Progress in thermochemical conversion of aquatic weeds in shellfish aquaculture for biofuel generation: Technical and economic perspectives

Azwar E 1 , Wan Mahari WA 2 , Rastegari H 2 , Tabatabaei M 1 , Peng W 3 , Tsang YF 4 Show all authors , Park YK 5 , Chen WH 6 , Lam SS 7

Affiliations 

  • 1 Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-Added Products, School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450002, China; Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (Akuatrop), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
  • 2 Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (Akuatrop), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
  • 3 Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-Added Products, School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450002, China
  • 4 Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, New Territories 999077, Hong Kong
  • 5 School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Republic of Korea
  • 6 Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
  • 7 Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-Added Products, School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450002, China; Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (Akuatrop), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia. Electronic address: [email protected]
Bioresour Technol, 2022 Jan;344(Pt A):126202.
PMID: 34710598 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126202

Abstract

Rapid growth of aquatic weeds in treatment pond poses undesirable challenge to shellfish aquaculture, requiring the farmers to dispose these weeds on a regular basis. This article reviews the potential and application of various aquatic weeds for generation of biofuels using recent thermochemical technologies (torrefaction, hydrothermal carbonization/liquefaction, pyrolysis, gasification). The influence of key operational parameters for optimising the aquatic weed conversion efficiency was discussed, including the advantages, drawbacks and techno-economic aspects of the thermochemical technologies, and their viability for large-scale application. Via extensive study in small and large scale operation, and the economic benefits derived, pyrolysis is identified as a promising thermochemical technology for aquatic weed conversion. The perspectives, challenges and future directions in thermochemical conversion of aquatic weeds to biofuels were also reviewed. This review provides useful information to promote circular economy by integrating shellfish aquaculture with thermochemical biorefinery of aquatic weeds rather than disposing them in landfills.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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