process, presenting an interesting composition of hydrogen (39.9 vol.%), methane (22.5 vol.%), carbon monoxide (19.5 vol.%) and ethylene (10.8 vol.%). The LCA shows that advanced pyrolysis demonstrates better environmental performance than conventional pyrolysis, avoiding fossil resource scarcity and reducing global warming by half and human carcinogenic toxicity by one third. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Utilization and Repurposing of Industrial, Construction and Agricultural Waste and By-Products in Environmental Remediation: An Approach to a Circular Economy)
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24 pages, 6477 KiB  
Article
Incorporating Wastewater Sludge as a Cement Alternative in Repair Mortar: An Experimental Study of Material Properties
by Jeong-Bae Lee
Materials 2024, 17(22), 5625; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17225625 - 18 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1038
Abstract
The global construction industry faces increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices, particularly in reducing cement-related CO2 emissions. This study investigates the feasibility of using treated wastewater sludge (WWS) as a partial replacement for cement in repair mortars. Treated (A-WWS) and untreated (B-WWS) [...] Read more.
The global construction industry faces increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices, particularly in reducing cement-related CO2 emissions. This study investigates the feasibility of using treated wastewater sludge (WWS) as a partial replacement for cement in repair mortars. Treated (A-WWS) and untreated (B-WWS) sludge were evaluated for their effects on workability, mechanical strength, durability, and environmental impact. Flow tests revealed that A-WWS maintained workability similar to the control mixture, while B-WWS reduced flow due to its coarser particles. Compressive strength tests showed that a 10% A-WWS substitution improved strength due to enhanced pozzolanic reactions, while untreated sludge reduced overall strength. Water absorption and bond strength tests confirmed the improved durability of A-WWS mortars. Chemical attack resistance testing demonstrated that A-WWS significantly reduced carbonation depth and chloride penetration, enhancing durability. Microstructural analysis supported these findings, showing denser hydration products in pretreated sludge mixtures. An environmental hazard analysis confirmed low heavy metal content, making sludge-based mortars environmentally safe. Although wastewater sludge shows promise as a partial cement replacement, the processing energy demand remains substantial, necessitating further investigation into energy-efficient treatment methods. This research highlights the potential of pretreated WWS as a sustainable alternative in construction, contributing to reduced cement consumption and environmental impact without compromising material performance. The findings support the viability of sludge-based repair mortars for practical applications in the construction industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Utilization and Repurposing of Industrial, Construction and Agricultural Waste and By-Products in Environmental Remediation: An Approach to a Circular Economy)
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26 pages, 11131 KiB  
Article
Epoxy Composites with Post-Production Gray Cast-Iron Powders
by Robert Cieślak, Paweł Figiel, Konrad Kwiatkowski, Damian Dobrowolski, Magdalena Urbaniak and Anna Biedunkiewicz
Materials 2024, 17(17), 4333; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17174333 - 31 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1176
Abstract
Processing of cast-iron castings by machining is associated with a large amount of post-production waste in the form of cast-iron chips, which constitute up to about 5% of the weight of the entire casting. In the case of serial production, this generates large [...] Read more.
Processing of cast-iron castings by machining is associated with a large amount of post-production waste in the form of cast-iron chips, which constitute up to about 5% of the weight of the entire casting. In the case of serial production, this generates large amounts of post-production waste, constituting a constantly growing scale of environmental problems. The aim of this research was to develop a simple and cheap method of utilizing post-production waste of gray cast-iron chips from the machining process for the production of small structural elements of water supply fittings. The analysis of the state of knowledge indicates that the simplest method of managing waste chips is to use them as a starting material in the process of manufacturing polymer composites. The most frequently chosen material for the matrix of polymer composites reinforced with metal powders is epoxy resin. The epoxy composite was produced by the vacuum-assisted casting method. This paper presents the results of tests of morphological, mechanical, and corrosion properties of epoxy composites filled with grey cast-iron powder with a grain size below 0.075 mm and a mass content in the composite of 65%. The composite cured at 130 °C for 90 min had the best mechanical properties. The sample cured at 130 °C for 90 min was observed to have the optimum effect, with a tensile strength of 28.35 MPa, a flexural strength of 55.4 MPa, and a compressive strength of 53.8 MPa. All tested composites were characterized by very good thermal resistance and, in comparison to gray cast iron, over 2.5 times lower weight and an over three times lower corrosion rate in the tap water environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Utilization and Repurposing of Industrial, Construction and Agricultural Waste and By-Products in Environmental Remediation: An Approach to a Circular Economy)
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22 pages, 12179 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Potential of Repurposing Medium-Density Fiberboard Waste as an Adsorbent for Heavy Metal Ion Removal
by Kavitha H. Ranaweera, Megan N. C. Grainger, Amanda French, Narayana Sirimuthu and Michael Mucalo
Materials 2024, 17(14), 3405; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17143405 - 10 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1101
Abstract
Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) waste generation has increased steadily over the past decades, and therefore, the investigation of novel methods to recycle this waste is very important. The potential of repurposing MDF waste as an adsorbent for the treatment of Cd(II), Cu(II), Pb(II), and [...] Read more.
Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) waste generation has increased steadily over the past decades, and therefore, the investigation of novel methods to recycle this waste is very important. The potential of repurposing MDF waste as an adsorbent for the treatment of Cd(II), Cu(II), Pb(II), and Zn(II) ions in water was investigated using MDF offcuts. The highest adsorption potential in single-metal ion solution systems was observed for Pb(II) ions. The experimental data of Pb(II) ions fit well with the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. Complexation and electrostatic interactions were identified as the adsorption mechanisms. The adsorption behavior of multi-metal ion adsorption systems was investigated by introducing Cd(II) ions as a competitive metal ion. The presence of the Cd(II) ions reduced the adsorption potential of Pb(II) ions, yet the preference for the Pb(II) ions remained. Regeneration studies were performed by using 0.1 M HCl as a regeneration agent for both systems. Even though a significant amount of adsorbed metal ions were recovered, the adsorption potential of the MDF was reduced in the subsequent adsorption cycles. Based on these results, MDF fines have the potential to be used as an economical adsorbent for remediation of wastewater containing heavy metal ions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Utilization and Repurposing of Industrial, Construction and Agricultural Waste and By-Products in Environmental Remediation: An Approach to a Circular Economy)
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