Search Results (5,265)

Fermentation is a longstanding preservation process used in meat manufacture to improve product stability, safety and sensory quality. Renewed interest in fermented meats has stimulated research into reformulation and processing strategies intended to address concerns associated with salt, nitrate, nitrite, smoke-derived contaminants and animal fat while maintaining effective fermentation and product quality. This narrative review critically examines current innovations in fermented meat manufacture, including the replacement or reduction of conventional preservatives, smoking alternatives, fat reformulation, functional starter cultures, probiotics, prebiotics and bacteriocins. Developments in non-thermal and accelerated processing, edible and active packaging, intelligent monitoring systems and emerging culture-development technologies are also considered. Evidence indicates that selected functional cultures and formulation strategies can support preservative reduction, microbial control, curing, oxidative stability and sensory development, although their effectiveness is strain-, product- and process-dependent. Several processing and packaging technologies offer additional possibilities for improving manufacturing efficiency, shelf-life management and product safety, but their validation in fermented meat systems varies considerably. Potential environmental benefits, including reduced refrigeration, shorter processing or extended shelf life, cannot be assumed to confer lower overall environmental impacts and require comparative assessment of energy use, material inputs, food-waste effects and life-cycle performance. Future development should therefore prioritise product-specific validation, integrated hurdle-system assessment, regulatory compliance, consumer acceptance and comparative environmental evaluation. Full article

Spent coffee grounds (SCGs), a ubiquitous and renewable agricultural waste, have emerged as a promising biosorbent for environmental remediation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the application of SCG-derived materials in wastewater treatment and gas purification. We systematically summarize their physicochemical characteristics, adsorption performance towards diverse contaminants, and underlying mechanisms. Specifically, modification strategies of raw SCGs are discussed in detail, including chemical modifications (e.g., degreasing/alkali/acid/organic solvent/metal oxide treatment), thermochemical conversions (e.g., pyrolysis, hydrothermal carbonization, and activation), and the fabrication of composites with natural or synthetic materials such as chitosan, clay minerals, and agricultural/industrial wastes. These approaches effectively optimize pore structure, enrich surface functionalities, and enhance selectivity and adsorption capacity. Particular attention is devoted to SCG-derived activated carbon and composites for capturing gaseous pollutants (e.g., CO₂, H₂S, PH₃, and VOCs). Techno-economic analysis of SCG-derived materials production is discussed to evaluate their commercial viability and overall sustainability. Finally, critical research gaps are identified, and future perspectives are proposed, emphasizing the elucidation of adsorption mechanisms, rational material design, and rigorous techno-economic and life-cycle assessments. This review underscores the potential of SCG-based materials as low-cost, high-performance alternatives to conventional adsorbents, aligning with the principles of a circular economy and environmental sustainability. Full article

The increasing demand for clean energy to mitigate air pollutant emissions, together with the need for sustainable carbon-based materials under the circular economy, has driven the exploration of renewable carbon materials derived from lignocellulosic biomass as a renewable bioresource. Due to its abundance, high carbon content, and favorable thermochemical properties, coconut shell was used as a feedstock for producing biocoke at higher pyrolysis temperatures (i.e., 700, 750, 800, and 850 °C) for comparison with commercial coal coke. The pore properties (i.e., surface area and pore volume) and chemical characteristics of commercial coal coke and the resulting biocoke products were characterized. The chemical characterization primarily involved energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The findings showed that the pore properties of the biocoke exhibited an upward trend as the pyrolysis temperature increased and were significantly higher than those of commercial coal coke (i.e., 294.37–467.05 m²/g vs. 6.33 m²/g based on the BET surface area). In contrast to the commercial coal coke, the proximate analysis results revealed that the resulting biocoke products possessed higher fixed carbon contents (i.e., 76.94–84.56 wt% vs. 78.40 wt%) and calorific values (i.e., 26.90–33.06 MJ/kg vs. 25.39 MJ/kg). Although the pore properties of Biocoke-700 (produced at 700 °C) were not significantly different from those of the other biocoke products, it appeared to be the optimal sample based on its lower energy consumption, low ash content (i.e., 2.25 wt%), and high fixed carbon content (i.e., 84.56 wt%). Based on the EDS and FTIR analyses, the resulting biocoke products retained moderate oxygen contents (14–18 wt%), implying the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface. In addition, the biocoke ash mainly contained inorganic compounds such as iron oxides, whereas the coal coke ash primarily consisted of silica and alumina. Full article

The increasing integration of renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind, has created a growing need for efficient and reliable energy storage technologies (ESTs) because of their intermittent nature. This review critically examines established and emerging ESTs, including batteries, supercapacitors, and mechanical, thermal, hydrogen, and superconducting magnetic energy storage systems, with emphasis on their technical performance, durability, response time, economic feasibility, and environmental considerations. The reviewed technologies exhibit substantial differences in their energy and power characteristics. Lithium-ion batteries, for example, provide an energy density of approximately 100–265 Wh/kg, with reported lifetimes of 2000–10,000 cycles, whereas supercapacitors offer only 5–10 Wh/kg but can withstand more than 100,000 cycles and deliver energy within seconds. Flywheel systems can achieve power densities of 1000–10,000 W/kg and operate for up to 100,000 cycles, while pumped hydro storage has a comparatively low energy density of approximately 0.5–1.5 Wh/kg but can provide service over periods exceeding 50 years. Thermal storage technologies also show considerable potential, with reported energy densities ranging from approximately 0.25 Wh/kg for sensible heat storage to 120–383 Wh/kg for thermochemical storage, depending on the materials and system configuration. Overall, the findings demonstrate that no single storage technology is optimal for all applications. Technology selection should, therefore, consider the required energy and power capacity, response time, lifetime, cost, and environmental impact, particularly when integrating variable renewable energy into modern energy systems. Full article

The textile, apparel, and fashion (TAF) industry generates significant environmental burdens across its entire supply chain. As the global textile recycling market expands, a systematic framework for classifying exhibitors and assessing their sustainability-related characteristics is increasingly needed. This study analyzes exhibitors at the 2026 Textiles Recycling Expo USA, the first specialized textile recycling exhibition in North America, to develop an exploratory sustainability assessment framework. Using qualitative content analysis, 78 exhibiting companies were categorized into four functional groups: (1) Hard-tech Infrastructure, (2) Chemical & Material Innovation, (3) Logistics & Waste Management, and (4) Knowledge & Support Services. Based on a review of sustainability assessment literature in the TAF industry, a four-dimensional framework was developed, encompassing Material Renewability, Process Sustainability, End-of-Life Options, and Technical & Digital Attributes. For a preliminary pilot application, 11 companies were purposively selected and evaluated by eight experts using defined key performance indicators (KPIs). The total scores ranged from 10.3 to 16.3 out of 20, with ESO RECYCLING Società Benefit receiving the highest overall score (16.3), followed by MARGASA (15.8). Across the evaluated companies, Technical & Digital Attributes generally showed relatively lower scores than the other dimensions, indicating comparatively limited publicly evidenced digital traceability capabilities. These findings demonstrate the preliminary applicability of the proposed framework for characterizing heterogeneous exhibitors while highlighting the need for further refinement and validation using larger and more diverse samples. Full article

In this study, composites reinforced with jute fiber, false banana fiber, and hybrid jute/false banana fibers were fabricated using unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) as the matrix material via the vacuum infusion method. To examine the effects of fiber type and hybridization on density, water absorption, tensile behavior, and microstructural features, all composite samples were prepared with a fixed total fiber content of 30 wt.% and a UPR matrix content of 70 wt.%. Among the fabricated composites, the false banana fiber-reinforced polymer composite (FBFRPC) exhibited the lowest density, with a value of 1.16 g/cm³, whereas the jute fiber-reinforced polymer composite (JFRPC) showed the highest density of 1.22 g/cm³. Water absorption increased gradually with immersion time in all composite groups. After 72 h of immersion, the lowest water absorption was recorded for the JFRPC, at 5.30%, while the highest value was obtained for the FBFRPC at 6.20%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that fiber type caused noticeable differences in fiber dispersion, resin impregnation, fiber pull-out behavior, and fiber–matrix interfacial bonding. The JFRPC demonstrated the highest tensile performance, reaching a maximum tensile stress of 51.20 MPa and a Young’s modulus of 885.60 MPa. In contrast, the FBFRPC showed the lowest tensile strength but achieved the highest strain value of 7.40%, indicating greater deformation capability before fracture. Compared with the individual jute and false banana fiber composites, the hybrid jute/false banana fiber-reinforced polymer composite (JFBFRPC) provided a balanced combination of density, water absorption, microstructural characteristics, and tensile properties. Overall, the findings indicate that hybridization is an effective approach for developing lightweight unsaturated polyester composites reinforced with renewable lignocellulosic fibers for potential non-load-bearing and semi-structural applications. Full article

Unrefined cucumber biomass powder (CBP) was incorporated into a poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) (P(AA-co-AM)) network to develop a superabsorbent hydrogel with enhanced gel network rigidity and swelling performance. CBP served as a renewable reinforcing scaffold, providing a multicomponent biomass matrix for physical reinforcement alongside abundant hydrophilic groups (–OH, –NH, and –CONH–). Spectroscopic and rheological analyses suggest that CBP integration significantly alters the gel network through complex multi-component interactions, as evidenced by FTIR peak shifts (3435 → 3442 cm⁻¹, 1558 → 1567 cm⁻¹) that are consistent with extensive interfacial hydrogen bonding and potential partial chemical integration, leading to a 97% increase in storage modulus (from 11.9 kPa to 23.4 kPa) with a corresponding decrease in tanδ from 0.36 to 0.26. Under optimized synthesis conditions, the composite exhibited 30 min free-swelling capacities of 2801.00 g/g in deionized water, 142.72 g/g in 0.9 wt% NaCl, and 65.04 g/g in synthetic urine, along with rapid kinetics (1637.49 g/g within 1 min) and partial residual swelling capacity (727.44 g/g retained after five cycles). Rheological analysis revealed that CBP incorporation enhances network stiffness while introducing a more strain-sensitive response at high deformations—a typical trade-off for rigidized gel networks. These findings demonstrate that unrefined model biomass can serve as an effective, low-cost reinforcing scaffold for functional hydrogels, offering a sustainable route for personal care or agricultural applications in gel materials design. Full article

Environmental accumulation issues arise from discarded waste, synthetic, and natural polymers in landfills, whose slow degradation exacerbates the problem. These materials can be upcycled as renewable feedstocks and properly reused. Therefore, this research examines the fabrication of an extruded wood–plastic suitable for large-scale production, made from recycled polypropylene (PP) and reinforced with plant-based fillers extracted from the lignocellulosic shell of Bertholletia excelsa, well-known as Castanha-do-Pará (CDP), offering a cost-effective and sustainable solution that minimizes waste and fosters a circular economy, enhancing its mechanical properties and environmental benefits. The fractions of 10%, 20%, and 30% by mass of CDP were tested. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses indicated that CDP acts as a nucleating agent for the polymer’s beta phase. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated interactions between the components as the filler content increased. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images revealed increased void regions at different CDP contents, corroborating the impact results. These outcomes indicate that incorporating 20%–30% Castanha-do-Pará filler can enhance the wood–plastic flexural properties. This reduces reliance on purely synthetic materials and positions Bertholletia excelsa wood–plastic as a valuable, potentially large-scale product. Full article

Wind turbines are among the most widely adopted renewable energy systems, yet the end-of-life management of wind turbine blades remains a major challenge. The turbine blades are primarily made of glass fiber-reinforced polymers (GFRP), which are difficult to recycle without degrading their inherent structural integrity. Instead of shredding or downcycling, this study explores a reuse strategy that preserves intact laminate from decommissioned blades and repurposes them into structural beams via glue-laminated fiber-reinforced polymers (GL-FRP) assemblies. This concept was implemented using commercial GFRP for blade-derived laminates, focusing on the structural feasibility rather than material sourcing. Adhesive joints were designed as the key enabling mechanism for structural reuse and characterized under tensile loading. Building on this, the flexural performance of GL-FRP beams was investigated in horizontal and vertical configurations, yielding an ultimate load-bearing capacity of 8 kN and 20 kN, respectively. Furthermore, stress distributions obtained from experiments, finite element (FE) simulations, and analytical frameworks were evaluated and compared. The results highlight the governing role of interlaminar stress in determining structural performance and failure of the horizontal beam. The findings provide a foundational understanding of repurposing decommissioned wind turbine blades as structural elements, offering a novel strategy for material upcycling in wind energy sector and contributing to the development of circular construction solutions. Full article

Wind power is a cornerstone of China’s renewable energy development, supporting the green and low-carbon transformation and “dual-carbon” goals. With rapid capacity growth and an approaching wave of decommissioning for early onshore wind, assessing the carbon reduction potential from resource recovery is critical yet challenging. This study establishes a net carbon emission assessment framework covering operational and recycling stages, evaluating the carbon reduction potential of decommissioned materials including steel, copper, and resin. Results show that total carbon reduction from resource utilization grows steadily, under the assumed end-of-life resource-utilization pathways; the cumulative carbon reduction potential during 2025–2045 is estimated at approximately 90.85 million t CO₂-eq., with steel contributing roughly 60%. Between 2025 and 2045, carbon reduction from decommissioned wind power materials rises from 1.93 to 5.28 million tons of CO₂-eq., stabilizing the industry’s net emissions at 21 million tons from 2040. Four regional evolution patterns were identified: continuous growth in major wind power bases such as Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang; peak–fallback in early-developed provinces such as Henan and Ningxia; late-stage rise in eastern and central provinces such as Jiangsu and Guangdong; and platform fluctuation in northeastern provinces such as Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning. These estimates are based on static life-cycle emission factors, exclude transportation between wind farms and recycling facilities, and do not incorporate formal sensitivity or probabilistic uncertainty analysis; therefore, the absolute mitigation values should be interpreted as scenario-based estimates rather than precise forecasts. The findings suggest that authorities should implement differentiated regional decommissioning strategies and plan forward-looking wind power industrial chains to maximize resource recovery and support national dual-carbon objectives. Full article

The development of bio-based plasticizers is increasingly important due to regulatory restrictions on several phthalates, growing concerns over plasticizer migration and toxicity, and the demand for renewable materials. In this work, eleven novel furfural-derived bio-based plasticizers were synthesized and evaluated in polylactic acid (PLA) at 15 wt% loading via melt compounding. Their influence on the thermomechanical properties of PLA was investigated, enabling the establishment of structure–property relationships. Hansen Solubility Parameters (HSPs) were used to predict plasticizer–PLA compatibility and correlate theoretical predictions with experimental performance. All developed bio-plasticizers exhibited onset degradation temperatures exceeding 225 °C, ensuring suitability for melt processing with PLA. Increasing the alkyl chain length in the diester bio-plasticizers reduced plasticization efficiency, consistent with lower predicted compatibility based on HSP analysis. The most promising candidates, namely 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic acid 2,3-dihexyl ester (F/MA-C6), 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic acid 2,3-dioctyl ester (F/MA-C8), and 1,1′-[oxybis(1-methyl-2,1-ethanediyl)]bistetrahydrofuroate (Bis-THF), substantially enhanced polymer chain mobility, reducing the glass transition temperature to approximately 28–35 °C compared to 60 °C for neat PLA. These bio-plasticizers also demonstrated outstanding plasticizing efficiency, achieving elongations at break exceeding 245%, compared with 4.5% for neat PLA. These results demonstrate that furfural-derived plasticizers are promising sustainable alternatives to conventional fossil-based plasticizers for flexible PLA applications. Full article

To address the limitations of conventional polymer hydrogels in terms of sustainability and functionality, green soy protein (SP)-based hydrogels (SPHs) demonstrate significant potential. As an abundant, renewable plant protein, SP provides an ideal molecular platform for constructing high-performance, multifunctional hydrogels. This review systematically consolidates recent progress in SPHs. Firstly, the molecular fundamentals and gelation mechanisms of soy protein are analyzed in depth. Subsequently, key construction strategies, including physical, chemical, and enzymatic crosslinking, as well as composite/hybrid approaches, are comprehensively reviewed with respect to their mechanisms, advantages, and limitations. Following this, innovative applications of SPHs in biomedical, food and nutrition, environmental/agricultural, and smart material fields are highlighted. Finally, the current challenges facing research in mechanical properties, structure–property relationships, and scalable production are identified. Future directions include developing novel green crosslinking systems, deepening multi-scale structural control, and advancing smart integrated design. This review aims to provide researchers with a systematic knowledge framework spanning from “molecular understanding” to “functional customization,” thereby propelling soy protein hydrogels toward higher toughness, intelligence, and sustainability. Full article

The building sector faces an urgent challenge in balancing carbon neutrality goals with natural resource conservation. This study constructs a three-dimensional dynamic coupling model integrating Life Cycle Assessment, carbon footprint, and emergy analysis to evaluate the sustainability of a hydrogen–solar–geothermal hybrid energy system for an ecological office building in China’s hot summer and cold winter climate zone over a twenty-year horizon. The model incorporates dynamic factors including grid decarbonization, equipment efficiency degradation, and replacement cycles to overcome the systematic bias inherent in static LCA. Results reveal a significant trade-off: the hybrid system achieves a 29.8% reduction in global warming potential with a seven-year carbon payback period, yet non-renewable resource consumption doubles and resource scarcity damage increases by 173%. The carbon payback trajectory exhibits non-monotonic fluctuation, with electrolyzer replacement in year ten generating 360 tonnes of additional emissions that nearly reset the cumulative net value to zero. Multi-objective optimization identifies photovoltaic capacity as the system baseline (170–210 kW) and electrolyzer capacity as the primary regulating variable (35–62 kW), with the TOPSIS-recommended compromise solution of 200 kW photovoltaic, 50 kW electrolyzer, 30 kW fuel cell, and 32 m³ hydrogen storage achieving annual carbon emissions of 280 tonnes and a 33.3% reduction. Carbon pricing exhibits a nonlinear leverage effect with an incentive threshold of 200 RMB per tonne, substantially above China’s current 60–80 RMB per tonne level. This study concludes that while hydrogen–solar–geothermal hybrid systems offer substantial climate benefits, their comprehensive sustainability depends on proactive management of material scarcity costs, precise planning of equipment replacement cycles, and coordinated multi-level policy instruments. The findings provide methodological foundations for transitioning building carbon neutrality assessment from static LCA to dynamic coupling frameworks and from single carbon metrics to integrated carbon-resource-cost evaluations. All quantitative results presented herein are derived from this specific case study under the stated assumptions and parameter values; generalization to other building types or climate zones requires recalibration. Full article

Biomass-derived nanoengineered carbon materials have emerged as key platforms in environmental technologies due to their high surface area, electrical conductivity, chemical stability, and sustainable synthetic route starting from renewable feedstock. This broad family comprises dimensionally nanoscale materials, such as carbon dots, carbon nanofibers, and graphene-based structures, as well as biochars, hydrochars, activated carbons, and related porous carbonaceous materials whose pore architecture, surface chemistry, or defects are deliberately engineered at the nanometer scale. Beyond their traditional role as passive supports, these materials can actively regulate adsorption phenomena, charge transport, and catalytic microenvironments through precise control of heteroatom doping, graphitic domains, and hierarchical porosity. Among current environmental priorities, carbon dioxide (CO₂) management represents one of the most pressing challenges. Biomass-derived nanocarbons offer tunable adsorption sites for selective CO₂ capture while simultaneously serving as active matrices for catalytic conversion. Tailored doped-carbon frameworks can stabilize key reaction intermediates, suppress competing pathways such as hydrogen evolution, and promote selective transformation into fuels and high-value chemicals. In addition, these materials are excellent hosts for atomically dispersed metals, dual-site catalysts, and semiconductor hybrids used in electrochemical and photocatalytic CO₂ reduction. By combining renewable sourcing with nanoscale control of reactivity, carbon materials create a bridge between environmental remediation and carbon valorization. This review critically examines recent progress in biomass-derived nanoengineered carbon materials for integrated CO₂ capture and conversion, with emphasis on structure-property-performance relationships, mechanistic roles, scalability, and sustainability. Particular attention is also devoted to catalytic conversion and electrochemical CO₂ sensing, where carbon-based and hybrid interfaces enable the transduction of CO₂ recognition into measurable electrical responses. These materials represent a promising yet underexplored pathway toward circular carbon management and the development of next-generation low-carbon chemical technologies. Full article

The development of biodegradable materials from renewable sources represents a promising strategy to reduce the environmental impact associated with conventional plastics. This study aimed to optimize potato starch-based bioplastics incorporated with lemongrass essential oil (Cymbopogon citratus) using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and to evaluate their application in fresh pineapple (Ananas comosus) preservation. A Box–Behnken experimental design with three factors and three levels was applied, considering potato starch concentration (4–8 g), essential oil content (100–300 µL), and glycerol volume (1–2 mL) as independent variables. The effects of these factors on tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young’s modulus were analyzed using a quadratic model. The optimized formulation exhibited a desirability value of 1.00, consisting of 4.13 g of starch, 131.59 µL of essential oil, and 1.43 mL of glycerol, with predicted values of 2.91 MPa tensile strength, 53.18% elongation at break, and 15.18 MPa Young’s modulus. Experimental validation showed good agreement with model predictions, with relative errors below 20%. The optimized bioplastic was subsequently applied as a coating for fresh-cut pineapple stored under refrigeration (4–8 °C), reducing weight loss and improving the stability of physicochemical and textural properties compared with the control treatment. The results demonstrate that potato starch-based bioplastics containing lemongrass essential oil have potential as active biodegradable coatings for extending the quality preservation of fresh pineapple. Full article