Creating decent living conditions for all people while decoupling economic growth from the increasing use of virgin resources and environmental impacts is the major challenge of this millennium. There are many approaches suggested for solving these problems, including changing consumption behavior from material products to services, finding technological solutions to create more closed loops for materials, and using fewer virgin resources and energy obtained from clean renewable sources. A main issue to address is sludge formation during wastewater treatment. As such, this book, over seven chapters divided into two sections, investigates the application of biosolids or sewage sludge together with possible resources for sustainable development. It also presents information on resource efficiency from a more complex perspective, looking at several resources and the causal links between them in order to point out new pathways towards a more sustainable use of resources.

Written and edited by a team of industry experts, this exciting new volume covers clean energy production from sewage and biomass while achieving a zero-waste strategy. Wastewater treatment plants are critical in protecting both the environment’s resources and human health. A wastewater treatment plant’s technological system focuses not only on the effectiveness of the treatment but on the costs and energy consumption of the entire system. Municipal wastewater treatment produces a significant amount of sewage sludge all over the world. The majority of this sludge’s dry matter content is made up of organic compounds which are not toxic, and they consist of both primary and secondary (microbiological) sludge. There is also a substantial quantity of inorganic substances in the sludge, along with a small quantity of toxic matter. Also, various raw sewage treatment options can include energy production (heat, electricity, or biofuel) to reduce dependence on external energy supply during treatment. The most important options used for energy production from sewage and biomass can use the following approaches: anaerobic digestion, co-digestion, incineration with energy recovery, co-incineration, pyrolysis, gasification, supercritical (wet) oxidation, and hydrolysis. Generally, these processes or methods are cost-effective, but they can still have some setbacks related to the nature of the methods or the raw material used for conversion. There are also operating conditions to comply with to get a successful outcome. This book combines information from many disciplines related to wastewater treatment technologies to show how the circular economy approach can be used to achieve zero waste and produce energy that can be useful for plants and communities. This approach focuses on clean technologies for green energy resources such as biohydrogen, biofuels, and biogas from biomass and sewage sludge for zero waste production. This is aimed to also integrate the issue of energy demand and the one of energy production.

The depletion of fossil fuel reserves and concerns for environmental degradation due to the fossil fuel burning have led the scientific community to look for alternative renewable energy sources. Among the available renewable energy sources, bioenergy derived from biomass and waste resources have great potential to not only prevent environmental pollution but also be a carbon neutral energy source. In addition, adaptation of this technology could streamline new green products, alternative energy sources into real-world applications and promote a circular economy towards zero-waste approach. This book tries to bridge the existing knowledge gap in the area of bioenergy resources. The first two chapters provide introduction to the anaerobic digestion (AD) technologies and direct interspecies electron transfer in AD. The next three chapters are on biomass pretreatment technologies for process improvement. The sixth to eighth chapter discuses biogas and other by-product production from specific wastes such from dairy, food and agricultural solid waste. The following two chapters focuses on the downstream processing of anaerobic digestate and on biochar production. Integration of AD in biorefineries using bioelectrochemical systems, syngas fermentation and electricity production are discussed in the next three chapters. The final two chapters elaborates on life cycle assessment of AD based technologies.

Management of micropollutants and disinfection of byproducts in municipal wastewater and extraction of energy from the sludge produced in wastewater treatment plants is under constant focus. This book presents a detailed know-how regarding sustainable management of waste produced in municipal and industrial activities through novel state-of-the-art techniques used for the treatment of toxic industrial wastes and municipal wastewater. It deals with the management of municipal sludge and solid waste including leachates produced from landfill sites. It also provides detailed information for achieving the stringent standards set by regulatory bodies for municipal and industrial effluents. Features: Covers development of new novel reactor configurations for wastewater treatment. Describes handling and removal of emerging contaminants like pharmaceutical compounds, endocrine disruptors, and disinfection byproducts. Deliberates combination of wastewater and micropollution. Contains an in-depth discussion on treatment and disposal of fecal sludge. Highlights new economically feasible techniques to enhance biogas recovery from treatment plant sludges. This book is aimed at researchers and graduate students in environmental engineering, wastewater treatment, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, and energy engineering.

This book comprises the select proceedings of the national-level conference on Sustainable Waste Management Practices (SWMP 2023). The content focuses on industrial wastewater treatment, solid and hazardous waste management, municipal/plastic/biomedical/construction and demolition waste management, e-waste management, leachate treatment, case studies on best practices, among others for waste management. This book is of immense interest to researchers in academia and industry working in the fields of environmental and civil engineering.

Smart Solutions for Wastewater: Road-mapping the Transition to Circular Economy, the latest release in the Current Developments in Biotechnology and Bioengineering presents up-to-date information on research and technological developments of resource recovery in wastewater treatment in terms of carbon, nutrients and energy. The book fulfils the gaps and current challenges that hinder the application of resource recovery facilities in wastewater treatment plants, discusses knowledge gaps, provides future research perspectives, and discusses strategies to solve problems from a circular economy perspective. It is an excellent, interdisciplinary and updated overview of technologies in terms of potential yields, pollutants removal, nutrients recovery and energy production. - Covers different aspects of resource recovery technologies and research gaps in wastewater treatment - Focuses on different MBR configurations and systems/hybrid systems in treating a large variety of wastewaters - Provides state-of-the-art technology developments, including technology, advantages and challenges as well as strategies to overcome limitations - Includes technologies for managing sewage sludge in order to foster solutions for recovering in a circular economy context

Sustainable and Circular Management of Resources and Waste Towards a Green Deal highlights the importance of resource recovery, phosphorus management, climate action, clean energy transition, and a circular economy. The world is facing significant challenges, including climate disruption, environmental changes, pollution, and population explosion. Sustainable management of finite natural resources within the carrying capacity of the bio-geo-hydrosphere is the crux of transforming the global economy for a sustainable future. Moreover, keeping raw materials in circulation as long as possible and minimizing the amount of waste generated has grown in significance as a part of transitioning to a circular economy (CE) model. - Introduces innovative solutions in green energy transition - Provides case studies as examples of a circular economy implementation in selected sectors of the economy, including water and wastewater, raw materials, and construction - Suggests actions to counteract climate change and its consequences for people and the planet

This edited volume presents the conference papers from the 1st International Conference on Business, Economics, Management, and Sustainability (BEMAS), organized by the Centre for International Trade and Business in Asia (CITBA) at James Cook University. This book argues that the orthodox methods of external risks, climate change adaptation plans, and sustainable economic growth in cities are no longer adequate. These methods, so far, have not only ignored the ongoing structural changes associated with economic development but also failed to account for evolving industries’ composition and the emergence of new comparative advantages and skills. Specifically, this book looks at the vulnerable communities and exposed areas, particularly in urban areas, that tend to experience higher susceptibility to external risks (such as climate change, natural disasters, and public health emergencies) have been largely ignored in incremental adaptation plans. Vulnerable communities and areas not only require different adaptive responses to climate risk but also possess unlocked adaptive capacity that can motivate different patterns of sustainable development to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda. It is essential, therefore, to view transformative growth and fundamental reorientation of economic resources as integral parts of the solution. Social disorganisation and vulnerability are other undesired outcomes of the unpredictable and widespread external economic shocks. This is due to a sudden and tough competition between members of society to acquire precious resources, most of which may be depleted during unprecedented events such as natural disasters or pandemics resulting in an even more chaotic and disorganised conditions.

Advanced Transport Biofuels: Production, Economics, and Sustainability provides a comprehensive review of the latest in the global production, economics, and sustainability of advanced transport biofuels. Drawing upon the latest developments in academia and industry globally, the book reviews biofuels policy and the technoeconomics of biofuels production. The technical considerations in the combustion of biofuels are discussed alongside the latest lab-scale and industrial-level combustion property testing using biofuels and biojet fuels. Finally, a lifecycle analysis of biofuel production is conducted related to the sustainability issues in production. This is an invaluable review of the current state of the biofuels industry, policies, technologies, and economic and sustainability issues related to biofuels applications that will be of interest to graduate students and researchers involved in the development and implementation of alternative fuels in the transportation industry. The book will also be of interest to professional engineers and policymakers working in the automotive industry and involved in the application of alternative fuels. - Synthesizes the latest data on global biofuel production and consumption, biofuel emissions, projection of growth of biofuel production, trends in biofuel production based on the latest industrial reports, and academic reviews - Analyzes global trends in GHG emissions of biofuels usage in the transportation sector - Compares biofuel policy across different regions, including industrial initiatives in promoting sustainable biofuels - Presents state-of-the-art technology in sustainable biofuel production, emerging technology of fuel production from different biomass, and an overview of current biofuel production worldwide

Bioresource Technology Discover the latest developments in the field of bioresource technology with this practical handbook The management and cultivation of bioresources are critical components of the economic survival of nations. Significantly underexplored, recent advances in bioresource technologies have breathed new life into the research and development of new bioresource techniques and capabilities. In Bioresource Technology: Concept, Tools, and Experiences, a team of distinguished researchers delivers a comprehensive work intended to bridge the gap between field-oriented taxonomists and ecologists and lab-oriented functional and molecular biologists. The book is divided into three sections: food, environment, and energy. In the first part, the authors explore the functional food sector, from green and smart food packaging to nanosensors as diagnostic tools in the food industry. The second part is concerned with the achievement of future energy security through the use of bioresources as energy sources. Finally, the third section discusses sustainable environmental management policies via bioresource use. Readers will also benefit from the inclusion of: A thorough introduction on the recent advances in the technology pertaining to functional food industry to overcome the future food challenges Comprehensive explorations of the art and science of growing microgreens, including their historical background, cultivation practices, quality, and shelf life In-depth examinations of the bioprospecting of bioresources, including bioprospecting in agriculture, chemical industries, and diagnostic applications Provides state-of-the art technologies in the green energy sector to cater for the energy demand of the people, reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) and the reliance on fossil fuels In-depth understanding on the recent advances in the bioresource management policies and sustainable environment Perfect for postgraduate students, research scholars, faculty, and scientists involved in agriculture, plant sciences, environmental sciences, bioenergy, biofuels, molecular biology, and microbiology, Bioresource Technology: Concept, Tools, and Experiences is also an indispensable resource for those working in biochemistry, biotechnology, and food technology.