RSC sustainability最新文献

{"title":"Volatile fatty acid extraction from fermentation broth using hydrophobic ionic liquid and in-situ enzymatic esterification","authors":"Ramkrishna Singh, Nikhil Kumar, Prathap Parameswaran, Blake A. Simmons, Kenneth L Sale, Ning Sun","doi":"10.1039/d4su00346b","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d4su00346b","url":null,"abstract":"Efficient recovery of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) from fermentation broth is a challenge due to low VFA titers and thus limit the commercialization of VFA production using biological routes. Liquid-liquid extraction using hydrophobic ionic liquids (ILs) shows great promise for the extraction and esterification of hydrophilic VFAs. In this study, several ILs were evaluated to select a water-immiscible and efficient extraction solvent. The selected IL: trihexyltetradecyl phosphonium dibutylphosphate ([P666,14][DBP]) gave a cumulative VFA extraction of around 842.8 mg/g IL. The predicted excess enthalpy (HE) and logarithmic activity coefficients ln(γ) using the COSMO-RS model were validated with the experimentally obtained VFA recovery from fermentation broth. To understand the extraction mechanism of VFAs, quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and noncovalent interaction (NCI) were performed. The results suggest that long chain fatty acids exhibit strong Van der Waals interaction with DBP anion leading to higher VFA extraction. The enzymatic esterification of VFAs with ethanol in [P666,14][DBP] was optimized using the Box-Behnken response surface design of experiment. Under the optimized conditions, up to 83.7 % of hexanoic acid was converted to ethyl esters, while other shorter chain VFAs has lower conversion efficiency (38.3%-63.2%).","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":"75 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142192801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Activated carbon with composite pore structures made from peanut shell and areca nut fibers as sustainable adsorbent material for the efficient removal of active pharmaceuticals from aqueous media†","authors":"Sujata Mandal, Dayana Stephen and Sreeram Kalarical Janardhanan","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00262H","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00262H","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The massive growth in the human population, along with an improved healthcare system, resulted in the discharge of a large variety of active pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics, into the water stream leading to genotoxic, mutagenic, and ecotoxicological effects on plants, animals, and human. In this study, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable activated carbon adsorbents with composite pore structures have been prepared from agricultural waste materials, peanut shells and areca nut fibers, through a facile method. Phosphoric acid (H<small>₃</small>PO<small>₄</small>) of two different concentrations (20% and 40%) was used for preparing the activated carbons. All the activated carbon samples showed reasonably high specific surface area (SSA) ranging between 580–780 m<small>²</small> g<small>⁻¹</small>. The SSA of the activated carbon obtained from peanut shells was higher than those obtained from the areca nut fibers. The adsorption characteristics of the prepared activated carbons were assessed for the common active pharmaceuticals, paracetamol, amoxicillin, and aspirin, in an aqueous medium. The rate of adsorption of the activated carbon was very high, and about 90% of the paracetamol was adsorbed within 5 min of contact. The adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The paracetamol adsorption capacity of the activated carbons obtained from the Langmuir adsorption isotherm (monolayer) model was 67 mg g<small>⁻¹</small>. Regeneration and reuse of the adsorbent for the removal of paracetamol were also studied for up to 5 cycles. The present research work ensures the “3 Rs” principle [reduce (waste), reuse and recycle] of environmental sustainability.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 10","pages":" 3022-3035"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00262h?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142192804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Eco-friendly synthesis and enhanced antibacterial action of bimetallic Ag/ZnO nanoparticles using Hylocereus costaricensis stem extract","authors":"Joel Xaviour, S. Sreelekshmi, Jebin Joseph, S. Alfiya Fathima and T. Sajini","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00254G","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00254G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This work presents a novel method for generating bimetallic silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles (Ag/ZnO-NPs) using <em>Hylocereus costaricensis</em> (HC) stem extract and microwave irradiation. Silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles were prepared separately during the synthesis process, and they were directly mixed to produce bimetallic Ag/ZnO-NPs. A thorough characterisation was conducted utilising various analytical methods to clarify the formed nanoparticles' structural, morphological and constitutional characteristics. The conventional agar well diffusion technique was then used to assess the Ag/ZnO bimetallic nanoparticles' antibacterial activity towards <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> and <em>Escherichia coli</em>, the two most common human pathogenic bacteria. The characterisation analysis showed the successful synthesis of bimetallic Ag/ZnO-NPs with a cluster-like spherical alloy-type morphology with an average hydrodynamic diameter of 281.7 nm and a direct band gap of 2.90 eV. The antibacterial results revealed that bimetallic Ag/ZnO-NPs have a solid combinatorial antibacterial activity, underscoring their abilities to be effective antibacterial substances from renewable sources. This study opens the door for more in-depth investigation into this topic by enhancing bimetallic nanoparticles and their utilisation in the biomedical field.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 10","pages":" 3077-3089"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00254g?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142192802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ionic liquid-based extraction of metal ions via polymer inclusion membranes: a critical review","authors":"Babafemi Adigun, Bishnu P. Thapaliya, Huimin Luo and Sheng Dai","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00297K","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00297K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Polymer Inclusion Membranes (PIMs) have significantly advanced the field of membrane-based separation technologies introducing an innovative method for the selective transport and extraction of metal ions. The incorporation of ionic liquids (ILs) into PIMs leverages the exceptional characteristics of ILs to boost both selectivity and efficiency in the separation of metal ions. This synergy advances metal separation processes towards greener and more sophisticated solutions perfectly aligning with green chemistry and environmental sustainability. This review presents an overview of current knowledge on PIMs including the distinct roles of their different components. It critically assesses the different strategies essential for achieving optimal membrane performance and ensuring stability and selectivity of PIMs. Future research directions are discussed particularly focusing on the understanding of transport dynamics within PIMs and refining membrane compositions to reduce the risk of carrier leakage. These investigations promise to enhance the efficiency and environmental friendliness of metal ion separation propelling the field towards more effective and sustainable practices. This review can serve as a roadmap for ongoing research, promoting the advancement of IL-based extraction of metal ions <em>via</em> PIMs for sustainable and efficient metal separation processes.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 10","pages":" 2768-2780"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00297k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142192806","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sustainability of hydrogen manufacturing: a review","authors":"Satish Vitta","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00420E","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00420E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Hydrogen is a highly versatile energy vector, and most importantly, its oxidation, which releases energy, is a green process with no associated emissions. Hence, it is considered a green alternative that can supply energy and simultaneously reduce global warming. This gas, however, does not occur naturally in sufficient quantities and needs to be synthesized using different resources. The two most feasible methods for producing H<small>₂</small> are steam methane reforming and water splitting <em>via</em> electrolysis. Therefore, these two processes were reviewed first, and subsequently, a complete sustainability analysis was performed using currently available data. It has been found that input raw materials such as methane and water will be required in ‘gigatonne’ quantity every year. Although availability of water does not pose supply risk, methane production falls far short of the requirement and becomes a supply risk. The conversion of these into H<small>₂</small> requires energy and results in the production of ‘Gt’ of CO<small>₂</small>. For example, the production of 1 Gt of H<small>₂</small> using the steam methane reforming process requires ∼3.6 EJ of energy and releases ∼10 Gt of CO<small>₂</small>. In contrast, water splitting electrolysis requires ∼198 EJ of energy and releases anywhere from 102 Gt to 220 Gt of CO<small>₂</small>, depending on the electricity generation mix. Additionally, they have ecological impacts in the form of acidification, marine toxicity, particulate emissions and so on, which affect all life forms on the earth. This analysis clearly shows that complete transitioning to H<small>₂</small>-based energy supply is unsustainable and only a fraction of the energy needs can be supplemented.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 11","pages":" 3202-3221"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00420e?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142192842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Upcycled waxes from mixed polyolefins for hot-melt adhesive (HMA) applications†","authors":"Anurag Ganapathi, Mohamed Shaker and Muhammad Rabnawaz","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00135D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00135D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Upcycled waxes are blended with poly(ethylene-<em>co</em>-vinyl acetate) (EVA) to make hot-melt adhesives (HMAs). Herein, we report partially recycled HMAs that were prepared by blending EVA with upcycled waxes obtained from mix waste polyolefins. First, waste mixed polyolefins (such as high-density, low-density, and linear low-density polyethylene and polypropylene) were converted into waxes in high yields reaching up to 92%. The obtained upcycled waxes were used as an additive for HMAs along with gum rosin. The thermal properties and seal strength of the HMAs containing upcycled waxes were compared with those of commercially available HMAs. The HMA made from upcycled wax was found to be as efficient in seal strength as the commercially available HMA. This upcycling of plastic waste for use in HMAs is yet another way of promoting circularity in single-use plastics.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 10","pages":" 3047-3053"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00135d?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142192808","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lab sustainability programs LEAF and My Green Lab®: impact, user experience & suitability†","authors":"Bianca R. Schell and Nico Bruns","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00387J","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00387J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Facing the climate crisis and planetary boundaries, research institutions must address the challenge of becoming climate-neutral and using resources more sustainably. Natural science laboratories are the most resource-intensive and CO<small>₂</small>-emitting units within these institutions. Consequently, research groups aim to understand how to lower emissions and become sustainable by participating in green lab programs for wet labs, such as My Green Lab® or LEAF. Here, we compare these programs, analyse their impact on emission savings, and give insights from conducting both programs simultaneously in our biological and chemical labs. As a centrepiece, we provide a quantitative comparison of the programs based on a Germany-wide survey of participants from both programs. We showcase the significant impact of the programs on employees' motivation to work sustainably, highlight the advantages and shortcomings of the programs, and elucidate the pitfalls of greenwashing risks and the risks of leaving the most effective measures unimplemented. Finally, we provide decision-making guidance to help scientists choose the most suitable lab sustainability program based on their individual research backgrounds, needs, and personal preferences.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 11","pages":" 3383-3396"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00387j?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142192809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sustainable micro-cellulosic additives for high-density fiber cement: emphasis on rheo-mechanical properties and cost–performance analysis†","authors":"Sreenath Raghunath, Mahfuzul Hoque, Behzad Zakani, Akash Madhav Gondaliya and E. Johan Foster","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00287C","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00287C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >To combat climate change (<em>i.e.</em>, global warming), reducing the CO<small>₂</small> footprint of cement-based building materials can be substantiated by incorporating cellulosic fibers into the cement matrix (fiber cement). However, such materials design imposes tremendous technical challenges towards the fabrication process, interlinked to its rheo-mechanical properties. Thus, polycarboxylate-based (petrochemical-derived) rheology modifiers and silica-based (carcinogenic) additives are usually added to the fiber-cement slurry. Micro-cellulosic biomaterials are technically a viable eco-friendly alternative, capable of modifying the rheo-mechanical properties, yet to be explored for high-density (&gt;8 wt% fiber) fiber cement. Herein, we have employed morphologically distinctive alpha-cellulose (AC) and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as rheo-mechanical additives. The total content of biomaterials in the fiber cement was up to 12 wt%, where the ratio between the micro-cellulosic additive (AC/MCC) and the cellulosic fibers varied proportionally. As a result, various composites were fabricated based on combinations 1 (AC and fibers) and 2 (MCC and fibers), and their rheo-mechanical properties were characterized to understand the effect of this morphologically distinctive micro-cellulose. Firstly, the rheological analysis revealed that combination 1 reduced the yield stress (improving the workability) at any content – with 4 wt% AC content indicating a maximum reduction in yield stress of 30%. Secondly, flexural strength analysis revealed that combinations 1 and 2 improve the modulus of rupture (MOR), and combination 2 (at 6 wt% MCC content) resulted in a 42% increase in MOR. Finally, we presented the cost-to-performance ratio analysis (economic perspective), highlighting the positive ramifications of this sustainable rheology modifier and additives for the cement-based composite – an avenue for low-embodied carbon building materials without compromising the strength-to-weight ratio.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 11","pages":" 3362-3374"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00287c?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142192810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"On the metal- and bio-catalyzed solvolysis of polyesters and polyurethanes wastes","authors":"Francisco G. Cirujano, Rocio Villa, Rebeca Salas, Miguel Maireles, Nuria Martín, Belén Altava, Pedro Lozano and Eduardo García Verdugo","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00233D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00233D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Catalysis is a crucial tool to efficiently address the recycling and upgrading of polymeric waste within the context of a circular economy, providing affordable and selective methods for waste valorization in alignment with the principles of green chemistry. Various catalysts, including metals, metal–organic frameworks, and biocatalysts, have been explored for the degradation of chemical poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and polyurethane (PU) waste through processes like hydrolysis or alcoholysis. This critical review specifically focuses on catalytic tools, examining both homogeneous systems (such as metal salts or coordination organometallic complexes) and heterogeneous systems where the catalysts are immobilized on solids, including metal oxides, layered or porous solids, or inorganic–organic coordination polymers as well as biocatalytic counterparts from 2017 to the present. We provide a comparative analysis of the chemo-catalysts researched, evaluating their performance relative to biocatalysts using a SWOT analysis of both technologies to highlight their strengths and limitations in the context of sustainable waste management practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 10","pages":" 2781-2804"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00233d?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142192807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bimetallic CuPd nanoparticles supported on ZnO or graphene for CO2 and CO conversion to methane and methanol†","authors":"Qaisar Maqbool, Klaus Dobrezberger, Julian Stropp, Martin Huber, Karl-Leopold Kontrus, Anna Aspalter, Julie Neuhauser, Thomas Schachinger, Stefan Löffler and Günther Rupprechter","doi":"10.1039/D4SU00339J","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SU00339J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Carbon dioxide (CO<small>₂</small>) and carbon monoxide (CO) hydrogenation to methane (CH<small>₄</small>) or methanol (MeOH) is a promising pathway to reduce CO<small>₂</small> emissions and to mitigate dependence on rapidly depleting fossil fuels. Along these lines, a series of catalysts comprising copper (Cu) or palladium (Pd) nanoparticles (NPs) supported on zinc oxide (ZnO) as well as bimetallic CuPd NPs supported on ZnO or graphene were synthesized <em>via</em> various methodologies. The prepared catalysts underwent comprehensive characterization <em>via</em> high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) mapping, electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction and desorption (H<small>₂</small>-TPR and H<small>₂</small>-TPD), and deuterium temperature-programmed desorption (D<small>₂</small>O-TPD). In the CO<small>₂</small> hydrogenation process carried out at 20 bar and elevated temperatures (300 to 500 °C), Cu, Pd, and CuPd NPs (&lt;5 wt% loading) supported on ZnO or graphene predominantly yielded CH<small>₄</small> as the primary product, with CO generated as a byproduct <em>via</em> the reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reaction. For CO hydrogenation between 400 and 500 °C, the CO conversion was at least 40% higher than the CO<small>₂</small> conversion, with CH<small>₄</small> and CO<small>₂</small> identified as the main products, the latter from water gas shift. Employing 90 wt% Cu on ZnO led to an enhanced CO conversion of 14%, with the MeOH yield reaching 10% and the CO<small>₂</small> yield reaching 4.3% at 230 °C. Overall, the results demonstrate that lower Cu/Pd loading (&lt;5 wt%) supported on ZnO/graphene favored CH<small>₄</small> production, while higher Cu content (90 wt%) promoted MeOH production, for both CO<small>₂</small> and CO hydrogenation at high pressure.</p>","PeriodicalId":74745,"journal":{"name":"RSC sustainability","volume":" 11","pages":" 3276-3288"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/su/d4su00339j?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142192811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}