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Alternative Use of Biological Resources

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A special issue of Resources (ISSN 2079-9276).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 18835

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Prof. Dr. Zoltán Lakner

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Guest Editor

Department of Agricultural Business and Economics, Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 1118 Budapest, Hungary
Interests: econometrics; economic statistics; Artificial Interest; decision support systems; development policy in Africa; policy analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Anita Boros

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Guest Editor

Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
Interests: legal aspects of the circular economy; green economy and its law; green finance; public administration law; public procurement law; property law; environmental law; legal aspects of sustainability

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Non-food and energy use of biological resources offers considerable resources for achievement of the practical realisation of Sustainable Development Goals, but our knowledge and experiences in this field are rather limited, because in the last century the false myth of general and exclusive superiority of “industrial” technologies and synthetic materials for a long time de-motivated the search for these solutions. The aim of this Special Issue is to fill the gap between the need to tackle the challenges before humanity (e.g., eradication of poverty, sustainable cities, carbon neutrality) and the potential utilisation of traditional, bio-based materials (e.g., in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, textile, furniture and construction industry) as well as innovative utilisation of bio-based materials for new tasks (e.g., noise insulators from wool, substitution of plastics by natural materials). In recent decades, there has been intense research and development activity in this direction, and some successful business models have emerged as well. At the same time, the intensity of communication is rather low between the specialists working in this field. One explanation for this situation is the relative separateness of different disciplines (e.g., chemistry, material science, dermatology, marketing, just to name a few), which is why the approach of this Special Issue will be multi-and interdisciplinary, encouraging the publication of research teams, and analysing the alternative usage of biological resources from different points of view in an integrative manner. The Special Issue will serve as a platform to offer a possibility to demonstrate the relevant results of basic and applied research, results of surveys on socio-economic aspects of the alternative utilisation of biological resources, and analysis of consumer responses to the introduction of novel materials, taking into consideration the ethical aspects of the question, e.g., analysis of industrial raw material or the food dilemma. The Special Issue will be an important point of reference for BSc and MSc programs, focussing on non-food and energy use of biological materials. These programs are just starting at different higher educational institutes around the world, but in numerous cases, especially in third-world countries, where there is an abundance of raw materials, there is a need for relevant knowledge transfer.

Prof. Dr. Zoltán Lakner
Prof. Dr. Anita Boros
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Resources is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 1600 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

natural resources
scientific interdisciplinarity
sustainability
economic transition
resource management
bioeconomics
decarbonization
socio-economic consciousness

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1396 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potential Utilization of Rice Waste in the Construction Sector: A Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis Approach

by Daniel Henao, Luz Adriana Sanchez-Echeverri and Nelson Javier Tovar-Perilla

Resources 2024, 13(10), 139; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources13100139 - 11 Oct 2024

Viewed by 1482

Abstract

Effective management of agricultural waste is an important contribution to environmental sustainability and economic development, especially considering the significant volume of agricultural residues produced worldwide. Rice is a widely cultivated crop in Colombia, and its high production results in a high amount of wastes, which is often underutilized due to a lack of knowledge regarding its potential value-added applications. On the other hand, the construction industry has become increasingly aware of the necessity to develop materials with reduced environmental impact. Therefore, this study explores the application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to evaluate various alternatives for utilizing rice waste in construction materials; the alternatives were evaluated based on criteria tailored to the needs of local agricultural communities in the Tolima region of Colombia. The findings highlight the potential of rice husk ash (RHA) as an environmentally responsible alternative in the construction sector, offering a viable solution for waste management while contributing to the economic development of small-scale farmers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Use of Biological Resources)

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15 pages, 5509 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Alkaline and Hydrothermal Pretreatments in Sugars and Ethanol Production from Rice Husk Waste

by José Ayala-Armijos, Byron Lapo, Carolina Beltrán, Joaquín Sigüenza, Braulio Madrid, Estefanía Chérrez, Verónica Bravo and Diana Sanmartín

Resources 2024, 13(9), 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources13090128 - 16 Sep 2024

Viewed by 1088

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of hydrothermal and alkaline pretreatment methods in enhancing the concentration of fermentable sugars derived from rice husk waste. After the pretreatments, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation processes were executed to evaluate the ethanol production from each pretreatment. Rice husk powder measuring ≤250 µm was used. For the alkaline pretreatment, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was used at concentrations ranging from 0.5, 1 to 1.5% w/v. The efficacy of the hydrothermal pretreatment method was evaluated after 15, 30 and 45 min at 120 °C. The enzymatic hydrolysis process was performed over 144 h at 50 °C, pH 4.8 with an enzyme loading of 30 FPU (filter paper units). Fermentation was carried out at 37 °C using a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hansen 1883 (NCYC 366). Results indicated that the optimal conditions for alkaline pretreatment were observed at a 1.5% NaOH, while the best hydrothermal procedure was achieved at 120 °C and 45 min. The impact of these pretreatments was assessed based on the efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis. The alkaline pretreatment resulted in 81.70% conversion of cellulose to glucose and 96.30% conversion of hemicellulose to xylose. In contrast, the hydrothermal pretreatment achieved 93% cellulose-to-glucose conversion and 83.35% hemicellulose-to-xylose conversion. The ethanol production registered ranged from 13 to 13.23 g·L−1, corresponding to a conversion factor of 0.43 for ethanol from fermentable sugars. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Use of Biological Resources)

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16 pages, 2466 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Surimi Production from Tropical Mackerel: A Simple Washing Strategy for Better Utilization of Dark-Fleshed Fish Resources

by Worawan Panpipat, Porntip Thongkam, Suppanyoo Boonmalee, Hasene Keskin Çavdar and Manat Chaijan

Resources 2023, 12(10), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12100126 - 23 Oct 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3750

Abstract

Mackerel (Auxis thazard), a tropical dark-fleshed fish, is currently a viable resource for the manufacture of surimi, but the optimal washing procedure for more efficient use of this particular species is required right away. Washing is the most critical stage in surimi production to ensure optimal gelation with odorless and colorless surimi. The goal of this study was to set a simple washing medium to the test for making mackerel surimi. Washing was performed three times with different media. T1 was washed with three cycles of cold carbonated water (CW). T2, T3, and T4 were washed once with cold CW containing 0.3%, 0.6%, or 0.9% NaCl, followed by two cycles of cold water. T5, T6, and T7 were produced for three cycles with CW containing 0.3%, 0.6%, or 0.9% NaCl. For comparison, unwashed mince (U) and conventional surimi washed three times in cold tap water (C) were employed. The maximum yield (62.27%) was obtained by washing with T1. When varying quantities of NaCl were mixed into the first washing medium (T2–T4), the yield decreased with increasing NaCl content (27.24–54.77%). When washing with NaCl for three cycles (T5–T7), the yield was greatly decreased (16.69–35.23%). Conventional surimi washing (C) produced a yield of roughly 40%, which was comparable to T3. Based on the results, treatments that produced lower yields than C were eliminated in order to maximize the use of fish resources and for commercial reasons. The maximum NaCl content in CW can be set at 0.6% only during the first washing cycle (T3). Because of the onset of optimal unfolding as reported by specific biochemical characteristics such as Ca²⁺-ATPase activity (0.2 μmol inorganic phosphate/mg protein/min), reactive sulfhydryl group (3.61 mol/10⁸ g protein), and hydrophobicity (64.02 µg of bromophenol blue bound), T3 washing resulted in surimi with the greatest gel strength (965 g.mm) and water holding capacity (~65%), with fine network structure visualized by scanning electron microscope. It also efficiently removed lipid (~80% reduction), myoglobin (~65% reduction), non-heme iron (~94% reduction), and trichloroacetic acid-soluble peptide (~52% reduction) contents, which improves whiteness (~45% improvement), reduces lipid oxidation (TBARS value < 0.5 mg malondialdehyde equivalent/kg), and decreases the intensity of the gel’s fishy odor (~30% reduction). As a result, washing mackerel surimi (A. thazard) with CW containing 0.6% (w/v) NaCl in the first cycle, followed by two cycles of cold water washing (T3), can be a simple method for increasing gel-forming capability and oxidative stability. The mackerel surimi produced using this washing approach has a higher quality than that produced with regular washing. This straightforward method will enable the sustainable use of dark-fleshed fish for the production of surimi. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Use of Biological Resources)

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16 pages, 5335 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

The Emerging Role of Plant-Based Building Materials in the Construction Industry—A Bibliometric Analysis

by Anita Boros and Dávid Tőzsér

Resources 2023, 12(10), 124; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12100124 - 19 Oct 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4241

Abstract

The emergence of plant-based building materials is supported by several factors, such as shortages, adverse effects, and quality deficits of conventional resources, strict legislative frameworks targeting the realization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and growing environmental awareness on the individual and stakeholder levels. To support these findings, this paper aimed to assess the relevance of these green materials in the construction industry and highlight the most widespread and thoroughly studied plant-based compounds in the literature, using bibliometric analysis. By evaluating 977 publications from 453 sources, the results show that the total number of relevant papers has increased yearly, while most belonged to the engineering discipline. Most articles were dedicated to one or more of the SDGs, which was confirmed by the more comprehensive representation and elaboration of “green”, “environmental”, and “sustainability” aspects regarding the topics of “materials” and “building” as the most frequent terms. Additionally, a wide range of plant-based building materials are thoroughly evaluated in the literature; these are primarily used to improve conventional materials’ mechanical properties, while many are also tested as substitutes for conventional ones. In conclusion, the green transition in the construction industry is aided by the scientific community by proposing plant-based supplements and alternatives to well-known materials and practices; however, further in-depth studies are needed to verify the applicability of such novelties to gain uniform acceptance and foster the expansion of sustainability initiatives in the sector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Use of Biological Resources)

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17 pages, 763 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Vitro Efficacy of Hungarian Propolis against Bacteria, Yeast, and Trichomonas gallinae Isolated from Pigeons—A Possible Antibiotic Alternative?

by Ádám Kerek, Péter Csanády, Barbara Tuska-Szalay, László Kovács and Ákos Jerzsele

Resources 2023, 12(9), 101; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12090101 - 29 Aug 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2053

Abstract

The spread of antimicrobial resistance is one of the most serious human and animal health problems of our time. Propolis is a natural substance with antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic activity, the most active components of which are polyphenols and terpenoids. In the present study, the authors investigated the efficacy of propolis against Staphylococcus spp., Enterococcus spp., Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica, Candida albicans fungi, and Trichomonas gallinae isolated from pigeons. For each pathogen, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum eradication concentration (MEC) of eight isolates were determined for 96%, 90%, 80%, 70%, and 60% ethanolic extracts of propolis from the region of Észak-Alföld. Propolis was shown to be effective in inhibiting the growth of Gram-positive bacteria, Candida albicans, and Trichomonas gallinae strains. Propolis showed a much better efficacy against Gram-positive bacteria (1.56–400 µg/mL) than against Gram-negative bacteria (>13,000 µg/mL). For Staphylococcus spp., MIC values ranged within 1.56–400 µg/mL and MEC values within 12.5–3260 µg/mL, while for Enterococcus spp. MIC values ranged within 1.56–400 µg/mL and MEC values within 12.5–800 µg/mL. MIC values > 13,000 µg/mL were found for Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica species. For Candida albicans, MIC values ranging from 1.56 to 400 µg/mL and MEC values ranging from 3.125 to 800 µg/mL were effective. MEC values between 2.5 and 5 mg/mL were observed for three Trichomonas gallinae strains. The effectiveness against Gram-positive bacteria has, in some cases, approached that of antibiotics, making propolis a potential alternative in the treatment of wound infections. Its outstanding efficacy against Trichomonas gallinae holds promise as a potential alternative for treating this widespread infection in pigeons. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Use of Biological Resources)

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24 pages, 1851 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Food Waste to Food Security: Transition from Bioresources to Sustainability

by Prakash Kumar Sarangi, Priti Pal, Akhilesh Kumar Singh, Uttam Kumar Sahoo and Piotr Prus

Resources 2024, 13(12), 164; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources13120164 - 25 Nov 2024

Viewed by 1232

Abstract

The transition from food waste to food security is a critical component of sustainability efforts. This approach focuses on repurposing organic waste products generated throughout the food supply chain into valuable resources. Food waste, encompassing everything from agricultural residues to post-consumer waste, represents a significant untapped potential that can be harnessed to enhance food security. By implementing strategies such as composting, bioconversion, and innovative recycling technologies, biowastes can be transformed into fertilizers, animal feed, and even new food products, thus closing the loop in the food system and aiding sustainable solutions for waste valorization. This transition not only addresses environmental concerns by reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions but also contributes to economic sustainability by creating new opportunities within the food production and waste management sectors. Ultimately, transforming food waste into a resource aligns with the broader goals of a circular economy, ensuring a sustainable, resilient, and food-secure future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Use of Biological Resources)

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24 pages, 5415 KiB

Open AccessReview

Plant-Based Extracts as Reducing, Capping, and Stabilizing Agents for the Green Synthesis of Inorganic Nanoparticles

by Zuamí Villagrán, Luis Miguel Anaya-Esparza, Carlos Arnulfo Velázquez-Carriles, Jorge Manuel Silva-Jara, José Martín Ruvalcaba-Gómez, Edward F. Aurora-Vigo, Ernesto Rodríguez-Lafitte, Noé Rodríguez-Barajas, Iván Balderas-León and Fernando Martínez-Esquivias

Resources 2024, 13(6), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources13060070 - 26 May 2024

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3538

Abstract

The synthesis of inorganic nanoparticles for diverse applications is an active research area that involves physical and chemical methods, which typically are expensive, involve hazardous chemical reagents, use complex equipment and synthesis conditions, and consume large amounts of time and energy. Thus, green synthesis methods have emerged as eco-friendly and easy alternatives for inorganic nanoparticle synthesis, particularly the use of plant-based extracts from fruit juice, leaves, seeds, peel, stem, barks, and roots, which act as reducing, capping, and stabilizing agents, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals and circular economy principles. Therefore, diverse inorganic nanoparticles have been synthesized using plant-based extracts, including gold, silver, titanium dioxide, zinc, copper, platinum, zirconium, iron, selenium, magnesium, nickel, sulfur, cobalt, palladium, and indium nanoparticles, which exhibit different biological activities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, dye degradation, cytotoxic, analgesic, sedative, wound-healing, skin protection, sensor development, and plant-growth-promoting effects. Therefore, this review summarizes the advantages and limitations of plant-based extracts as reducing, capping, and stabilizing agents for inorganic nanoparticle green synthesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Use of Biological Resources)

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