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184 Refining Biomass Residues for Sustainable Energy and Bioproducts

renewable process. Hence, MFCs proves itself as a potential technology for water
rescue and conversion of chemical energy into electricity.

8.2 Probable bioenergy from industrial effluents

One of the important energy sources in organic industrial sectors is waste materials
such as dregs and by-products. Solid wastes from food industries, such as peelings and
scraps chopped from fruits and vegetables, poor-quality food, filtered sludge, pulp, fiber
from sugar, and starch extraction wastes, are dumped on nonliving region landfill.
Food-processing industries are generating a huge volume of effluent because of
various processing operations, such as cleaning, washing, blanching, and precook-
ing. These effluents contain sugars, starches, dissolved and solid organic matters.
These industrial wastes may be aerobically/anaerobically degraded to produce sev-
eral commercial waste-to-energy conversion products such as biogas and ethanol.
One of the major polluting industries is the pulp and paper industry, because it con-
sumes more amount of water for various unit operations. This industry-discharged waste-
water is heterogeneous in nature, and it contains wood and other raw material related
compounds, processed chemicals, etc. The effluent containing black liquor can be used for
the generation of bioenergy by using upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor.

8.3 Environmental effects due to industrial waste

Due to rapid industrialization, the major part of pollution is coming from industries
and factories. A range of pollutants are discharged into the environment including
the water body, landfilling, and open to atmosphere. All industrial effects are liable
for creating a nonconducive environment for living things because of discharge
effluent having toxic and highly concentrated contaminants. In addition, it generates
problems for living and nonliving things such as habitats, sickness, loss of life, and
ecosystem devastation. Due to industrial waste, there are some pollution effects
along with their serious consequences.
The major effects of industrial pollution are described in the following
subsections.

8.3.1 Global warming

The major problem of industrial waste is global warming. It is one of the most
severe effects of industrial pollution because of uncontrolled industrial activities.
Most of the industries release a mixture of greenhouse gases together with carbon
dioxide (CO 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) into the open environment. Released gases are
absorbing thermal radiation from the sun; therefore the normal temperature of the
earth is increased, leading to global warming.