circular economy – Page 4

Spent Mushroom Substrate and Electric Arc Furnace Dust Recycling by Carbothermic Reduction Method

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Scientists discovered that leftover material from mushroom farming can replace expensive coal-based chemicals used in recycling steel furnace waste. By heating this mushroom waste, they recovered valuable zinc while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 23,000 tons per year. This innovative approach solves two environmental problems at once: it recycles agricultural waste that would otherwise be landfilled, and reduces emissions from industrial metal processing.

Effect of Strain, Wood Substrate and Cold Treatment on the Yield and β-Glucan Content of Ganoderma lucidum Fruiting Bodies

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Researchers successfully cultivated a medicinal mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) using leftover wood from sawmills and plywood factories. By testing different wood types and mushroom strains with cold treatments, they found that poplar wood combined with a specific mushroom strain produced the highest levels of β-glucan, a beneficial compound used in pharmaceuticals and food products. This approach transforms industrial waste into valuable medicinal mushrooms, supporting a circular economy.

Mushroom stem-based diets elicit region-specific shifts in rainbow trout gut microbiota

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Researchers tested whether mushroom stem waste products could be used as sustainable fish feed ingredients. When juvenile rainbow trout were fed diets containing 30% mushroom stems from three different species, their gut bacteria changed in beneficial ways without harming the intestinal lining. Different parts of the gut showed different bacterial responses, with the most beneficial effects being increased growth of helpful bacteria like Mycoplasma and Legionella. This research suggests mushroom processing byproducts could improve aquaculture sustainability while supporting fish health.

Potential Usage of Edible Mushrooms and Their Residues to Retrieve Valuable Supplies for Industrial Applications

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Edible mushrooms are not only nutritious foods but also contain valuable compounds that are being wasted during production. Scientists are discovering new ways to use mushroom waste to make useful products like natural skincare items, water purification materials, and food additives. These innovations help reduce environmental pollution while creating valuable products, supporting a more sustainable circular economy.

Study on the Properties and Design Applications of Polyester–Cotton Matrix Mycelium Composite Materials

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Researchers developed eco-friendly composite materials by growing oyster mushroom mycelium on waste polyester-cotton textile fibers. The optimal blend was 65% polyester and 35% cotton, which balanced strength, water resistance, and ability to break down in soil. These materials could replace foam plastics in packaging and home products while helping solve the problem of textile waste.

Spent casing, Sphagnum moss, grass fibers, and green compost as peat alternatives in casing soils for Agaricus bisporus cultivation

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Button mushrooms are commonly grown on peat-based soil, but peat extraction damages important ecosystems. This study tested several alternative materials including spent mushroom substrate, moss, processed grass fibers, and compost as peat replacements. Researchers found that up to 75% of peat could be replaced with these alternatives while maintaining mushroom yield and preventing disease, offering promising sustainable options for commercial growers.

Biocomposites Based on Mould Biomass and Waste Fibres for the Production of Agrotextiles: Technology Development, Material Characterization, and Agricultural Application

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Researchers developed a new eco-friendly material made from mould mycelium combined with waste plant fibres that can be used as a substitute for synthetic agricultural textiles. The material successfully grows in about 5 days, can be completely biodegraded in soil within 10 days, and helps seeds germinate faster. This innovation supports sustainable farming by eliminating microplastic pollution from traditional synthetic crop covers while providing better properties than many conventional alternatives.

Formulation of silages from spent mushroom substrates of Pleurotus ostreatus and Lentinula edodes: Organoleptic properties, phenolic content, in vitro digestibility, gas production and ruminal kinetics

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This study shows that mushroom farming creates leftover substrate that can be turned into healthy animal feed through a fermentation process called ensiling. When mixed with corn and fermented, this mushroom waste creates nutritious silage for livestock that contains beneficial plant compounds called polyphenols. The best results came from silages containing 70% mushroom substrate mixed with 30% corn, which had good taste, smell, and digestibility. This approach demonstrates how agricultural waste can be recycled into valuable animal feed, supporting more sustainable farming practices.

Biocomposites Based on Mould Biomass and Waste Fibres for the Production of Agrotextiles: Technology Development, Material Characterization, and Agricultural Application

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Researchers developed a new biodegradable material for agriculture made from mould mycelium and waste plant fibres. This eco-friendly crop cover can be used instead of synthetic plastic sheets that damage soil and pollute it with microplastics. The material breaks down naturally in soil within 10 days and can help seeds germinate better, offering farmers a sustainable alternative for protecting their crops.

Diversity of Culturable Fungi in Two-Phase Olive Mill Waste, a Preliminary Evaluation of Their Enzymatic Potential, and Two New Trichoderma Species

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Scientists discovered 31 different fungal species living in olive mill waste, including two previously unknown species. These fungi have the ability to break down tough plant materials and remove harmful dyes from waste, making them useful for cleaning up environmental pollution. This research suggests these fungi could be used to transform olive oil production waste into useful products, supporting a circular economy.

Research Topic: circular economy