The thermochemical conversion of different feedstocks is a technology capable of reducing the amount of biowaste materials produced. In addition, the gasification of feedstock using steam as a gasifying agent also produces hydrogen, which is a clean energy fuel. This article aimed to encapsulate the current status of biowaste gasification and to explain, in detail, the advantages and limitations of gasification technologies. In this review paper, different gasifying agents such as steam, air, and oxygen, as well as their effects on the quality of syngas production, are discussed. In addition, the effects of reactor configuration and different operating parameters, such as temperature, pressure, equivalence ratio, and incorporation of a catalyst, as well as their effects on the ratio of H₂/CO, LHV, syngas yield, and tar production, were critically evaluated. Although gasification is a sustainable and ecologically sound biomass utilization technology, tar formation is the main problem in the biomass gasification process. Tar can condense in the reactor, and clog and contaminate equipment. It has been shown that an optimized gasifier and a high-activity catalyst can effectively reduce tar formation. However, key biowaste treatment technologies and concepts must first be improved and demonstrated at the market level to increase stakeholder confidence. Gasification can be the driving force of this integration, effectively replacing fossil fuels with produced gas. In addition, support policies are usually needed to make the integration of biomass gasification technology into the industry profitable with fully functional gasification plants. Therefore, to address such issues, this study focused on addressing these issues and an overview of gasification concepts.

Reverse osmosis and microfiltration are two membrane-based separation techniques that have gained popularity over the past few decades. A fundamental barrier to improving the overall efficiency of membrane separation is membrane fouling. The accumulation of foulants causes a reduction in permeate flux, a loss of selectivity and permeability, and a reduction in the membrane’s lifespan. Numerous chemical and physical surface changes have been studied to enhance membrane antifouling properties. Additionally, research has concentrated on creating membranes that use cutting-edge materials to improve their antifouling capability. This paper focuses on a wide-ranging and thorough analyses of the different types of fouling during wastewater treatment based on current research results regarding fouling control strategy and the potential of new methods for wastewater treatment. It is a further step forward for the evaluation of mitigation measures for emerging membrane fouling problems.

This study presents the synthesis and utilization of a conductive polymer/clay nanocomposite for the adsorptive removal of an azo dye, methyl orange (MO), from artificial wastewater. The PANI-CLAY nanocomposites were synthesized by means of the oxidative polymerization route and characterized using the Brunauer, Emmett and Teller thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-Transform Infrared spectra and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The surface area of the clay mineral decreased from 37.38 to 13.44 m²/g for 10 g of PANI/CLAY when made into a composite with PANI. Such behavior is most likely due to the possible coverage of the clay surface by a layer of PANI. Further, TGA revealed that incorporating CLAY significantly improved the thermal stability of PANI. The effects of adsorption process parameters such as adsorbent dosage (0.006–0.4 g), solution pH (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13), initial dye concentration (50–300 ppm), contact time (1–80 min) and temperature (25 °C, 30 °C, 35 °C and 40 °C) on the % removal efficiency were investigated. The experimental data were well fitted by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The maximum uptake capacity (q_max) values increased from 42.017 mg/g (PANI/CLAY 10 g) to 55.87 mg/g for PANI alone. The uptake capacity implies that the prepared adsorbents possess excellent adsorption characteristics with high affinity towards organic dye removal.

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with their unique structural chemistry create opportunities to be modified with polymers, making different nanocomposites. In the current research, a novel PET-PAN embedded with Mg-AI-LDH-PVA nanocomposite membrane was fabricated through electrospinning. SEM, EDX, FTIR, XRD, and AFM were carried out to investigate the structure and morphology of the nanocomposite membrane. The characterization of the optimized nanocomposite membrane showed a beadless, smooth structure with a nanofiber diameter of 695 nm. The water contact angle and tensile strength were 16° and 1.4 Mpa, respectively, showing an increase in the hydrophilicity and stability of the nanocomposite membrane by the addition of Mg-Al-LDH-PVA. To evaluate the adsorption performance of the nanocomposite membrane, operating parameters were achieved for Cr(VI) and methyl orange at pH 2.0 and pH 4.0, respectively, including contact time, adsorbate dose, and pollutant concentration. The adsorption data of the nanocomposite membrane showed the removal of 68% and 80% for Cr(VI) and methyl orange, respectively. The process of adsorption followed a Langmuir isotherm model that fit well and pseudo-2nd order kinetics with R² values of 0.97 and 0.99, respectively. The recycling results showed the membrane’s stability for up to five cycles. The developed membrane can be used for efficient removal of pollutants from wastewater.

Membrane technology has received great attention in the desalination and water treatment sectors over the last few decades. However, membrane fouling remains a critical issue that affects membrane performance, a phenomenon common in membrane bioreactors (MBRs). This major drawback can be overcome by the preparation of antifouling membranes using an electrospinning technique that generates a hydrophilic modification of membranes. In this study, nanocomposite polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and cellulose acetate (CA) polymer was fabricated to mitigate membrane fouling. Surface and mechanical characterization of the electrospun membrane was performed to assess morphology, chemical composition, and hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties. Anti-fouling performance of the composite PVDF/CA membrane was evaluated versus a neat PVDF membrane through bench-scale experiments. The PVDF/CA nanofiber membrane displayed a more hydrophilic nature, demonstrated by a lower water contact angle (101° vs. 115°) and increased wastewater flux (190 L/m²·h. vs. 160 L/m²·h), although the composite membrane demonstrated lower tensile strength (2.0 ± 0.1 MPa vs. 1.7 ± 0.1 MPa). The new material demonstrated greater anti-fouling performance compared to the neat PVDF membrane. Results suggest that this nanofiber material shows promise as an enhanced antifouling membrane that can overcome membrane fouling limitations.

Health care systems are working in viable conditions and nowadays hospitals need to have a safe internal working and overall general environment. The aim of this study was to compare the environmental, health and safety measures in public and private hospitals of Karachi. A total of 300 respondents particularly 150 patients and 150 hospital staff were randomly selected from public and private hospitals. Collected data has been statistically verified by t-test and correlation techniques in order to examine the environmental, health and safety practices in said hospitals. It has been found that patient of public hospitals faces and suffered a lot. Overall research findings highlight the inadequate and non-compliance of standards. However, public hospitals need more care and focus on environmental, health and safety measures in current conditions and future policies, planning, and strategies. Hospitals are generally obliged to sustain a safe, health and friendly environment. Public hospitals staff must be made aware of environmentally sound and cost effective measures during their working hours. The first study limitation is that this study was conducted in limited area of Sindh which is Karachi. Further study can be conduct in other regions of Pakistan and then make the difference between the environmental, health and safety measures in public and private sector hospitals. Secondly limitation is that limited hospitals were selected for collection of data because of limited resources and time further detailed studies in different regions of Pakistan able to overcome this factor that cause highly effects on the result.