Agriculture and forest ecosystems are significant contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, making mitigation strategies essential for sustainable land application. This study assesses the sustainability impact of converting wood residues into hydrochar for use as a soil amendment to reduce GHG emissions and enhance carbon sequestration. Through a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) and technoeconomic analysis (TEA) of establishing hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) process in pulp and paper mills, this research addresses a critical knowledge gap. The LCA indicates that applying hydrochar in boreal soils without additional fertilizers is advantageous in terms of climate change mitigation, resulting in net CO₂-equivalent savings of up to 300 kg per year. The TEA indicates that although advanced technologies for wastewater treatment from the HTC process entail higher initial costs, they yield greater financial returns compared to conventional methods. These findings suggest that HTC units have the potential to offer climate change mitigation benefits and improved economic performance when valorizing wood residues compared to the mono-incineration process.

In the Mediterranean area, the potato is a crucial crop and can be cultivated throughout the year. However, environmental and operational issues related to warming, such as mechanical planting settings may negatively effect on potato production and tuber quality, endangering the Mediterranean region's productivity. The research aim was to evaluate how various combinations of planting parameters affected potato yield in the Mediterranean region, integrate UAV-based RGB imaging with ground-level sensors, identify optimal planting combinations, and compare the effectiveness of UAVs versus ground sensors. This study evaluated 24 potato crop plots (Solanum tuberosum L.), comparing 8 different treatment combinations of planting parameters: interplant spacing (cm)*Interrow spacing (cm)*Planting depth (cm). The specific combinations were as follows: 1 (28*90*10), 2 (35*90*10), 3 (28*90*20), 4 (35*90*20), 5 (28*100*10), 6 (35*100*10), 7 (28*100*20), 8 (35*100*20), 9 (control: 32*80*15). Agricultural drone (UAV) provided with image sensor and field cameras were used to measure canopy vegetation and leaf area indexes. The ground and UAV RGB vegetation indices indicated a strong correlative among yield and vegetative indexes. Yield variation from the proximal, aerial, and combined datasets was explained by multivariate regression models in 69.4, 87.9, and 88.4% accordingly. The close resemblance among the proximal and aerial results in this study underscored the output advantages of RGB UAV HTPPs and demonstrates how HTPPs can be used to evaluate the effects of various planting features on optimal planting conditions. Future research should focus on validating these findings across different regions, incorporating advanced sensors, conducting long-term monitoring, performing economic analyses, and applying the methodology to other crops to enhance agricultural productivity and food security.

Any development in flame-retardant polymers should essentially meet sustainability and circularity requirements. Bearing in mind net-zero horizon drawn for 2050, selection of flame retardants (FRs) for polymers takes a deep root in circularity policies. This chapter discusses the convergence of FR selection, and the principles of circular economy (CE) in an academic context, emphasizing life-cycle assessment (LCA) concept. It summarizes and outlines the critical matter of fire safety within various industries, such as textiles and electronics by delving into the latest advancements in bioresource FRs. The chapter highlights the environmental concerns and the toxicity associated with the conventional FRs, reminding the need for emerging halogen-free alternatives among sustainable and renewable resources. The essential role of LCA in providing a global perspective on the environmental impacts of FRs throughout their life-cycle journey is discussed. This analysis involves decision-making processes and the latest sustainable fire safety solutions. Furthermore, strategies falling within the field of CE, such as optimizing FR product design, waste management, and policy frameworks, are reviewed. This chapter also discusses potential prospects, including the widespread adoption of bio-based alternatives, further understanding of the concept of a greener future, and FR recyclability framed by CE.

The transition from a fossil-based economy to a circular bioeconomy is a critical challenge and opportunity in the face of global climate change. Sweden and Finland, with their abundant forest resources and strong commitment to sustainability, are well positioned to lead this transition. The WoodPro project exemplifies this effort by exploring innovative ways to valorize forest residues into high-value products such as 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO), biopolymers and hydrochar. This perspective outlines the project’s multidisciplinary approach, which integrates advanced bioprocessing technologies with dynamic system analysis to optimize the sustainability and economic feasibility of these biorefining pathways. We highlight the potential of these interconnected processes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, close nutrient loops and stimulate rural development, while positioning the Nordic countries as global leaders in the circular bioeconomy. The insights gained from this project highlight the importance of holistic, systems-based approaches in achieving carbon neutrality and offer a model for similar transitions worldwide.

The hydrogen economy is receiving more attention from the global energy industry, highlighting its crucial impact on global energy policies. In this context, the use of hydrogen in the synthesis of biomethanol is essential to the chemical industry and has great promise as a sustainable fuel for global transportation. This study evaluates a system that uses anaerobic digestion, high-temperature electrolysis, and biogas refining to produce biomethane and biomethanol. Novelties of the present study are heat integration and oxygen management between different subsystems, introducing liquified natural gas regasification and gas turbine cycles, and exergy-economic analysis and life cycle assessment using Aspen Plus and Simapro software, respectively. Economic analyses demonstrate lower levelized costs of natural gas and shorter payback periods for systems incorporating liquified natural gas and gas turbine cycles. Moreover, life cycle assessment results indicate a significant reduction of 53% in climate change impacts and 70% in resource use impacts for systems featuring liquified natural gas and gas turbine units. Exergy efficiency improves from 85.07% to 94.4%, largely due to the high exergy efficiency (98.06%) of the liquified natural gas and gas turbine units. By comparing different power sources, the wind turbine scenario demonstrates the potential for significant reductions in climate change and resource consumption compared to those of Poland’s electricity mix. 

2,3-Butanediol (BDO) is a crucial precursor in various industries, traditionally derived from fossil resources, raising environmental concerns. This study evaluates the techno-economic feasibility of producing BDO from wood residues, a sustainable resource abundantly available in Nordic countries. By modeling a biorefinery plant with a daily capacity of 100 metric tons of wood chips, three scenarios (Sc.) were explored: Sc. 1, where BDO is the sole product; Sc. 2, where BDO is produced alongside methane and biofertilizer; and Sc. 3, which incorporates a combined heat and power system using biogas from the waste stream. The analysis emphasizes the minimum selling price (MSP) of BDO, revealing it to be lowest in Sc. 1 at USD2.97/kg, compared to USD3.20/kg and USD3.48/kg for Sc. 2 and Sc. 3, respectively. Notably, sensitivity analysis highlighted the impact of processing capacity on economic performance, suggesting a potential for higher scalability and profitability in Sc. 2. This study contributes novel insights into the role of processing capacity and fermentation yield in optimizing BDO production, providing a valuable framework for technology developers aiming to establish wood-based biorefineries. These findings not only enhance understanding of economic thresholds but also underscore the importance of resource efficiency and strategic planning in bio-based production setups. Graphical abstract: (Figure presented.).

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the qualities of Miscanthus pellets blended with pine sawdust at various ratios (Miscanthus/pine sawdust-0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, and 100:0) and relate them to energy generation potential under typical production conditions of the widely used bioenergy production technologies according to literature. Samples of each material were milled to the required sizes and blended in the proportions mentioned above. Water was added (6%) to each mixture to achieve a uniform moisture content of 10% on wet basis. The mixtures were then subjected to pressure agglomeration in the form of mechanical compression using a single pellet press so that homogeneously sized fuel pellets were obtained. Thereafter, the pure and blended pellet samples were examined using a range of analytical techniques to reveal any alterations in characteristics important to the utilization of the pellets as a green energy source. The results showed that, although temperature variations generally caused an estimated 6% moisture loss on a wet basis during pelleting with positive influence on the features of the pellets, the quality of the pellets in terms of ash composition (2-4%), hardness (41-46 kg/pellet), and heating value (20-21 MJ/kg) was in general more desirable for the blended pellets than for pure Miscanthus pellet. Structural analysis also revealed low levels of hydrophobic groups in the blends relative to pure Miscanthus, which were consistent with the fractions of pine sawdust and were also the reason for the pellets' increased hardness.

In modern times, wastewater treatment is vital due to increased water contamination arising from pollutants such as nutrients, pathogens, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical residues. Polysaccharides (PSAs) are natural, renewable, and non-toxic biopolymers used in wastewater treatment in the field of gas separation, liquid filtration, adsorption processes, pervaporation, and proton exchange membranes. Since addition of nanoparticles to PSAs improves their sustainability and strength, nanocomposite PSAs has gained significant attention for wastewater treatment in the past decade. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of PSA-based nanocomposites used for efficient wastewater treatment, focusing on adsorption, photocatalysis, and membrane-based methods. It also discusses potential future applications, challenges, and opportunities in adsorption, filtration, and photocatalysis. Recently, PSAs have shown promise as adsorbents in biological-based systems, effectively removing heavy metals that could hinder microbial activity. Cellulose-mediated adsorbents have successfully removed various pollutants from wastewater, including heavy metals, dyes, oil, organic solvents, pesticides, and pharmaceutical residues. Thus, PSA nanocomposites would support biological processes in wastewater treatment plants. A major concern is the discharge of antibiotic wastes from pharmaceutical industries, posing significant environmental and health risks. PSA-mediated bio-adsorbents, like clay polymeric nanocomposite hydrogel beads, efficiently remove antibiotics from wastewater, ensuring water quality and ecosystem balance. The successful use of PSA-mediated bio-adsorbents in wastewater treatment depends on ongoing research to optimize their application and evaluate their potential environmental impacts. Implementing these eco-friendly adsorbents on a large scale holds great promise in significantly reducing water pollution, safeguarding ecosystems, and protecting human health.