Sustainable energy from waste organic matters via efficient microbial processes

Sci Total Environ. 2020 Jun 20:722:137927. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137927. Epub 2020 Mar 14.

Abstract

This review emphasizes utilization of waste organic matters from water bodies and soil sources for sustainable energy development. These organic waste matters (including microplastics) from a variety of environmental sources have created a big challenge to utilize them for energy development for human needs, maintaining a cleaner environment and thereby, producing useful bioproducts (sustainable bioenergy or other primary metabolites). Anaerobic digestions as well as other effective wastewater treatment approaches are discussed. From the water bodies, waste organic matter reduction can be achieved by a reduction of chemical oxygen demand and biological oxygen demand after the waste treatment. Other forms of organic waste matter are available in the form of agro wastes or residues (stalk of wheat or rice, maize, corn etc.) due to crop cultivation, which are generally burnt into ashes. Such wastes can be utilized for bioenergy energy production, which would help for the reduction of climate changes or other toxic gases. Hydrogen, bioelectricity, ethanol, butanol, methane and algal diesel or other types of fuel sources would help to provide sustainable source of bioenergy that can be produced from these wastes via degradation by the biological processes. This review will discuss in depths about the sustainable nature of organic matters to produce clean energy via application of efficient biological methods to maintain a clean environment, thereby providing alternative options to fossil energy fuels.

Keywords: Agrowaste; Clean energy; Microbial processes; Organic waste matter; Sustainable bioenergy; Waste treatment.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Hydrogen
  • Methane
  • Plastics
  • Renewable Energy*
  • Wastewater

Substances

  • Plastics
  • Waste Water
  • Hydrogen
  • Methane