Small-particle-produced goods, such as those used in industry, medicine, cosmetics, paints, abrasives, and plastic pellets or powders, are the main sources of microplastics. It is also possible to mention tire recycling granules here. Larger components break down in the environment to generate secondary microplastics. Microplastics, or particles smaller than 5 mm, and nanoplastics, or particles smaller than 1 μm, are the products of degradation and, in particular, disintegration processes that occur in nature as a result of several physical, chemical, and biological variables. Polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene, polyurethane, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are among the chemicals included in this contamination in decreasing order of quantity. Micro- and nanoplastics have been detected in the air, water, and soil, confirming their ubiquitous presence in natural environments. Their widespread distribution poses significant threats to human health, including oxidative stress, inflammation, cellular damage, and potential carcinogenic effects. The aim of this article is to review the current literature on the occurrence of micro- and nanoplastics in various environmental compartments and to analyze the associated health consequences. The article also discusses existing legal regulations and highlights the urgent need for intensified research into the toxicological mechanisms of microplastics and the development of more effective strategies for their mitigation.

The valorisation of sewage sludge for sustainable agricultural use and biofuel production proposes an effective and beneficial management of sewage sludge in a closed-loop cycle. The management of sewage sludge biowaste is a rising problem due to increasing waste storage expenses. In this sense, the use of circular economy principles in sewage sludge management creates opportunities to develop new technologies for processing. The biorefinery model allows the application of wasteless technologies via sewage sludge valorisation in terms of agricultural use and biofuel production, especially with the hydrothermal carbonisation method. Applying hydrothermal carbonisation in the treatment of biosolid sewage sludge has numerous benefits due to processing highly hydrated organic waste into carbon hydro char, a high-quality solid biofuel. The direct use of sewage sludge in the soil does not allow for full use of its functional properties. However, the hydrothermal carbonisation of sewage sludge results in biocarbon pellets, making it a viable approach. This work also discusses the barriers (legal, chemical, biological, and technical) and possibilities related to sewage sludge biorefining processes.

As a waste neutralization facility, the landfill is a kind of bioreactor producing landfill gas or (LFG) - biogas, which should be captured and neutralized for environmental reasons. One of the ways of its utilization is the combined production of heat and electrical energy in combined heat and...

Combined heat and power generation is the simultaneous conversion of primary energy (in the form of fuel) in a technical system into useful thermal and mechanical energy (as the basis for the generation of electricity). This method of energy conversion offers a high degree of efficiency (i.e., very efficient conversion of fuel to useful energy). In the context of energy system transformation, combined heat and power (CHP) is a fundamental pillar and link between the volatile electricity market and the heat market, which enables better planning. This article presents an advanced model for the production of fuel mixtures based on landfill biogas in the context of energy use in CHP units. The search for optimal technological solutions in energy management requires specialized domain-specific knowledge which, using advanced algorithmic models, has the potential to become an essential element in real-time intelligent ICT systems. Numerical modeling makes it possible to build systems based on the knowledge of complex systems, processes, and equipment in a relatively short time. The focus was on analyzing the applicability of algorithmic models based on artificial intelligence implemented in the supervisory control systems (SCADA-type systems including Virtual SCADA) of technological processes in waste management systems. The novelty of the presented solution is the application of predictive diagnostic tools based on multithreaded polymorphic models, supporting making decisions that control complex technological processes and objects and solving the problem of optimal control for intelligent dynamic objects with a logical representation of knowledge about the process, the control object, and the control, for which the learning process consists of successive validation and updating of knowledge and using the results of this updating to determine control decisions.