Combating climate change and securing water for future generations requires rethinking waste as opportunity. This book presents a timely and accessible roadmap for transforming agro-industrial effluent from an environmental liability into a suite of value-added, sustainable resources.
At its core, the volume systematically covers the science and technology of effluent valorization: recovering inherent energy for bioenergy, extracting phosphorus for cleaner fertilizer production, and purifying water to standards suitable for irrigation or non-potable reuse. It goes further, detailing the conversion of effluent into biofertilizers, liquid nutrient formulations, and microalgae biomass, and exploring its use as a plant growth stimulant. Each pathway is framed within a circular water economy, emphasizing operational efficiency, alignment with SDG 6,7 and 12, and the integration of environmental, societal, and economic impact assessments. Practical processing methods, resource recovery strategies, and quality upgrading techniques are presented so that reuse is both technically viable and environmentally responsible.
Original and actionable, this book offers an integrated framework that reframes effluent as a multipurpose resource rather than waste. It demonstrates advantages like phosphorus retrieval without relying on sewage sludge, and provides clear guidance for researchers, engineers, technologists, policymakers, and agro-industry stakeholders seeking to implement sustainable effluent management at scale.
Salient Features to stress in promotion include:
This book's uniqueness lies in its holistic and practical reframing of agro-industrial effluent, from environmental burden to a diversified resource portfolio. It integrates cutting-edge recovery technologies including energy, nutrients, and biomass with water purification, framed explicitly against global sustainability goals (SDG 6, 7 and 12), and evaluates outcomes across environmental, societal, and economic dimensions. Promotion should stress its interdisciplinary utility (researchers, engineers, industry, policy), its real-world applicability with actionable processing pathways, and its novel comparison of resource recovery strategies within a circular economy paradigm.
Bios
Abu Zahrim Yaser is an Associate Professor and Dean at Universiti Malaysia Sabah, holding a PhD from Swansea University. He is the founder of the Kundasang Compost Living Lab and has published 18 books. He also served as a visiting scientist at the University of Hull and received the 2023 National Book Award.
Pramila Tamunaidu, Malaysia-Japan trained chemical engineer turned educator and researcher at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, champions circular bioeconomy, zero waste and zero hunger. With award-winning innovations and Malaysia-Japan collaborations in waste valorization, water treatment, and biofuels, she brings deep expertise and advocacy towards various cradle-to-cradle concepts.
Junidah Lamaming, is a senior lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak specializing in nanocellulose, polymer composites, and sustainable biomaterials. An award-winning researcher and prolific author, she has published extensively and serves as a reviewer for numerous international journals.
