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Our planet urgently needs sustainable solutions to alleviate the anthropogenic global warming and climate change. Homogeneous catalysis has the potential to play a fundamental role in this process, providing novel, efficient, and at the same time eco-friendly routes for both chemicals and energy production. In particular, pincer-type ligation shows promising properties in terms of long-term stability and selectivity, as well as allowing for mild reaction conditions and low catalyst loading. Indeed, pincer complexes have been applied to a plethora of sustainable chemical processes, such as hydrogen release, CO2 capture and conversion, N2 fixation, and biomass valorization for the synthesis of high-value chemicals and fuels. In this work, we show the main advances of the last five years in the use of pincer transition metal complexes in key catalytic processes aiming for a more sustainable chemical and energy production.

The shrub Ricinus communis, originally from Asia, has adapted to different regions of Mexico. The main value of this crop lies in the production of non-edible vegetable oil. In this work, extracts from the leaves of R. communis were obtained using various solvents: methanol, ethanol, and water; as well as 80:20 mixtures of methanol:water and ethanol:water. The extraction yield ranged between 1.00 and 2.10 g of extract per 100 g of plant material. The aqueous extract showed the highest yield, while the methanol: water mixture had the lowest. A SEM-EDS analysis was applied to the leaves before and after the extraction. The extracts were tested as antioxidants through free radical scavenging assays, ferric reducing capacity, and total phenolic content. The extract that exhibited the highest IC50 value was the water, followed by ethanol, with values of 38.94 and 331.01, respectively. The extract from the leaves of R. communis, demonstrated antioxidant properties. This suggests that this biomass can serve as a source of natural antioxidants, thus utilizing this by product of the crop. The SEM-EDS results indicate that the leaves were not contaminated with metals or other sources, supporting the use of these extracts in applications such as biodiesel.

The preparation of biochar (BC) as a useful substance generated from biomass valorization via pyrolysis has attracted much attention in recent years. Moreover, widespread worries about water pollution and the issues brought on by producing and releasing massive volumes of industrial effluents have sparked research initiatives to examine practical and affordable solutions to these problems. Dyes, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical compounds are the main hazardous pollutants in industrial wastewater. As a result, biochar (BC)/biochar (BC)-based nanocomposites have been presented as a potential alternative to handle wastewater pollution with both adsorption and photocatalytic degradation processes. Such nanocomposite materials benefit from the synergistic effect of adsorption and photocatalysis to attain improved removal of pollutants from industrial wastewater. Therefore, this review aims to describe different preparation methods for biochar and biochar-based nanocomposites. Furthermore, the differences between the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation processes are discussed. BC-based nanocomposites have emerged as promising adsorbents and photocatalysts for wastewater treatment applications. To maximize the efficiency of these processes, an overview of the parameters affecting pollutants removal from wastewater via adsorption and photocatalytic degradation processes is reviewed, where biochar dose, initial pollutant concentration, pH, temperature, time, the presence of different anions, and recycling are discovered to have a significant impact on their performance. Finally, future recommendations and research directions are provided to help shape the applications of BC-based nanocomposites for wastewater treatment applications. This review offers a comprehensive evaluation of the use of biochar as a new environmental material capable of removing pollutants from wastewater. Graphical Abstract

The treatment of different types of wastewater by physicochemical or biological (non-microalgal) methods could often be either inefficient or energy-intensive. Microalgae are ubiquitous microscopic organisms, which thrive in water bodies that contain the necessary nutrients. Wastewaters are typically contaminated with nitrogen, phosphorus, and other trace elements, which microalgae require for their cell growth. In addition, most of the microalgae are photosynthetic in nature, and these organisms do not require an organic source for their proliferation, although some strains could utilize organics both in the presence and absence of light. Therefore, microalgal bioremediation could be integrated with existing treatment methods or adopted as the single biological method for efficiently treating wastewater. This review paper summarized the mechanisms of pollutants removal by microalgae, microalgal bioremediation potential of different types of wastewaters, the potential application of wastewater-grown microalgal biomass, existing challenges, and the future direction of microalgal application in wastewater treatment.

Diversifying energy sources and managing waste biomass are two pressing contemporary issues. The new technology proposed in this study aims to address both by converting waste biomass into energy and fertilizer through the use of a biofuel cell (BFC). The purpose of this study is to assess the environmental impacts associated with this innovative technology through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). To achieve the goal, the production and use of the cell were modelled, considering both laboratory-scale operations and industrial-scale approximations. The study explored alternative scenarios, such as sensitivity analyses involving different acids and bases, renewable energy sources, and heat recovery. Comparisons with conventional biomass waste treatments (anaerobic digestion and composting) demonstrated that the BFC technology remains competitive. To further improve the BFC’s environmental footprint, efforts should focus on reducing energy requirements and enhancing nutrient recovery during scale-up. These insights are crucial for advancing sustainable waste treatment technologies and maximizing the potential of discarded biomass in an environmentally friendly manner.

High reliance on crude oil for energy consumption results in the urgent need to explore and develop alternative renewable sources. One of the most promising routes is the transformation of biomass into biofuels and chemicals. The introduction of deep eutectic solvents in 2004 received a considerable amount of attention across different research fields, particularly in biomass processing. The effectiveness of deep eutectic solvents in breaking down the recalcitrant structure in biomass highlights its impact on the transformation of biomass into various value-added products. In addition, deep eutectic solvents are widely regarded as promising “green” solvents due to their low cost, low toxicity, and biodegradable properties. In this paper, some background information on lignocellulosic biomass and deep eutectic solvents is given. Furthermore, the roles of deep eutectic solvents in biomass processing are discussed, focusing on the impacts of deep eutectic solvents on the selectivity of chemical processes and dissolution of biomass. This review also highlights the advantages and limitations of deep eutectic solvents associated with their usage in biomass valorization.

Plant bioresources are an abundant, sustainable, and underutilized source of essential bioactive substances for use in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and nutraceutical sectors. The increased demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly processing technologies has fueled interest in enzyme-assisted valorization as a greener alternative to traditional extraction methods. This review emphasizes the relevance of plant bioresources and functioning bioproducts, particularly the use of enzymes in green extraction methods. The many kinds of hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes that contribute to biomass valorization are described, as well as their modes of action. Uses of enzyme-assisted extraction in the production of functional bioproducts are discussed, followed by a review of commercial scale-up issues, economic feasibility, and regulatory implications. In terms of sustainability, selectivity, and environmental effect, enzyme-assisted approaches can outperform traditional, microwave, ultrasound, and pressurized liquid extraction procedures. Enzymes can selectively break down complex polysaccharides and phenolic chemicals. Challenges persist in enzyme cost, capacity, and regulatory barriers. Future studies should focus on optimizing enzyme combinations, increasing cost-efficiency through enzyme recycling, and combining enzymatic approaches with other green technologies to improve sustainability. Furthermore, broadening the spectrum of feedstocks and guaranteeing compliance with industry norms will be critical for widespread industrial use of enzyme-assisted procedures.

The last two decades have witnessed rapid advances in engineering individual microbial strains to produce biochemicals and biomaterials. Furthermore, engineering microbial consortia has been relatively slow. Using systems and synthetic biology approaches, researchers have been developing tools for engineering complex microbiota. In this article, I discuss future directions and visions regarding developing microbiota as a biomanufacturing host. Specifically, I propose that we can develop the soil microbial community itself as a huge bioreactor. Ultimately, researchers will provide a generalizable system that enables us to understand microbial consortium’s interaction and metabolism at diverse temporal and spatial scales to address global problems, including the climate crisis, food inequality, waste issue, and sustainable bioproduction.

Forest litter accumulation, particularly pine needles (Pinus roxburghii), offers considerable environmental and ecological concerns in many mountainous regions due to recurring forest fires, air pollution and inefficient biomass utilization. Despite its abundance, lignocellulosic residue is largely underutilized as a renewable carbon source. Growing interest in sustainable biomass management has emphasized thermochemical conversion, specifically pyrolysis as a viable approach for converting such residue into value-added products within circular bioeconomy frameworks. This review focuses on current advances in biomass management and the sustainable use of pine needles, with a focus on developing large-scale biochar synthesis strategies and process optimization for effective biomass valorization. Furthermore, environmental significance of biochar is highlighted, including its use in pollutant remediation, soil regeneration and long-term carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation. Integrating sustainable biomass consumption with scalable biochar technology for production is an intriguing approach to resource recovery, ecological restoration and the advancement of circular economy strategies.

Optimizing process parameters is essential for developing high efficacy carbonaceous adsorbents. This study investigated carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) capture using activated carbon (AC) synthesized from date-palm leaflets. Key process parameters—pyrolysis temperature, residence time, and KOH-to-carbon (KOH/C) impregnation ratio—were systematically varied to synthesize highly nanoporous AC for enhanced CO 2 uptake. Instead of relying on an intuitive selection of process variables, the optimization process was implemented using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) protocol, which provided a structured and effective strategy for process optimization. Over twenty different AC samples were synthesized and evaluated for their CO 2 adsorption capacities. The optimal conditions, identified as 700 °C, 1.5 h, and a 3:1 (KOH/C) impregnation ratio, yielded AC with exceptional CO 2 uptake capacities of 6.71 mmol/g at 0 °C and 4.214 mmol/g at 25 °C, outperforming most previously reported biomass-derived ACs. This superior performance is attributed to the well-developed nanoporous structure and high nitrogen content of the optimized sample, as confirmed by N 2 adsorption isotherms, elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The optimized AC demonstrated excellent stability over multiple adsorption–desorption cycles. Additionally, a high isosteric enthalpy of adsorption (35 kJ/mol at 0.2 mmol/g) further confirmed preferential CO 2 adsorption at energetically favorable nanopore sites. This study underscores the potential of date-palm leaflets as a sustainable and abundant precursor for synthesizing high-efficacy AC for carbon capture.