Drying is a universal method applied for food preservation. To date, several models have been developed to evaluate drying kinetics. In this study, lychee was dried employing a hot air dryer, and the drying kinetics was evaluated by comparing the Newtonian model, Henderson and Pabis model, Page model, and Logarithmic model. However, temperature and relative humidity, the key driving forces for drying kinetics, are not considered by these models. Thus, an integrated drying model, as a function of temperature and relative humidity, was developed to predict the hot air-drying kinetics and mass transfer phenomena of lychee followed by the calibration and validation of the model with independent experimental datasets. The model validation consisted of Nash- Sutcliffe model coefficient ($E$), coefficient of determination $\left(R^2\right)$ and index of agreement $\left(d\right)$ and all of them were found close to 1 indicating perfect model fit. Besides, the developed model was applied for process optimization and scenario analysis. The drying rate constant was found as a function of temperature and relative humidity that was high at high temperature and low relative humidity. Interestingly, temperature showed a higher effect on the drying rate constant compared to relative humidity. Overall, the present study will open a new window to developing further drying model of lychee to optimize quality its quality parameters.

Environmental pollution and energy scarcity are the two significant issues that could substantially impede the sustainable growth of our civilization. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are an emerging technique for converting the chemical energy of organic wastes directly into electric energy, allowing for both energy recovery and environmental rehabilitation. Solid organic waste decomposition is generally more challenging compared to organic wastewater due to several factors, including the nature of the waste, the decomposition process, and the associated environmental and logistical considerations. With rapid population expansion and acceleration of urbanization, waste generation continues to rise globally, causing complicated environmental, socioeconomic, and energy problems and a growing demand for public health globally. Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) are promising solid waste management options. However, BES may not be the most effective solution on its own for certain types of waste or may be incapable of treating all waste components. In many circumstances, combining BES with other solid treatment technologies can increase overall treatment efficiency and waste management. Combining BES with other solid treatment methods can have synergistic effects, boosting waste treatment efficiency, resource recovery, and environmental sustainability. However, to guarantee the successful integration and optimization of these combined approaches, site-specific factors, waste characteristics, and system compatibility must be considered.