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Research Interests: Business, Biomass, Bioenergy, Life Cycle Assessment, Environmental Impact Assessment, and 10 moreMedicine, Multidisciplinary, Biofuels, Environmental Resource Management, Ecosystem, Sustainability, Environment, Geographic Information System, Geographic Information Systems, and Bioresource technology
Environmental microbiology and biotechnology are crucial in the modern society. They influence human health, environment and serve as a source of energy and provider of novel bioproducts. The key areas of interest are bioremediation,... more
Environmental microbiology and biotechnology are crucial in the modern society. They influence human health, environment and serve as a source of energy and provider of novel bioproducts. The key areas of interest are bioremediation, microbial communities, pathogen detection, wastewater treatment, energy generation, bioprocesses, and natural product discovery. Environmental microbiology must interact with hydrology, biogeochemistry, limnology, oceanography and numerical modeling. This subject will continue to engage future generations of scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and policy makers.
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The Renewables Directive 2009/28/EC sets a target of 20% of the energy across Europe to be renewable by 2020. This includes 10% of the energy utilised in the transport sector [1]. From an Irish perspective renewable energy supplies need... more
The Renewables Directive 2009/28/EC sets a target of 20% of the energy across Europe to be renewable by 2020. This includes 10% of the energy utilised in the transport sector [1]. From an Irish perspective renewable energy supplies need to account for 16% of the energy sector and 10% of energy in transport sector by 2020 [2]. Ireland however, has set its own targets. It is believed that 3% of the energy utilised in the transport sector can be renewable energy by 2010, however as of 2009 approximately 1.4% of the energy in this sector is renewable deeming the 2010 target to be unrealistic at this stage. The purpose of this work is to determine the potential of biomethane as a gaseous transport fuel in Ireland. Various feedstocks can be used for biomethane production. Biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) and energy crops such as grass silage are investigated as potential feedstocks for the production of biomethane [3]. Two facility sizes are compared for the treatment of BMW and a land area of 875 hectares is investigated for various crop rotations. The optimum biomethane strategy for BMW treatment is a combined approach utilising the two facility sizes. A total of eighteen potential facilities can be utilised treating 1,545,000 tonnes of BMW pa and producing 151,518,071m3 of biomethane which is capable of fuelling 125,312 cars, creating a potential profit of €202.95 million. Grass silage is the chosen energy crop as it has, a high biogas production rate of 0.953m3/kgVS, has a high yield of 75.9t/ha total matter (16.7tDM/ha) and a methane content of 54% [adapted from 4].
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The production of oil and fatty acid using microorganism is feasible, and there are several microorganisms that can be used for the production of oils and fatty acids. This article describes the use of common oleaginous microorganisms and... more
The production of oil and fatty acid using microorganism is feasible, and there are several microorganisms that can be used for the production of oils and fatty acids. This article describes the use of common oleaginous microorganisms and their capability for oil synthesis; their metabolic pathways for lipid biosynthesis, substrates, and processes involved in oleaginic fermentations; factors influencing lipid biosynthesis; their recovery and purification; and the commercial importance of microbial oils.
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Mycosporine-like amino acids are the most common group of transparent ultraviolet radiation absorbing intracellular secondary metabolites. These molecules absorb light in the range of ultraviolet-A and -B with a maximum absorbance between... more
Mycosporine-like amino acids are the most common group of transparent ultraviolet radiation absorbing intracellular secondary metabolites. These molecules absorb light in the range of ultraviolet-A and -B with a maximum absorbance between 310 and 362 nm. Cyanobacteria might have faced the most deleterious ultraviolet radiation, which leads to an evolution of ultraviolet protecting mycosporine-like amino acids for efficient selection in the environment. In the last 30 years, scientists have investigated various cyanobacteria for novel mycosporine-like amino acids, applying different induction techniques. This review organizes all the cyanobacterial groups that produce various mycosporine-like amino acids. We found out that cyanobacteria belonging to orders Synechococcales, Chroococcales, Oscillatoriales, and Nostocales are frequently studied for the presence of mycosporine-like amino acids, while orders Gloeobacterales, Spirulinales, Pleurocapsales, and Chroococcidiopsidales are stil...
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ABSTRACT
... 2 in steam explosion can effectively improve enzymatic hydrolysis, decrease the production of inhibitory ... Ammonia fiber explosion (AFEX) is another type of physico-chemical pretreatment in which ... chaff (Mes-Hartree et al.,... more
... 2 in steam explosion can effectively improve enzymatic hydrolysis, decrease the production of inhibitory ... Ammonia fiber explosion (AFEX) is another type of physico-chemical pretreatment in which ... chaff (Mes-Hartree et al., 1988), barley straw, rice straw, corn stover (Vlasenko et ...
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The consideration of algal biomass in biodiesel production increased very rapidly in the last decade. A life cycle assessment (LCA) study is presented to compare six different biodiesel production pathways (three different harvesting... more
The consideration of algal biomass in biodiesel production increased very rapidly in the last decade. A life cycle assessment (LCA) study is presented to compare six different biodiesel production pathways (three different harvesting techniques, i.e., aluminum as flocculent, lime flocculent, and centrifugation, and two different oil extraction methods, i.e., supercritical CO2 (sCO2) and press and co-solvent extraction). The cultivation of Nannochloropsis sp. considered in a flat-panel photobioreactor (FPPBR). These algal biodiesel production systems were compared with the conventional diesel in a EURO 5 passenger car used for transport purpose (functional unit 1 person km (pkm). The algal biodiesel production systems provide lesser impact (22–105 %) in comparison with conventional diesel. Impacts of algal biodiesel on climate change were far better than conventional diesel, but impacts on human health, ecosystem quality, and resources were higher than the conventional diesel. This study recommends more practical data at pilot-scale production plant with maximum utilization of by-products generated during the production to produce a sustainable algal biodiesel.
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... BM Smyth AS Nizami JD Murphy ( ) Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University College Cork, Lee Road, Cork, Ireland Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Lee Road, Cork, Ireland e-mail:... more
... BM Smyth AS Nizami JD Murphy ( ) Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University College Cork, Lee Road, Cork, Ireland Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Lee Road, Cork, Ireland e-mail: nkorres@yahoo.co.uk; jerry.murphy@ucc.ie A ...
Research Interests: Environmental Science, Renewable Energy, Agriculture, European Union, Life Cycle Assessment, and 15 moreBiogas, Grassland Ecology, Biofuels, Anaerobic Digestion, Legislation, Biofuel, Pasture Management, Agricultural Production, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Environmental Impact, Greenhouse Gas, Biomethane, Grass biomethane, Energy Production, and Economic Benefit
A field study was conducted to investigate the effects of supplemental ultraviolet-B radiation (280-320 nm) on the growth, biomass allocation and yield of two tropical cultivars (HD 2329 and HUW 234) of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) at... more
A field study was conducted to investigate the effects of supplemental ultraviolet-B radiation (280-320 nm) on the growth, biomass allocation and yield of two tropical cultivars (HD 2329 and HUW 234) of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) at four different combinations of mineral nutrients (N, P and K). Supplemental UV-B caused reductions in biomass, shoot length, root length, yield and harvest index. Plants grown without fertilizers exhibited maximum inhibitory response. Plants grown under additional nutrient dose were less affected at enhanced UV-B. The study suggests that use of 1.5 times the recommended dose of N, P and K provided maximum protection against UV-B damage in both cultivars. Cultivar HD 2329 was more responsive than cultivar HUW 234 to the additional dose of mineral nutrients.
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Decolourization activity of Phanerochaete chrysosporium for three synthetic dyes viz., congo red, malachite green and crystal violet and impact of additional carbon and nitrogen supply on decolourization capacity of fungus were... more
Decolourization activity of Phanerochaete chrysosporium for three synthetic dyes viz., congo red, malachite green and crystal violet and impact of additional carbon and nitrogen supply on decolourization capacity of fungus were investigated. Maximum decolourizing capacity was observed up to 15 ppm. Addition of urea as nitrogen source and glucose as carbon source significantly enhanced decolourizing capacity (up to 87%) of fungus. In all the cases, both colour and COD were reduced more in non-sterilized treatments as compared to sterilized ones. Significant reductions in COD content of dye solutions (79-84%) were recorded by fungus supplied with additional carbon and nitrogen. A highly significant correlation (r = 0.78, p < 0.001) between colour and COD of dye solutions was recorded. Thus, a readily available carbon and nitrogen source is imperative to enhance the bioremediation activity of this fungus which has been the most suitable for synthetic dyes and textile industry wastew...
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... P (2009) LCA studies comparing biodiesel synthesized by conventional and supercritical methanol methods. J Clean Prod 17:143153 37. Korres NE, Singh A, Nizami AS, Murphy JD (2010) Isgrass biomethane a sustainable transport biofuel.... more
... P (2009) LCA studies comparing biodiesel synthesized by conventional and supercritical methanol methods. J Clean Prod 17:143153 37. Korres NE, Singh A, Nizami AS, Murphy JD (2010) Isgrass biomethane a sustainable transport biofuel. Biofuels Bioprod Biorefin 4:310 ...
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... Piyush Malaviya has Master&amp;amp;amp;#39;s and Doctoral Degrees in Environmental Sciences from GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, India. ... Singh, SN, Kulshreshtha, K. and Ahmad, KJ (1997)... more
... Piyush Malaviya has Master&amp;amp;amp;#39;s and Doctoral Degrees in Environmental Sciences from GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, India. ... Singh, SN, Kulshreshtha, K. and Ahmad, KJ (1997) &amp;amp;amp;#39;Impact of fly ash soil amendment on seed germination, seedling growth ...
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Assessment of agropotentiality of the effluent coming out from century pulp and paper mill, Ghanshyamdham, Lalkua (Uttaranchal) has been made on wheat (Triticum aestivum var. UP-2329) crop grown in two soils differing in texture with... more
Assessment of agropotentiality of the effluent coming out from century pulp and paper mill, Ghanshyamdham, Lalkua (Uttaranchal) has been made on wheat (Triticum aestivum var. UP-2329) crop grown in two soils differing in texture with different effluent concentrations. Diluted effluent increased the chlorophyll content, plant height, shoot and root biomass, grain yield, protein, carbohydrate and lipid contents in wheat grains, while undiluted effluent caused inhibition in plant growth resulting in a sharp decline of yield. Pure soil provided better growth and yield results than those soil mixed with sand.
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The intensive increase of biofuel demand has pushed the researchers to find a sustainable biofuel production system. LCA is the most accepted tool to assess the sustainability of biofuel production systems. The functional unit, scope,... more
The intensive increase of biofuel demand has pushed the researchers to find a sustainable biofuel production system. LCA is the most accepted tool to assess the sustainability of biofuel production systems. The functional unit, scope, system boundary, reference system, data source, and allocation are the most important steps of an LCA study. Variations in these steps between studies affect the results significantly. Previous studies have shown that different biofuel feedstocks have different environmental burden hot spots, which refer to elevated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with a specific life cycle stage or facility process. The present chapter is an effort to compare various LCA studies on different biofuels. The well-to-wheel (cradle-to-grave) system is recommended for the assessment of biofuels production system. An LCA study of biofuels can demonstrate their sustainability and can guide the policy makers in adopting the policies for their promotions.
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Agricultural production is greatly affected by the increase of urban air pollution in many cities of India and other developing countries. The present field study investigated the interacting effect of air pollutants and mineral nutrients... more
Agricultural production is greatly affected by the increase of urban air pollution in many cities of India and other developing countries. The present field study investigated the interacting effect of air pollutants and mineral nutrients on physiological and biochemical processes and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. var. HD 2329) plants grown in pots from germination to maturity having similar edaphic conditions at nine sites in periurban areas of Allahabad city having different concentration of air pollutants. SO2, NO2 and O3 in ambient air were found in the ranges between 2.5 to 42.5, 10.13 to 65.04 and 3.33 to 30.83 μg m-3, respectively. Various physiological and biochemical processes showed adverse effect at sites receiving higher pollution load. Reduction in photosynthetic pigments, protein and ascorbic acid contents was noticed with an increase in pollution load, while phenol content was increased. Higher reduction in grain yield was noticed at heavily polluted sites. Fer...
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ABSTRACT Governments are setting challenging targets to increase the production of energy and transport fuel from sustainable sources. The emphasis is increasingly on renewable sources including wind, solar, geothermal, biomass based... more
ABSTRACT Governments are setting challenging targets to increase the production of energy and transport fuel from sustainable sources. The emphasis is increasingly on renewable sources including wind, solar, geothermal, biomass based biofuel, photovoltaics or energy recovery from waste. What are the environmental consequences of adopting these other sources? How do these various sources compare to each other? Life Cycle Assessment of Renewable Energy Sources tries to answer these questions based on the universally adopted method of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This book introduces the concept and importance of LCA in the framework of renewable energy sources and discusses the key issues in conducting their LCA. This is followed by an in-depth discussion of LCA for some of the most common bioenergy sources such as agricultural production systems for biogas and bioethanol, biogas from grass, biodiesel from palm oil, biodiesel from used cooking oil and animal fat, Jatropha biodiesel, lignocellulosic bioethanol, ethanol from cassava and sugarcane molasses, residential photovoltaic systems, wind energy, microalgal biodiesel, biohydrogen and biomethane. Through real examples, the versatility of LCA is well emphasized. Written by experts all over the globe, the book is a cornucopia of information on LCA of bioenergy systems and provides a platform for stimulation of new ideas and thoughts. The book is targeted at practitioners of LCA and will become a useful tool for researchers working on different aspects of bioenergy.
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First generation biofuels are widely available because the production technologies are well developed. However, growth of the raw materials conflicts with food security, so that first-generation biofuels are not so promising. The second... more
First generation biofuels are widely available because the production technologies are well developed. However, growth of the raw materials conflicts with food security, so that first-generation biofuels are not so promising. The second generation of biofuels will not ...