Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery最新文献

{"title":"Optimization of hyaluronic acid production from Bacillus subtilis strain PV154141.1in submerged fermentation","authors":"Hijab Zahra,&nbsp;Sikander Ali,&nbsp;Muhammad Usman Ahmad,&nbsp;Qaiser Farid Khan,&nbsp;Muhammad Nauman Aftab,&nbsp;Tawaf Ali Shah,&nbsp;Emad Rashad Sindi,&nbsp;Hesham M. Hassan,&nbsp;Ahmed Al-Emam","doi":"10.1007/s13399-026-07073-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13399-026-07073-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study presents a novel approach to hyaluronic acid (HA) production from wild-type <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> strain PV154141.1, avoiding the need for genetic modifications commonly used in previous research. HA production was conducted under aseptic conditions using submerged fermentation in a medium containing glucose, lactose, yeast extract and tryptone. Critical fermentation parameters including media composition, incubation temperature, initial pH, and inoculum level, were optimized resulting in a significantly enhanced HA yield. Following optimization, HA was extracted using two distinct methods, the conventional ethanol method, which mainly relies on centrifugation and ethanol usage, and the CTAB-ethanol method, which involves greater volumes of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and ethanol. Results indicated that the CTAB-ethanol method yielded significantly higher HA concentrations (472 µg/ml) compared to the conventional method (59.1 µg/ml), using the same experimental setup, because of the combined effect of CTAB, NaCl and ethanol for selective precipitation of HA, which is statistically significant (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.05). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy further characterized the extracted HA, confirming its desired molecular structure and associated functional groups. Characteristic absorption peaks for HA were identified at 685.83, 834.92, 998.92, 1148.02, 1297.1, 1617.66, 2892.41, and 3257.69 cm^− 1. Each peak represents a specific biomolecule. The functional groups present in our sample included amide groups, hydroxyl groups, polyphenols, and proteoglycan sugar rings, confirming the presence of HA in the sample. The optimized fermentation process and a more efficient extraction technique contribute to advancing HA production methodologies. This research contributes a cost-effective and scalable approach to HA production, positioning wild-type <i>B. subtilis</i> as a promising non-GMO alternative for industrial applications in biotechnology, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":488,"journal":{"name":"Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery","volume":"16 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147339289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic co-pyrolysis of waste PP/PE composites: kinetic-thermodynamic investigation for hydrocarbon upgrading in medical waste treatment","authors":"Hailong Yang,&nbsp;Yanfen Liao,&nbsp;Junxuan Huang,&nbsp;Jiezhao Feng,&nbsp;Xiaoqian Ma","doi":"10.1007/s13399-026-07076-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13399-026-07076-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The global outbreak of virus has led to a dramatic increase in the generation of medical waste, posing severe challenges to conventional disposal methods such as incineration and landfilling, which are associated with high risks of secondary pollution and low resource recovery efficiency. This study systematically investigates the thermochemical conversion potential of discarded face masks (FM) and nitrile gloves (NG). Characteristic pyrolysis products of both materials within the temperature range of 450–650 °C were identified using pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS): FM primarily produced 2,4-dimethyl-1-heptene, while NG was dominated by 1,3-butadiene. To elucidate the interaction mechanisms during co-pyrolysis, dynamic thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) combined with kinetic modeling was employed to explore the effects of blending ratios and heating rates (10–40 °C/min) on the pyrolysis process. Experimental results revealed that when NG accounted for 50–75% of the mixture, the system exhibited a dynamic phase transition at the critical temperature of 495 °C, where the synergistic effect shifted from negative to positive, indicating that the reaction pathway can be directionally regulated by adjusting the component ratio. More importantly, based on calculations using both the Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS) and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) models, the average activation energy of the system at a FM/NG mass ratio of 1:1 significantly decreased to 265.78 kJ/mol. This finding demonstrates that co-pyrolysis effectively overcomes the energy barrier from both thermodynamic and kinetic perspectives.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":488,"journal":{"name":"Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery","volume":"16 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147339441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Engineering Cu catalysts on metal-modified mesoporous silica supports from rice husk ash for selective furfural hydrogenation","authors":"Anurag Jaswal,&nbsp;Vijay Garule,&nbsp;Tarak Mondal","doi":"10.1007/s13399-026-07080-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13399-026-07080-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study investigates the catalytic performance of low loading Cu catalysts supported on rice husk-ash derived mesoporous silica support modified with metals (Al, Sn, Ti and Zr) for the vapor-phase hydrogenation of FFR to FAL. The catalysts underwent thorough characterization employing XRD, H₂-TPR, NH₃-TPD, FTIR, N₂ physisorption, XPS, and FESEM techniques, providing comprehensive insights into their properties. The analyses revealed significant structural modifications in the silica framework upon metal modification. XRD and N₂ physisorption analyses indicated the disruption of the mesoporous structure, accompanied by a reduction in surface area and pore volume. FTIR and XPS confirmed metal integration into the silica framework, improving the reducibility of the supported CuO species, as evidenced by H₂-TPR as well as improving the acidic site strength, as seen from NH₃-TPD. Further analysis through Auger spectroscopy revealed the dominance of Cu⁺ species in the catalysts with metal-incorporated silica support. The changes induced by metal modification became apparent during catalytic activity assessment where the incorporation of metals yielded increased FFR conversion and FAL yield over pure mesoporous supported catalyst. Zr-incorporated Catalyst (Cu@Zr-MS) yielded the most favourable outcomes among all catalysts, due to a combination of adequate acidic sites of appropriate strength, synergy between Cu⁰ and Cu⁺ species, the presence of oxygen vacancies and oxophilicity conferred by Zr. Optimization of process parameters revealed peak FFR conversion and FAL yield over Cu@Zr-MS at H₂/FFR = 10, Temperature = 200 °C, and WHSV = 1 g_FFR h^− 1 g_catalyst⁻¹, with respective values of 90.6% and 85% despite a small Cu loading. Assessment of catalytic performance over prolonged reaction duration demonstrated stable conversion at around 90%, alongside a sustained FAL yield of ~ 85% over approximately 16 h before a decline set in, with progressive deactivation that can be ascribed to sintering of Cu⁰ particles as well as the formation of amorphous carbonaceous species on the surface and/or inside catalyst’s pores.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":488,"journal":{"name":"Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery","volume":"16 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147338919","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sustainable valorization of municipal solid waste into nutrient rich biochar and compost for agricultural use","authors":"Samreen Aslam,&nbsp;Aisha Nazir,&nbsp;Muntaha Munir,&nbsp;Fahim Arshad,&nbsp;Asma Jabeen,&nbsp;Muhammad Waheed,&nbsp;Graciela Dolores Avila-Quezada,&nbsp;Elsayed Fathi Abd Allah,&nbsp;Abeer Hashem","doi":"10.1007/s13399-026-07078-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13399-026-07078-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In many developing countries, repeated cropping removes soil nutrients and organic matter, leading to a gradual decline in soil fertility. This study converted the biodegradable fraction of MSW collected from the Mehmood Booti Dumping Site (Lahore, Pakistan) into biochar (pyrolysis at &gt; 550 °C) and compost (pit composting, 60–70 days) and evaluated their individual and combined use as soil amendments for okra (<i>Abelmoschus esculentus</i> L.) in a pot experiment (RCBD, four replicates). Biochar production achieved a 33.3 ± 0.7% yield and was alkaline (pH 8.0 ± 0.2) with high ash content and cation exchange capacity, indicating strong potential for nutrient retention. Compost matured to a stable product with C/N 9.84 ± 0.1, confirming suitability as a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer. Compared with the unamended control, all amendments improved post-harvest soil properties, with the combined treatment (CB-5%) showing the strongest overall effect: CEC increased to 33.31 ± 1.11 cmolc kg⁻¹, bulk density decreased to 0.84 ± 0.11 g cm⁻³, water-holding capacity increased to 72.01 ± 1.10%, and soil organic matter rose to 5.84 ± 0.07%; macronutrients also peaked under CB-5% (N 1.85 ± 0.01%, P 1.93 ± 0.02%, K 2.23 ± 0.01%). These soil improvements translated into superior crop performance: CB-5% produced the greatest plant height (33.25 ± 0.25 cm), dry biomass (32.51 ± 0.57 g), chlorophyll content (68.33 ± 0.29 SPAD), and fruit yield (38.37 ± 0.29 g), outperforming chemical fertilizer (29.46 ± 0.44 g) and single-amendment treatments. These findings highlight the potential of MSW-derived biochar and compost as sustainable soil amendments, supporting integrated waste valorization and environmentally friendly agricultural practices.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":488,"journal":{"name":"Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery","volume":"16 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147338485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Production and characterization of biocrude from Canadian spruce bark","authors":"Ramesh Kalagnanam,&nbsp;Venu Babu Borugadda,&nbsp;Ajay K. Dalai","doi":"10.1007/s13399-025-07049-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13399-025-07049-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study examined biocrude production from Canadian spruce bark using hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) to support integration of bio-crudes into existing refinery infrastructure. Across eight catalytic and non-catalytic HTL trials with spruce bark, biocrude yields ranged from 13.4 to 17.6 wt% (dry basis), showing that steam explosion and alkaline pretreatment did not improve yields. A central composite design (CCD) for non-catalytic HTL runs indicated that higher temperatures and water-to-feed ratios increase biocrude production, predicting a maximum of 20.8 wt% of biocrude yield at 320 °C and a water-to-feed ratio of 12.5:1 (wt./wt.). Validation runs under these conditions achieved a higher biocrude yield of 22.9 wt% with a higher heating value of 32.5 MJ kg⁻¹, 39.2% of energy recovery, and 19 wt% oxygen content - highlighting the need for upgrading the biocrude via catalytic deoxygenation. Recycling the aqueous phase increased yields by an additional 4 wt%. Hydrochar characterization also revealed promising potential applications such as hydrogen storage in fuel technologies, carbon sequestration, energy storage, catalyst support, and pollutant adsorption. Overall, spruce bark represents a viable feedstock for advancing production of sustainable fuels in Canada.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":488,"journal":{"name":"Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery","volume":"16 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147338481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Banana peels: a potential source of highly functioned bioactive peptides","authors":"Pattarapol Khamsaw,&nbsp;Sarana Rose Sommano,&nbsp;Tibet Tangpao,&nbsp;Sasithorn Sirilun","doi":"10.1007/s13399-025-07007-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13399-025-07007-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The banana industry produces substantial biomass and waste, which can be transformed into high-value products through biorefineries. Components like banana peels and unsold ripe fruits are valuable raw materials for recovering functional ingredients. Banana peels, in particular, are rich in protein and fiber, with nutritional value varying by maturity and variety. Although research shows the potential of banana peels as a protein source and explores extraction methods, further studies are needed to understand their properties, applications, and fully understand their economic feasibility. This review categorizes banana biomass types, focusing on bioactive compounds in banana peels with pharmaceutical potential. It systematically evaluates protein isolation methods based on efficiency, scalability, and purity, and assesses the pharmacological properties of bioactive proteins, including their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antihypertensive effects. The review also offers evidence-based recommendations for developing pharmaceutical products from these compounds, addressing challenges and future research directions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":488,"journal":{"name":"Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery","volume":"16 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147338510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Manipulation of oleaginous fungi to enhance biomass and sustainable lipid production: High cell density fermentation strategies, accumulation mechanism, and genetic engineering aspect","authors":"Hassan Mohamed,&nbsp;Xinyi Zan,&nbsp;Tahira Naz,&nbsp;Adel Eltoukhy,&nbsp;Asmaa S. Ramadan,&nbsp;M. A. Abo-Kadoum,&nbsp;Abdallah Hassane,&nbsp;Qing Liu,&nbsp;Shuai Feng,&nbsp;Yuanda Song","doi":"10.1007/s13399-025-07055-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13399-025-07055-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Fungal lipids have garnered significant attention due to their environmentally friendly properties. However, their commercialization remains limited, partly because of the lack of robust fermentation strategies, suitable microbial strains, and low lipid productivity. Moreover, only a small number of microbial lipids have been evaluated at the pilot scale, highlighting the need for further studies to assess their technological feasibility and environmental benefits. Therefore, high cell density cultivation (HCDC) is essential for enhancing microbial lipid accumulation and improving product yields. This strategy enables the generation of elevated biomass levels in well-defined fermentation media, thereby facilitating the production of substantial amounts of lipids. Multiple biotechnological approaches, including medium optimization, modulation of environmental and nutritional factors, and genetic engineering, can enhance lipid production in various oleaginous microorganisms, although these improvements remain limited by the intrinsic metabolic capacities of each species. This review highlights various HCDC strategies, including the oleaginous fungi and yeasts commonly employed, the range of available feedstocks, and the environmental and nutritional parameters that influence cell growth and lipid accumulation. It also examines recent advances in genetic tools and metabolic engineering approaches aimed at improving microbial lipid production through targeted gene modification. This review also outlines recent advances in lipid biosynthesis pathways and the mechanisms underlying lipid accumulation. In addition, it summarizes the applications and economic value of microbially derived lipids across various industrial sectors. Overall, integrating diverse fermentation strategies with emerging technological innovations has the potential to significantly enhance microbial lipid production, thereby increasing their biotechnological and nutraceutical relevance.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":488,"journal":{"name":"Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery","volume":"16 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147338512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sustainable biorefinery: highly selective production of OBMF from HMF using graphene oxide catalysts","authors":"Halil Durak,&nbsp;Imam Sahroni,&nbsp;Muhammad Sohail Ahmad,&nbsp;Tetsuya Kida","doi":"10.1007/s13399-026-07077-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13399-026-07077-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study explores the catalytic conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 5,5-(Oxybis(methylene))-bis-2-furfural (OBMF) using graphene oxide (GO) and metal-doped graphene oxide catalysts (GO-Ce, GO-Ce-Fe, GO-Ce-Ni). The catalysts were synthesized via a Tour’s method and characterized using FTIR, XRD, SEM, and TEM. Characterization confirmed the effective doping of Ce and the uniform dispersion of cerium oxide nanoparticles on the GO structure, enhancing catalytic acidity and activity. Optimized reaction conditions showed that the GO-Ce catalyst achieved a maximum OBMF yield of 97% at 140 °C over a 12-hour reaction time. GC-MS and NMR analyses confirmed the high conversion efficiency and selectivty of the OBMF product. Comparative studies revealed that while GO-Ce-Fe and GO-Ce-Ni also delivered high yields, GO-Ce demonstrated superior selectivity and stability.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":488,"journal":{"name":"Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery","volume":"16 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s13399-026-07077-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147337513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nitrogen-enriched pyrolysis of biomass based on Phanerochaete chrysosporium pretreatment with different durations: Pyrolysis behavior and characteristics of bio-oil and biochar","authors":"Gen Zhou,&nbsp;Zhenjie Sun,&nbsp;Qing Dong,&nbsp;Chuping Luo","doi":"10.1007/s13399-026-07062-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13399-026-07062-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The production of high-value nitrogen-containing compounds (NCCs) and nitrogen-doped biochar through biomass nitrogen-enriched pyrolysis is a promising approach for enhancing the economic potential of renewable resources. This study investigates the effect of pretreatment durations with <i>Phanerochaete chrysosporium</i> SHBCC D22643 on nitrogen-enriched pyrolysis of corn stover (CS) for producing nitrogen-containing bio-oil and nitrogen-doped biochar. The results show that fungal pretreatment duration significantly affects pyrolysis products. At 5 weeks pretreatment, the relative content of NCCs in bio-oil was significantly increased. The relative content of semioxamazide rose from 13.72% to 41.17%, which became the main component in the bio-oil. 2-Nitropropane peaks at 13.59% at 2 weeks pretreatment. For biochar, 5 weeks pretreatment achieves 9.55% nitrogen content and 21.93% graphitic-N on the surface. Based on the compositional characteristics of bio-oil, the pyrolysis mechanism of pretreated CS is also expounded.The study demonstrates that fungal pretreatment probably optimizes the oxalic acid-hydrazine condensation pathway by disrupting lignocellulosic structure and promoting urea penetration, providing a basis for directional regulation of NCCs and biochar nitrogen configuration in nitrogen-enriched pyrolysis.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":488,"journal":{"name":"Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery","volume":"16 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147338011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Averrhoa bilimbi-derived microsphere-hydrochar for removal of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride and antibacterial studies: insights on chemical surface modifications","authors":"Milina Karadath,&nbsp;Ramdas Balan,&nbsp;M Senthilkumar,&nbsp;D. Kishore Kumar,&nbsp;Rahul Pillai","doi":"10.1007/s13399-026-07067-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13399-026-07067-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this study, we investigated the conversion of Averrhoa bilimbi fruit squash into microsphere hydrochar (mHC) through hydrothermal treatment, facilitated by the aggregation of initially formed biochar quantum dots (BQDs). The mHC is chemically surface modified (s-mHC) with hydroxyl (-OH) groups by KOH treatment at room temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies revealed the existence of C-OH functional groups with a peak at 285.3 eV, and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy established the presence of a C-H stretching. These chemical groups present on the surface of s-mHC facilitated 96% removal of ciprofloxacin (CIP), whereas unmodified hydrochar (i.e., mHC) showed 34% removal. The antibacterial activity of mHC and s-mHC was also investigated, and the results showed that mHC is more potent than s-mHC. Overall, this study provides details about the carbonization of Averrhoa bilimbi, a facile approach for surface chemical modification, application in the abatement of pharmaceuticals from water, and its antibacterial studies.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":488,"journal":{"name":"Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery","volume":"16 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147337514","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}