Assessment of the environmental performance of sugarcane companies based on waste disposed of on the soil.

Purpose: This study aimed to present an index (IEP) to evaluate the environmental performance of the sugar-energy industrial process based on the waste generated in manufacturing operations. The residues considered in this study were: vinasse, filter cake, ash and soot, residual waters, and sewage sludge. Methods: The index created was developed to take into account, and to be directly proportional to the environmental impact of each residue generated by the sugar-energy production, to the relative spatial dispersion that each waste can reach, and to the environmental fragility of the hydrographic basin where the plant under evaluation is inserted and works. The lower IEP, the better the company valuation. Results: The index was tested in a real company and exhibited an IEP Total = 1,4.1013 km2.p/yr, which shows weak waste management by the enterprise. Vinasse was responsible for 50% of the IEP Total, while filter cake contributed 45% to it. Ash and soot, residual waters, and sewage sludge were together responsible for 5% of the IEP Total. Conclusion: The theoretical conception used in this study is inspiring for the development of new studies on environmental assessment measurement. The study showed that vinasse is the most problematic waste in environmental terms, a conclusion that is in line with academic studies. Nevertheless, the waste with the greatest potential impact on the environment is filter cake. Despite this, filter cake presented a lower IEP(i) than vinasse, given that its negative impact on the basin is smaller. Both wastes contributed 95% of the IEP Total, which places them among the residues to be managed with greater attention.

Management of sugar dust in the sugar industry.

Sugar dust poses significant risks in the sugar industry, threatening workers' safety and health as well as the potential for explosions and fires. The combustibility of sugar dust arises from its small, lightweight particles that disperse easily and ignite readily. Effective management strategies are essential to ensuring a safe work environment and preventing accidents. This perspective article provides an overview of sugar dust management in the global sugar industry. Various methods are employed to collect and manage sugar dust, including dust collectors, air handling systems, and proper housekeeping procedures. Advancements like electrostatic precipitators, high-efficiency particulate air filters, and self-cleaning dust collection systems show promise for future management. Utilizing both artificial intelligence and nanotechnology can also contribute to minimizing the concentrations of sugar dust in facilities. Stringent regulations and guidelines exist to control dust explosions in the industry. Implementation of robust safety measures and training programs significantly curbs the economic and environmental toll of sugar dust explosions. The paper concludes with recommendations to address sugar dust challenges, including enhanced regulation, investment in technology and research, and improved collaboration among industry stakeholders. These measures will mitigate hazards, ensure worker well-being, and safeguard the sugar industry's operations.

Integrating the Soil Microbiota and Metabolome Reveals the Mechanism through Which Controlled Release Fertilizer Affects Sugarcane Growth.

Root-soil underground interactions mediated by soil microorganisms and metabolites are crucial for fertilizer utilization efficiency and crop growth regulation. This study employed a combined approach of soil microbial community profiling and non-targeted metabolomics to investigate the patterns of root-associated microbial aggregation and the mechanisms associated with metabolites under varying controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) application rates. The experimental treatments included five field application rates of CRF (D1: 675 kg/ha; D15: 1012.5 kg/ha; D2: 1350 kg/ha; D25: 1687.5 kg/ha; and D3: 2025 kg/ha) along with traditional fertilizer as a control (CK: 1687.5 kg/ha). The results indicated that the growth of sugarcane in the field was significantly influenced by the CRF application rate (p < 0.05). Compared with CK, the optimal field application of CRF was observed at D25, resulting in a 16.3% to 53.6% increase in sugarcane yield. Under the condition of reducing fertilizer application by 20%, D2 showed a 13.3% increase in stem yield and a 6.7% increase in sugar production. The bacterial ACE index exhibited significant differences between D25 and D1, while the Chao1 index showed significance among the D25, D1, and CK treatments. The dominant bacterial phyla in sugarcane rhizosphere aggregation included Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Acidobacteriota. Fungal phyla comprised Rozellomycota, Basidiomycota, and Ascomycota. The annotated metabolic pathways encompassed biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, carbohydrate metabolism, and lipid metabolism. Differential analysis and random forest selection identified distinctive biomarkers including Leotiomycetes, Cercospora, Anaeromyxobacter, isoleucyl-proline, and methylmalonic acid. Redundancy analysis unveiled soil pH, soil organic carbon, and available nitrogen as the primary drivers of microbial communities, while the metabolic profiles were notably influenced by the available potassium and phosphorus. The correlation heatmaps illustrated potential microbial-metabolite regulatory mechanisms under CRF application conditions. These findings underscore the significant potential of CRF in sugarcane field production, laying a theoretical foundation for sustainable development in the sugarcane industry.

"When there is no money, that is when I vomit blood": the domino effect and the unfettered lethal exploitation of Black labor on Dominican sugar plantations.

BACKGROUND: In this article, I utilize the concept of the Plantationocene as an analytical framework to generate a holistic and historical understanding of the present-day struggles of a mostly Haitian migrant workforce on sugar plantations in the Dominican Republic. METHODS: Inspired by Paul Farmer's methodology, I combine political economy, history, and ethnography approaches to interpret the experiences of sugarcane cutters across historical and contemporary iterations of colonial, post-colonial, and neo-colonial practices over the course of five centuries. RESULTS: My findings elucidate the enduring power of capitalism, implicating corporate and state elites, as the structural scaffolding for acts of racialized violence that condition the life-and-death circumstances of Black laborers on Caribbean plantations to this day. Although today's sugarcane cutters may suffer differently than their enslaved or wage labor ancestors on the plantation, I argue that an unfettered racialized pattern of lethal exploitation is sustained through the structural violence of neoliberalism that links present conditions with the colonial past. CONCLUSIONS: Ultimately, this paper contributes understandings of the plantationocene's enduring effects in the global south by demonstrating how imperialist arrangements of capitalism are not a distant memory from the colonial past but instead are present yet hidden and obscured while relocated and reanimated overseas to countries like the Dominican Republic, where American capitalists still exploit Black bodies for profit and power.

Fourier Transform Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-MIR) as a Method of Identifying Contaminants in Sugar Beet Production Process-Case Studies.

Food safety has received considerable attention in recent years. Methods for rapid identification of a variety contaminants in both the final product and the manufacturing process are constantly developing. This study used Fourier Transform Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-MIR) spectroscopy to identify various contaminants endangering white sugar production. It was demonstrated that inorganic compounds (calcium carbonate-CaCO3), plastic contaminants (polypropylene), and oily contaminants (compressor sealing and lubrication lubricant) can be identified with a high degree of precision. FT-MIR spectroscopy was proved to be a useful technique for detecting sugar contaminants rapidly and precisely even without the application of a sophisticated spectra analysis. Commercial databases of reference spectra usage significantly simplify and facilitate the application of this method.

Prospects and challenges of utilizing sugarcane bagasse as a bio-coagulant precursor for water treatment.

Sugarcane bagasse is an abundant and renewable agricultural waste material generated by the sugar industry worldwide. The use of sugarcane bagasse as a bio-coagulant precursor in water treatment is an eco-friendly and cost-effective approach that has shown great potential. This article reviewed the prospects and challenges of utilizing sugarcane bagasse as a bio-coagulant precursor for water treatment. The article reviewed past studies and explored the properties and chemical composition of sugarcane bagasse and the bioactive compounds that can be extracted from it, as well as their potential coagulation performance in water treatment. It was observed that there are few studies that have been published on the subject. The effectiveness of sugarcane bagasse-based coagulants varies depending on several factors, such as pH, temperature, and water quality parameters. However, the lack of standardization in the production of sugarcane bagasse-based coagulants is a challenge that needs to be addressed. Additionally, the optimization of extraction and processing methods to enhance the effectiveness of sugarcane bagasse-based coagulants needs to be investigated further. In conclusion, the use of sugarcane bagasse as a bio-coagulant precursor holds great promise for the future of sustainable water treatment. The potential for sugarcane bagasse to be used as a bio-coagulant precursor highlights the importance of exploring alternative and sustainable materials for water treatment.

The environmental impact of the sugar industry waste in Sudan.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Sudanese sugar manufacturing waste on the communities surrounding the industries. The study employed a cross-sectional survey in which 311 respondents living in factory areas. The selected sugar industries included Kenana, Guneid, Halfa, Sinnar, Assalaya, and White Nile. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 19. Descriptive statistics, nonparametric statistics, and logistic regression were employed. The results showed that wastewater discharge has a significant (P < 0.05) effect on community health. Respondents indicated that the waste creates an ideal environment for parasites to reproduce, off-odors to develop, and ultimately contamination of water. A multinomial logistic regression model showed that wastewater (i.e., off-odors and mosquitoes) have significant (P 0.05) influences on causing health risks (i.e., malaria) to people living around sugar factories. The study also revealed that the lack of sugar industry wastewater management has significantly affected crop and animal production. The suspended particles and bagasse fly were significant (P 0.05) in causing eye and respiratory system diseases in the region. Health services provided by the industries significantly (P = 0.05) impacted community satisfaction. In this regard, the study designed a framework for enhanced handling the industrial waste to be adopted by the Sudanese sugar industry decision-makers. A framework was developed to reduce the impact of waste to the lowest possible level by improving management strategies sufficiently to minimize its impact.

Efficient decolorization of melanoidin in raw molasses wastewater by thermophilic esterase in actual extreme conditions.

This work was developed to explore the versatility of thermophilic esterase for decolorizing raw molasses wastewater at high temperature and acidic pH. Combining covalent crosslinking method with deep eutectic solvent, a thermophilic esterase from Pyrobaculum calidifontis was immobilized on chitosan/macroporous resin composite carrier. The application of this immobilized thermophilic esterase eliminated 92.35% of colorants in raw molasses wastewater, achieving maximal decolorization efficiency across all the enzymes tested. Strikingly, this immobilized thermophilic esterase was capable of engaging in continuous activity for a 5-day period while removing 76.23% of pigments from samples. It effectively and continuously eliminated BOD5 and COD, effectively and directly facilitating raw molasses wastewater decolorization under extreme conditions more readily than control group. In addition, this thermophilic esterase was believed to achieve decolorization through an addition reaction that disrupted conjugated system of melanoidins. Together, these results highlight an efficient and practical means of achieving enzyme-based molasses wastewater decolorization.

Competitive adsorption mechanisms of pigments in sugarcane juice on starch-based magnetic nanocomposites.

The pigments in sugarcane result the crystallised sucrose appears unsatisfactorily yellow. In this study, cationic tapioca starch (CTS)-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (CTS@Fe3O4) were synthesized and used as adsorbents for the removal of undesirable pigments. The adsorption properties of CTS@Fe3O4 were investigated by a sugarcane juice colorant model consisting of caffeic acid (CA), gallic acid (GA) and melanoidin (ME). The equilibrium adsorption capacities of CTS@Fe3O4 for CA, GA, and ME were 185, 160 and 580 mg g-1 at the optimal conditions (60, 60 and 180 mg L-1 initial concentrations, respectively; 0.3 mg mL-1 CTS@Fe3O4 dosage, 313 K temperature, and pH value of 7). The adsorption process was described well by second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models with a high fitting correlation coefficient approaching 1, suggesting that the pigments formed a surface monolayer with a homogenously distributed adsorption energy and was mainly dominated by chemisorption. The thermodynamic parameters (Gibbs free energy <0, enthalpy >0, and entropy >0) revealed that the adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous. For the binary system, the competitive adsorption between pigments was primarily antagonistic. The speed of adsorption was the main factor affecting competitive adsorption, and the additional adsorption force reduced the effects of coexisting adsorbates.

Developing new sugarcane varieties suitable for mechanized production in China: principles, strategies and prospects.

The sugar industry, which relates to people's livelihood, is strategic and fundamental in the development of agricultural economy. In China, sugar derived from sugarcane accounts for approximately 85% of total sugar production. Mechanization is the "flower" of sugarcane industry. As the saying goes "when there are blooming flowers, there will be sweet honey." However, due to limitations in land resources, technology, equipment, organization, and management, mechanization throughout the sugarcane production process has not yet brought about the economic benefits that a mechanized system should provide and has not reached an ideal yield through the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomic practice. This paper briefly describes how to initiate the mechanization of Chinese sugarcane production to promote the sound, healthy, and rapid development of the sugarcane industry, and how to ultimately achieve the transformation of sugarcane breeding in China and the modernization of the sugarcane industry from three perspectives, namely, requirements of mechanized production for sugarcane varieties, breeding strategies for selecting new sugarcane varieties suitable for mechanized production, and screening for sugarcane varieties that are suitable for mechanization and diversification in variety distribution or arrangement in China. We also highlight the current challenges surrounding this topic and look forward to its bright prospects.

Photo-degradation of sugar processing wastewater by copper doped bismuth oxyiodide: Assessment of treatment performance and kinetic studies.

In this study, photo-Fenton-like oxidation method was evaluated for synthetic sugar industry wastewater using visible-light driven Cu-BiOI photocatalyst. Reaction conditions including initial pH, catalyst loading, initial hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration, and temperature, were optimized. At these optimized conditions, the total saccharide concentration (TSC) and total organic carbon (TOC) removals were 56.20% and 30.67%, respectively whereas the maximum TSC and TOC removal reached up to 93.35% and 74.72% respectively by decreasing initial sucrose concentration. The kinetic study showed that the reaction order for sucrose and TOC oxidation was determined as 2 for pseudo-homogeneous power law models with respect to sucrose concentration and TOC, respectively.For heterogeneous models, Langmuir-Hinshelwood model based on the mechanism of adsorbed pollutant and oxidant on different catalytic sites was the best fit for oxidation of sucrose and other organic intermediates. According to the catalyst characterization studies, incorporation of copper was successful and Cu-BiOI possesses high photocatalytic activity accomplished by acid-assisted synthesis method.

Indian Sugar Industry: Towards Self-reliance for Sustainability.

The South-Asian region including India is a major hub of sugar producing countries with ample presence in the global sugar scenario. India has a rich history of sugarcane and sugar production since time immemorial, and the industry has gradually evolved to find a place among the top sugar producing countries of the world. The innovative technological interventions for sugarcane improvement, production and management have helped the industry to progress towards a diversified and bio-based productive, sustainable and profitable one, thereby gradually becoming self-reliant. This self-reliant industry with the right mix of linkages and collaborations, has been successful in tackling the various unforeseen challenges including those that cropped up during COVID-19 pandemic. The industry also fulfils its Corporate Social Responsibilities leading to the overall betterment of its stakeholders. This has enabled the Indian sugar industry to align itself with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.

Research and Development Prospects for Sugarcane Industry in Vietnam.

Sugarcane is one of the most important industrial crops in Vietnam and covers a total of 127,000 hectares of plantation area. In the season 2020-2021, Vietnam has produced 0.763 million tons of sugar (accounting for 0.34% total world sugar production). A current sugarcane production of 7.498 million tons is being used mainly for sugar production for direct consumption, ethanol production, bio-electricity and fertilization. To ensure crop sustainability, various policies and plans have been implemented. Crop breeding and zoning improvement programme significantly influence sugarcane production and sugar yield. Over 25 years since the programme "one million ton of sugar" was promoted, Vietnam currently possesses 25 sugar mills with a total capacity of 110,000 tons of sugarcane per day. Major problems of sugarcane industry as well as research and development have been discussed in this review. Recent research and development work focused on the added values of co-products to ensure sustainability of the sugarcane industry. Molasses will be used for ethanol production, and bagasse is used as the biomass for the alternative energy. Sugarcane and sugar would be the main feedstocks for those bio-economy growths in Vietnam. To keep the sustainable development of the sugar industry, and to meet the demand of the food and non-food requirements, it is necessary to upgrade the sugar value chain through the adoption and the development of co-products of the sugar industry.

Bioindicators for the Sustainability of Sugar Agro-Industry.

The worldwide sugar industry presents a productive inertia and a fragile sustainability due to there are marginal advances in the productivity, productive diversification, and reduction of the environmental impact in cane crop fields, sugar factories, distilleries, and non-centrifuged sugar production. The complexity of sustainability evaluation in sugar industry is highlighted by the incorporation of many criteria including both quantitative and qualitative issues, measured by different units or at least the development of standards for benchmarking. The key to successful sustainability will ultimately depend on the progress in sugarcane productivity without increasing the cultivated area and decreases the environmental impacts without the lack of coordination between public policies, stakeholders, and markets which would have benefits and wellness on social, economic, and environmental aspects. The aim of this research was to carry out a review about the sustainability frameworks, indicators, constraints, and barrier to transit the sugar industry to sustainability. The results present opportunities and strengths of sugar industry related to 2030 agenda for sustainable development and circular economy as an useful guidance to formulate strategies to maximizing the potential of the sugar industry to a sustainable biofactory.

The regional impact of an epidemic: socioeconomic and demographic data in Java, 1905-1924.

This dataset contains data for the island of Java, Indonesia, at the regency-level - comparable to present-day kabupaten. The data concern trends in area of cultivated sugar, total and per-hectare sugar production, crude mortality rates and wages in the period ca. 1909-1924. In addition to this panel dataset, cross-sectional figures were collected about the amount of sawah land (1920), urbanization rates (1905), medical personnel (1919), native population (1905) and areas with communal property with rotating shares. These figures were gathered from primary documents published by the Dutch colonial government and its constituent agencies. These data are relevant for all social scientists (such as economists, demographers or economic historians) interested in Southeast Asia or in the relationship between health indicators and economic development before, during and after an unprecedented pandemic. Historians of Southeast Asia and Indonesia may be interested in these figures as a background against which developments in politics and culture may be sketched. In addition, epidemiologists assessing the health consequences of the 1918 influenza pandemic will find valuable information in this regional dataset. Gallardo-Albarrán and de Zwart (2021) have shown on the basis of this dataset how the 1918 influenza pandemic affected economic activity across Java in this period.

Enhancing biohydrogen production from sugar industry wastewater using Ni, Ni-Co and Ni-Co-P electrodeposits as cathodes in microbial electrolysis cells.

Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) can be utilized for the simultaneous treatment of actual industry wastewater and biohydrogen production. However, efficient and cost-effective cathode, working at ambient conditions and neutral pH, are required to make the MEC as a sustainable technology. In this study, MEC with electrodeposited cathodes (co-deposits of Ni, Ni-Co and Ni-Co-P) were utilized to evaluate the treatment efficiency and hydrogen recovery of sugar industry wastewater. MECs operation was carried out at 30 ± 2 °C temperature in batch mode at an applied voltage of 0.6 V in neutral pH with sugar industry effluent (COD 4850 ± 50 mg L-1, BOD 1950 ± 20 mg L-1) and activated sludge as a source of microorganism. The Ni-Co-P electrodeposit on both cases achieved the maximum H2 production rate of 0.24 ± 0.005 m3(H2) m-3 d-1 and 0.21 ± 0.005 m3(H2) m-3 d-1 with ~50 % treatment efficiency for a 500 ml effluent in 7 days' batch cycles. It was also found that fabricated cathodes can treat real wastewater efficiently with considerable energy recovery than previously reported literature. This study showed the potentiality of the real-time industrial effluents treatment and biohydrogen production near to ambient atmospheric conditions that emphasizes the waste to energy bio-electrochemical system.

Evaluation of carbon sources from sugar industry to bacterial nanocellulose produced by Komagataeibacter xylinus.

Nanocellulose derived from microorganism is crucial bio-based products due to its unique physicochemical and mechanical properties for material science. Thus, optimizing bacterial cellulose (BNC) production is essential to widen applications and reduce production cost. Using various carbon sources derive from fruits as alternatives for synthesizing BNC could produce a low-cost BNC with comparable properties. Although Komagataeibacter xylinus grown in different natural juices, including clarified juice (CJ), sugarcane juice (SC) and coconut juice (CN) demonstrated a lower yield than that of control medium (HS), FTIR confirmed no change in chemical functional groups of BNCs. Similarly, different sugar sources have slightly effects on mechanical and thermal properties of BNC. However, the internal morphology illustrated the pore structure in oval shape for HS and CN while CJ and SC resulted in irregular pores which could lead to the highest crystallinity index value for BNC from HS compared to that from alternative media.

Kinetics of nutrients remediation from sugar industry effluent-treated substrate using Agaricus bisporus: mushroom yield and biochemical potentials.

This study investigated the yield and biochemical potential of Agaricus bisporus mushroom cultivated on agricultural waste substrate supplemented with treated sugar industry effluent (SIE). Laboratory-scale experiments were performed for the cultivation of A. bisporus on a mixture of wheat straw and sugar cane bagasse moistened with different doses of borewell water (BWW) and treated SIE (0-100%). Besides this, the simultaneous effects of the SIE amendment on total Kjeldahl's nitrogen (TKN) and total phosphorus (TP) contents of substrate and kinetics of their utilization by A. bisporus were studied. Results showed a relatively higher utilization of TKN (38.10 ± 1.60%) and TP (47.4 ± 6.44%) in a 25:75 ratio of BWW and SIE, respectively. The kinetics studies of TKN and TP utilization using Lineweaver-Burk models described the maximum specific utilization rates (V max) of 0.165 and 0.125 mg·kg-1·d-1 and saturation points (K m ) of 72.401 and 33.283 mg·kg-1, respectively, which are in good agreement as indicated by R 2 values (> 0.90). In addition, the maximum significant (P < 0.01) yield (159.31 ± 8.85 g·Kg-1), biological efficiency (106.21 ± 3.84%), total phenols (3.03 ± 0.07 mg·g-1), ascorbic acid (0.44 ± 0.03 mg·g-1), and ß-carotene (3.36 ± 0.05 µg·g-1) of A. bisporus were observed using the same treatment. Therefore, this paper reported sustainable utilization of TKN and TP nutrients from SIE for A. bisporus mushroom cultivation.

Fiji Sugarcane Industry Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic.

Fijian sugar industry is a major performer in Fiji's national economy, although it has been challenged by a range of problems alongside its journey. The latest vulnerability of the amplifying pandemic of the novel COVID-19 (coronavirus) has influenced the sugar industry and its interrelated ventures, in Fiji, and, all through the world. The entire supply chain of the sugar industry has been affected by spillover effects. The Fiji sugarcane industry amidst COVID-19 pandemic and concrete steps taken in response by the government and industry during these difficult times are deliberated in this paper.

Bio-purification of sugar industry wastewater and production of high-value industrial products with a zero-waste concept.

In recent years, biorefinery approach with a zero-waste concept has gained a lot research impetus to boost the environment and bioeconomy in a sustainable manner. The wastewater from sugar industries contains miscellaneous compounds and need to be treated chemically or biologically before being discharged into water bodies. Efficient utilization of wastewater produced by sugar industries is a key point to improve its economy. Thus, interest in the sugar industry wastes has grown in both fundamental and applied research fields, over the years. Although, traditional methods being used to process such wastewaters are effective yet are tedious, laborious and time intensive. Considering the diverse nature of wastewaters from various sugar-manufacturing processes, the development of robust, cost-competitive, sustainable and clean technologies has become a challenging task. Under the recent scenario of cleaner production and consumption, the biorefinery and/or close-loop concept, though using different technologies and multi-step processes, namely, bio-reduction, bio-accumulation or biosorption using a variety of microbial strains, has stepped-up as the method of choice for a sustainable exploitation of a wide range of organic waste matter along with the production of high-value products of industrial interests. This review comprehensively describes the use of various microbial strains employed for eliminating the environmental pollutants from sugar industry wastewater. Moreover, the main research gaps are also critically discussed along with the prospects for the efficient purification of sugar industry wastewaters with the concomitant production of high-value products using a biorefinery approach. In this review, we emphasized that the biotransformation/biopurification of sugar industry waste into an array of value-added compounds such as succinic acid, L-arabinose, solvents, and xylitol is a need of hour and is futuristic approach toward achieving cleaner production and consumption.