Min Long , Jie Cheng , Chen Zhou , Bruce E. Rittmann
{"title":"Mechanistic insights into gold (Au) recovery and biosynthesis pathway in a hydrogen (H2)-based denitrifying membrane biofilm","authors":"Min Long , Jie Cheng , Chen Zhou , Bruce E. Rittmann","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108394","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108394","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gold (Au) holds a high market value due to its extensive industry, medicine, and jewelry applications. Extracting Au from wastewater streams presents an opportunity to bolster the supply of this precious metal. This study explores a novel application of the H<sub>2</sub>-based Membrane Biofilm Reactor (MBfR): reducing Au(III) to recover Au(0) nanoparticles (Au°NPs) by a denitrifying biofilm. During long-term operation, >90 % of the soluble Au(III) was reduced to Au°NPs through enzymatic processes. Au(III) recovery was primarily conducted by denitrifiers such as <em>Stenotrophomonas, Pannonibacter, and Thermomonas</em>. Most Au°NPs were retained within the biofilm matrix, while some Au°NPs were released into the liquid. Continued biofilm activity with higher concentrations of influent Au(III) resulted in increasingly larger Au°NPs, eventually leading to the formation of high-purity Au(0) foil. This study demonstrates microbially driven Au(0) recovery in MBfR in which the reduction of Au(III) was linked to a core set of denitrifying genera and their genes encoding nitrate and metal reductases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 108394"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144084438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Application and scenario simulation of multimodal GPT in circular economy transformation: A case study of Taiwan's material flow data","authors":"Rui-an Lin, Hwong-wen Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108387","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108387","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite growing interest in AI-driven environmental research, the use of multimodal GPT in circular economy transformation remains underexplored. This study bridges this gap by demonstrating how GPT interprets circular economy system diagrams—such as stock-flow and causal loop diagrams—and translates them into executable software models. By integrating textual descriptions with mathematical equations, GPT establishes dynamic relationships among software objects, capturing interactions between industrial activities, pollutant emissions, material flow indicators, and system stocks. Additionally, GPT enhances system visualization, enabling multi-level analysis and key factor identification. Beyond traditional modeling, GPT improves scenario simulation by evaluating parameter variations and optimizing decision-making, supporting evidence-based policy formulation. Using Taiwan’s material flow data (2013–2022), this study develops system dynamics models, designs future scenarios, and assesses circular economy policies’ potential impacts by 2030. The findings present an AI-assisted approach for policymakers to evaluate and accelerate circular economic transformation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108387"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144067555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mingtao Wang , Shengen Zhang , Sen Du , Jianwen Wang , Bo Liu
{"title":"A review of the upcycling of aluminum scrap and dross using molten salt electrolysis","authors":"Mingtao Wang , Shengen Zhang , Sen Du , Jianwen Wang , Bo Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108352","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108352","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aluminum recycling must prioritize the development of high-usability products while addressing the challenges of circular waste accumulation. Traditional methods, constrained by compositional limitations, fail to meet these demands. Electrolysis technology presents a promising solution, with insights into this field possessing the potential to optimize existing technologies and inform future innovations, thereby supporting the sustainable development of the aluminum industry. This study provides a comprehensive review of recent advancements in aluminum recycling technologies using molten salt electrolysis. It critically assesses the improvements in the process, their impacts, and the industrial challenges faced during implementation. The analysis presented herein demonstrates that the electrolysis process significantly enhances the usability of recycled products. Molten salt electrolysis method is highly effective in waste treatment, enabling the processing of \"dead\" metals and secondary aluminum dross—materials typically excluded from conventional industrial practices. When recycling aluminum dross, the complexity of the dross composition and the sustainability of the recycling process need to be considered. Based on these considerations, we propose two novel strategies for aluminum dross recycling. Recycling waste through molten salt electrolysis to produce high-usability recycled products presents a promising alternative to the Hall-Héroult process, fostering sustainability in the aluminum industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108352"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144067558","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Al3+ driven-hydrolysis of amide group presented in the interface between EVA and glass for the decapsulation of waste photovoltaic laminates","authors":"Yusen Wu, Jiahua Lu, Keyi Lin, Jujun Ruan","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108389","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108389","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the development of the new energy industry, a large number of photovoltaic modules are produced, used, promoted, and will reach the end of their life cycle shortly. The recycling of photovoltaic modules is an important work in the closed-loop development of the new energy industry, and the first step of recycling is decapsulation. Hydrometallurgical decapsulation has been considered an important recovery method due to energy saving and the ability to recover all components of photovoltaic laminates. However, the problems of low decapsulation efficiency and pollutant discharge need to be solved. This article reports a new green linalool solvent employed for decapsulation. The experimental results show that the delamination rate of the glass of the laminates with particle sizes of 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 cm can all reach 100% in 4 hours. Furthermore, we propose a strategy to improve the efficiency of decapsulation by enhancing the bond-breaking tendency of the crosslinking bridge formed by the coupling agent in the EVA-glass interface. It indicates that the Lewis acid properties of Al<sup>3+</sup> and its coordination effect with nitrogen atoms promote the hydrolysis of C<img>N bonds in the amid group. The increase of decapsulation efficiency by adding Al<sup>3+</sup> increases with the decrease of laminate particle size. When the particle size is 0.5 cm and 1 cm, the efficiency is increased nearly two times. This study provides a new idea for improving the green attributes and efficiency of hydrometallurgical decapsulation of photovoltaic laminates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108389"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144067549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shangkun Liu , Yong He , Zhiming Qi , Ying Liu , Qianjing Jiang
{"title":"Tracing the life cycle carbon footprint of staple crops in Belt and Road Initiative countries","authors":"Shangkun Liu , Yong He , Zhiming Qi , Ying Liu , Qianjing Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108382","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108382","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The carbon emissions from countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) account for over half of global emissions, yet the carbon footprint (CF) of cropping systems in these countries remains insufficiently studied. This study quantifies the life cycle carbon footprint (LCCF) of three major grain crops, maize, rice, and wheat, in BRI countries from 2006 to 2019, using a hybrid approach that integrates machine learning (ML) models and life cycle assessment (LCA). This work systematically quantified cradle-to-farm-gate CF, incorporating emissions from upstream inputs, transportation, and field operations. Emission factors (EF) and CF compositions for the three crops were assessed across different time periods. To evaluate the impact of BRI on crops’ CF, a novel Supply-Demand Balanced Carbon Footprint Tracing Model (SD-CTM) was developed to trace the sources and flows of upstream CF<em>.</em> Due to the expansion of cropland, changes in agricultural management practices (AMPs), and shifts in sources of upstream input, a gradual increase in crops’ CF was noted over time, with significant regional differences in EF and CF composition. Following the implementation of the BRI, internal upstream CF flows within BRI countries intensified, with key internal international upstream correlated carbon footprint (IUCCF) suppliers gaining greater dominance, while reliance on external suppliers weakened. The present study provides critical insights into the environmental impacts of agricultural production under the BRI framework, offering guidance for sustainable agricultural policies, carbon responsibilities allocation, and international low-carbon cooperation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108382"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143946372","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Huajie Li , Runxin Tao , Yanyan Hu , Bingxin Zhou , Li Sun , Zhi Sun , Zhijun Ren , Wenfang Gao
{"title":"Economic evaluation and prediction on typical lithium-ion battery recycling processes: A multi-objective assessment","authors":"Huajie Li , Runxin Tao , Yanyan Hu , Bingxin Zhou , Li Sun , Zhi Sun , Zhijun Ren , Wenfang Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108375","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108375","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the recycling processes of LIBs have aroused more attention. However, benefits remain limited due to inadequate advanced recycling technologies and low volumes of spent LIBs. In this research, an muti-objective evaluation and prediction system is established for six typical LIBs recycling processes. The direct recycling process of LiNi<sub>x</sub>Co<sub>y</sub>Mn<sub>1-x-y</sub>O<sub>2</sub> (NMC) obtains the highest benefits of 10.07 USD/kg. Recycling NMC can achieve benefits from 10 to 28 USD/kg which is higher than that of LiFePO<sub>4</sub> (LFP) because it contains critical metals. The cathode remanufacturing processes generate revenue between 0.64 and 11.9 USD/kg. The contribution of Co and Ni in spent LIBs with the market sizes expected to 3.8-8 × 10<sup>9</sup> USD and 7.5-9.5 × 10<sup>9</sup> USD by 2040.The high benefit scenario forecasts total recycling LIBs return to 14.15 × 10<sup>6</sup> USD by 2040 in China. This research provides guidance for selecting profitable recycling methods, improves sustainable development of metal resources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108375"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143941972","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Predictive learning of operational water intensity from corporate financial indicators: Implications for AI-based resource management","authors":"Mingyan Tian , Peter Adriaens","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108383","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108383","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change is affecting water resource availability and predictability, impacting corporate operations, supply chains, and their financial performance or valuations in the capital markets. Scant corporate disclosure on water demand and operational intensity necessitates the use of advanced data science tools to inform risk exposures and investment decisions. Using 2550 company years across eleven industry sectors, machine learning models were built from financial data to quantify corporate water intensity metrics. These metrics were benchmarked to revenue, operating profit and investment in fixed assets. Fixed asset turnover, financial leverage, and inventory turnover were key predictors in factor models, particularly for production-oriented sectors such as IT, or consumer staples with R2 values from 0.66 to 0.75. Comparison of predicted water intensity data to disclosed information using global and industry-specific models indicated statistical agreement for selected sectors. When combined with text-based data, these insights inform firm-level trends of climate-water risk for financial resource allocations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108383"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143941973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shiqi Tian , Wei Wu , Shaofeng Chen , Linjuan Li , Zhe Li , Kai Li , Yufan Wu
{"title":"Integrating the impacts of ecosystem services supply-demand relationship into the SDGs implementation framework: evidence from the Belt and Road Initiative region","authors":"Shiqi Tian , Wei Wu , Shaofeng Chen , Linjuan Li , Zhe Li , Kai Li , Yufan Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108381","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108381","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ignoring the impact of ecosystem service (ES) demand and ES supply-demand relationship (ESSDR) on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) may affect the equitable and rational allocation of resources and the SDGs agenda. By coupling multiple models, we find that soil conservation ESSDR has lower coupling coordination with SDGs (especially economic SDGs) than other ESs in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) region. Food production and soil conservation have negative impacts on total SDGs in 73.44 % and 62.5 % of the countries, respectively, while carbon sequestration and water production have positive impacts in 87.5 % and 57.81 % of the countries, respectively. The heterogeneity may either converge or expand over time. The ESSDR has the most significant impact on environmental SDGs, with an explanatory power exceeding 70 % and being time-dependent. The findings emphasize integrating the impacts of ESSDR into the framework of SDGs implementation in the BRI region and globally to prioritize policy actions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108381"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143941971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Life cycle greenhouse gas emission of pork production in China: Carbon inequality embodied in supply chain","authors":"Shuru Chen , Keyan Chen , Fan Wu , Jing You","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108386","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108386","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding feed formulation impacts and regional carbon transfer is crucial for sustainable pork supply chains. Currently, secondary greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the pork supply chain are often overlooked, and regional carbon transfer inequality impedes food sustainability. This study combines spatial equilibrium modeling with life cycle assessment to quantify China's 2021 pork supply emissions. Increasing pig feed crude fiber from 4 % to 10 % raised annual lifecycle GHG emissions from 275.7 to 300.8 Mt CO<sub>2</sub>eq, driven by 45 % and 13 % emission increases in farming and transportation, respectively. Additionally, carbon transfer among provinces is imbalanced, primarily flowing from southern pig farming regions to northern agricultural provinces. Hunan, Guangdong, and Jiangxi were the top three benefiting provinces, accounting for nearly 27.5 % of the total carbon transfer. Emission burden shifts through interprovincial transfers undermine reduction targets, necessitating strategies like integrating transfer responsibilities into carbon quota systems or compensation mechanisms to ensure equitable mitigation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108386"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143941970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Novel IoT-based deep learning framework for real-time waste forecasting: Optimizing multi-waste categories using AutoML","authors":"Jiehao Chen, Zongguo Wen, Yuqing Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108378","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108378","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Municipal solid waste (MSW) management faces significant challenges in waste generation forecasting due to insufficient data and limitations of traditional predictive methods, such as ARMA and ARIMA, which struggle with nonlinear, high-frequency data. This study introduces an IoT-based deep learning framework to enhance forecasting accuracy by utilizing real-time data from 3052 smart recycling bins across three Chinese cities. A Bi-LSTM model was applied to predict multiple waste streams daily, with AutoML techniques optimizing performance through automated hyperparameter tuning and model selection. Analysis 14,039,838 waste records, the Bi-LSTM achieved a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 18.7 %, successfully predicting six waste categories at a daily frequency. By leveraging large-volume, granular, and frequently updated IoT data, this approach enables dynamic waste management, optimizing collection routes and reducing costs. The results highlight the potential of IoT and AI integration for advanced waste management, providing substantial support for operational efficiency and informed policy decision-making.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108378"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143936389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}