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Key Points Lysosomes are cellular organelles involved in the degradation and recycling of cellular waste. Extracellular and intracellular materials to be degraded reach the lysosome via endocytosis and autophagy, respectively. Lysosomes are also involved in secretion and plasma membrane repair, by fusing to the plasma membrane in a process termed lysosomal exocytosis. Lysosomal function is performed by lumenal hydrolases that are responsible for substrate digestion and by membrane-associated proteins that handle trafficking of materials into and out of the lysosome. A complex machinery, which includes the kinase complex mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1, a major regulator of cell growth), the vesicular ATPase complex and additional complexes, is located on the lysosomal surface and is devoted to sensing the nutrient content of the lysosome. This complex is called the lysosomal nutrient sensing (LYNUS) machinery. Most genes encoding lysosomal proteins belong to a gene network termed CLEAR (coordinated lysosomal expression and regulation), and they are transcriptionally regulated by transcription factor EB (TFEB), the master regulator for lysosomal biogenesis. Using this regulatory mechanism, cells can adapt lysosomal function to respond to environmental cues. The activity of TFEB is induced following starvation, by both transcriptional autoregulation and a phosphorylation-dependent mechanism. Once activated, TFEB mediates the starvation response by activating lipid catabolism via the regulation of the master lipid metabolism genes PPAR α (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α) and PGC1α (PPARγ co-activator 1α). TFEB regulation and function are conserved in worms. Lysosomal and autophagy dysfunction occurs both in lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) and in common neurodegenerative diseases, resulting in defective cellular clearance and the accumulation of toxic material. Thus, TFEB-mediated induction of cellular clearance may represent an attractive therapeutic strategy for these disorders. As well as degrading and recycling cellular waste, lysosomes are involved in secretion, plasma membrane repair, signalling and energy metabolism. The identification of transcription factor EB (TFEB) as a central regulator of lysosomal biogenesis and autophagy provides insight into how lysosomes adapt to environmental cues, and targeting TFEB may be a promising therapeutic strategy for modulating lysosomal function in disease. For a long time, lysosomes were considered merely to be cellular 'incinerators' involved in the degradation and recycling of cellular waste. However, now there is compelling evidence indicating that lysosomes have a much broader function and that they are involved in fundamental processes such as secretion, plasma membrane repair, signalling and energy metabolism. Furthermore, the essential role of lysosomes in autophagic pathways puts these organelles at the crossroads of several cellular processes, with significant implications for health and disease. The identification of a master regulator, transcription factor EB (TFEB), that regulates lysosomal biogenesis and autophagy has revealed how the lysosome adapts to environmental cues, such as starvation, and targeting TFEB may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for modulating lysosomal function in human disease.

The recovery of precious metals from incinerator bottom ash (IBA) is a way of moving towards a circular economy. The paper presents a detailed analysis of the concentration of precious metals in IBA. The average values of precious metals in the samples analyzed are: Ag—6973 ppb, Au—313.90 ppb, Pd—41.26 ppb, Pt—13.81 ppb—all of these values being many times higher than the values of these elements in the Earth’s crust. The time series of the precious metals in the IBA were analyzed to assess the trend, seasonality, and outliers and to detect differences between the designated seasons of the year. Data analysis was performed following the CRISP-DM methodology using statistical and data mining methods. The analyzes confirmed a higher Ag concentration than in comparable European waste incinerator plants. The Au concentration was comparable to those reported in other incinerators, while the values were lower for Pt and Pd. The time series of precious metals shows no trend and seasonality, but numerous outliers. Due to the stationarity of precious metals, recovery can be expected to be constant, and the presence of numerous outliers can increase the potential return on investment.

Incineration is a common method in municipal solid waste management, which has several advantages such as reducing the volume of waste, but with concerns about exhaust gas and ash management. In this study, heavy metals in bottom ash, secondary furnace ash and fly ash of two waste incinerators in Tehran and Nowshahr were analyzed and its control in cement production was investigated. For this purpose, twelve monthly samples of three types of incinerator ash were analyzed. By combining the studied ashes in the raw materials, the quantity of metals in the cement was analyzed. Finally, by investigating four scenarios based on quantitative variations in the routes of municipal solid waste, ash quantity and the related risk caused by its heavy metals were studied. The results showed that the concentration of heavy metals in the three ash samples of the studied incinerators was 19,513–23,972 µg/g and the composition of the metals included Hg (less than 0.01%), Pb (2.93%), Cd (0.59%), Cu (21.51%), Zn (58.7%), As (less than 0.01%), Cr (15.88%), and Ni (0.91%). The best quality of produced cement included 20% ash and 10% zeolite, which was the basis of the next calculations. It was estimated that the reduction of the release of metals into the environment includes 37 gr/day in best scenario equal to 10.6 tons/year. Ash solidification can be considered as a complementary solution in waste incinerator management.

Background Municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) are widely used for waste management. However, the health effects of their emissions remain uncertain, needing further investigation and monitoring of the potential risks associated with such exposure. The aim of this study is to update and synthesize evidence on the health effects of residential exposure to MSWIs. Methods A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. The systematic search in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science (April 2025), using specific search strategies, identified observational studies reporting quantitative estimates on the association between long term residential exposure to MSWIs and health outcomes. Study quality was assessed using the Navigation Guide tool. A narrative synthesis was conducted for all outcomes. When possible, a random-effects meta-analysis was performed and Higgins I 2 was used to summarize heterogeneity. For the overall body of evidence, heatmaps were used to visually represent the direction of the associations (positive, negative or lack of association) stratified by study quality. Results Out of 3,273 records identified, 51 studies were included. The most frequently investigated outcomes were congenital anomalies, pregnancy outcomes, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and cancers. The narrative synthesis suggests a weak association for hospitalizations due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in high-quality studies and a potential increased risk for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, based on low-quality evidence. The meta-analysis confirms a slight increased risk for respiratory diseases (HR 1.02; 95% CI 0.94–1.11), particularly for COPD (HR 1.08; 95% CI 0.82–1.41) and asthma (HR 1.02; 95% CI 1.00–1.05). Moderate heterogeneity was observed for most outcomes (I 2  = 30%-60%). Conclusions This review highlights the current uncertainty surrounding the long-term health effects of MSWI exposure. While a slight indication of increased risk emerged for cardiovascular and respiratory hospitalizations, and a weak association with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was observed, overall evidence remains weak. Methodological limitations, heterogeneity across studies, and low exposure levels complicate risk assessment and comparability. Standardized, high-quality research is needed to clarify these associations and support evidence-based public health decisions and transparent communication with affected communities. Trial registration The protocol of this review was registered in PROSPERO on 02/06/2024 (CRD42024550168).

A main global challenge is finding an alternative material for cement, which is a major source of pollution to the environment because it emits greenhouse gases. Investigators play a significant role in global waste disposal by developing appropriate methods for its effective utilization. Geopolymers are one of the best options for reusing all industrial wastes containing aluminosilicate and the best alternative materials for concrete applications. Waste wood ash (WWA) is used with other waste materials in geopolymer production and is found in pulp and paper, wood-burning industrial facilities, and wood-fired plants. On the other hand, the WWA manufacturing industry necessitates the acquisition of large tracts of land in rural areas, while some industries use incinerators to burn wood waste, which contributes to air pollution, a significant environmental problem. This review paper offers a comprehensive review of the current utilization of WWA with the partial replacement with other mineral materials, such as fly ash, as a base for geopolymer concrete and mortar production. A review of the usage of waste wood ash in the construction sector is offered, and development tendencies are assessed about mechanical, durability, and microstructural characteristics. The impacts of waste wood ash as a pozzolanic base for eco-concreting usages are summarized. According to the findings, incorporating WWA into concrete is useful to sustainable progress and waste reduction as the WWA mostly behaves as a filler in filling action and moderate amounts of WWA offer a fairly higher compressive strength to concrete. A detail study on the source of WWA on concrete mineralogy and properties must be performed to fill the potential research gap.

This article collected samples of incineration bottom ash from landfill areas, storage yards, and areas weathered for 2 months. These samples represent bottom ash conditions immediately after removal from the incinerator, which were stored for 1-2 weeks and experienced extended weathering. Particle size analysis revealed significant disintegration of the bottom ash during weathering. After two months of weathering, the proportion of particles larger than 4 mm (grades 7–8) decreased by 14.8%, while the proportion of particles in the 0.3–2 mm range (grades 3–5) increased by 15%. The weakening of particle size correlations after weathering signals that disintegration has produced a more stable bottom ash structure. Analysis of sample moisture content showed that the weathered fine-grained fraction exhibited relatively high moisture content.

This study is focused on a “V-type” waste incinerator for municipal solid waste (MSW) combustion. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods are used to study the MSW combustion process. The characteristics of fly ash and slag are analyzed by using a laser particle analyzer, scanning electron microscope, X-ray fluorescence, and X-ray diffraction. The results show that the error between the CFD simulation data and measured data is less than 10%, and the changing trend of the combustion process is well-modeled. The fly ash mainly has an irregular spherical or ellipsoid structure, whereas the slag mainly has an irregular porous structure. The main constituents of the ash and slag are CaO and SiO2, along with heavy metal elements such as Cu, Pb, and Cr.

Municipal waste largely consists of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Other elements are represented in smaller proportions. Mostly, this type of waste ends up in the incinerator or landfill. Re-use is limited due to the contamination of the raw material. On paper, the model is presented that enables step by step conversion of waste into synthesis gas, which is a raw material for methanol production and production of other hydrocarbons, through the gasification system. This method allows endless re-use of material, with part of the raw material being converted into energy, carbon dioxide and water. On paper, the design of the model and the efficiency of the process is presented.

Residue concentrations of heavy metals, including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn, were determined in bottom ash, fly ash, and particulate matter (PM10) samples collected from five municipal incinerators in northern Vietnam to assess their occurrence, distribution characteristics, and potential risks. Concentrations and profiles of heavy metals are presented, showing the dominance of Zn in all types of samples. Highly volatile elements (Cd, Pb, and Zn) were found at elevated proportions in PM10 but not fly ash. The large difference in the heavy metal profiles could be explained by the variation of input raw materials, the absence of an appropriate cycle for the material feeding process, and post-combustion technology applied. Mass balance of heavy metals in the bottom ash, fly ash, and PM10 varied significantly between the investigated incinerators, largely due to the difference in incineration technology and air pollution control system. Emission factors and annual emissions were also estimated, indicating the highest value and amount in bottom ash, followed by PM10 and fly ash. Our results are among the first studies reporting contents and emissions of toxic elements in incinerated solid wastes in Vietnam.

The aim of the current study is natural convection analysis conjugated with entropy generation analysis in an incinerator shaped permeable enclosure loaded with Al2O3–H2O nanofluid subjected to the magnetic field with a rectangular wavy heater block positioned on the bottom of the cavity wall. The bottom and top horizontal walls are adiabatic; the inclined and vertical walls are thought to be cooled. Firstly, the governing expressions and standard k–ε turbulence model are rewritten from dimensional form to non-dimensional form using dimensionless parameters such as vorticity and stream function. In the next step, the equation of entropy generation is written in dimensionless form. Then, the system of non-dimensional governing equations is solved by the finite volume method (FVM) conjugated with a non-dimensionalization scheme using ANSYS Fluent. Fine grids (wall y+ < 2) with inflated layers have been used for the higher Rayleigh number. The effects of the Rayleigh number in the laminar region (Ra = 103, 104, and 105) and turbulent region (Ra = 108, 0.5 × 109, and 109), Darcy number (Da = 0.01 and 100), Hartmann number (Ha = 0 and 40), and the nanoparticles ( ϕ=2% ) on the entropy generation number and natural convection are investigated. The validation results were in good agreement with those of the literature. The results demonstrate that for the laminar region, the Nusselt number and entropy generation number increase as the Rayleigh number and the Darcy number grow, whereas both of them abate as Hartmann number increases. In the turbulent region, the average Nusselt number decreases by ascending the Darcy number. Also, for turbulent region (Ra = 109), convection flow strength decreases 6.28% when Hartmann number increases from 0 to 40, whereas the entropy generation number increases 31.5% at Da = 0.01.