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Resources

Resources is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal on natural resources published monthly online by MDPI.

Quartile Ranking JCR - Q2 (Environmental Sciences)

All Articles (1,398)

  • Feature Paper
  • Article
  • Open Access

In the context of the urgent global transition toward sustainable materials, this study presents a comparative environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), a biodegradable, bio-based polymer, against conventional petrochemical plastics (polystyrene—PS; polypropylene—PP) and another popular biopolymer, namely polylactic acid (PLA). The LCA was conducted using primary production data from a laboratory-scale PHB manufacturing process, integrating real-time energy consumption measurements across all production stages. Environmental indicators such as carbon footprint and energy demand were analyzed under cradle-to-gate and end-of-life scenarios. The results indicate that PHB, while offering biodegradability and renewable sourcing, currently exhibits a significantly higher carbon footprint than PP, PS, and PLA, primarily due to its energy-intensive downstream processing. However, the environmental impact of PHB can be markedly reduced—by over 67%—through partial integration of renewable energy. PLA demonstrated the lowest production-phase emissions, while PP showed the most favorable end-of-life outcomes under municipal waste management assumptions. The study highlights the critical influence of energy sourcing, production scale, and waste treatment infrastructure on the sustainability performance of biopolymers. These findings provide practical insights for industry and policymakers aiming to reduce the environmental burden of plastics and support a shift toward circular material systems.

10 October 2025

Application areas of biopolymers across various industries and production sectors.

Mining activity has been and is one of the most important and indispensable industries for the development of society. Given its role in the provision of raw materials, advancing the development of environmentally friendly mining practices is essential for meeting the globally established goals of sustainable development. In this regard, actions and incentives are being promoted by the European Union, such as the Mine.io project presented in this research. In response to the needs identified within the mining sector, this research seeks to explore the functional and non-functional requirements across several mining contexts. The objective is to establish effective patterns that positively influence the sector activities. This effort is envisioned as a critical foundation for developing a digital architecture that addresses sector limitations and fosters the integration of Industry 4.0 principles into the mining domain. The results provide a solid basis for understanding the needs of the different mining sectors analyzed, while also demonstrating the potential advancements achievable through the project’s technological developments. They enable a comprehensive evaluation of the current technological state in relation to the broader context of global legacy practices, establishing informed guidelines for effective sector responses based on digitalization and the application of sustainable tools.

10 October 2025

  • Systematic Review
  • Open Access

Naidí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.), a Colombian Pacific Fruit with Potential Use in Animal Feed: A Systematic Review

  • Eduardo J. Chavarro-Parra,
  • Carlos A. Hincapié and
  • Gustavo Adolfo Hincapié-Llanos
  • + 2 authors

Due to its implications for environmental conservation, the search for alternative ingredients to replace conventional raw materials destined for animal feed is a highly relevant issue. This systematic review aims to identify the fruit with the greatest potential for use in animal feed among those commonly cultivated in the Colombian Pacific region. A bibliographic search of scientific articles on eight different fruits commonly cultivated in the Colombian Pacific was carried out in the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodology, 970 publications from 2004 to 15 December 2024 were selected. After screening the publications, naidí (Euterpe oleracea) was selected as the fruit with the greatest potential for use in animal feed due to the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the 53 relevant publications found in the databases. The articles were classified by subject matter: nutritional composition, bioactive compound content, and uses in animal feed. The results indicate that naidí is a good source of fat and fiber and has a suitable mineral and fatty acid profile for animal feed. It also contains a variety of chemical constituents, including polyphenols such as anthocyanins and other flavonoids. The multiple precedents found related to the use of naidí in animal feed, such as good indicators of weight gain, increased immune values, antioxidant capacity, and other health benefits, make this fruit and its by-products a promising source as an ingredient for animal feed. This expands the perspective and projection of the naidí industry in Colombia.

9 October 2025

Biogas Production and Evaluation of the Potential of Sargassum Digestate as an Agricultural Substrate

  • Héctor Alfredo López-Aguilar,
  • Antonino Pérez-Hernández and
  • David Quiroz-Cardoza
  • + 3 authors

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the production of biogas and the digestate obtained by means of the anaerobic digestion of sargassum, and its anaerobic co-digestion with municipal solid waste, while considering the effect of particle size and the carbon–nitrogen ratio (C:N) on methane generation. Physicochemical analyses of both Sargassum and the digestate were performed, including ultimate analysis and heavy metal content. The highest methane yield (92.62 mL CH4/gVS) was achieved with a 2 mm particle size and a C:N ratio of 15. Digestate characterization revealed the presence of arsenic and zinc, indicating the need for additional treatment before agricultural use. The agronomic potential of Sargassum digestate was assessed by comparing it with livestock waste, humus, and garden soil in tomato seedling growth trials. The Sargassum-based digestate significantly enhanced seedling biomass and development, supporting its potential as a sustainable soil amendment. Overall, the findings confirm the viability of Sargassum as a feedstock for biogas and biofertilizer production, emphasizing the importance of contaminant monitoring to ensure environmental safety. This study supports the integration of Sargassum into circular economy strategies and regenerative agricultural systems.

9 October 2025

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Resources - ISSN 2079-9276Creative Common CC BY license