Resourceful utilization of the enormous quantum of agrowastes generated via agricultural practices can be supportive in waste management, environmental upgradation, and subsequent material and energy recovery. In this regard, the present study aimed at highlighting waste banana (<i>Musa balbisiana</i> Colla) pseudostem (an agrowaste) as a potential bio-based feedstock with miscellaneous applications. The pseudostem was characterized by carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen (CHN) analysis, thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TGDTA), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin were estimated as a part of biochemical characterization. Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were carried out as a part of antioxidant characterization. The waste banana pseudostem biomass (WBPB) was also tried successfully as a natural filler in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) polymer composite. Thermal properties and water uptake test of the WBPB polymer composite were accessed as a part of composite characterization. The pseudostem had calorific value (15.22&#x2009;MJ/kg), high holocellulose (58.67&#x25;), high free radical scavenging potential (69.9&#x25;), and a low ash content (6.8&#x25;). Additionally, the WBPB polymer composite showed improved water resistance and thermostability. The study suggests feasibility of WBPB as a prospective bioenergy feedstock, primary antioxidant source, and reinforcing agent in polymer composites.

Krishna Gogoi

Mayur Mausoom Phukan

Nipu Dutta

Salam Pradeep Singh

Pitambar Sedai

Bolin Kumar Konwar

Tarun Kumar Maji

Valorization and Miscellaneous Prospects of Waste <i>Musa balbisiana</i> Colla Pseudostem

Biomedical waste ash generated due to the incineration of biomedical waste contains large amounts of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which is disposed of in regular landfills, and results in unfavorable amounts of hazardous materials seeping into the ground and may pollute surface water and groundwater. Therefore, it is essential to remove the toxicity of ash before disposal into landfills or reutilization. Environmental characteristic analysis of BMW ash showed increased hardness (1320&#x2009;mg/L) and chloride (8500&#x2009;mg/L) content in leachate compared to World Health Organization (WHO) and Environment Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for drinking water (hardness, 300&#x2009;mg/L; chloride, 250&#x2009;mg/L). The alkalinity and pH of the ash leachate were 400&#x2009;mg/L and 8.35, respectively. In this paper, study was carried out to investigate the metal tolerance level of bacterial isolates isolated from soil. The isolate<i> Bacillus</i> sp. KGMDI can tolerate up to 75&#x2009;mg/L of metal concentration (Mn, Mo, Cr, Fe, Cu, and Zn) in enriched growth medium. This shows that the isolated culture is capable of growing in presence of high concentration of heavy metals and acts as potential biological tool to reduce the negative impact of BMW ash on the environment during landfilling.

Shelly Heera

Kunal

Anita Rajor

Bacterial Treatment and Metal Characterization of Biomedical Waste Ash

Two-stage, dry anaerobic codigestion of seaweed and solid cow manure was studied on a laboratory scale. A methane yield of 0.14&#x2009;L/g VS<sub>added</sub> was obtained when digesting solid cow manure in a leach bed process and a methane yield of 0.16&#x2009;L/g VS<sub>added</sub> and 0.11&#x2009;L/g VS<sub>added</sub> was obtained from seaweed and seaweed/solid manure in a two-stage anaerobic process, respectively. The results showed that it was beneficial to operate the second stage methane reactor for the digestion of seaweed, which produced 83&#x25; of the methane, while the remainder was produced in the first leach bed reactor. Also, the two-stage system was more stable for the codigestion for seaweed and manure when compared to their separate digestion. In addition, the initial ammonia inhibition observed for manure digestion and the acidification of the leach bed reactor in seaweed digestion were both avoided when the materials were codigested. The seaweed had a higher Cd content of 0.2&#x2009;mg&#x2009;Cd/kg TS than the manure, 0.04&#x2009;mg&#x2009;Cd/kg TS, and presents a risk of surpassing limit values set for fertiliser quality of seaweed digestate. Evaluation of the heavy metal content of seaweed or a mixture of seaweed and manure digestate is recommended before farmland application.

Valentine Nkongndem Nkemka

Jorge Arenales-Rivera

Marika Murto

Two-Stage Dry Anaerobic Digestion of Beach Cast Seaweed and Its Codigestion with Cow Manure

This paper examines the characteristics of solid waste generated in the informal sector enterprises of Gweru, the third largest city in Zimbabwe. Samples from the informal sector enterprises were collected in plastic bags and labelled with unique identity marks. The segregated components were measured to determine percentages of total weight of a sample. The data collected during the two seasons were analysed statistically using ANOVA to identify key similarities and differences. The major components of the waste stream include food and vegetable wastes in the market areas (from 18 to 51&#x25; of total weight), metals in the industrial areas (from 19 to 36&#x25;), and paper in the residential suburbs and markets (9&#x2013;11&#x25; of total weight). The biodegradable waste stream dominates in the market areas of Kudzanai and Kombayi where it constitutes an average of 57.1&#x25; of waste generated in these areas. Establishing biodegradability of solid waste is essential because the majority of environmental and health problems associated with waste generated in the enterprises are caused by the biodegradable components. In order to come up with a sustainable and comprehensive waste management plan for the informal sector of Gweru, an up-to-date database on the composition and characteristics of the waste is a primary requirement.

Steven Jerie

Analysis of Enterprise Profile and Composition of Solid Waste Generated in the Informal Sector of Gweru, Zimbabwe

Human hair is considered a waste material in most parts of the world and its accumulation in waste streams causes many environmental problems; however, it has many known uses. Preventing waste of such a material requires both addressing the problems in the current usage and developing its utilization systems at locations where they are missing. With focus on developing systematic utilization of human hair waste, this paper first reviews the possible uses of human hair gathered from large scale trades, local/traditional knowledge, upcoming innovations, and scientific research; along with the socioeconomic systems that have evolved around the known uses. Concerns and gaps in these systems are identified and possible directions to address these gaps are discussed. For expanding hair utilization to new contexts, important considerations such as knowledge, skill, and technology requirements and potential markets are discussed. Finally, a policy framework for socially and environmentally healthy utilization of human hair is outlined. This study shows that human hair is a highly versatile material with significant potential in several critical areas such as agriculture, medical applications, construction materials, and pollution control. Moreover, these uses are diverse enough for entrepreneurs ranging from unskilled to highly technical individuals and for the wide variety of human hair waste available in different locations.

Ankush Gupta

Human Hair &#x201C;Waste&#x201D; and Its Utilization: Gaps and Possibilities

The strategy of delivering modern, high quality public services and promoting competition in the waste management sector leads to formation of private sector participation (PSP) to handle solid waste management in Lagos State. The findings depict that quality of service among the PSP operators recorded high success in the high income areas than those of the low and medium income areas. On the average, industry productivity was 6.63 tonnes per day per vehicle. 18 out of 30 companies in the study area were above this average and in meeting increased productivity, year of experience in operations, number of trips made, number of times trucks were serviced, and adhering to regulatory agency requirement were among the factors influencing company&#x2019;s productivity in the state. The study, therefore, recommends that regulatory agency should be more aggressive in playing its statutory roles of managing the PSP operators.

Agboje Ifeoma Anestina

Adeoti Adetola

Irhivben Bright Odafe

Performance Assessment of Solid Waste Management following Private Partnership Operations in Lagos State, Nigeria

The objective of the study was actually the investigation of the effect of various treatments on the ability of urine in absorbing greenhouse gases. Urine alone or mixed with olive-oil-mill waste waters (O), poultry litter (P), or sewage sludge (S) was used on the absorption of CO<sub  >2</sub> and NO<i  ><sub>x</sub></i>  from diesel exhaust. The absorption coefficient (0.98&#x2013;0.29&#x2009;g CO<sub  >2</sub>/grNH<sub  >4</sub>) was similar to other solvents such as ammonia and amines. The ranges of CO<sub  >2</sub> absorption(1.7&#x2013;5.6)&#x2009;g/l and NO reduction (0.9&#x2013;3.7)&#x2009;g/l in six hours indicate that on average 20 litres of urine could be needed to capture CO<sub  >2</sub> and <svg     style="vertical-align:-3.39066pt;width:32.612499px;" id="M1" height="15.65" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 32.612499 15.65" width="32.612499"  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
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</svg> vehicle emissions from each covered kilometre. The best results of CO<sub  >2</sub> absorption and <svg     style="vertical-align:-3.39066pt;width:32.612499px;" id="M2" height="15.65" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 32.612499 15.65" width="32.612499"  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
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			<g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,25.275,15.45)"><use xlink:href="#x1D465"/></g>

		
	
</svg> reduction were for urine mixed with O, P and urine alone. These wastes could be used to capture CO<sub  >2</sub> and <svg     style="vertical-align:-3.39066pt;width:32.612499px;" id="M3" height="15.65" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 32.612499 15.65" width="32.612499"  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
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			<g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,25.275,15.45)"><use xlink:href="#x1D465"/></g>

		
	
</svg> from automotive diesel engines to reduce gas emissions. The proposed strategy requires further research to increase CO<sub  >2</sub> absorption and reduce the risks associated with waste-water reuse.

Manuel Jim&#xe9;nez Aguilar

Wastes to Reduce Emissions from Automotive Diesel Engines

Keratinolytic potential of <i  >Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> strain SDS3 has been evaluated for the metabolism of chicken feathers. Results indicated that strain SDS3 showed complete metabolism of 0.1 and 0.5&#x25; (w/v) chicken feathers in minimal medium. Feathers were metabolized up to 80&#x25; at 1&#x25; (w/v) concentration. Maximum soluble protein (<svg     style="vertical-align:-0.3003pt;width:82.525002px;" id="M1" height="11.2875" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 82.525002 11.2875" width="82.525002"  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
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</svg>&#x2009;<i  >&#x3bc;</i>g/mL) and keratinase (<svg     style="vertical-align:-0.3003pt;width:74.362503px;" id="M2" height="11.2875" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 74.362503 11.2875" width="74.362503"  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
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</svg>&#x2009;U/mL) were observed in the presence of 1&#x25; chicken feathers after five days of incubation. The effect of carbon and nitrogen sources showed that feather degradation was stimulated by complex carbon/nitrogen sources such as starch, malt extract, tryptone, and beef extract and was inhibited by simple carbon and nitrogen sources. Electricity production by employing chicken feathers as a substrate in microbial fuel cell (MFC) was evaluated. It was observed that maximum voltage corresponding to 141&#x2009;mV was observed after 14 days of incubation. Maximum power density of 1206.78&#x2009;mW/m<sup  >2</sup> and maximum current density of 8.6&#x2009;mA/m<sup  >2</sup> were observed. The results clearly indicate that chicken feathers can be successfully employed as a cheap substrate for electricity production in MFC. This is the first report showing employment of chicken feathers as substrate in MFC.

Venkatesh Chaturvedi

Pradeep Verma

Metabolism of Chicken Feathers and Concomitant Electricity Generation by <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> by Employing Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC)

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Journal of Waste Management