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Fungi and Water
Published in Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy, Food and Lifestyle in Health and Disease, 2022
Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy
In the fermentation industry, yeast is also used for the production of biofuel. This industry uses yeast to transform sugars in plants (corn, sugar cane, sugar beet, cereals), and algal biomass (microalgae and macroalgae) into ethanol (biofuel) for the functioning of machine motors (102–103). Biofuel or green fuel is less harmful to the atmosphere and human health than classic petroleum fuel. In addition, some yeasts have potential applications in the field of bioremediation (102). For example, the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica can degrade palm oil and other hydrocarbons, such as alkanes, fatty acids, fats, and oils. Saccharomyces cerevisiae has potential to bioremediate toxic pollutants like arsenic, mercury, and lead from industrial effluent and mining waste (102).
One Health
Published in Rebecca A. Krimins, Learning from Disease in Pets, 2020
From a One Health perspective, the keeping of livestock in a responsible manner can be accomplished within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),24 and can even help in achieving most of these goals. For example, improving the health of food animals means they more readily gain weight, produce milk (or eggs if we consider chickens), produce healthy offspring, and generally thrive, generating income (SDG 1, no poverty) for the family and a secure source of food (SDG 2, zero hunger). Extra income and food can mean improving family health (SDG 3, good health and well-being) and child education (SDG 4, quality education). Livestock, especially smaller animals, such as pigs, chickens, sheep, and goats, are also important assets for empowering rural women (SDG 5, gender equality), who can earn income that remains under their control and therefore become a more independent contributor to household income and food security.20 Better management and policies surrounding livestock can reduce the zoonotic disease burden, foodborne illnesses, and water contamination and hence the waterborne disease burden (SDG 6, clean water and sanitation). Biofuel derived from manure fermentation can be used to bring clean fuel to those without and replace dirty, polluting solid forms of fuel such as wood, coal, or charcoal (SDG 7, affordable and clean energy). We could go on with the remaining eight goals, but the line of evidence and the positive trends in fulfilling the SDGs by 2030 continue.24
Engineering for Learning Science Embedded in Societal Issues
Published in Jazlin Ebenezer, Hark, Hark! Hear the Story of a Science Educator, 2020
Wastewater Treatment: Microbiology to Investigate Option is an example. For wastewater treatment, we may use microorganisms and determine the best growth and reproduction. Biofuels is another bioengineering challenge that involves biological energy conversion dynamics. Research points to conventional feedstocks, which may develop possible design solutions for biofuels. The study of the role of photosynthesis in energy flow is a strand. Interaction of biofuel crops with the environment may be a focus. Energy crops versus waste feedstocks energy flow also are of significance in the study of biofuels. In both examples noted above, students have an opportunity to define the problem, compare solutions, and observe how technology increases the number of solutions.
Bioprospecting of aqueous phase from pyrolysis of plant waste residues to disrupt MRSA biofilms
Published in Biofouling, 2023
Srividhya Krishnan, Subramaniyasharma Sivaraman, Sowndarya Jothipandiyan, Ponnusami Venkatachalam, Saravanan Ramiah Shanmugam, Nithyanand Paramasivam
Pyrolysis is one such thermochemical conversion process that provides a solution to stubble burning and also helps to sequester carbon in the form of biochar (Corona et al. 2020). During pyrolysis, biomass is subjected to thermal decomposition under an inert atmosphere like nitrogen and the constituent components of biomass are degraded and disintegrated. This yields three different products viz., solid (biochar), liquid (bio-oil and aqueous phase) and gas (syngas and non-condensable gases), respectively (Vuppaladadiyam et al. 2022). Pyrolysis is a promising alternative process for the development of ‘drop-in’ biofuels which has the potential to replace non-renewable fossil fuels (Pešenjanski et al. 2016). The life cycle assessment of pyrolysis of biomass have shown that it is sustainable process for energy generation and has excellent environmental benefits (Patel Amit et al. 2014). The aqueous phase of plant biomass upon pyrolysis is generally considered as a waste and cannot be released into the environment without further treatment. Due to the presence of large number of oxygenated organics along with several micro- and macro-nutrients, its direct release in water bodies would lead to eutrophication and environmental pollution (Leng et al. 2021).
Evaluating the potential severity of biogas toxic release, fire and explosion: consequence modeling of biogas dispersion in a large urban treatment plant
Published in International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 2023
Ahmad Soltanzadeh, Mohsen Mahdinia, Hamedeh Golmohammadpour, Reza Pourbabaki, Mostafa Mohammad-Ghasemi, Mohsen Sadeghi-Yarandi
Analysis of previous studies shows that biogas release accidents have resulted in injuries or deaths of operators and individuals near storage tanks and biogas transmission pipelines. Buildings were also damaged. Analysis of the consequences of the whole bioenergy sector (biofuels, biogas, processing and storage processes) revealed that 7% of them are related to the release of toxic compounds, 40% are related to explosions and 53% are related to fire [25–27]. The danger of VCE under certain conditions, due to the flammable content of biogas, can become an explosive mixture with air. Gas emissions can cause fires and explosions. If the biogas mixture contains 60% methane and 40% carbon dioxide, the range of biogas concentration in the air to reach the explosion limits is 8.5–20.7% [22,25].
Microbially-derived cocktail of carbohydrases as an anti-biofouling agents: a ‘green approach’
Published in Biofouling, 2022
Harmanpreet Kaur, Arashdeep Kaur, Sanjeev Kumar Soni, Praveen Rishi
Cellulose, the most abundant natural biopolymer, is degraded by cellulases with β-1,4 glycoside hydrolytic activity. The cellulose plays a structural role in biofilms, provides strength, and aids in attachment, adherence, and subsequent substrate colonization (Augimeri et al. 2015). The complete degradation of cellulose requires the synergistic action of 3 kinds of cellulases, namely: (i) endoglucanases, (ii) exoglucanases, and (iii) β-glucosidases. The organisms producing cellulases are diverse, including a broad range of bacteria, fungi, and yeast (Acharya and Chaudhary 2012; Behera et al. 2017). The potential use of microbial cellulases in various industries such as the textile industry, pulp, and paper industry, brewing industry, feed and food processing industry, as well as the use of enzymes as additives in detergents have achieved global recognition (Karmakar and Ray 2011; Zhang and Zhang 2013). Moreover, the application of cellulases in biofuel production from agro-industrial waste, such as spent grain from brewers, fruit waste from citrus fruits, sugar cane bagasse, sludge, as well as municipal solid waste and kitchen waste, has become overwhelmingly important. The economic production of value-added products from lignocellulosic waste represents an exciting research area for academic and industrial research groups (Bansal et al. 2012; Rana et al. 2013).