Building the Data Pipeline and AI Platform for Valorization of Waste to X
Waste-to-X is transforming waste into renewable carbon resources for bioenergy, biomaterials, biochemicals, and biofuels.
AI↗
Engineering topics
Jameel, Hasan
Publications and source records attributed to Jameel, Hasan.
A critical review of existing and emerging technologies and systems to optimize solid waste management for feedstocks and energy conversion
Solid waste generation and its accumulation is increasing at an alarming pace due to population growth and urbanization posing severe risks to health, safety, and natural ecosystems. Herein this review strategically addresses the challenges and solutions to increasing the sustainability footprint of solid waste management (SWM) systems by revealing multipronged approaches that reduce solid waste and handling costs while generating revenue and reducing greenhouse gas and related emissions. For example, the United States sends ~150 million tons of waste to landfills, which is composed of over 75% organic and recyclable materials having a potential to be diverted to alternative scenarios. The emergence of an automated upstream and downstream sorting process for solid waste to increase material diversion from landfills is a promising approach for creating sustainable SWM. The utilization of artificial-intelligence-enabled smart and automated systems at the home and industrial scales, comprehensive public re-education including awareness of the adverse effects of landfilled waste on the ecosystem, and more eco-friendly product development are required to significantly reduce landfills and their negative footprint.
09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
Effect of ash in paper sludge on enzymatic hydrolysis
The valorization of paper sludge is a high-potential process to develop renewable fuels and chemicals, which can be integrated with pulp and paper mills. Calcium carbonate is the main ash component in sludge, which plays a role in buffering pH and potentially lowering the conversion during enzymatic hydrolysis. Therefore, it is important to investigate the effect of ash on sugar yields and examine pH change to introduce efficient and economical enzymatic hydrolysis of sludge. Carbohydrate conversion was enhanced when the ash was removed by fractionation. On the other hand, the highest sugar recovery was obtained when the sludge contained 20% ash content. The pH change during enzymatic hydrolysis was influenced by ash and explained why sludge-derived hydrolysate showed lower carbohydrate conversion. Therefore, a high shear process with the increased acid amount is suggested to prohibit the negative effect of ash and enhance the accessibility of cellulase to fibers. Finally, this study highlights the feasibility of using wet waste streams generated by the paper industry.
09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
Lignin-enzyme interaction: A roadblock for efficient enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosics
Efficiently producing second-generation biofuels from biomass is of strategic significance and meets sustainability targets, but it remains a long-term challenge due to the existence of biomass recalcitrance. Lignin contributes significantly to biomass recalcitrance by physically limiting the access of enzymes to carbohydrates, and this could be partially overcome by applying a pretreatment step to directly target lignin. However, lignin typically cannot be completely removed, and its structure is also significantly altered during the pretreatment. As a result, lignin residue in the pretreated materials still significantly hindered a complete conversion of carbohydrate to its monosugars by interacting with cellulase enzymes. The non-productive adsorption driven by hydrophobic, electrostatic, and/or hydrogen bonding interactions is widely considered as the major mechanism of action governing the unfavored lignin-enzyme interaction. One could argue this type of interaction between lignin residue and the activated enzymes is the major roadblock for efficient enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated lignocellulosics. To alleviate the negative effects of lignin on enzyme performance, a deep understanding of lignin structural transformation upon different types of pretreatments as well as how and where does lignin bind to enzymes are prerequisites. In the last decade, the progress toward a fundamental understanding of lignin-enzyme interaction, structural characterization of lignin during pretreatment and/or conformation change of enzyme during hydrolysis is resulting in advances in the development of methodologies to mitigate the negative effect of lignin. Here in this review, the lignin structural transformation upon different types of pretreatments and the inhibition mechanism of lignin in the bioconversion of lignocellulose to bioethanol are summarized. Some technologies to minimize the adverse impact of lignin on the enzymatic hydrolysis, including chemical modification of lignin, adding blocking additives, and post-treatment to remove lignin were also introduced. The production of liquid biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass has shown great environmental benefits such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. By addressing the root causes of lignin-enzyme interaction and how to retard this interaction, it is our hope that this comprehensive review will pave the way for significantly reducing the high cost associated with the enzymatic hydrolysis process, and ultimately achieving a cost-effective and sustainable biorefinery system.
09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
A simple method for producing bio-based anode materials for lithium-ion batteries
Renewable biomaterials are catalytically converted to graphite for use in lithium-ion anodes using a simple and scalable process.
Sagues, William J.↗