Search Results (12,703)

Citric acid (CA) necessitates the investigation of the environmental footprint from its production. This study compared three recovery technologies at different readiness levels, industrial calcium hydrogen salt precipitation–ion exchange (CHP-IE), pilot-scale solvent extraction (SE), and laboratory-scale bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED), to evaluate the life cycle environmental impacts of CA production when employing each recovery technology. SE and BMED were selected as emerging alternatives, as both are potential candidates to offer environmental or economic advantages over CHP-IE. By modeling the continuous improvement in the key production parameters as cumulative production experience increases, technological learning curves capture the efficiency gains that occur as technologies mature. This study pioneers an integrated ex-ante LCA framework that couples technological learning curves with energy transition scenarios to prospectively compare emerging CA recovery technologies against an industrialized process. Currently, CHP-IE shows the highest profit of 1078 CNY/t CA and the lowest global warming potential (GWP) of 1.79 t CO₂ eq/t CA, with the latter advantage projected to persist until 2030. By 2050, under deep decarbonization, BMED becomes the lowest-carbon option with 0.78 t CO₂ eq/t CA. Furthermore, with maize as the primary raw material, improved cultivation models in Northeast China reduce the environmental impacts of CA production by approximately 3% in acidification potential (AP) and eutrophication potential (EP), while diversified cropping systems in North China yield reductions of over 50% in these two categories. This paper provides an approach of comprehensive evaluation, supporting technology selection and green supply chain development in the CA industry. Full article

Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Mill.) is a pseudocereal that has recently gained increasing interest among both farmers and scientists. Its low soil requirements, high adaptability, and high resistance to diseases and pests allow it to be cultivated in many regions of the world. It is recommended for various cultivation systems, especially for low-input and organic farming. Currently, buckwheat is grown mainly for seeds and less often for green fodder. Thanks to its above-average nutritional value and many benefits that support human health, it is considered one of the leaders in functional food. It can be a basic raw material for many food products such as flour, groats, and flakes, but can also be used as a valuable addition to crisps, bars and drinks. Recently, buckwheat’s usefulness in the energy industry, construction, medicine, and pharmacology has been confirmed. Buckwheat, as a plant species distinct from the dominant global crops, fits very well into the current standards and assumptions of sustainable development. Its cultivation and consumption are associated with a number of benefits not only for human health but also for the whole environment. It is considered a species that counteracts climate change. Buckwheat’s valuable properties include its positive impact on soil physicochemical properties, its enhancement of biodiversity, and its support for pollinators. It is considered a species that can be cultivated in a changing climate, generating a very low carbon footprint. The aim of this study was to determine the contemporary economic importance of buckwheat, its place among species supporting sustainable development, and to identify potential research areas that will contribute to strengthening buckwheat’s role in sustainable agriculture. Full article

Ripened Pu-erh tea (RPT) experiences notable aroma transformations during industrial pile fermentation, yet the stage-dependent evolution of key aroma compounds remains poorly understood. This study analyzed two independent industrial batches of RPT across three fermentation stages: raw material (RM), intermediate fermentation (IF), and final fermentation (FF). Using HS-SPME/GC-MS coupled with multivariate statistical analysis and relative odor activity values (rOAVs), 134 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified, with hydrocarbons, alcohols, and esters as predominant classes. In total, 13 key aroma-active compounds (rOAVs > 1) were found to be major contributors to RPT’s characteristic aroma. During early fermentation, relative levels of VOCs responsible for fresh and green aromas (e.g., linalool, D-limonene) diminished, while those for woody and minty aromas (e.g., isophorone, methyl salicylate) increased. A flavor wheel was developed to illustrate the dynamic shifts in aroma profiles. This stage-resolved analysis offers new mechanistic insights into aroma formation, aiding in the optimization of aroma quality control and process standardization for RPT production. Full article

This article analyses the rise of economic security as a new organising principle of European Union economic governance and examines the extent to which this concept is transforming the traditional model of European industrial and market policy. In the context of escalating geopolitical rivalry, the disruption of global supply chains, technological competition, and energy uncertainty, the EU is gradually shifting away from a purely regulatory approach based on market liberalisation and competition enforcement towards a more active and strategically oriented model of intervention. The study employs a qualitative political-economic research design, combining policy and document analysis with case studies of strategic sectors, including advanced technologies, critical raw materials, energy, and trade-investment instruments. The findings demonstrate that economic security is operationalised through coordinated investment, the support of domestic capacities, and the selective protection of strategic industries. This contributes to the mitigation of systemic risks, the strengthening of technological sovereignty, and the enhancement of supply chain resilience. However, these policies simultaneously create tensions between efficiency, fiscal sustainability, and the integrity of the Single Market. The article contributes to the political economy literature by conceptualising economic security as a hybrid model that merges market integration with strategic public coordination and evaluates its implications for the Union’s long-term competitiveness and economic development. Full article

Tea buds are the key raw material for high-quality tea production, and their accurate perception is essential for intelligent harvesting and quality-oriented management. However, tea bud detection in mountainous large-leaf tea plantations remains challenging because small, densely distributed targets are embedded in complex field environments, significantly limiting the stability and accuracy of existing detection methods. To address these challenges, this study proposes an improved tea bud detection model, termed YOLO-LAR, for mountainous large-leaf tea plantations in Yunnan Province, China, which is developed as an enhanced framework based on the YOLOv11 baseline. YOLO-LAR improves feature representation through multi-scale feature fusion, enabling more effective detection of densely distributed small tea buds. In addition, an optimized downsampling strategy is employed to preserve critical spatial information, and a context-enhanced feature aggregation mechanism is introduced to strengthen robustness under complex backgrounds and illumination variations. The results demonstrate that YOLO-LAR achieves precision, recall, mAP@0.50, and mAP@0.50:0.95 of 0.959, 0.908, 0.961, and 0.814, respectively, outperforming mainstream YOLO-based models, including YOLOv11n, YOLOv10n, and YOLOv8n. These results indicate that YOLO-LAR provides an effective and practical solution for accurate tea bud detection, offering strong technical support for intelligent harvesting and precision management in mountainous tea plantation environments. Full article

The study investigates the technology of direct Cr alloying of steel in an induction furnace using Cr-containing oxide raw materials and an FeAlSiCa metallothermic reducing agent under atmospheric conditions. The experimental design included four charge variants: scrap-based, DRI-based, A-series (50% scrap/50% DRI), and B-series (75% scrap/25% DRI). For A-series and B-series, the FeAlSiCa content was varied from the baseline value to reduced levels of −10% and −20%. The results demonstrate that Cr recovery strongly depends on the metallic component of the charge. The highest Cr recovery (up to 83%) was consistently achieved for the DRI-based charge, while mixed charges showed intermediate values depending on the DRI fraction and reducer amount. Reduction in FeAlSiCa content led to a decrease in Si transfer to steel, but was accompanied by lower Cr recovery. The produced steels were characterized by a uniform distribution of alloying elements, low impurity levels (S, P < 0.03%), and the formation of a dense, non-disintegrating slag. The results confirm that direct Cr alloying in an induction furnace can be effectively implemented under atmospheric conditions without vacuum or protective gas atmosphere, while the presence of DRI plays a key role in enhancing Cr assimilation. Full article

The internal recycling of iron-rich fine residues is a crucial process for reducing the raw material loss and the carbon footprint in sustainable ironmaking and steelmaking. Traditionally, cement has been used as a binder to ensure the structural integrity of agglomerates during transport and charging. While cementitious binder can achieve the necessary structural support, it contributes significantly to the carbon footprint. This study investigated the effects of alternative biogenic binders and varying compaction pressures on the physical and mechanical properties of agglomerates produced from three different types of fine residues from steel (SR) and cast-iron (FR) production. In addition, the self-reducing capability and degree of metallization of these agglomerates were evaluated through pyrometallurgical experiments in a Tammann furnace. The resulting agglomerates exhibited sufficient mechanical strength and high iron recovery rates. These findings confirm that biogenic binders can effectively replace cementitious binders without compromising the self-reduction performance of the agglomerates. Full article

Refractories are advanced ceramics essential for high-temperature operations in the steel, glass, cement, and power sectors. In response to growing sustainability requirements, life cycle assessment (LCA) is increasingly applied to quantify and mitigate their environmental impacts. However, current refractory-related LCA research remains limited by the scarcity of comprehensive inventories and the lack of systematic evaluation of uncertainties affecting results and ecodesign strategies. This study addresses these gaps by presenting the first published LCAs of tabular alumina, white fused alumina, and fused cast high-alumina block production, thereby expanding the environmental knowledge base across alumina products. The analysis shows that uncertainties in characterization models can significantly influence impact-category prioritization, underscoring the need for robust interpretation frameworks. Differences in category criticality across methodological levels and LCIA methods are examined, highlighting the suitability of the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) approach for refractory applications due to its explicit consideration of model uncertainty and comprehensive coverage of impact categories. Results indicate that alumina products significantly contribute to climate change, fossil resource depletion, particulate matter formation, acidification, freshwater eutrophication, and non-cancer human toxicity. Energy supply constitutes the main environmental hotspot, both through its direct consumption and its indirect contribution during raw material preparation. Red mud disposal is also a major contributor to impacts associated with calcined alumina production. Based on these insights, improvement strategies are proposed, demonstrating the value of LCA as an ecodesign tool. Scenario analysis for fused cast high-alumina block further quantifies the potential for impact reduction under varying operational conditions. Full article

Coke, as an essential metallurgical raw material, is widely used in iron and steel production. To investigate the pyrolysis behavior and cross-linking reactions during the pyrolysis of coking coal, pyrolysis experiments were conducted in a quartz-tube fixed-bed reactor placed in an electric furnace. The yields and compositions of the pyrolysis products were systematically analyzed. Gaseous and tar components generated at different pyrolysis stages were characterized using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The semi-coke was examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that the yields of tar from coking coal pyrolysis have a notable impact on the cross-linking reactions occurring during the coal pyrolysis process. The structural differences between Malan coal (ML) and Tunlan coal (TL) coals underlie their distinct behaviors in cross-linking intensity, tar evolution profiles, and coke-forming properties. For high-volatile, highly fluid ML coal, the release of the aliphatic compounds in tar volatiles remains relatively low at the temperature of maximum fluidity, which is beneficial to the cross-linking reactions. In contrast, for TL coal with lower volatility and fluidity, substantial H₂ emission during the early pyrolysis stage promotes cross-linking reactions. This study provides new insights into the temperature-dependent evolution of cross-linking reactions during coking coal pyrolysis. Full article

The improper discharge of industrial effluents containing dyes, such as methylene blue, represents a serious environmental problem. The present study, therefore, aimed to evaluate the potential of biochar derived from carnauba stalks as an adsorbent for removing dyes from aqueous media. The raw stalks were subjected to carbonization under an inert atmosphere to yield biochar, and both materials were characterized by proximate and elemental analyses, SEM/EDS, PSD, XRD, FTIR, and thermal analyses. Batch adsorption experiments were monitored by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Pyrolysis resulted in an increase in aromatic fixed carbon (+26.5%) and ash content (+23.8%), while simultaneously reducing volatile matter (−39.3%), moisture, and the atomic H/C (0.39) and O/C (0.07) ratios. Furthermore, thermal stability was enhanced without causing a significant alteration to the average particle size (~30 μm). Adsorption tests showed a maximum uptake of 32.5 mg∙g⁻¹ at low dosage (2 mg), corresponding to 8.66% removal, while 27.83% removal was achieved at higher dosage (25 mg). Equilibrium data were best described by the Langmuir model (q_m = 210.7 mg∙g⁻¹; R² = 0.971), with q_m representing a theoretical fitting parameter. These findings of this study demonstrate the adsorption potential of carnauba stalk biochar and support its evaluation as a lignocellulosic material for dye removal applications. Full article

Alcohol hangover is a significant health concern worldwide. Java water-dropwort (Oenanthe javanica) has been traditionally used in East Asia for treating hepatitis, jaundice, and alcohol hangovers. This study evaluated the effects of java water-dropwort extract formulation on alcohol metabolism and hangover symptoms. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial was conducted with 36 healthy adults aged 19–40 years. Participants received either java water-dropwort extract formulation (8.71 mL equivalent to 6.69 g raw material) or placebo 30 min before alcohol consumption (0.8 g/kg body weight, 20.1% soju). Blood alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations were measured at multiple time points up to 15 h post consumption. Hangover symptoms were assessed using the Alcohol Hangover Severity Scale and Acute Hangover Scale. A total of 36 participants were enrolled, and 33 completed the study per protocol. Blood alcohol area under the curve (AUC) was significantly lower in the java water-dropwort group (58.626 vs. 66.194 mmol·h/L, p = 0.008). Blood acetaldehyde AUC was also significantly reduced (69.794 vs. 88.205 mg·h/dL, p = 0.031). Hangover symptom scores in the test group were significantly lower than those in the placebo group (4.030 vs. 8.606, p = 0.026). No adverse events occurred. Java water-dropwort extract effectively enhanced alcohol metabolism and improved hangover symptoms, offering potential therapeutic value for hangover management. Full article

Linear alkylbenzene (LAB) is the main raw material used to make biodegradable detergents, and its production process is based on aromatic alkylation. HY zeolites that have undergone controlled dealumination and desilication have led industrial standards amongst solid acid catalysts because of their controllable acidity and hierarchical pore structure. Coke formation in such systems can assume a dual role, which is dependent on its condition. Though the over-deposition is known to cause deactivation by blocking the micropores, Bronsted acid-site masking, and diffusion collapse, the low-level deposition could also be done to increase the monoalkylate selectivity by the pore mouth catalysis, steric modulation, and selective suppression of secondary alkylation pathways. The critical review is done on the structural-kinetic interaction that determines the coke evolution in HY-based catalysts. In order to moderate the acid-site density and enhance hydrothermal stability, dealumination (Si/Al optimization of about 2.5 to 30–100) occurs, but to reduce deep-pore coke formation, desilication (interconnected mesopores) is created. The bimodal porosity and regulated acidity are found to be synergistic, as hierarchical HY zeolites produced through successive cycles of steam and alkaline treatments not only show LAB selectivity in excess of 90% but also exhibit much longer catalyst lifetimes. Quantitative research on the beneficial coke regime revealed that it was composed of about 36 wt% hydrogen-rich species, which were localized at the pore mouths, hence enhancing monoalkylation selectivity by 15–40%. Beyond a critical transition window (e.g., 8–12 wt.%), coke formation to condensed polyaromatic and graphitic products leads to fast deactivated coke formation, which is due to percolation limits and transport-controlled kinetics. More advanced techniques of characterization of the coke, e.g., temperature-programmed oxidation (TPO), ²⁷Al MAAS NMR, and UV-Raman spectroscopy, indicate how the coke is changed to highly structured graphitic deposits of high oxidation activation energy. Activity recovery of 85–98% is obtained in regeneration processes, including controlled oxidative calcination, microwave-based and plasma-based processes, and thermal management protocols, and it would be determined by the chemistry of the coke, its spatial distribution, and the regeneration protocols. This paper has developed a mechanistic coke control system by cross-tuning the acidity and development of an effective pore network, which led to a sustainable aromatic alkylation reaction with minimal activity loss, high selectivity, and long life. Full article

With the rapid and exponential expansion of the lithium-ion battery (LIB) market, a new regulatory framework has been introduced, centered on the implementation of a Battery Passport (BP) to enhance transparency, traceability, and sustainability across the battery value chain. This review aims to provide the context in which the BP is being implemented by discussing the reliance of LIBs on critical raw materials (CRMs), as well as the related economic and regulatory aspects of the BP system. Furthermore, it examines ongoing BP initiatives and pilot projects and discusses the challenges and opportunities associated with this tool, highlighting its central role in enabling a circular LIB economy in Europe. A critical analysis from a research-oriented perspective is also provided. Full article

The world’s water resources are being deteriorated by the continuous discharge of various contaminants, highlighting the problem of dyes. Many industrial activities (dyeing, food, and medicines) depend on the use of synthetic dyes. Due to their strong color, toxicity, and carcinogenic properties, dye effluents are detrimental to human health and the environment and their treatment is mandatory before discharge. The manuscript intends to present a comprehensive summary of the advantages and drawbacks of using different treatments on the removal of dyes, mainly those based on adsorption. Emphasis is placed on the use of adsorbents from biomass or biomass waste, which are used in their original form or after conversion into biochar or activated carbon (AC). In this review, the use of biomass-based feedstocks to produce biochar and ACs and their application on the removal of various types of dyes from liquid effluents are compiled and critically discussed. This approach positions waste and sub products not as a problem, but as a valuable raw material for producing high value-added materials. The performance of different adsorbents, for the removal of cationic and anionic dyes, is discussed and related to the textural, physical and chemical characteristics of adsorbents and adsorption. It differs from the other revision manuscripts in that it elucidates to the readers the points to ponder before choosing an adsorbent for the removal of a specific dye, mainly for large-scale uses. Full article

Processing rosehips generates substantial solid waste that retains valuable bioactive compounds. This study evaluated the effects of different treatments on the composition, phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant capacity of powders derived from rosehip waste. Rosehips were processed into purée by cold screw pressing or boiling, yielding raw and boiled processing waste fractions (RW and BW). These fractions were then dehydrated by hot-air drying or lyophilisation to obtain RWd, RWl, BWd, and BWl. Additionally, a previous cold screw pressing step was applied to the boiled processing waste, producing BWpd and BWpl. Cold screw pressing increased phenolic and flavonoid levels and enhanced the antioxidant capacity of the resulting waste compared with traditional boiling. The lyophilised powder derived from raw processing waste exhibited the highest total phenolic content (TPC, 27.16 mg GAE/g), total flavonoid content (TFC, 20.35 mg QUE/g), and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity by ABTS and DPPH (TEAC-ABTS, 89.13 µmol TE/g; TEAC-DPPH, 163.99 µmol TE/g), although at higher processing costs. As hot-air drying achieved comparable levels for TPC (20.01 mg GAE/g), TFC (19.53 mg QUE/g), TEAC-ABTS (58.01 µmol TE/g), and TEAC-DPPH (150.01 µmol TE/g), it may represent a more economical alternative to lyophilisation. These findings demonstrate the potential of rosehip-processing waste as a sustainable raw material for the development of functional food ingredients. Full article