Valorization of Solid Wastes to Biofuels and Chemical Products for Sustainable World

This book delves into the critical intersection of waste management, bioenergy production, and the pursuit of a sustainable global future through the process of valorization. Waste valorization is the process of reusing, recycling, or composting waste materials and converting them into more useful products, including materials, chemicals, fuels, or other sources of energy. The urgent environmental issues surrounding the increasing accumulation of solid waste and the necessity to shift towards cleaner energy sources have led to a thorough investigation into the conversion of solid waste into biofuels and valuable chemical products.

This book compiles different dimensions of waste valuation for the sustainable environment, including a comprehensive description of the complex chemical composition of various types of municipal, agricultural, and industrial solid wastes, their potential as feedstock, their environmental impact, and conversion technologies. The book also covers challenges associated with waste management and green production technology for biofuel and chemicals from these wastes. The focus extends to evaluating the feasibility of these strategies on a large scale, assessing their economic viability, addressing challenges encountered in their implementation, and offering insights into the prospects of these innovative approaches. It further elucidates the life cycle assessment of the valorization of different waste types for biofuels and chemicals and the contribution of these wastes to the circular economy. The book examines cutting-edge technologies and methodologies for converting solid waste materials into biofuels, such as biodiesel, bioethanol, and biogas, and valuable chemical products along with each deterring factor, commercial feasibility, future perspective, economics, its environmental impact, and integral management policy.

This book serves as a guide for students, academics, researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals interested in the innovative and sustainable utilization of solid waste for the betterment of the environment and society.

Dr Abha Kumari is currently working as an Associate Professor at the Centre for Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, India. She earned her Ph.D. and M. Sc. (Engg.) from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.  She was awarded several fellowships from IISc, DBT, and CSIR. She has more than 20 years of research and teaching experience in the field of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology. She specialises in waste-to-value, waste management, wastewater treatment, and metals recovery from waste. She has published more than 35 research articles in peer-reviewed international journals and authored numerous book chapters. She served as the principal investigator and co-investigator in several funded projects. She is a life member of the Biotechnology Research Society of India (BRSI), Indian Institute of Metal (IIM), and the Indian Science Congress.

Dr. Monika Prakash Rai is working as Associate Professor at Department of Biotechnology, MNNIT Allahabad, Prayagraj, India. She did her Ph.D. from School of Biochemical Engineering, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, India in collaboration with Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacy, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.  She has received Distinguished Indian Visiting Fellowship and Travel grant from University of Nottingham, UK for collaborative research in the year 2011 and 2019. She has about 20 years of teaching and research experience. Her research interest is in the area of Bioprocessing, Algal biotechnology,  Biofuels, Bioremediation, Waste management, Nanobiotechnology. She has published more than 60 research articles and authored more than 20 books and book chapters.

Prof. Dr. Ashok Kumar Veeramuthu is Professor and Head, Center for Waste Management and Renewable Energy, SIMATS, Saveetha University. He has served as a Visiting Professor at universities in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Korea. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Madras and completed postdoctoral research in Malaysia and Taiwan. A recipient of the Indo-Australian Fellowship, he collaborated with the University of Adelaide and visited several European institutions. Formerly a scientist at Reliance Industries, he specializes in biofuels, waste management, thermochemical conversion, and microplastics. With 120+ publications, he received Korea’s Brain Pool Award and was listed among Stanford’s top 2% scientists.

Dr. Abha Mishra is a Professor at the School of Biochemical Engineering, and Associate Dean R&D, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi. With over 22 years of experience in teaching and research, her expertise spans Cancer biology, drug discovery, bioprocess technology and Intellectual Property Rights. She has supervised 10 Ph.D. and 52 Master’s students, with several ongoing. Dr. Mishra has authored over 100 research papers and 14 book chapters. A fellow of the Institution of Engineers, she is also a life member of professional bodies including the Biological Engineering Society, Biotechnology Research Society of India, and Indian Science Congress.