UAV imagery data and machine learning: A driving merger for predictive analysis of qualitative yield in sugarcane.

Predicting sugarcane yield by quality allows stakeholders from research centers to industries to decide on the precise time and place to harvest a product on the field; hence, it can streamline workflow while leveling up the cost-effectiveness of full-scale production. °Brix and Purity can offer significant and reliable indicators of high-quality raw material for industrial processing for food and fuel. However, their analysis in a relevant laboratory can be costly, time-consuming, and not scalable. We, therefore, analyzed whether merging multispectral images and machine learning (ML) algorithms can develop a non-invasive, predictive framework to map canopy reflectance to °Brix and Purity. We acquired multispectral images data of a sugarcane-producing area via unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) while determining °Brix and analytical Purity from juice in a routine laboratory. We then tested a suite of ML algorithms, namely multiple linear regression (MLR), random forest (RF), decision tree (DT), and support vector machine (SVM) for adequacy and complexity in predicting °Brix and Purity upon single spectral bands, vegetation indices (VIs), and growing degree days (GDD). We obtained evidence for biophysical functions accurately predicting °Brix and Purity. Those can bring at least 80% of adequacy to the modeling. Therefore, our study represents progress in assessing and monitoring sugarcane on an industrial scale. Our insights can offer stakeholders possibilities to develop prescriptive harvesting and resource-effective, high-performance manufacturing lines for by-products.

Agro-residual biomass and disposable protective face mask: a merger for converting waste to plastic-fiber fuel via an integrative carbonization-pelletization framework.

Incineration and landfilling offer possibilities for addressing high-rate management of COVID-waste streams. However, they can be costly and environmentally unsustainable. In addition, they do not allow to convert them to fuels and chemicals as waste-to-energy and waste-to-product technologies. Therefore, we analyzed whether integrating hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and pelletization can allow converting the surgical face mask (SFM) and biomass to composite plastic-fiber fuel (CPFF). We blended the plastic material and corncob, peanut shell, or sugarcane bagasse at the proportion of 50:50 (%, dry mass basis) for HTC. We performed the thermal pretreatment of blends in an autoclaving reactor at 180 °C and 1.5 MPa. Then we pelletized the hydrochars in a presser machine at 200 MPa and 125 °C. By analyzing the evidence from our study, we recognized the viability of combining the SFM and agricultural residues for CPFF from comparable technical features of our products to standards for premium-grade wood pellets. For instance, the elemental composition of their low-meltable ash was not stoichiometrically sufficient to severely produce slagging and fouling in the equipment for thermal conversion. Although they contained synthetic polymers in their structures, such as polyethylene from filter layers and nylon from the earloop, they emitted CO and NOx below the critical limits of 200 and 500 mg m-3, respectively, for occupational safety. Therefore, we extended the knowledge on waste-to-energy pathways to transform SFM into high-quality hybrid fuel by carbonization and pelletization. Our framework can provide stakeholders opportunities to address plastic and biogenic waste in the context of a circular economy. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13399-022-03285-4.

Spent mushroom substrate is capable of physisorption-chemisorption of CO2.

No in-depth investigation exists on the feasibility of integrating hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and pelletization into the process of making spent mushroom substrate (SMS), an agro-food residue from the commercial mushroom industry, into an adsorbent for post-combustion CO2 removal. Therefore, this study analyzed if it could be possible for systematically converting low-pressure hydrochars of various SMSs into carbon-adsorbing mini-capsules. Sources of SMS included paddy straw and achiote capsule shell from Pleurotus ostreatus; eucalyptus sawdust and grassy straw from Lentinula edodes; and compost containing peat or soil as casing layer from Agaricus subrufescens. The eucalyptus sawdust and grassy straw from L. edodes outperformed the other biomaterials in adsorbing CO2, and thus effectively encapsuled most of the gas, 8.25 mmol g-1 and 8.10 mmol g-1, respectively. They contained mostly hetero-atoms of O and N, requiring less unit energy to bind acidic molecules of CO2 at the alkaline sites. The amount of unit energy the pore-filling process demanded at 25 °C was 12.65 kJ mol-1, an attribute of self-sustaining and saleable physisorption. A negative 6.80 kJ mol-1 free energy validated both spontaneity and exothermal of biocarbons at steady-state atmosphere. The major findings and innovations of our study support utilizing SMS as an adsorbent as a carbon capture, storage and utilization networking. Our insights into the physisorption-chemisorption on SMS are timely and relevant to help manage the re-use of SMS, and thus bring the global mushroom industry closer to environmental sustainability and toward a lower carbon society and circular economy.

Second-Generation Lignocellulosic Supportive Material Improves Atomic Ratios of C:O and H:O and Thermomechanical Behavior of Hybrid Non-Woody Pellets.

Pellets refer to solid biofuels for heating and power. The pellet's integrity is of great relevant to ensure safe and effective transportation and storage, and comfort to stakeholders. Several materials that are supportive, whether organic and inorganic, to pellets exist. However, no work in the literature is linking making hybrid non-wood pellets with addition of residual biomass from distillation of cellulosic bioethanol, and this requires further investigations. Figuring out how effective this challenging agro-industrial residue could be for reinforcing non-wood pellets is accordingly the scientific point of this study focusing on management of waste and valorization of biomass. The pilot-scale manufacturing of hybrid pellets consisted of systematically pressing sugarcane bagasse with the lignocellulosic reinforcement at the mass ratios of 3:1, 1:1, and 1:3 on an automatic pelletizer machine at 200 MPa and 125 °C. Elemental contents of C and H, durability, and energy density all increased significantly from 50.05 to 53.50%, 5.95 to 7.80%, 95.90 to 99.55%, and 28.20 to 31.20 MJ kg-1, respectively, with blending the starting material with the reinforcement at 1:3. Preliminary evidence of residual biomass from distillation of second-generation bioethanol capable of highly improving molecular flammable/combustible properties, mechanical stability, and fuel power of composite non-wood pellets exist.

Green Manure Species for Phytoremediation of Soil With Tebuthiuron and Vinasse.

Tebuthiuron is often used to control weed growth in sugarcane cultures. This herbicide is highly toxic and can persist in soil for up to 2 years according to its degradation half-life. Hence, its residual effect is highly hazardous for the environment and local habitants via leaching, surface runoff. Screening out of species of green manure as potential phytoremediators for tebuthiuron in soil, with and with no vinasse, accordingly is the scientific point of this study. Green manure species selected for the trial in greenhouse were jack bean [Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC.], pigeon pea [Cajanus cajan (L. Millsp.)], velvet bean [Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC.)], and millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.], and Crotalaria juncea L. as bioindicator of this herbicide. The determination/quantification of height, stem diameter, and number of leaves in all plants were monitored, as well as other morphological traits for drafting any inference on biomass production. Moreover, ecotoxicity bioassays were performed from soil samples at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. Results showed preliminary evidence of effective phytoremediation capacity by M. pruriens and P. glaucum in soils with tebuthiuron, as the growth of C. juncea was sustained. Both Gompertz approach and principal component analysis predicted that these green manure species could grow healthier and for longer periods in soils containing tebuthiuron and vinasse and, thus, reduce physiological anomalies due to ecotoxicity. The implications of this study may aid in the implementation of cost-effective strategies targeting decontamination of tebuthiuron in sugarcane crops with vinasse application in fertigation.