Scale-up of the bioelectrochemical system: Strategic perspectives and normalization of performance indices.

Electrochemists and ecological engineers find environmental bioelectrochemistry appealing; however, there is a big gap between expectations and actual progress in bioelectrochemical system (BES). Implementing such technology opens new opportunities for novel electrochemical reactions for resource recovery and effective wastewater treatment. Loopholes of BES exist in its scaling-up applications, and numerous attempts toward practical applications (200, 1000, and 1500 L) are key successive indicators toward its commercialization. This review emphasized the critical rethinking of standardization of performance indices i.e. current generation (A/m2), net energy recovery (kWh/kg·COD), product/resource yield (mM), and economic feasibility ($/kWh) to make fair comparison with the existing treatment system. Therefore, directional perspectives, including modularity, energy-cost balance, energy and resource recovery, have been proposed for the sustainable market of BES. The current state of the art and up-gradation in resource recovery and contaminant removal warrants a systematic rethinking of functional worth and niches of BES for practical applications.

A performance evaluation study of nano-biochar as a potential slow-release nano-fertilizer from wheat straw residue for sustainable agriculture.

Agro-Wastes are identified as to manufacture potential valuable organic biochar fertilizer product economically while also managing the waste. Biochar (BC) produced from agriculture waste is helps to improve the soil because of its neutral pH, addition of organic carbon to the soil and lower salt index values. This study focused on the development of nano-biochar into a more enhanced biochar product where it was checked whether the biochar derived from wheat straw can absorb nutrients and then act as support matter for releasing micro-nutrients and macro-nutrients for the plants on slow liberation basis. Wheat biochar (WBC) and wheat nano-biochar (WBNC) were synthesized by pyrolysis at two different temperatures and nutrients were fused into the WBC via impregnation technique. Physical parameters such as Proximate, Ultimate analysis & other were also studied and inspected by standard control procedures. Studies were also carried out on water retention (WR), water absorbance (WA), swelling ratio (SR) and equilibrium water content (EWC) for all samples; data was collected and compared for the better sample. Slow-release studies performed portrayed the release pattern of nutrients for prolonged periods, which are very important for the plant growth, yield and productivity. Overall, the experimental results displayed that BNC produced at 350 °C showed promising features of (SI:0.05, SR: 3.67, WA:64%, EWC:78.6%, FC:53.05% and pH:7.22), is a good substance however the nano-biochar has improved results; environmental friendly & could be utilized as a potential fertilizer on slow release for sustainable and green agriculture application.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Oxidation Stability of Biodiesel Prepared from Spent Bleaching Clay Residual Oil.

Energy plays a key role in each sector of life ranging from basic needs to better standards of life. The world is concerned about 3 ps (population, poverty, and pollution). The increase of these three factors has led the search of the best alternative sources of energies to fulfill all needs of a modern way of life. Biodiesel is a sustainable energy source that has proved to be the best alternate of mineral diesel that possesses similar properties as found in mineral diesel. The recent trend in biodiesel research is towards the use of very cheap feedstock to make this substitute more economical. Following this similar trend, the attempt is made to produce biodiesel from less expensive feedstock namely; residual oil of spent bleaching clay (SBC). In the first step, the quantity of the residual oil that can be recovered followed by assessing its quality was investigated. Afterward, a two-step method of the transesterification process was employed to enhance the yield of methyl ester. The highest yield of 85% was obtained. Key fuel properties were measured and found in good agreement with ASTMD 6751 standards limits. The study also concerned with the practical availability of biodiesel in terms of its stability. For this purpose, produced biodiesel was evaluated for its oxidation stability during 90 days of storage by FT-IR and rancimat methods.