Life cycle assessment of a technology is the key to technological development in the context of sustainable development. Orchard waste has been identified as a potential source of bioplastics. The objective of this study was to conduct a life cycle assessment of two specific bioplastic materials, namely, L-polylactic acid (PLA) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB). Bioplastics, such as PLA acid and PHB, can be used as alternatives to conventional plastics due to their biodegradability and non-toxicity, both of which have the potential to replace conventional petroleum-based plastics. Polylactic acid was synthesized from orchard waste in a series of stages, including biomass processing, pretreatment for carbohydrate extraction, simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), and microwave polymerization. PHB, another biodegradable polymer, is produced by microorganisms through the fermentation of sugars obtained from the same biomass. Applied LCAs show that for PLA production, the stages having the greatest environmental impact are biomass processing, pretreatment, and the SSF process, and for PHB production, very energy-intensive stages significantly contributing to the environmental impacts are biomass processing and pretreatment stages. For both PLA and PHB, the initial stages of biomass processing and pretreatment are the most energy-intensive and significant contributors to CO₂ emissions.

The radionuclides of cesium (Cs) and strontium (Sr) are dangerous products of nuclear fission that can be accidentally released into wastewater. In the present work, the capacity of thermally treated natural zeolite (NZ) from Macicasu (Romania) to remove Cs⁺ and Sr²⁺ ions from aqueous solutions in batch mode was investigated by contacting different zeolite quantities (0.5, 1, and 2 g) of 0.5–1.25 mm (NZ1) and 0.1–0.5 mm (NZ2) particle size fractions with 50 mL working solutions of Cs⁺ and Sr²⁺ (10, 50, and 100 mg L⁻¹ initial concentrations) for 180 min. The concentration of Cs in the aqueous solutions was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), whereas the Sr concentration was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The removal efficiency of Cs⁺ varied between 62.8 and 99.3%, whereas Sr²⁺ ranged between 51.3 and 94.5%, depending on the initial concentrations, the contact time, the amount, and particle size of the adsorbent material. The sorption of Cs⁺ and Sr²⁺ was analyzed using the nonlinear form of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models and pseudo-first-order (PFO) and pseudo-second-order (PSO) kinetic models. The results indicated that the sorption kinetics of Cs⁺ and Sr²⁺ on thermally treated natural zeolite was described by the PSO kinetic model. Chemisorption dominates the retention of both Cs⁺ and Sr²⁺ by strong coordinate bonds with an aluminosilicate zeolite skeleton.

In recent years, membranes have found extensive applications, primarily in wastewater purification and food packaging. However, petroleum-based membranes can be detrimental to the environment. For this reason, extensive studies are being conducted to identify environmentally friendly substitutes for the materials used in membrane composition. Among these materials, polylactic acid (PLA) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) are two bio-sourced and biodegradable polymers that can be derived from lignocellulosic waste. These polymers also possess suitable characteristics, such as thermal resistance and mechanical strength, which make them potential candidates for replacing conventional plastics. This study provides an overview of recent advances in the production of PLA and PHB, with a focus on their extraction from lignocellulosic biomass, as well as the recent applications of these two biodegradable polymers as sustainable materials in membrane manufacturing. The advantages and limitations of membranes produced from these materials are also summarized. Lastly, an analysis of future trends is provided concerning new sources, production possibilities, and potential applications in water treatment (mainly for metal ions separation), gas separation, oil–water separation, medical applications, drug release control, and food packaging.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of natural zeolite amendment to contaminated soil on the heavy metal (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn) simulated bioavailability over a three-month period of storage. Two pot experiments were created by amending soil with two different amounts of natural zeolite (3 and 6 wt.%). During the experiment, pH level, metal concentrations in soil solution (C_sol) and metal concentrations in soil by the diffusive gradients in thin-films technique (C_DGT) were determined. When the zeolite was added to the soil, a significant decrease (p = 95%, n = 3) for Cd and Pb concentrations, both in C_sol and in C_DGT, was observed. The Cu, Cr and Zn concentrations also showed a decreasing trend, but the changes in their concentrations were not statistically significant. The R ratio between C_DGT and C_sol was calculated for each metal in order to assess the resupply of metals from the soil solid phase to soil solution. The R values significantly decreased for Cd and Pb, showing a low resupply from the solid phase in the samples with added zeolite.

The metals bioavailability in soils is commonly assessed by chemical extractions; however a generally accepted method is not yet established. In this study, the effectiveness of Diffusive Gradients in Thin-films (DGT) technique and single extractions in the assessment of metals bioaccumulation in vegetables, and the influence of soil parameters on phytoavailability were evaluated using multivariate statistics. Soil and plants grown in vegetable gardens from mining-affected rural areas, NW Romania, were collected and analysed.

After a period of intense development in the synthesis pharmaceutical industry, plants are making a comeback in the public focus as remedies or therapeutic adjuvants and in disease prevention and ensuring the wellbeing and equilibrium of the human body. Plants are being recommended more and more in alimentation, in their natural form, or as extracts, supplements or functional aliments. People, in general, are in search of new sources of nutrients and phytochemicals. As a result, scientific research turns to lesser known and used plants, among them being rowanberries, a species of fruit very rich in nutrients and underused due to their bitter astringent taste and a lack of knowledge regarding the beneficial effects of these fruit. Rowan fruits (rowanberries) are a rich source of vitamins, polysaccharides, organic acids and minerals. They are also a source of natural polyphenols, which are often correlated with the prevention and treatment of modern world diseases. This article presents the existing data regarding the chemical composition, active principles and biopharmaceutical properties of rowan fruits and the different opportunities for their usage.