Sustainability – Page 3

A Comprehensive Review on Studying and Developing Guidelines to Standardize the Inspection of Properties and Production Methods for Mycelium-Bound Composites in Bio-Based Building Material Applications

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This review examines mycelium-based composites, which are innovative building materials made from fungal networks grown on agricultural waste. These eco-friendly materials are biodegradable and use less energy to produce than traditional construction materials. The authors analyze current testing methods and propose standardized production guidelines to ensure consistent quality, helping make these sustainable materials more reliable for widespread use in buildings and construction.

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.

Biotechnological production of natural pigments for textile dyeing

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Scientists have successfully produced natural pigments from a fungus called Penicillium brevicompactum using leftover materials from food and agriculture industries, like cheese whey and corn byproducts. These pigments were used to dye cotton and linen fabrics, creating colors comparable to those from synthetic dyes but without the environmental and health concerns. This sustainable approach could help the textile industry move away from artificial dyes while reducing waste and supporting a circular economy.

Fungal Innovations—Advancing Sustainable Materials, Genetics, and Applications for Industry

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Fungi can be engineered to create sustainable, eco-friendly materials for construction, textiles, and packaging. Using advanced genetic tools and controlled growing conditions, scientists can customize fungal materials to have specific properties like flexibility or rigidity. These mycelium-based materials are biodegradable, renewable, and offer promising alternatives to traditional synthetic and conventional materials, helping reduce our dependence on petroleum-based products.

Harmonizing Nature, Education, Engineering and Creativity: An Interdisciplinary Educational Exploration of Engineered Living Materials, Artistry and Sustainability Using Collaborative Mycelium Brick Construction

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This study shows how middle-school students can learn science, engineering, and art together by growing and building with mycelium, a fungal material that can replace plastic and other harmful materials. Students designed shapes, created molds, cultivated living mycelium bricks under sterile conditions, and assembled them into an artistic structure. The hands-on experience helped students develop practical skills like precise measuring and 3D thinking while learning about sustainability and nature’s cycles.

Designers join scientists to make living architecture a reality

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Scientists and designers are working together to create buildings made with living organisms like yeast and fungi that can clean the air, detect hazards, and even repair themselves. These living walls work similar to plants, requiring water and nutrients while providing benefits like removing harmful chemicals and improving air quality. This approach combines nature with architecture to create healthier, more sustainable homes and buildings for the future.

Agricultural Waste-Derived Biopolymers for Sustainable Food Packaging: Challenges and Future Prospects

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This review explores how agricultural waste like rice husks and corn cobs can be transformed into eco-friendly packaging materials to replace harmful plastic. Currently, most plastics take hundreds of years to decompose and cause serious environmental damage, but biopolymers derived from farm waste are completely biodegradable. The article discusses various ways to extract these materials and improve their properties, while identifying remaining challenges that need to be solved before widespread commercial adoption.

Innovative applications and therapeutic potential of oilseeds and their by-products: An eco-friendly and sustainable approach

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This review explains how leftover materials from oilseed processing, which are usually discarded as waste, contain valuable nutrients and healing compounds. These by-products can be used to make healthier foods like bread, burgers, and drinks, or turned into supplements and medicines. By using these materials instead of wasting them, we can reduce environmental problems, provide better nutrition, and create sustainable food products that help prevent diseases like diabetes and heart problems.

Sustainable Recycling of Mushroom Residue as an Effective Substitute for Cotton Hull Waste in Volvariella volvacea Cultivation: Evidence from Physicochemical and Microbiome Analyses

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This research shows that mushroom waste left over from growing mushrooms can be successfully recycled as a growing medium for straw mushrooms, similar to the traditional cotton hull waste currently used. The recycled mushroom residue produces mushrooms of equivalent quality and quantity but costs much less to purchase. By analyzing the microscopic bacterial communities in the compost, scientists found that different bacteria help break down the organic matter in both types of substrates, supporting efficient mushroom growth.

Fungal Innovations—Advancing Sustainable Materials, Genetics, and Applications for Industry

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Fungi can be engineered to create sustainable, eco-friendly materials that could replace traditional plastics and leather. Scientists are using advanced genetic tools to control how fungi grow and what they produce, enabling the creation of customized materials with specific properties. These fungal-based materials are biodegradable, require less water and energy to produce, and show promise for applications in packaging, clothing, and building materials. With improved manufacturing processes and genetic engineering, fungi could revolutionize how we make everyday products.

Research Topic: Sustainability