Search Results (89)

The transition to Industry 5.0 highlights the growing integration of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in industrial ecosystems. However, adoption remains fragmented, lacking standardized frameworks to align intelligent automation with human-centric principles. While RPA improves operational efficiency and AI enhances cognitive decision-making, challenges such as organizational resistance, interoperability, and ethical governance hinder scalable and sustainable implementation. The envisioned scenario involves seamless RPA-AI integration, fostering human–machine collaboration, operational resilience, and sustainability. Expected outcomes include (1) hyperautomation for efficiency gains, (2) agile, data-driven decision-making, (3) sustainable resource optimization, and (4) an upskilled workforce focusing on innovation. This study proposes a structured five-stage framework for RPA-AI deployment in Industry 5.0, combining automation, cognitive enhancement, and human–machine symbiosis. A systematic literature review (PICO method) identifies gaps and supports the framework’s design, validated through operational, human-impact, and sustainability metrics. Incorporating ethical governance and continuous upskilling, the model ensures technological advancement aligns with societal and environmental values. Results demonstrate its potential as a roadmap for responsible digital transformation, balancing efficiency with human-centricity. Future research should focus on empirical validation and sector-specific adaptations. Full article

This study examines the establishment of a Hub for Circular Economy and Industrial Symbiosis (HUB-CEIS) centred on a forest biomass waste plant in Fundão, Portugal, presenting an innovative model for rural industrial symbiosis, circular economy governance, and sustainable waste management. Designed as a strategic node within a reverse supply chain, the hub facilitates the conversion of solid waste into renewable energy and high-value co-products, including green hydrogen, tailored for industrial and agricultural applications, with an estimated 120 ktCO₂/year reduction and 60 direct jobs. Aligned with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, this initiative addresses global challenges such as decarbonization, resource efficiency, and the energy transition. Employing a mixed research methodology, this study integrates a comprehensive literature review, in-depth stakeholder interviews, and comparative case study analysis to formulate a governance framework fostering regional partnerships between industry, government, and local communities. The findings highlight Fundão’s potential to become a benchmark for rural industrial symbiosis, offering a replicable model for circularity in non-urban contexts, with a projected investment of USD 60 M. Special emphasis is placed on the green hydrogen value chain, positioning it as a key enabler for regional sustainability. This research underscores the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration in achieving scalable and efficient waste recovery processes. By delivering practical insights and a robust governance structure, the study contributes to the circular economy literature, providing actionable strategies for implementing rural reverse supply chains. Beyond validating waste valorization and renewable energy production, the proposed hub establishes a blueprint for sustainable rural industrial development, promoting long-term industrial symbiosis integration. Full article

Cerium dioxide nanoparticles (CeO₂-NPs) are increasingly used in various industrial applications, leading to their inevitable release into the environment including the soil ecosystem. In soil, CeO₂-NPs are taken up by plants, translocated, and accumulated in plant tissues. Within plant tissues, CeO₂-NPs have been shown to interfere with critical metabolic pathways, which may affect plant health and productivity. Moreover, their presence in soil can influence soil physico-chemical and biological properties, including microbial communities within the rhizosphere, where they can alter microbial physiology, diversity, and enzymatic activities. These interactions raise concerns about the potential disruption of plant–microbe symbiosis essential for plant nutrition and soil health. Despite these challenges, CeO₂-NPs hold potential as tools for enhancing crop productivity and resilience to stress, such as drought or heavy metal contamination. However, understanding the balance between their beneficial and harmful effects is crucial for their safe application in agriculture. To date, the overall impact of CeO₂-NPs on soil -plant system and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, this review analyses the recent research findings to provide a comprehensive understanding of the fate of CeO₂-NPs in soil–plant systems and the implications for soil health, plant growth, and agricultural productivity. As the current research is limited by inconsistent findings, often due to variations in experimental conditions, it is essential to study CeO₂-NPs under more ecologically relevant settings. This review further emphasizes the need for future research to assess the long-term environmental impacts of CeO₂-NPs in soil–plant systems and to develop guidelines for their responsible use in sustainable agriculture. Full article

The high extraction of natural resources and the limited use of mining waste as alternative mineral resources are intensifying the depletion of natural reserves. The linear economic structure used by industrial sectors needs to be replaced with more sustainable models, such as the one proposed in the circular economy. This study aimed to evaluate strategies for the valorization of nepheline syenite waste (NSW) as an alternative mineral resource to natural and conventional ones. To this end, a set of criteria was adopted, consisting of a systematic approach for waste valorization, namely classification, potentiality, quantity/viability, and applicability (CPQvA). This involved investigating the properties of NSW, including its environmental, physical, chemical, morphological, and durability characteristics. The findings provide evidence of several potential applications for NSW, including the civil construction (fine aggregate and supplementary cementitious material), metallurgical (segregation of the iron fraction), and agricultural (segregation of the alkaline fraction) sectors. Methodologies for the beneficiation of NSW are suggested for each of the investigated applications. The valorization of NSW not only reduces the environmental impact of mining but also contributes to sustainable development by creating new products and economic opportunities, thereby promoting industrial symbiosis and advancement in the circular economy. Full article

Industrial symbiosis (IS) plays a crucial role in enhancing sustainability within industrial ecosystems by facilitating the exchange of waste, by-products, energy, and resources among different industries. This collaborative approach reduces resource consumption, minimizes waste generation, lowers disposal costs, and creates economic opportunities through synergistic relationships. This study focuses on the production of potassium nitrate (KNO₃) in the Escombreras industrial area in Spain, employing life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost analysis (LCC) to evaluate the impact of IS strategies. The ReCiPe method, implemented through SimaPro software and supported by market data from the Ecoinvent 3.8 database, is used for a comparative analysis between conventional KNO₃ production and improved technologies that promote circular economy principles. The LCA and LCC methodologies provide a comprehensive evaluation of both environmental and economic performance, considering key factors influenced by IS synergies. Results demonstrate significant environmental and economic benefits from the integration of IS into KNO₃ production, revealing the potential for improved sustainability and competitiveness through circular economy practices. This research provides valuable insights into how IS can enhance both environmental performance and cost-efficiency in industrial processes. These findings support the integration of IS as a viable pathway toward sustainable and cost-effective fertilizer production. Full article

Hybrid Reality (HyR) is the place where human beings and artificial entities interact. HyR modelling relies simultaneously on the cognitive power of humans and artificial entities. In addition, HyR is an evolving paradigm where natural and artificial intelligence can intervene in processes that demand proper control. This work aims to lay the foundation for a systematic approach to understanding and modeling present and future human–machine symbiosis under a systems engineering perspective. It introduces a novel cyber-systemic methodology for managing the engineering of purposeful regulation for HyR phenomena by integrating the Blockchain technology framework and principled methods of cybernetics. This formalized interdisciplinary methodology integrates system dynamics, agent-based computation, artificial intelligence, and Blockchain-powered security and safety layers. The Blockchain framework, seen under a new cyber-systemic perspective, provides new opportunities and tools for the organization and control of HyR. A Cybersystemic Security Kit is here defined as a major component of the methodology, representing a candidate to offer viable breakthroughs in the field with respect to the best practices of Industry 5.0 when a systemically augmented perspective is adopted. Ongoing research and experimentation in the real field of sustainable supply chains is used as a motivating use case to support the proposed position. The industrial target is the primary one in its multi-dimensional and multi-faceted sustainability impacts, but this study will also reveal other potential societal areas of intervention. Full article

Synergizing agricultural heritage conservation with tourism utilization is pivotal for sustainable regional development. Using a difference-in-differences (DID) method and entropy weight method (EWM), this study comparatively analyzed the economic resilience of two UNESCO agricultural heritage sites in China: the Wujiang Silk Culture System and the Longji Terraces in Longsheng, from 2019 to 2023. The results revealed that heritage certification significantly promotes tourism growth, increasing revenue in Wujiang by 12.5% and visitor numbers in Longsheng by 18.3%. However, the resilience mechanisms varied distinctly between the sites: Wujiang displayed a market-driven resilience pattern characterized by effective cultural tourism integration, whereas Longsheng remained vulnerable due to resource dependency and infrastructural constraints. Further, Wujiang’s robust policy framework involving heritage conservation, tourism development, and ecological compensation fostered sustained resilience, albeit facing long-term challenges such as potential cultural commodification. This research contributes theoretically by quantifying the resilience disparities via spatial econometric analyses, identifying market-institution drivers, and proposing a “Four-Dimensional Optimization Matrix”, integrating value activation, infrastructure enhancement, industrial symbiosis, and adaptive governance. Practically, it provides tailored policy insights for improving resilience, avoiding over-commercialization, and promoting sustainable tourism practices applicable globally, particularly in developing economies managing heritage sites. Full article

This study pioneers a combined Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) evaluation of an industrial symbiosis (IS) case involving waste heat recovery from a pulp and paper mill to a tomato greenhouse in Sweden. Unlike previous studies that assess environmental or economic aspects separately, this research provides a holistic assessment quantifying both environmental burdens and economic feasibility. A comparative analysis framework is applied, evaluating a symbiotic real case of waste heat recovery versus conventional greenhouse tomato production in the Netherlands and subsequent import to Sweden. LCA examines greenhouse gas emissions, eutrophication, toxicity, land use, and resource depletion, while LCC assesses total ownership costs, including Capital and Operational Expenditures. The findings demonstrate that the IS scenario significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and operational costs while enhancing energy efficiency. This work fills a gap in IS literature, offering a replicable framework for sustainable greenhouse operations. The results highlight the potential of IS to improve resource efficiency, promote circular economy strategies, and foster sustainable practices in the agri-food sector. Full article

Industrial symbiosis (IS) involves transferring waste materials and/or energy flows between stakeholders to enhance resource efficiency and reduce environmental impacts. The success of these transactions depends on supply–demand matching, technical feasibility of waste integration into industrial processes, economic savings, and compliance with legal and environmental regulations. This paper presents a methodology for the technoeconomic assessment of IS projects, integrating material flow cost accounting (MFCA) and cost–benefit analysis (CBA) incorporating CAPEX and OPEX considerations. MFCA, traditionally used to identify hidden costs from inefficiencies, is adapted here to assess resource utilisation across industry networks. The methodology is applied to two real-world demo cases: a novel fertiliser production process in Escombreras (Spain), where IS focuses on process optimisation and by-product valorisation, and an IS process design in Frövi (Sweden), where CO₂ and residual energy flows are exchanged between industrial sectors. The results demonstrate the potential of MFCA-CBA integration to enhance decision making in IS implementation. In Spain, process optimisation led to a 50% reduction in operating costs, whereas, in Sweden, CO₂ reutilisation resulted in a 30% increase in resource efficiency. These findings highlight the economic and environmental benefits of IS and provide insights into cost allocation and pricing strategies. Full article

This study evaluates the potential of gasification-based energy-from-waste (EfW) as a sustainable alternative to the current incineration facility in an industrial zone of a major UK city. The city generates approximately 475,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) annually, with around 285,000 tonnes suitable for gasification-based energy recovery. Using a Monte Carlo type approach, we assess energy outputs across three scenarios: electricity-focused; balanced; hydrogen-focused. Results show that the industrial zone’s annual demand for heat and electricity are covered by all three scenarios, although the analysis does not seek to balance supply and demand over sub-annual timeframes. This suggests that energy-from-waste can support local energy demand and enable industrial symbiosis. At the city scale, however, only 7% of annual electricity demand is covered by the electricity-focused scenario with the balanced scenario only covering 4%. The hydrogen-focused scenario yields enough hydrogen annually to power up to 3400 buses, well beyond the current fleet of 144 and the target fleet of 480 by 2035, positioning the area as a potential hydrogen hub. The balanced scenario offers adaptable energy outputs, supporting diverse energy needs and reducing dependency on conventional incineration. Full article

Wood waste (WW) from the furniture industry is a material that deserves special attention, given that it is still relatively unexplored in manufacturing industries. Therefore, this study aims to elaborate guidelines for decision-making in the furniture industry’s wood waste, focusing on the north–central region of the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, as a spatial outline of the research. The SWOT matrix is the main methodology for this stage of analysis, based on the previous study of Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), the calculation of the Material Circularity Index (MCI), and the field research conducted in the industries. The obtained results show promising recycling scenarios over energy recovery, and the studied guidelines indicate this path. The three basic guidelines include discouraging the disposal of wood waste potentially usable as raw material into landfills; encouraging the use of wood waste based on the concept of industrial symbiosis; and promoting the creation of a market for the use of WW as a raw material in new products. Finally, with the proposed guidelines, it will be possible to contribute to the decision-making process on the management of wood waste from the furniture industry, reduce the amount of wood waste discarded in landfills, and increase the recycling rate. All of this being covered by a market created and maintained for the adequate management of wood waste. Furthermore, despite focusing on a Brazilian region for analysis, this paper intends to contribute to future research in the field, to be conducted in other locations. Full article

The ceramic and glass industries, integral to the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), face significant challenges in achieving decarbonization despite advancements in energy efficiency. The circular economy offers a promising pathway, emphasizing the reuse and recycling of waste materials into secondary raw materials (SRMs) to reduce resource consumption and emissions. This study investigates a standardized waste supply chain framework, developed collaboratively with stakeholders, tailored for the ceramic sector. The Waste Resource Platform (WRP) integrates Industry 4.0 paradigms, utilizing a modular, layered architecture and a process-centric design. The framework includes experimental tests and co-creation methodologies to refine a digital marketplace that connects stakeholders, facilitates SRM exchange, and fosters industrial symbiosis. The WRP demonstrates the potential for SRMs to replace virgin materials, reducing environmental impacts and production costs. It enhances supply chain transparency through digital traceability, promotes predictive material sourcing, and streamlines logistics via algorithmic optimization. Challenges such as regulatory gaps and quality standards are addressed through standardized processes, open data governance, and innovative algorithms. The WRP project advances circular economy goals in the ceramic sector, promoting waste reuse, industrial symbiosis, and supply chain resilience. Its standardized, open-access platform offers a scalable model for other industries, fostering sustainable practices and resource efficiency while addressing global climate targets. Full article

This paper presents a circular business model (CBM) designed to promote the valorization of agricultural biomass ash for producing an alternative binder in construction, aiming to reduce CO₂ emissions and landfill waste. The circular economy framework emphasizes regeneration and restoration to minimize resource and energy use, waste generation, pollution, and other environmental impacts. Aligned with these principles of sustainability, the construction industry, energy sector and food processing industry can establish a shared interest through industrial symbiosis. In the proposed CBM, waste from one industry becomes an input for another. The model leverages industrial symbiosis by using sunflower husk ash (SHA) as an alternative hydroxide activator for alkali-activated materials. A case study of companies in the Republic of Serbia that produce SHA as waste forms the basis for this model, featuring promising results of experimental testing of three alkali-activated mortars produced by activating ground-granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) with different SHA contents (15, 25 and 35 wt% GGBFS), instead of commercially available hydroxide activators. The potential of SHA as an alternative activator was assessed by testing flow diameter and compressive strength at 7 and 28 days of curing. The highest 28-day compressive strength was attained for the addition of 25% SHA (28.44 MPa). The promising results provided a valid basis for CBM development. The proposed CBM is stream-based, resulting from merging and upgrading two existing industrial symbioses. This study highlights the benefits of the CBM while addressing the challenges and barriers to its implementation, offering insights into the possible integration of agricultural biomass ash into sustainable construction practices. Full article

Climate change is seriously threatening ecological environments essential for human survival. Achieving the carbon neutrality goals of industrial parks (IPs), the gathering places of industrial activity, plays a crucial role in climate change mitigation and in promoting sustainable industrial development. In this study, we use an AI-facilitated literature review and empirical research to analyze and classify the 12 pathways for carbon neutrality for IPs based on the development nature and carbon flow framework. In addition, the carbon emission reduction potentials of various pathways are quantified using a case study. The results of the literature analysis show that, in terms of IP carbon emission reductions, most research has focused on the energy infrastructure related to energy management and utilization, as well as the service infrastructure related to the carbon footprint and industrial symbiosis. Among the 148 studies, “industrial symbiosis” and “carbon footprint” appeared with frequencies of 1278 and 474, respectively. Additionally, 102 of these studies mentioned decarbonization of energy infrastructure. In total, 11 of the carbon neutrality pathways existed in the empirical research, with the exception of carbon storage, and among them, 7 pathways are applied across all 104 IPs. Case studies indicate that the pathways with greater reduction potentials were the energy infrastructure, carbon capture, and the product and waste infrastructure, with potential reductions of 250,000 tons, 200,000 tons, and 145,080 tons of CO₂ emissions, respectively. This study provides valuable references for IPs to achieve their carbon neutrality goals. Full article

The aim of this study was to obtain data on Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) profiles of Streptococcus thermophilus (S. thermophilus) isolates resulting from acquired immune memory in addition to their technological starter properties for the selection of potential starter cultures from local yogurt samples. A total of 24 S. thermophilus isolates were collected from six local yogurt samples including Afyon/Dinar, Uşak, Konya/Karapınar, and Tokat provinces of Türkiye. Strain-specific CRISPR I-II-III and IV primers were used to determine the CRISPR profiles of the isolates. The isolates commonly had CRISPR II and IV profiles, while only one isolate had a CRISPR III profile. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based and culture-based analyses were also carried out to obtain data on the technological properties of the isolates. The PCR analyses were performed for the prtS gene for protease activity, the ureC gene for urease enzyme, the gdh gene for glutamate dehydrogenase, the cox gene for competence frequency, the csp gene involved in heat-shock stress resistance of the isolates with specific primers. Culture-based analyses including antimicrobial activity and acid-production ability of the isolates were completed, and proteolytic and lipolytic properties were also screened. Native spacer sequences resulting from acquired immune memory were obtained for CRISPR IV profiles of yogurt samples from the Konya-Karapınar and Tokat provinces and CRISPR III profiles of yogurt samples from the Uşak province. In conclusion, our study results suggest that it is possible to select the isolates with the desired level of technological characteristics, prioritizing the ones with the most diverse CRISPR profiles and with native spacers for potential industrial application as starter cultures. We believe that this study provides data for further biological studies on the impact of centuries of human domestication on evolutionary adaptations and how these microorganisms manage survival and symbiosis. Full article