Enhancing the fuel properties of beverage wastes as non-edible feedstock for biofuel production

A few industries, such as the beverage industry, have experienced some growth in sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. Globally, beverage companies alone generate over 200 million tonnes of biomass annually, which largely ends up as animal feed or in landfills. With the UK government's commitment to reduce its carbon footprint by at least 68% in 2030, many companies, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), are exploring options to reduce carbon emissions and develop roadmaps to become carbon neutral. It has thus become imperative for beverage companies to find value in or repurpose their waste. This paper unlocks the potential for improving the fuel properties of beverage waste through a blending process and explores the determination of optimal fractions for the blends via characterization. With an initial moisture content of 82 and 58 wt.% brewery spent grain (BSG) and spent coffee grounds (SCG), respectively, the pre-treatment process reduced moisture content by approximately 10-15 wt.%. The study concludes that biomass blending improved the fuel properties of the biomass, providing a competitive comparison with coal for energy applications.

Using Landfill Sites and Marginal Lands for Socio-Economically Sustainable Biomass Production through Cultivation of Non-Food Energy Crops: An Analysis Focused on South Asia and Europe

Food security and energy transition are among the current major global environmental challenges. Although these issues individually are significant in their own right, they are connected to each other in a nexus with different interrelationships and dependencies. In the quest for non-fossil alternatives for energy, cultivation of bioenergy crops has become an important part of the energy policy in many countries. In this regard, the use of fertile agricultural land for growing crops for energy production rather than for food supply affects the global food security. Recent conflicts and the geopolitical crisis in Europe, leading to increased food, fuel, and fertiliser prices, the existing climate crisis, and the crisis caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have further reinforced the understanding of this nexus, with certain countries mulling limiting biofuel production from agricultural land and others banning food grain exports to safeguard food supply. The idea of growing non-food energy crops on marginal lands in general and closed landfill sites in particular is hence ever more relevant, to avoid land-use concurrence between food needs and energy needs. Landfilling has been the dominant waste management strategy until recently in European countries and is still the dominant mode of waste management in low-income regions like South Asia. This paper provides a review of the economic as well as environmental benefits of growing Ricinus communis L., Jatropha curcas L., and Populus deltoides as energy crops on closed landfill sites in the South Asian context. While as the cultivation of Miscanthus X Giganteus, Silphium perfoliatum L., and Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass) is reviewed in the European context. The cultivation of non-food energy crops like these on closed landfill sites and marginal lands is presented as a potential component of an integrated food-energy policy, with an increased relevance in the current times. In the current times of multiple crises, this measure is of increasing relevance as a part of the overall strategy to achieve resilience and environmental sustainability.

Deciphering Houttuynia cordata extract as electron shuttles with anti-COVID-19 activity and its performance in microbial fuel cells.

Background: Traditional herbal medicines usually contain electron shuttle (ES)-like structures compounds which are potential candidates for antiviral compounds selection. Houttuynia cordata is applied as a biomaterial to decipher its potential applications in bioenergy extraction in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and anti-COVID-19 via molecular docking evaluation. Methods: H. cordata leaves extracts by water and 60% ethanol solvent were analyzed for total polyphenols, antioxidant activity, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and MFCs. The bioactive compounds of H. cordata leaves extracts were assayed via LC/MS analysis. Identification of the marker substances for potential antiviral activity using a molecular docking model was provided. Significant findings: 60% ethanol extract exhibits the highest total polyphenols and antioxidant activity compared with water extracts. Bioenergy extraction in MFCs showed that 60% ethanol extracts could give 1.76-fold more power generation compared to the blank. Flavonoids and their sugar-to-glycan ratios increased after CV scanning and they are expected to be effective ES substances. Quercitrin, from the H. cordata extract that shares an ES-like structure, was found to exhibit strong binding affinities towards ACE2 and RdRp. This indicated the potential of H. cordata leaves as a promising antiviral herb.

Techno-economic analysis of enzymatic biodiesel co-produced in palm oil mills from sludge palm oil for improving renewable energy access in rural areas

To date, irregularity and lack of power supply remain a global problem in the rural areas of underdeveloped and developing countries. This paper proposes a new concept for rural electrification by using palm oil mills to co-produce biodiesel from sludge palm oil. We performed a case study based on a medium-sized palm oil mill in Central Kalimantan. Approximately 2.5 tonnes of biodiesel could be produced daily using an enzymatic batch process and potentially support around 1,375 households of 4 people each in the surrounding areas. Subsequently, we performed a techno-economic assessment to study the commercial feasibility of the concept for rural electrification using the enzymatic biodiesel as opposed to commercial diesel. A 10% price deduction was applied to incentivize the local community to use the co-produced biodiesel. From our analysis, the rural electrification concept was found to be commercially viable with a return on investment of 29% and a breakeven period of less than 4 years of operation. Barring the short-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the price fluctuations of diesel and crude palm oil, the long-term commercial prospect of this rural electrification concept is attractive as it financially benefits both the rural community and the mill operators.

14th German Endocrine Brain Immune Network, GEBIN

The proceedings contain 48 papers. The topics discussed include: mental and physical health in informal caregiving and associations with relationship quality between caregiver and care recipient - a pilot study;immune-mediated early endocrine response during tumorigenesis;characterization of circulating dendritic cells in major depressive disorder;immune age correlates with cardiorespiratory fitness, but not with general intelligence;investigation of the relationship between immune age and vaccination against SARS-CoV-2;the steroid hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) counteracts the consequences of psychological trauma on immunocellular ageing and mitochondrial bioenergetics;prediction of antibody levels after COVD-19 vaccination: evidence for immune interoception;and temporal dynamics of cytokine changes in blood, cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissue of endotoxemic rats.

New insights in food security and environmental sustainability through waste food management.

Food waste has been identified as one of the major factors that constitute numerous anthropogenic activities, especially in developing countries. There is a growing problem with food waste that affects every part of the waste management system, from collection to disposal; finding long-term solutions necessitates involving all participants in the food supply chain, from farmers and manufacturers to distributors and consumers. In addition to food waste management, maintaining food sustainability and security globally is crucial so that every individual, household, and nation can always get food. "End hunger, achieve food security and enhanced nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture" are among the main challenges of global sustainable development (SDG) goal 2. Therefore, sustainable food waste management technology is needed. Recent attention has been focused on global food loss and waste. One-third of food produced for human use is wasted every year. Source reduction (i.e., limiting food losses and waste) and contemporary treatment technologies appear to be the most promising strategy for converting food waste into safe, nutritious, value-added feed products and achieving sustainability. Food waste is also employed in industrial processes for the production of biofuels or biopolymers. Biofuels mitigate the detrimental effects of fossil fuels. Identifying crop-producing zones, bioenergy cultivars, and management practices will enhance the natural environment and sustainable biochemical process. Traditional food waste reduction strategies are ineffective in lowering GHG emissions and food waste treatment. The main contribution of this study is an inventory of the theoretical and practical methods of prevention and minimization of food waste and losses. It identifies the trade-offs for food safety, sustainability, and security. Moreover, it investigates the impact of COVID-19 on food waste behavior.

Which is leading: Renewable or brown energy assets?

This study examines the relationship between crude oil, a proxy for brown energy, and several renewable energy stock sector indices (e.g., solar energy, wind energy, bioenergy, and geothermal energy) over various investment horizons. Using daily data from October 15, 2010, to February 23, 2022, we apply a combination of methods involving co-integration, wavelet coherency, and wavelet-based Granger causality. The results show that the relationship between crude oil and renewable energy indices is non-linear and somewhat multifaceted. Firstly, there are sectorial differences in the intensity of the relationships. Notably, the relationship intensity between the wind and crude oil is lower than that involving geothermal energy or bioenergy. Secondly, the relationship evolves with time. For example, the COVID-19 outbreak seems to have increased the relationship between crude oil and renewable energy markets, notably for solar, bioenergy, and geothermal. Thirdly, the relationship varies across scales. When controlling for the VIX (volatility index), a proxy of the sentiment of market participants, and EPU (economic policy uncertainty index), the relationship seems strong in the long term but weak in the short term. This result is confirmed using a Granger causality test on the wavelet-decomposed series. These findings have important implications for long-term investors, short-term speculators, and policymakers regarding the co-movement between brown and renewable energy markets. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.

Rubber seed oil: potential feedstock for aviation biofuel production. (Special Issue: Technology and innovation for a post COVID recovery and growth: the contribution of industry and academia.)

The aviation industry is responsible for 12% of transport-related GHG emissions and 2-3% of the global GHG emissions, thus raising concerns for sustainable alternatives such as aviation biofuels. This study sought to analyze the potential of producing aviation fuel from rubber seed oil. Rubber seed oil (RSO) was extracted and the physicochemical properties investigated as well as the fatty acid composition. This result was simulated in ASPEN plus to determine the potential aviation biofuel produced using the UOP HEFA process. The study shows that the golden yellowish oil derived from rubber seed possessed a density 0.9 g/cm3 and pH of 6, refractive index of 1.48, heating value of 23.75 MJ/kg and composed of 75% area of FFA with Oleic and Linoleic acid been the most dominant. The HEFA process on ASPEN Plus showed 81% of feedstock was converted to hydrocarbons with aviation biofuel yield of 46%. It was estimated that the installation of the plant for aviation biofuel production has a total capital cost of $ 8,650,480 and a total operation cost of $ 328,728. The economic analysis shows that at a cost of USD 4/kg (USD 3.01/liter) of aviation biofuel has an Internal rate of return of 18.62% profitability of 1.18 and payback period of 14.9 years of the plant operating. This study established that rubber seed oil shows suitability and potential for sustainable aviation biofuel production.

Mitochondria-Lipid-droplet interaction: Where Mitochondrial Dynamics Meet Bioenergetics

Mitochondria surrounding lipid droplets (Peri-Droplet Mitochondria;PDM) maintain a unique proteome which is not equilibrated with the rest of the mitochondrial population. We find that PDM remain stationary and elongated on lipid droplets, fuel lipid droplet expansion, and do not fuse with cytosolic mitochondria. Compared to cytosolic mitochondria, PDM have higher capacity to metabolize pyruvate but reduced capacity to oxidize fatty acids. We reveal for the first time the mechanism by which the elongated mitochondrial shape of PDM differentiate their fuel preference from that of cytosolic mitochondria. We find that mitochondrial elongation reduces fatty acid utilization by inhibiting CPT1 activity. On the other hand, we find that mitochondrial fragmentation, such as observed in NASH, increases mitochondrial lipid utilization and may act as a compensatory mechanism to reduce lipotoxicity. Indeed, inhibition of fission in a model of NASH exacerbated NASH phenotype. We developed a cell-based imaging for the quantification of mitochondria-lipid droplet association and identified a set of small molecules that detach mitochondria from lipid droplets (PDM-Detachers). New unpublished data demonstrate PDM detachers induce lipolysis and lipid droplet shrinkage. Using these tools we assessed the role of lipid droplets in SARS-CoV2 expansion. We find that proliferation of various coronaviruses can be strongly inhibited by PDM-detachers and enhanced by attaching mitochondria to lipid droplets. We demonstrate that PDM can be found in humans. We studied adipose tissue from pheochromocytoma patients, a model of white adipose browning characterized by enhanced capacity for energy expenditure. Remarkably, bioenergetic changes associated with browning were primarily localized to PDM. Similar changes were found in a mouse model of re-browning, where PDM increased in whitened brown adipose tissue upon reducing housing temperature. Copyright © 2022

FOREST RESIDUES CONSUMPTION BY HOUSEHOLDS IN LARGE URBAN CENTERS IN BRAZIL: AN OVERVIEW

The traditional use of biomass is still the reality in the world. In 2019 the traditional use of biomass represented 6.5% in total final energy consumption and the modern bioenergy was 5.1% in the world. The modern use of biomass involves the use of advanced and efficient technological processes such as liquid biofuels, production of briquettes and pellets, cogeneration from sustainably sourced biomass and the traditional use of biomass involves inefficient processes of biomass transformation as burning with low technology and use of non-sustainable biomass. In Brazil, the use of firewood as residential fuel has been increasing since 2018 and is currently the second most used source in the residential sector. This is due to the change in the cooking gas price policy that took place in 2017, increasing the price of this fuel, and this combined with the covid pandemic made many families in vulnerable economic situations replace cooking gas with firewood and others kind of the waste and materials. The burning of firewood and other materials in improvised stoves, inefficient with low technology, exposes these families, mostly women and children, the smoke, causing various types of diseases and domestic accidents. In addition, the increase in the use of firewood as fuel causes regression to the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals-SDGs, in particular to goal 7 that calls for “affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all” by 2030. This paper aims to present is compiling data and technical information about the use of the forest residues consumption by households in large urban centres in Brazil. © 2022, ETA-Florence Renewable Energies., All rights reserved.

The role of sustainability assessment tools in realizing bioenergy and bioproduct systems

The pressing global challenges, including global warming and climate change, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the Covid-19 pandemic, all are indicative of the necessity of a transition from fossil-based systems toward bioenergy and bioproduct to ensure our plans for sustainable development. Such a transition, however, should be thoroughly engineered, considering the sustainability of the different elements of these systems. Advanced sustainability tools are instrumental in realizing this important objective. The present work critically reviews these tools, including techno-economic, life cycle assessment, emergy, energy, and exergy analyses, within the context of the bioenergy and bioproduct systems. The principles behind these methods are briefly explained, and then their pros and cons in designing, analyzing, and optimizing bioenergy and bioproduct systems are highlighted. Overall, it can be concluded that despite the promises held by these tools, they cannot be regarded as perfect solutions to address all the issues involved in realizing bioenergy and bioproduct systems, and integration of these tools can provide more reliable and accurate results than single approaches. © 2022 BRTeam. All rights reserved.

OIL PALM ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE IN MALAYSIA AND R&D PROGRESS IN 2021

The palm oil industry fared better in 2021 compared to 2020, despite lower crude palm oil (CPO) production due to labour shortage and a restricted supply of CPO during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the industry recovers, research and development (R&D) activities remain dedicated towards ensuring the industry is sustainable and competitive. In the upstream sector, efforts continue to be focused in increasing the CPO yield per hectare through precision agriculture, advanced genomic technologies and improved breeding programmes, control of pest and diseases, as well as farm mechanisation. In the midstream sector, there were some improvements in mill productivity, that reduce the environmental impact of the milling operations. Intensification of R&D related to palm-based biomass has the potential to contribute to higher income for the industry. In the downstream sector, food safety and the nutrition-rich value of palm oil offer the best quality for this versatile and productive oil crop, to the world. Additionally, non-food products such as biofuels, biopolymers and bio-lubricants are also gaining research traction due to global movement towards a circular economy and sustainability.

Synergistic deciphering of bioenergy production and electron transport characteristics to screen traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for COVID-19 drug development.

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used as an "immune booster" for disease prevention and clinical treatment since ancient China. However, many studies were focused on the organic herbal extract rather than aqueous herbal extract (AHE; decoction). Due to the COVID-19 pandemics, this study tended to decipher phytochemical contents in the decoction of herbs and derived bioactivities (e.g., anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties). As prior works revealed, the efficacy of Parkinson's medicines and antiviral flavonoid herbs was strongly governed by their bioenergy-stimulating proficiency. Methods: Herbal extracts were prepared by using a traditional Chinese decoction pot. After filtration and evaporation, crude extracts were used to prepare sample solutions for various bioassays. The phytochemical content and bioactivities of AHEs were determined via ELISA microplate reader. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were used as a novel platform to evaluate bioenergy contents with electron-transfer characteristics for antiviral drug development. Significant findings: Regarding 18 TCM herbal extracts for the prevention of SARS and H1N1 influenza, comparison on total polyphenol, flavonoid, condensed tannins and polysaccharides were conducted. Moreover, considerable total flavonoid contents were detected for 11 herb extracts. These AEHs were not only rich in phytonutrient contents but also plentiful in anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Herbs with high polyphenol content had higher antioxidant activity. Forsythia suspensa extract expressed the highest inhibition against nitric oxide production for anti-inflammation. MFC bioenergy-stimulating studies also revealed that top ranking COVID-19 efficacious herbs were both bioenergy driven and electron mediated. That is, electron transfer-controlled bioenergy extraction was significant to antiviral characteristics for anti-COVID-19 drug development.

Metabolomic Biomarkers Measured at Patient Discharge Predict Long- Term Physical Function in Survivors of Acute Respiratory Failure

RATIONALE: Long-term quality of life is a significant concern for survivors of sepsis and acute respiratory failure (ARF). Financial burdens await as many patients never return to work. Notably, the duration of the ICU stay significantly correlates with the severity of physical impairment and up to 25% of skeletal muscle is lost within one week in the ICU. The recent pandemic due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2) is likely to exacerbate these issues. We have previously reported that metabolites related to mitochondrial bioenergetics status can predict acute patient outcomes. Here, we propose that these same metabolomic and mitochondrial biomarkers of mortality also predict physical function in survivors. METHODS: To test this hypothesis, we performed a retrospective analysis of metabolomic changes in ARF survivors using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Six months after ICU admission, physical function was determined by the short physical performance battery (SPPB), an objective physical function measurement assessing gait speed, balance and lower extremity strength. A total of 70 consecutively enrolled patients were selected, of which 35 had good physical function (SPPB ≥ 7) and 35 had poor physical function (SPPB ≤6). The patients were matched for age, race and sex. Metabolomic analysis of patient's serum was measured at ICU admittance (n=70), 5d-post admittance (n=20) and discharge (n=20). RESULTS: More than 1250 named compounds were identified. There were only 19 metabolites that were significantly different at admittance (ANOVA;p < 0.05), of which seven were bile acids. However at discharge, despite less patient samples tested, 151 metabolites were significantly different (ANOVA;p < 0.05). Specifically, we found that 10 lysophospholipids, eight bile acids, three TCA cycle metabolites, eight kynurenine-related metabolites and nine urea cycle metabolites were significantly different. Many of these pathways have previously been shown to be altered in nonsurvivors of sepsis and ARF. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that bioenergetic abnormalities arising during the acute phase of recovery may be persistent and predict longer-term decrements of physical function in survivors of ARF. Larger retrospective and prospective studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings;however, predicting poor physical function in survivors as well as identifying the affected metabolic pathways may lead to improved therapies and long-term patient outcomes.

Interactive deciphering electron-shuttling characteristics of agricultural wastes with potential bioenergy-steered anti-COVID-19 activity via microbial fuel cells.

Background: This first-attempt study explored indigenous herbs from agricultural waste with bioenergy and biorefinery-stimulating potentials for possible anti-COVID-19 drug development. As prior novel study revealed, medicinal herbs abundant in ortho-dihydroxyl substituents and flavonoid-bearing chemicals were likely not only electron shuttle (ES)-steered, but also virus transmission-resisted. Methods: Herbal extract preparation from agricultural wastes were implemented via traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) decoction pot. After filtration and evaporation, a crude extract obtained was used for evaluation of bioenergy-stimulating and electron-mediating characteristics via microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Combined with cyclic voltammetric analysis, MFCs provided a novel platform to distinguish electron shuttles from antioxidants with electron-transfer steered antiviral potentials of herbal extracts. Significant findings: After 50 serial cyclic voltammogram traces, considerable ES activities of herbal extracts still stably remained, indicating that possible medication-associated capabilities could be persistent. This work also extended to explore bioenergy-stimulating herbs from agricultural waste recycling for bioenergy and biorefinery applications. Water extract of Coffea arabica was more biotoxic than ethanolic extract, resulting in its lower power-generating capability. The findings revealed that water extract of Trichodesma khasianum and Euphorbia hirta could exhibit considerable bioenergy-enhancing effects. For cradle-to-cradle circular economy, agricultural waste could be specifically screened for possible regeneration of value-added anti-COVID-19 drugs via bioenergy selection.

Integrating IoT with Vedic Technology to Purify Atmosphere

Agnihotra/Homa therapy is a gift to humanity from the ancient Vedic technology of bioenergy, climate science, medicine, and agriculture. It is an urgent need to purify the atmosphere and strengthen the immune system through Vedic Science techniques. Covid-19 has become a major threat globally. Agnihotra can be a useful tool to combat coronavirus. Agnihotra process purifies the atmosphere through fire prepared in a copper pyramid tuned to the biorhythm of sunrise and sunset. Technology is now part of our lives and the Internet of Things takes a significant share in making it possible. So IoT and Agnihotra fire technology is applicable for the improvement of all aspects of the environment and thereby having a very positive impact on the thrive of living organisms. IoT-based sensors will become the weapon in measuring the presence of bacteria, microbes, viruses in the surrounding area. They can be used for both indoor and outdoor environments and offers monitoring at a lower cost than conventional methods, in theory making the process of monitoring possible in many more locations. We also proposed an IoT based model where data will be gathered from various sensors before and after Yajna. It is then transmitted and stored on a cloud sub-system, where it is maintained, managed, and backed up. Further automation of analytical model building is done through the process of machine learning and data visualizations, thus enabling users to enhance their immune system by using technology and Vedic knowledge of Agnihotra. © 2021 IEEE.

Town, Country and Wilderness: Planning the Half-Earth

Theorists of Half-Earth Socialism Troy Vettese, Drew Pendergrass and Filip Mesko explain their global societal vision and explore how eco-socialist planning can create a just and sustainable society. They argue that the problem of land scarcity is an opportunity to erode the separation of city and country, while vast swathes of the world could be rewilded.

Cow products: boon to human health and food security.

The world population exceeded 7.8 billion people in 2020 and is predicted to reach 9.9 billion by 2050 as per the current increasing rate of 25%. In view of this, ensuring human health and food security has become an issue of key importance to countries with different degrees of economic development. At the same time, the livestock sector plays a strategic role in improving the economic, environmental, and sociocultural stewardship of any nation. The cow (Bos indicus) has held a distinctive role in human history ever since its domestication because of its valued harvests like dairy products (milk, clarified butter, yogurt, curd, and buttermilk) excreta like dung and urine. These products, except dung, provide all the necessary energy and nutrients to ensure the proper growth and development of the human. They are the source of many bioactive substances, which possess immense pharmacotherapeutic action against various physiological, metabolic and infectious disorders, including COVID-19. The use of urine and dung can be considered a low-cost agricultural practice for farmers and has been extensively used in modern agriculture practices to ensure food security via soil fertility, plant pathogens, and pests. Cow urine mediated synthesized nanomaterial also display distinctive characteristics and novel applications in various fields of science and technology. Thus, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of cow products, describing their biochemical constituents, bioactivities, and their utilization in the area ranging from human welfare to agriculture sustainability. An attempt is also made to present possible applications in bioenergy production and pollution reduction.

Bioeconomy and green recovery in a post-COVID-19 era.

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has generated a health crisis and repetitive lockdowns that disrupted different economic and societal segments. As the world has placed hope on the vaccination progress to bring back the socio-economic "normal," this article explores how the bioeconomy can enhance the resilience and sustainability of bio-based, food, and energy systems in the post-COVID-19 era. The proposed recovery approach integrates technological innovations, environment, ecosystem services, "biocities," food, rural economies, and tourism. The importance of integrating culture, arts, and the fashion industry as part of the recovery is underlined towards building a better bioeconomy that, together with environmental safeguards, promotes socio-cultural and economic innovations. This integration could be achieved supporting communities and stakeholders to diversify their activities by combining sustainable production with decarbonization, stimulating private investments in this direction and monitoring the resulting impact of mitigation measures. Food systems should become more resilient in order to allow adapting rapidly to severe crises and future shocks, while it is important to increase circularity towards the valorization of waste, the integration of different processes within the biorefinery concept and the production of bio-based products and biofuels.