Biomass Group, Nanjing Agricultural University, PO Box 68, 40 Dianjiangtai Road, Nanjing 210031

Microwave-assisted one-step production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil by magnetic bifunctional SrO–ZnO/MOF catalyst

Recently, master student Mr. Jian Yang supervised by Prof. Zhen Fang published a research article in Journal of Cleaner Production about synthesizing bifunctional SrO–ZnO/MOF catalyst for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil.

Magnetic bifunctional SrO–ZnO/MOF catalyst supported on metal-organic framework (MOF) was synthesized for one-step biodiesel production from high acid value oils. The catalyst presented both basicity (2.84 mmol/g) and acidity (0.02 mmol/g) due to active components of Sr₃Fe₂O₆ and ZnO. MOF support increased catalyst specific surface by 3.7 times and provided Fe₃O₄ component for magnetic separation. The highest soybean biodiesel yield of 99.5% was obtained at 80 ℃ with 3 catalyst cycles. Microwave heating significantly reduced reaction time from 20 min to 5 min at 99.0% biodiesel yield and 80 ℃. The catalyst was highly active and resistant to free fatty acids with biodiesel yield of 90.0% from waste cooking oil (AV of 3.3 mg KOH/g) at longer reaction time of 30 min. SrO–ZnO/MOF has potential application in biodiesel industry.

Related results were accepted in Journal of Cleaner Production.

Jian Yang, Wen-Jie Cong, Zongyuan Zhu**, Zheng-diao Miao, Yi-Tong Wang***, Michael Nelles, Zhen Fang*. Microwave-assisted one-step production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil by magnetic bifunctional SrO–ZnO/MOF catalyst. Journal of Cleaner Production 395 (2023) 136182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136182

Acid/base SrO-ZnO/MOF catalyst for one-step biodiesel production from waste cooking oil in 30 min with microwave radiation. (双功能SrO-ZnO/MOF催化剂在微波辅助加热下30分钟从废弃食用油中一步生产生物柴油。)

微波辅助磁性双功能SrO–ZnO/MOF催化剂一步法从废弃食用油中制备生物柴油

最近，硕士生杨剑在方真教授的指导下，在国际学术期刊Journal of Cleaner Production （Q1, IF 11.072）发表一篇关于使用双功能磁性SrO–ZnO/MOF催化剂从废弃食用油中制备生物柴油的研究性论文。

合成了由金属有机骨架（MOF）负载的磁性双功能SrO–ZnO/MOF催化剂，用于高酸值油一步制备生物柴油。Sr₃Fe₂O₆和ZnO为催化剂提供碱度（2.84mmol/g）和酸度（0.02mmol/g）。MOF载体将催化剂比表面积提高了3.7倍，形成的Fe₃O₄赋予催化剂磁性。催化豆油制备生物柴油的产率在80 ℃下达到99.5%，通过简单的磁性分离催化剂可循环使用3次。微波加热显著缩短了反应时间，在相同的生物柴油产率（99.0%）下，传统油浴加热需要20 min，而微波加热将反应时间缩短3倍，仅用了5 min。该催化剂具有高度活性，并且对游离脂肪酸具有抗性，在80 ℃下反应30分钟，催化酸值为3.3 mg KOH/g的废弃食用油的生物柴油产率达到90.0%。SrO–ZnO/MOF催化剂在生物柴油工业中具有潜在应用。

结果发表在Journal of Cleaner Production

Jian Yang, Wen-Jie Cong, Zongyuan Zhu**, Zheng-diao Miao, Yi-Tong Wang***, Michael Nelles, Zhen Fang*. Microwave-assisted one-step production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil by magnetic bifunctional SrO–ZnO/MOF catalyst. Journal of Cleaner Production 395 (2023) 136182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136182

球磨碱盐耦合预处理: Effect of alkali salt-coupled ball milling pretreatment of wheat straw on improving enzymatic hydrolysis and energy efficiency

Effect of alkali salt-coupled ball milling pretreatment of wheat straw on improving enzymatic hydrolysis and energy efficiency

Recently, PhD student Miss Xiao-le Liu supervised by Prof. Zhen Fang published a research article in Fuel about alkali salt-coupled ball-milling pretreatment of wheat straw for enzymatic hydrolysis.

Wheat straw was pretreated with a combination of ball milling (BM) and NaAlO₂ particles (NaAlO₂-BM) for enzymatic hydrolysis within a short hydrolysis period. The effects of energy consumption on modifications of physicochemical proprieties and energy efficiency were elucidated. NaAlO₂-BM pretreatment decreased particle size rapidly to tissue scale in 10 min with energy consumption reduced by 0.5 times compared to BM pretreatment. NaAlO₂-BM pretreated for 20 min achieved a glucose yield of 95.4% at a cellulase loading of 10 FPU/g dry substrate for 24 h enzymatic hydrolysis and provided the highest energy efficiency of 0.121 kg glucose/kWh, increasing by 1.1 times than BM pretreatment. Energy consumption showed a positive relationship with cellulose content while it negatively correlated with median particle size, cellulose crystallinity and energy efficiency. The combination of BM and NaAlO₂ particles was demonstrated to be a promising pretreatment approach for glucose production and improving energy efficiency during hydrolysis of lignocellulose.

Related results were published in Fuel:

Xiao-le Liu, Zhen Fang*, Xiao-fei Tian*, Zheng-diao Miao, Effect of alkali salt-coupled ball milling pretreatment of wheat straw on improving enzymatic hydrolysis and energy efficiency. Fuel 340 (2023) 127336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2022.127336

Wheat straw was ball milling pretreated with NaAlO₂ particles for 20 min with 95.4% glucose yield after 24 h enzymatic hydrolysis. It achieved the highest energy efficiency of 0.121 kg glucose/kWh.（球磨辅助NaAlO₂颗粒预处理小麦秸秆20分钟。酶水解24 h，预处理后的麦秸秆酶解率可达95.4%，最大能效为0.121千克葡萄糖/千瓦时）

 ——————————————

球磨碱盐耦合预处理麦秸秆对提高酶解和能效的影响

最近，博士生刘小乐（女）在方真教授的指导下，在国际学术期刊Fuel （Q1, IF 8.035）发表一篇关于球磨辅助NaAlO₂颗粒预处理小麦秸秆用于提高酶解和能效的研究性论文。

采用球磨和NaAlO₂颗粒耦合预处理麦秸秆，并阐述了能量消耗对物理化学性质改变和能量效率的影响。球磨耦合NaAlO₂颗粒预处理10分钟可使颗粒粒径迅速减小至组织规模，能耗比单独球磨预处理降低0.5倍。球磨耦合NaAlO₂颗粒预处理20分钟，纤维素酶添加量为10 FPU/g干基质，酶解24 h后的葡萄糖收率可达95.4%；其能量效率高达0.121 kg葡萄糖/千瓦时，是单独球磨预处理的1.1倍。能量消耗与纤维素含量呈正相关，与平均粒径、纤维素结晶度和能量效率呈负相关。

结果发表在Fuel

Xiao-le Liu, Zhen Fang*, Xiao-fei Tian*, Zheng-diao Miao, Effect of alkali salt-coupled ball milling pretreatment of wheat straw on improving enzymatic hydrolysis and energy efficiency. Fuel 340 (2023) 127336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2022.127336

International Symposium on Biomass Utilization in Agriculture and Forestry (BUAF2022)

 Conference Schedule

Virtual Conference

Nanjing, China     December 15-16, 2022

Conference Background

Low-carbon technologies, renewable energies and development strategies in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are essential for our future. Biomass utilization in agriculture and forestry has become a research hotspot in chemical, environment, energy and materials science fields. To accelerate scientific and technological development of biomass and forestry resources, the International Symposium on Biomass Utilization in Agriculture and Forestry (BUAF2022, Virtual Conference) is being held on December 15-16, 2022 and hosted by Nanjing Agricultural University and Jiangsu Foreign Expert Lab.  Scholars from Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, USA, Spain and China will share their most recent research activities on biomass energy, bio-based materials, bio-based chemicals, bio-active compounds and biopolymers, and global carbon balance. The purpose of the forum is to promote international academic exchange and education and to stimulate cooperative activities in sustainable development of renewable biomass resources.

Organization Committee

Chair：  Prof. Zhen Fang (Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, FCAE), Nanjing Agricultural University, China 

Co-chair：Prof. Janusz A. Kozinski (FCAE), Lakehead University, Canada

Prof. Richard L. Smith Jr., Tohoku University, Japan

Prof. Charles Xu (FCAE), Western University, Canada

Secretaries:  Dr. Chengyu Dong (Email: donchengyu@njau.edu.cn, c: 15011223564)

            Ms. Jingmei Chen (Email: chenjingmei@njau.edu.cn, c: 13776504416 )

Details of the BUAF2022 Conference:

Date: December 15-16, 2022 (Beijing Time)

Venue: Online Platform

On-line Forum Platform:

Microsoft Teams ID: 444 796 075 663, password: 2qJSKV

Microsoft Teams：https://www.microsoft.com/zh-cn/microsoft-teams/join-a-meeting

URL:

Program:

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/PGscMcq-FbyPQv56HILafQ

Program and Biographies of Plenary Lecturers:

https://woodrefinery.com/zhenfang/buaf2022-symp/

https://biomass-group.njau.edu.cn/info/1016/1882.htm

Conference Program: Conference_Program （更多…）

A review of metallurgical slag for efficient wastewater treatment: Pretreatment, performance and mechanism

Recently, Dr Yi-Tong Wang (Associate Prof., College of Metallurgy and Energy, North China University of Science and Technology) and Prof. Zhen Fang published a review article in Journal of Cleaner Production about using metallurgical slag to treatment wastewater.

Metallurgical slag as a by-product of the metallurgical industry not only has huge storage capacity and low price, but also causes serious damage to the environment and threatens the safety of human life by heavy metal in metallurgical slag leaching. The approach of metallurgical slag used to remove pollutants in wastewater is considered to achieve the purpose of “using waste to treat waste”. This review focuses on three pretreatment methods of metallurgical slag including acid/alkali pretreatment, mixed pretreatment, and core-shell structure pretreatment, and their structural properties and performance optimization after pretreatment. The removal mechanism of typical pollutants, catalytic performance, reaction conditions, and recyclability of metallurgical slag such as steel slag, blast furnace slag, red mud, copper slag, and manganese slag are summarized and compared.

Related results were accepted in Journal of Cleaner Production:

Rui Ji, Tian-Ji Liu, Le-Le Kang, Yi-Tong Wang, Jun-Guo Li, Fu-Ping Wang, Qing Yu, Xiao-Man Wang, Huan Liu, Hua-Wei Guo, Wen-Long Xu, Ya-Nan Zeng, Zhen Fang. A review of metallurgical slag for efficient wastewater treatment: Pretreatment, performance and mechanism. Accepted. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2022.

After pretreatment, metallurgical slag can effectively remove heavy metals, dyes, antibiotics and other pollutants from wastewater. 冶金渣经过预处理后可高效去除废水中的重金属、染料和抗生素等污染物。

冶金渣高效处理废水的研究进展：预处理、性能和机理

最近，王一同博士（华北理工大学冶金与能源学院副教授）和方真教授在国际学术期刊Journal of Cleaner Production 发表题为“冶金渣高效处理废水的研究进展：预处理、性能和机理”的综述性论文。

冶金渣是冶金工业的副产品，不仅储量巨大而且价格低廉。但是冶金渣堆积浸出过程中的重金属对环境造成严重破坏，威胁人类生命安全。使用冶金渣去除废水中污染物可以达到“以废治废”的目的。综述了冶金渣的三种预处理方法，包括酸碱预处理、混合预处理和核壳结构预处理，以及预处理后的结构性能和性能优化。对钢渣、高炉渣、赤泥、铜渣和锰渣等冶金渣的典型污染物去除机理、催化性能、反应条件和可回收性进行了总结和比较。该论文为冶金渣应用于废水处理方面提供了新思路。详情可见：

Rui Ji, Tian-Ji Liu, Le-Le Kang, Yi-Tong Wang, Jun-Guo Li, Fu-Ping Wang, Qing Yu, Xiao-Man Wang, Huan Liu, Hua-Wei Guo, Wen-Long Xu, Ya-Nan Zeng, Zhen Fang. A review of metallurgical slag for efficient wastewater treatment: Pretreatment, performance and mechanism. Accepted. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2022.

Removal of pollutants from wastewater using coffee waste as adsorbent: A review

Recently, Dr Yi-Tong Wang (Associate Prof., College of Metallurgy and Energy, North China University of Science and Technology) and Prof. Zhen Fang published a review article in Journal of Water Process Engineering about using coffee waste as adsorbent to remove pollutants from wastewater.

The problem of water pollution is becoming more and more serious, and many pollutants are carcinogenic and pose a serious threat to global sustainable and green development. Adsorption is a promising wastewater treatment process, and agricultural wastes as adsorbents are popular in various wastewater treatments. The world produces > 6 million tons of coffee crops annually, and every ton of coffee generates 0.68 ton of coffee waste. Because coffee waste (i) has a surface with a porous structure, (ii) contains cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin structure that can provide abundant functional groups, and (iii) is recyclable to make it have remarkable performance in wastewater treatment, and its reuse not only saves processing costs but also contributes to the sustainable development of the environment. This review focuses on the application of coffee waste sorbents in the removal of pollutants from wastewater. The methods and advantages and disadvantages of physical pretreatment, acid pretreatment, alkali pretreatment, and magnetic pretreatment of coffee waste were reviewed. Four types of adsorption experiments including adsorption experiments, adsorption kinetics, adsorption isotherms, and adsorption thermodynamics of heavy metals, dyes, antibiotics, and other organic pollutants removal efficiency are investigated and their adsorption potential is discussed. Finally, a brief conclusion and future perspective for coffee waste that applies to wastewater treatment are provided. This review paper provides a new idea for the application of solid waste to wastewater treatment.

Related results were accepted in Journal of Water Process Engineering:

Le-Le Kang, Ya-Nan Zeng, Yi-Tong Wang, Jun-Guo Li, Fu-Ping Wang, Ya-Jun Wang, Qing Yu, Xiao-Man Wang, Rui Ji, Di Gao, Zhen Fang. Removal of pollutants from waste water using coffee waste as adsorbent: A review. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 2022, 49, 103178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2022.103178

The coffee waste without any pretreatment or after physical pretreatment, acid-base pretreatment and magnetic pretreatment can effectively remove heavy metals, dyes, antibiotics and other pollutants in wastewater. 未经任何预处理或经过物理预处理、酸预处理、碱预处理和磁性预处理的咖啡废弃物可有效去除废水中的重金属、染料、抗生素和其他污染物。

咖啡废弃物用作吸附剂去除废水中污染物的研究进展

最近，王一同博士（华北理工大学冶金与能源学院副教授）和方真教授在国际学术期刊Journal of Water Process Engineering 发表题为“咖啡废料用作吸附剂去除废水中污染物的研究进展”的综述性论文。

水污染问题越来越严重，许多污染物具有致癌性，对全球可持续发展和绿色发展构成严重威胁。吸附是一种很有前途的废水处理方法，农业废弃物作为吸附剂在各种废水处理中得到广泛应用。全世界每年生产600万吨咖啡农作物，每生产1吨咖啡产生0.68吨咖啡废弃物。因为咖啡废弃物（i）具有多孔结构的表面；（ii）含有纤维素、半纤维素和木质素结构，能够提供丰富的官能团；（iii）具有可回收性。这些使其在废水处理中具有显著的性能，其重复利用不仅节约了处理成本，而且有利于环境的可持续发展。本文重点综述了咖啡废弃物吸附剂去除废水中污染物的应用。综述了咖啡废弃物的物理预处理、酸预处理、碱预处理和磁性预处理的方法及其优缺点。研究了吸附实验、吸附动力学、吸附等温线、吸附热力学等四类吸附实验对重金属、染料、抗生素和其他有机污染物的去除效率，并讨论了它们的吸附潜力。最后，对咖啡废弃物在废水处理中的应用前景进行了简要的总结和展望。该论文为固体废物应用于废水处理方面提供了新思路。详情可见：

Le-Le Kang, Ya-Nan Zeng, Yi-Tong Wang, Jun-Guo Li, Fu-Ping Wang, Ya-Jun Wang, Qing Yu, Xiao-Man Wang, Rui Ji, Di Gao, Zhen Fang. Removal of pollutants from wastewater using coffee waste as adsorbent: A review. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 2022, 49, 103178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2022.103178.