Govindaraj Venkatesan

Biomass waste is a valuable renewable energy resource, but its efficient conversion is hindered by feedstock variability, complex non-linear reactions, and the limited adaptability of conventional control systems. This chapter examines how machine learning improves biomass conversion through intelligent process monitoring, prediction, and optimization. It discusses supervised learning, reinforcement learning, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, graph neural networks, and physics-informed machine learning, emphasizing their role in enhancing reactor performance and operational efficiency. Industrial case studies demonstrate measurable improvements, including a 15% reduction in gasification by-products, an 18% decrease in energy consumption during hydrothermal processing, and a 9% increase in ethanol yield during fermentation. This chapter concludes that machine learning is transforming biomass conversion into a more efficient, sustainable, and economically viable process by enabling intelligent, software-driven biorefineries.

Expansive soils such as Black Cotton Soil pose major challenges to infrastructure due to their swelling behavior, necessitating sustainable stabilization methods using locally available industrial or agricultural waste materials. This study aims to evaluate bagasse ash (BA), an agro-industrial waste from Chittur sugar mills, as a sustainable stabilizer for improving the geotechnical properties of expansive Black cotton soil (BCS) in South India. Addressing the gap in the use of locally sourced waste for BCS stabilization, this study combines comprehensive geotechnical and microstructural analyses to enhance soil performance for infrastructure development. Laboratory and field tests revealed that untreated BCS has unfavored characteristics, such as high plasticity, low strength, and high swelling potential. Upon treatment with BA (5%, 10%, and 15% by weight), the soil exhibited improved strength, reduced plasticity, enhanced compaction characteristics, and a denser microstructure due to pozzolanic reactions. Scanning electron micrographs confirmed improved particle bonding and reduced porosity. The BA not only enhances the load-bearing capacity and durability of expansive soils but also addresses the environmental issue of waste disposal. This study provides a scientifically validated, low-cost, and sustainable alternative to conventional soil stabilizers, making it highly relevant for infrastructure development in expansive soil regions and contributing to the broader goals of green geotechnical engineering.

Water is a precious and essential resource for sustaining life on Earth, and its economic importance cannot be overstated. Groundwater pollution can occur from a variety of sources, including industrial activities, agricultural practices, landfills, waste disposal sites, underground storage tanks, sewage treatment plants, septic systems and natural sources. With rapid growth in industrial sectors and population, the amount of waste and pollutants being discharged into the river has increased, causing adverse impacts on the ecosystem and human health. This review article summarises the different approaches utilised to assess the water quality and to examine the trace metal contamination in Cooum river basin. This article highlights the challenges associated with assessing water quality in the Cooum River basin due to the high levels of pollution caused by anthropogenic activities such as industrialisation, urbanisation, and agricultural practices. The article reviews the chemical variation of pollutants and their seasonal effects, specifically focussing on the release of microplastics, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heavy metals in water bodies. This article conducts a systematic analysis and summary of the physico-chemical properties of Cooum river. Further research on hydrochemistry will yield valuable information on water quality that can lead to effective water resource conservation. Overall, this review article provides a useful summary of the different approaches used to assess water quality and examine trace metal contamination in the Cooum River basin. It highlights the importance of continued research in this area to better understand the extent of pollution and its impact on the ecosystem and public health.

One of the largest industrial hubs in south India, Ranipet, has contaminated groundwater due to the discharge of waste from small-scale enterprises such as leather tanneries. This study collected groundwater samples throughout two distinct seasons in 2023 to assess the quality of 55 distinct open and tube wells for consumption and health risks. To determine if the groundwater samples were suitable for human consumption, we compared their physicochemical properties to worldwide drinking water standards (WHO). The majority of them were categorised as Ca-Cl and mixed Ca-Mg-Cl types by Piper’s trilinear diagram. The spatial distributions of various groundwater quality characteristics were displayed through the use of inverse distance weighted (IDW) spatial interpolation. Indicating that the majority of the samples obtained during the rainfall seasons (NE monsoon:82.8%; SW monsoon: 78.6%) were ‘rich’ for consumption were these criteria, which included the Water Quality Index (WQI). Nonetheless, 80–84.3% of the samples that were taken throughout the NE and SW monsoon rainfall seasons had “good” quality. By calculating the Hazard Quotient (HQ), we assessed the non-carcinogenic health concerns that adults and children might face from consuming the nitrate-rich groundwater. According to our findings, there was no evidence of a health risk for adults or children during either of the rainy seasons. During the rainy seasons, roughly 41–37% of the samples were harmful to children’s health, while 19–21% were potentially harmful to adults.

The influence of precipitation differential on groundwater level fluctuation was investigated using geospatial approaches in the Ranipet area of Tamil Nadu, India. There are nine rain gauge stations in the research area, seven of which receive more precipitation than the state’s average annual precipitation (1035 mm), namely Panapakkam, Kaveripakkam, Ranipet, Kalavai, Arakkonam, Arcot, and Sholinghur. The other two stations, Walajahpet and Palar, get less than 1035 mm of rain each year. The research area’s average annual precipitation is 977.31 mm. During the southwest and northeast monsoon seasons, all five rain gauge sites get more than 100 mm of precipitation. The greatest monthly precipitation is generally recorded in November, while the smallest precipitation is usually recorded in February. Pre-monsoon precipitation in the study region is roughly 59.8 mm, which is essentially non-existent. The following seasons provide precipitation in the order of monsoons: Northeast> Southwest > Post > Pre. The intensity of average annual, pre-monsoon, and post-monsoon precipitation rises westward in the study region, according to the geographic disparity research. Precipitation intensity is higher in the northern region during the SW monsoon season and higher in the southern section during the NE monsoon season. In this region, the lowest, mean, and highest depths of occurrence of groundwater are 0.96, 6.64, and 36.25m, respectively. The regional groundwater level lowers from December to June due to less precipitation during the non-monsoon season. Monsoon precipitation (including SW and NE monsoons) recharges groundwater from June to December, with the highest recharge occurring in December.

The recent degradation of the common environment is a result of the swift advancement of human demands on the climate. Around the world, there have been a lot of construction, demolition, and repair projects that have increased the amount of waste. Waste items contribute to the landfill and also cause unfavourable environmental and public contamination. On the other side, paver materials from common resources are used for construction. In the past thirty years, there has been an unquestionable increase in asset use, which has led to asset double dealing. Therefore, we can see a solution by using waste material in place of developing asphalts. Porous asphalts are used in pedestrian and vehicular routes to facilitate surface spill penetration. Porous asphalts can capture suspended materials, thereby filtering contaminants from storm water, in addition to reducing surface overflow. The purpose of the test investigation is to determine the likelihood of using ceramic waste as a replacement to coarse aggregate with concrete dust as filler material when developing porous asphalt. Ceramic waste with a 12.5mm diameter that is used appropriately can be used to develop penetrable asphalt. The experimental trial with 30% replacement of coarse aggregate can be used as a substitute for conventional mix because the experimental results are almost identical to those of the conventional sample. The trials evaluated using 40% ceramic waste in place of coarse aggregate can be used to build parking lots and a pathway because it is lower in weight and has more voids. The trial mix of 50/50 failed to bear the load used during the experimental trials, hence it cannot be used as a replacement.