Trends in sustainable process design—from molecular to global scales

The quest for sustainability is changing how chemical engineers conceptualise new processes. The task also becomes more complicated by economic and social uncertainties, local diversity of renewable resources and globalisation. These realities are changing the nature of process design problems and recent advancements have been able to incorporate the multidimensionality and multiscale boundaries by exploiting the power of mathematical methods, decision support frameworks and insight based methods. In doing so, two main trends for methods development can be distinguished, the ones considering expanded boundaries for design from the lowest molecular level to the process level, and the ones from process to the higher levels of value chains, ecosystems and the planet. However, a truly integrated framework that captures the full range of scales and interactions from molecular to planetary levels is yet to be developed to be able to find superior designs that perhaps we had never thought of before

Material flow and sustainability analyses of biorefining of municipal solid waste

This paper presents material flow and sustainability analyses of novel mechanical biological chemical treatment system for complete valorization of municipal solid waste (MSW). It integrates material recovery facility (MRF); pulping, chemical conversion; effluent treatment plant (ETP), anaerobic digestion (AD); and combined heat and power (CHP) systems producing end products: recyclables (24.9% by mass of MSW), metals (2.7%), fibre (1.5%); levulinic acid (7.4%); recyclable water (14.7%), fertiliser (8.3%); and electricity (0.126 MWh/t MSW), respectively. Refuse derived fuel (RDF) and non-recyclable other waste, char and biogas from MRF, chemical conversion and AD systems, respectively, are energy recovered in the CHP system. Levulinic acid gives profitability independent of subsidies; MSW priced at 50 Euro/t gives a margin of 204 Euro/t. Global warming potential savings are 2.4 and 1.3 kg CO2 equivalent per kg of levulinic acid and fertiliser, and 0.17 kg CO2 equivalent per MJ of grid electricity offset, respectively

Evaluación financiera de producción de pejelagarto (atractosteus tropicus): Caso cooperativa de producción pesquera acuícola "El pejelagarto", S.C. de R.L.

Se evalúo la rentabilidad de la producción de pejelagarto (Atractosteus tropicus) en dos modalidades de cultivo, en condiciones de cautiverio y en cautiverio en asociación con la mojarra castarrica y tilapia en la Sociedad Cooperativa de Producción Acuícola "El Pejelagarto", localizada en Sabancuy, municipio de Carmen, Campeche, México. Para tal efecto, se utilizaron los registros de 10 años para el cálculo de los indicadores de evaluación económica siguientes para el primer modo de cultivo: valor actual neto (VAN), relación beneficio-costo (B/C), relación beneficio-inversión neta (K/N) y la tasa interna de retorno (TIR). Los resultados obtenidos, para este período, fueron: VAN = 119,825.00, B/C = 1.08, N/K = 1.88 y TIR = 25.6%. Los indicadores para el cultivo en asociación fueron VAN = 629,254, B/C = 1.43, N/K = 10.15 y TIR = 145.0%. Con base en los resultados de los indicadores, se concluye que el proyecto productivo es viable en sus dos modalidades de cultivo, desde el punto de vista económico; por lo anterior, la cría, producción y comercialización de pejelagarto, tiene una gran oportunidad de negocio, por ser una especie con demanda, dentro y fuera de la región, por su rusticidad en la cría además de ser considerado un platillo exótico

Sugarcane Bagasse Valorization Strategies for Bioethanol and Energy Production

The use of sugarcane bagasse pith as solid substrate for fungi and microbial growth is well known, as well as a source of microorganisms that can be isolated from it. Pith has also been used as a bulking agent for soil bioremediation. More recently, bagasse pith has been used for bioethanol production involving pretreatment and hydrolysis followed by fermentation and dehydration. However, little is reported about biomass valorization for the development of environmentally sound and innovative strategies to process sugarcane bagasse from sugar mills. Incineration of sugarcane bagasse pith is a very common and mature technology for waste disposal and generation of electrical and thermal energy. However, this approach may not be satisfactory in organic waste management due to pollutant emissions, economic and labor costs, loss of energy, and bad odor. In addition, no valuable product is generated from its decomposition process. Instead of incineration, recent research has focused on its utilization as biofuel source. In this chapter, the use of sugarcane bagasse pith as a waste material for incineration versus biomass to produce bioethanol is discussed in terms of energy ratio and emissions, in addition to elucidate the potential of sugarcane bagasse valorization for a more sustainable society

EVALUACIÓN FINANCIERA DE PRODUCCIÓN DE PEJELAGARTO (Atractosteus tropicus): CASO COOPERATIVA DE PRODUCCIÓN PESQUERA ACUÃCOLA “EL PEJELAGARTOâ€, S.C. DE R.L.

The profitability of production of pejelagarto (Atractosteus tropicus) was evaluated in two types of cultivation, in captivity conditions and in captivity conditions in association with the Mojarra Castarrica and Tilapia at the Aquaculture Production Cooperative Society "El Pejelagarto", located in Sabancuy, municipality of Carmen, Campeche, Mexico. For this purpose, the records of 10 years ago were used to calculate the following indicators of economic evaluation for the first mode of cultivation: Net Present Value (NPV), Benefit-Cost Ratio (B / C), Net Benefit-Investment (K / N) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR). The results obtained for this period were: NPV = 119,825.00, B / C = 1.08, N / K = 1.88 and IRR = 25.6%. The indicators for cultivation in association were NPV = 629.254, B / C = 1.43, N / K = IRR = 10.15 and 145.0%. Based on the results of the indicators, it is concluded that the project is feasible in its two forms of cultivation, from the economic point of view thus, the breeding, production and marketing of pejelagarto, has a great business opportunity, because of being species with demand, both within and outside of the region, for their rusticity in breeding as well as being considered an exotic dish.Profitability, economic indicators, pejelagarto., Agribusiness,

Perspectives on "game changer" global challenges for sustainable 21st century : Plant-based diet, unavoidable food waste biorefining, and circular economy

Planet Earth is under severe stress from several inter-linked factors mainly associated with rising global population, linear resource consumption, security of resources, unsurmountable waste generation, and social inequality, which unabated will lead to an unsustainable 21st Century. The traditional way products are designed promotes a linear economy that discards recoverable resources and creates negative environmental and social impacts. Here, we suggest multi-disciplinary approaches encompassing chemistry, process engineering and sustainability science, and sustainable solutions in "game changer" challenges in three intersecting arenas of food: Sustainable diet, valorisation of unavoidable food supply chain wastes, and circularity of food value chain systems aligning with the United Nations' seventeen Sustainable Development Goals. In the arena of sustainable diet, comprehensive life cycle assessment using the global life cycle inventory datasets and recommended daily servings is conducted to rank food choices, covering all food groups from fresh fruits/vegetables, lentils/pulses and grains to livestock, with regard to health and the environment, to emphasise the essence of plant-based diet, especially plant-based sources of protein, for holistic systemic sustainability and stability of the earth system. In the arena of unavoidable food supply chain wastes, economically feasible and synergistically (energy and material) integrated innovative biorefinery systems are suggested to transform unavoidable food waste into functional and platform chemical productions alongside energy vectors: Fuel or combined heat and power generation. In the arena of circularity of food value chain systems, novel materials and methods for plant-based protein functionalisation for food/nutraceutical applications are investigated using regenerative bio-surfactants from unavoidable food waste. This circular economy or industrial symbiosis example thus combines the other two arenas, i.e., plant-based protein sourcing and unavoidable food waste valorisation. The multi-disciplinary analysis here will eventually impact on policies for dietary change, but also contribute knowledge needed by industry and policy makers and raise awareness amongst the population at large for making a better approach to the circular economy of food

Use of negative pressure therapy in the management of complex wounds initial experience of 4 years

Background: Wound management with negative pressure therapy has been used in the treatment of complex wounds in both inpatient and outpatient settings, and is increasingly used in primary care and outpatient management, as it helps to reduce patient days of hospital stay. We describe the initial 4-year experience in the use of negative pressure therapy in the management of complex wounds.Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional and descriptive study of our experience of the use of negative pressure therapy for the management of complex wounds in 5 years.Results: A total of 89 patients with complex wounds managed with TPN were analysed, of which 53 were men (62.9%) and 33 were women (37.1%). Suprafacial therapy was used in 64 cases (73%). The ABTHERA® system was used in 25 cases (27%). Among the etiology of complex wounds, vulvar abscess was recorded in 1 case (1.1%), firearm wound in 1 case (1.1%), Fournier's gangrene in 1 case (1.1%), septic arthritis in 1 case (1.1%), burn wounds in 1 case (1.1%), septic arthritis in 1 case (1.1%), and burn wounds in 1 case (1.1%). 1%), burn wounds in 5 cases (5.6%), pressure ulcer wound in 6 cases (6.7%), necrotizing fasciitis in 19 cases (21.3%), abdominal sepsis in 26 cases (29.2%), surgical wound infection in 29 cases (32.5%).Conclusions: The use of negative pressure therapy and protocolized management has provided patients in our institution with a viable therapeutic option

COVID-19 infection in symptomatic pregnant women at the midpoint of the pandemic in Spain: a retrospective analysis

Objectives: Determine the strengths and weakness of a symptomatic screening for COVID-19 in pregnant women. Analyzethe clinical presentation, management, and outcomes. Design: Descriptive retrospective observational study. Setting:Mancha-Centro Hospital (Spain).Material and methods: Population: Symptomatic pregnant women with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. Between the 12thof March and 17th of April 2020, all the symptomatic pregnancies were screened with diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2. Datacollection was done by reviewing the medical records and telephone interviews. Main outcome measures: Clinical characteristics,management, treatment, and obstetric and neonatal outcomes.Results: Twenty patients with positive COVID-19 diagnostic test out of thirty-four suspected. The most common symptomswere fever (70%), cough (65%) and myalgia (35%). A unique symptom of presentation in 20% of cases. COVID-19 pneumoniawas diagnosed in 30% by chest X-ray and one case had pulmonary embolism associated diagnosed by CT-Scan. Thromboprophylaxiswas indicated in 16 out of 20 patients. Eight women finished their pregnancy during the observation period.Type of birth: 25% natural birth, 12.5% assisted vaginal delivery and 62.5% caesarean section. We had three severe cases,two of them with intensive care support. All neonates had negative test for COVID 19 infection.Conclusions: We recommend universal screening of all pregnant woman for COVID-19 during the pandemic because ofthe limits of the symptomatic screening seen in this studio and the ratio of asymptomatic pregnancies with positive testfor COVID-19 recently published

Design of biomass value chains that are synergistic with the food-energy-water nexus: strategies and opportunities

Humanity’s future sustainable supply of energy, fuels and materials is aiming towards renewable sources such as biomass. Several studies on biomass value chains (BVCs) have demonstrated the feasibility of biomass in replacing fossil fuels. However, many of the activities along the chain can disrupt the food–energy–water (FEW) nexus given that these resource systems have been ever more interlinked due to increased global population and urbanisation. Essentially, the design of BVCs has to integrate the systems-thinking approach of the FEW nexus; such that, existing concerns on food, water and energy security, as well as the interactions of the BVCs with the nexus, can be incorporated in future policies. To date, there has been little to no literature that captures the synergistic opportunities between BVCs and the FEW nexus. This paper presents the first survey of process systems engineering approaches for the design of BVCs, focusing on whether and how these approaches considered synergies with the FEW nexus. Among the surveyed mathematical models, the approaches include multi-stage supply chain, temporal and spatial integration, multi-objective optimisation and uncertainty-based risk management. Although the majority of current studies are more focused on the economic impacts of BVCs, the mathematical tools can be remarkably useful in addressing critical sustainability issues in BVCs. Thus, future research directions must capture the details of food–energy–water interactions with the BVCs, together with the development of more insightful multi-scale, multi-stage, multi-objective and uncertainty-based approaches