New Approaches for Turning Waste into Valuable Resources and Useful Products

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental and Green Processes".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2023) | Viewed by 12345

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400028 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: waste treatment; industrial wastewater treatment; waste management; clean technologies; computer-aided process engineering
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Guest Editor
Department of Food Engineering, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Calea Manastur 3-5, Cluj Napoca 400372, Romania
Interests: bioactive compounds; functional foods; edible mushrooms; food safety; green extraction technologies, food preservation; biotechnology; meat science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It seems that humanity is caught between two fires while trying to maintain balance between global development and the conservation of the biosphere and other valuable and indispensable resources. Giving hope for a sustainable world, recent results have shown that it is possible to sustain equilibrium between global development and conservation if significant changes are applied to the ways we provide food, water, energy and other resources. Among the key challenges of modern society for achieving this goal is to define novel and innovative approaches that can view waste and by-products as valuable resources. This novel concept requires the integration of waste treatment and manufacturing/energy-generation processes into advanced systems with flexible operating capacities to exploit the synergy of simultaneous waste processing, manufacturing and energy generation. Moreover, the connection and integration of different industrial sectors and processes into cogeneration–coproduction processes with multiple products is one of the key steps that needs to be completed and mastered in order to achieve a sustainable industry—one which can provide the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

To promote the achievement of this goal, we invite the submission of innovative research works addressing “New Approaches for Turning Waste into Valuable Resources and Useful Products”. Subject areas include, but are not limited to:

  • Sustainable production with low environmental impact;
  • Industrial waste minimization;
  • Improved resource efficiency and productivity, resource conservation and pollution reduction;
  • Waste-to-resources, waste-to-energy;
  • Innovative foods and materials using by-products/waste materials;
  • Innovation in waste treatment (mechanical, biological, chemical, electrochemical and thermal);
  • Conceptual design, mathematical modeling and simulation of waste treatment technologies;
  • Technical, economic and environmental assessment of cogeneration–coproduction processes.

Dr. Szabolcs Fogarasi
Dr. Melinda Fogarasi
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • waste-to-resources
  • waste-to-energy
  • cleaner production
  • waste treatment
  • pollution reduction
  • innovative foods and materials
  • cogeneration–coproduction processes
  • technical, economic and environmental assessment

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 6732 KiB  
Article
Chemical Characterization of an ARDUINO® Board and Its Surface Mount Devices for the Evaluation of Their Intrinsic Economic Value
by Pietro Romano, Nicolò Maria Ippolito and Francesco Vegliò
Processes 2023, 11(7), 1911; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11071911 - 25 Jun 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1929
Abstract
The remarkable technological development observed in recent decades has led to an exponential increase in the production of electrical and electronic devices. Regardless of their field of application or the type of device, electronic boards are a common feature of all these devices. [...] Read more.
The remarkable technological development observed in recent decades has led to an exponential increase in the production of electrical and electronic devices. Regardless of their field of application or the type of device, electronic boards are a common feature of all these devices. For this reason, electronic boards represent a constant in electrical and electronic equipment waste. Knowing their composition and intrinsic economic value is essential for identifying sustainable disposal and valorization processes. In the literature, several articles report typical compositions of electronic boards, but it is rare to find a component-by-component characterization. This procedure is important to determine the components that need to be removed to increase the recovery yields of materials or to identify components with high concentrations of hazardous substances. For this reason, in this scientific article, we propose to examine the chemical composition of all the components of the Arduino® electronic board using advanced chemical analysis techniques. Arduino is a popular electronic board mainly used to prototype electronic projects rapidly. The chemical composition of the Arduino board has yet to be entirely determined to date. The decision to use the Arduino board is due to the fact that this board is widespread globally and could represent a reference study. Full article
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11 pages, 2307 KiB  
Article
Indium Recycling from Waste Liquid Crystal Displays: Is It Possible?
by Aleksandra Anić Vučinić, Snježana Šimunić, Lucija Radetić and Ivana Presečki
Processes 2023, 11(6), 1662; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11061662 - 30 May 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2919
Abstract
The utilization of valuable properties of waste and their reuse as raw materials is an imperative of the circular economy. Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is a significant source of valuable raw materials, certain metals, and rare earth elements that are the [...] Read more.
The utilization of valuable properties of waste and their reuse as raw materials is an imperative of the circular economy. Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is a significant source of valuable raw materials, certain metals, and rare earth elements that are the basis for highly sophisticated IT equipment production. It is estimated that the production of WEEE in Europe in 2019 was 16.20 kg/inhabitant, while quantities continue to grow at a rate of 3–4% per year. Waste liquid crystal displays used in televisions, laptops, desktops, and other devices represent a significant share of WEEE and contain 0.12–0.14% of liquid crystals whose main ingredient is indium—tin oxide. In order to investigate and determine the methods and conditions of indium recycling from waste LCDs, laboratory research was conducted. The influence of temperature, particle size, and retention time in different media with and without ultrasound treatment was monitored to provide the efficiency of indium leaching. The analysis of the results showed that 98% indium leaching was achieved with granulation samples of 10 × 10 mm at a temperature 40 °C/40 min in solution H2O:HCl: HNO3 = 6:2:1 under ultrasound conditions, while aqueous and alkaline media under the same conditions did not show significant efficiency. This study can be used as a practical reference for the recycling of indium from LCD panels. Full article
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Review

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39 pages, 2017 KiB  
Review
Comprehensive Assessment of Thermochemical Processes for Sustainable Waste Management and Resource Recovery
by Halil Durak
Processes 2023, 11(7), 2092; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11072092 - 13 Jul 2023
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 6912
Abstract
Thermochemical techniques have emerged as promising and sustainable approaches for converting diverse waste materials into valuable products, including chemicals and fuels. This study critically assesses the strengths and limitations of various thermochemical processes, focusing on their potential for large-scale implementation and commercial viability. [...] Read more.
Thermochemical techniques have emerged as promising and sustainable approaches for converting diverse waste materials into valuable products, including chemicals and fuels. This study critically assesses the strengths and limitations of various thermochemical processes, focusing on their potential for large-scale implementation and commercial viability. The investigation encompasses a comprehensive examination of processes such as pyrolysis, gasification, and liquefaction, aiming to compare them based on crucial parameters including energy efficiency, product yield, product quality, and environmental impact. Through this comparative analysis, the study aims to identify the most suitable thermochemical treatment for specific waste materials, thereby facilitating the development of sustainable and economically feasible waste management strategies. By providing valuable insights into the selection and optimization of thermochemical processes, this research contributes to the advancement of waste-to-value technologies and supports the transition towards a circular economy. Full article
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