Adrian Yaya-González , Jessica Laika , Yeimmy Peralta-Ruiz
{"title":"Emerging nonthermal technologies for food safety: trends, limitations, and future research","authors":"Adrian Yaya-González , Jessica Laika , Yeimmy Peralta-Ruiz","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101178","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101178","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food safety has become a critical global concern. The primary causes of food deterioration and subsequent loss include spoilage by harmful microorganisms and toxic substances that threaten human health. Emerging nonthermal technologies have been developed as alternatives to mitigate or eliminate these losses. These methods include pulsed electric fields, cold plasma, high-pressure processing, ultrasound technology, and photodynamic inactivation. This review summarizes the principles governing each technology and its effects on key food parameters. Additionally, it explores the critical factors influencing the scalability of these technologies and their applicability to various food matrices. Finally, a brief discussion addresses the main limitations and challenges from an engineering perspective, including efficiency, economic constraints, energy consumption, and regulatory compliance barriers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 101178"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144932103","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Kinetic modeling for radical polymerization and depolymerization","authors":"Yue Fang, Hanyu Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101152","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101152","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Radical polymerization and its reverse process, radical depolymerization, are central to modern polymer manufacturing and recycling strategies. This review highlights recent advances in understanding the mechanisms and modeling techniques. Enhanced deterministic and stochastic models have successfully described the complexities of radical polymerization processes. Parallel breakthroughs in radical depolymerization kinetics, particularly through end-group-assisted unzipping and visible-light activation, have facilitated efficient monomer recovery under milder reaction conditions. Additionally, advanced modeling leveraging quantum chemistry and machine learning and experimental validations has significantly boosted predictive accuracy. By integrating state-of-the-art kinetic modeling with sustainable design principles, researchers are progressively establishing foundations for closed-loop polymer lifecycles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 101152"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144221319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daniela Ferreira-Garcia , Suhail Haque , Ben Burke , Ariel L Furst , Gerardine G Botte
{"title":"Electrochemical organic waste conversion: a route toward food security and a circular economy","authors":"Daniela Ferreira-Garcia , Suhail Haque , Ben Burke , Ariel L Furst , Gerardine G Botte","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101156","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101156","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rising global food demand requires rethinking fertilizer production. The current Haber-Bosch process, while fundamental to nitrogen fertilizer, consumes 1–2% of global energy and generates 1.4% of CO<sub>2</sub> emissions. Projected population growth will increase nitrogen demand 50% by 2050. Waste valorization through electrocatalytic approaches offers a sustainable solution, targeting municipal, agricultural, and animal waste streams. Analysis shows US municipal wastewater biosolids alone could provide 9% of nitrogen and 32% of phosphorus needs in the United States. The transition from centralized fertilizer production to a distributed production model requires new chemical engineering approaches, emphasizing local resource integration, system optimization, and circular economy principles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 101156"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144307247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Editorial overview: Kinetic models for radical polymerization and polymer recycling","authors":"Jie Jin, Yin-Ning Zhou, Zheng-Hong Luo","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101164","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101164","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 101164"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144331451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Editorial overview: Intensified physical and chemical processing","authors":"Parag Gogate , Sivakumar Manickam","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101155","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101155","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 101155"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144271739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A perspective on enhancing chemical alternative assessments by prioritizing conditions of use","authors":"John D Chea, Michael A Gonzalez","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101177","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101177","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Alternative assessment (AA) for chemical substitution has traditionally been motivated by reducing hazards while minimizing exposure to toxic substances. However, this approach of AA can prematurely eliminate many potential candidate chemicals before considering their technical performance and role. This perspective paper proposes a paradigm shift to prioritize the primary functional requirements of a chemical's given application before adopting the safer and more economical alternative from a life cycle perspective, including raw material extraction and refinement, chemical synthesis, product manufacturing, conditions of use (CoU), and end-of-life management. The adoption of this approach is represented as a mixed-integer nonlinear programming problem, aiming to minimize the differences in the properties of the chemical of interest and the targeted value for a CoU, while considering safety, regulatory limits, and economic feasibility as constraints. If successfully implemented, practical replacements within the acceptable safety parameters set forth by regulatory and nonregulatory entities can be determined to address chemical substitution challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 101177"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144864109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Role of cathode materials and their advancement for sustainable hydrogen evolution reaction in microbial electrolysis cells","authors":"Sneha Prakash Naik , Omprakash Sarkar , Velvizhi Gokuladoss , Leonidas Matsakas , Gunda Mohanakrishna","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101176","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101176","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) offers a sustainable route for hydrogen production by decarbonizing global energy demands via transformation of biogenic waste/wastewater. Leveraging microbial metabolism, MECs contribute to the waste-to-energy nexus. The efficiency of MECs is significantly influenced by selection of electrode materials such as platinum, nickel, and stainless steel, which enhance the performance through their high surface area, chemical resilience, and effective hydrogen evolution reaction. MECs have been shown to generate 853 H<sub>2</sub>/m³/d using graphite brush (anode) and Pt-loaded carbon cloth (cathode). MECs were upgraded to 1000 l, having 24 modules with 144 electrode pairs. Key features of cathode materials and its advancements used in MECs are discussed in this review.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 101176"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144895045","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Intensified physical and chemical processing using cavitation: how far are we from commercial applications of hydrodynamic cavitation?","authors":"Surya Teja Malkapuram, Shirish H Sonawane","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101154","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101154","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cavitation — the formation, growth, and subsequent violent collapse of bubbles in a liquid — arises from localized pressure drops that trigger either liquid vaporization or the expansion of dissolved gas nuclei. This review examines recent technological advancements in cavitation, assessing its detection and quantification methods. It highlights transformative HC applications in areas such as wastewater treatment (e.g. pollutant degradation via chemical processing) and material synthesis and processing (e.g. particle size control and cell wall disruption via physical effects). Existing pilot-scale implementations are also reviewed, with an emphasis on reactor design, operational parameters, and the pressing question: How close are we to widespread commercial deployment? Key challenges, including enhancing energy efficiency and developing robust scale-up strategies, are discussed in the context of bridging the gap between laboratory research and industrial practice. While significant progress has been made, continued research and development in these areas are essential to fully realize the commercial potential of cavitation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 101154"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144307244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Systematic multiscale strategies for chemical process/product design","authors":"Mariano Martín, Sofía González-Núñez","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101153","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101153","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The paradigm of process and product design represents the core problem for the current chemical industry. It corresponds to a multiscale problem, from the molecule to the process that uses it to produce power, recovers it as a valuable product or from the molecules that represent the ingredients to the supply chain toward the sustainable production of consumer goods. The problem requires a systematic approach to reduce the time to market. Mathematical optimization and advanced machine learning are powerful techniques for a robust problem formulation. However, problem size and complexity call for novel procedures and algorithms are required.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 101153"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144364798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Laura Valenzuela , Zahraa Abou Khalil , Agnieszka M. Ruppert , Marco Daturi , Mohammad El-Roz , Nicolas Keller
{"title":"Hydrogen production by photocatalytic dehydrogenation of formic acid","authors":"Laura Valenzuela , Zahraa Abou Khalil , Agnieszka M. Ruppert , Marco Daturi , Mohammad El-Roz , Nicolas Keller","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101175","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101175","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This mini-review updates the most significant recent advances in the promising field of hydrogen production via photocatalytic dehydrogenation of formic acid. The focus is on utilizing formic acid both as a liquid organic hydrogen carrier and as an effective internal hydrogen source for driving hydrogenation reactions. We present a subjective overview of key developments from the past 3 years in both aqueous- and gas-phase reactions, as well as in the rapidly evolving field of dual-mode photonic/thermal catalysis. Particular attention is given to insights into reaction mechanisms through <em>operando</em> FTIR studies, which allow for the direct observation of surface intermediates and the elucidation of possible reaction pathways.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 101175"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144878419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}