Bio-abiotic Coupled Chemistry for Sustainable Waste-to-Resource Conversion: Interfacial Mechanisms, Advanced Characterization, and Multi-omics Integration

Global waste streams represent a largely untapped reservoir of renewable carbon, nutrients, and energy. Transitioning from linear disposal to circular resource recovery demands a fundamental understanding of synergistic bio-abiotic interactions that underpin green chemical conversion processes. Interfacial processes at solid–liquid and microbe–material interfaces drive electron transfer, substrate adsorption, and biocatalytic transformation, yet the intrinsic chemistry governing these sustainable conversion pathways remains poorly understood. While advanced in-situ characterization and multi-omics tools have unlocked molecular-level insights, cross-scale integration of interfacial chemistry, structural dynamics, and microbial functional networks into green process design is still lacking. This Research Topic addresses the urgent need to unify these disciplines to advance efficient, sustainable waste biorefinery toward a circular economy.This Research Topic aims to resolve the black-box nature of bio-abiotic coupling in waste-to-resource conversion by establishing quantitative links between interfacial chemistry, microbe–material interactions, and conversion efficiency. We seek to uncover key green catalytic and biocatalytic mechanisms of electron transfer, interfacial adsorption, microbial community assembly, and metabolic regulation in complex waste matrices. By integrating cutting-edge advances in in-situ spectroscopy, microscopy, omics profiling, and computational modeling, we aim to develop predictive frameworks for designing high-efficiency, sustainable coupled systems. We welcome work that bridges lab-scale mechanistic studies and pilot-scale applications, targeting maximum recovery of energy, nutrients, bio-based chemicals, and functional materials through atom-efficient and waste-minimizing pathways. The goal is to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration and deliver actionable green chemistry principles for next-generation waste biorefinery technologies that align with circular economy goals.This collection welcomes original research, critical reviews, mini-reviews, and perspective articles covering:• Green interfacial chemistry: electron transfer, adsorption, and redox mechanisms in bio-abiotic conversion systems• Advanced in-situ/ex-situ characterization of interface and microbe–material interactions• Multi-omics integration for microbial functional mechanisms and community dynamics• Design and optimization of bio-abiotic coupled reactors for sustainable waste-to-resource conversion• Mechanistic modeling and machine learning for process prediction and scale-up• Green recovery pathways for energy, nutrients, bio-based chemicals, and functional materials from waste streamsWe prioritize mechanistic insights and interdisciplinary innovation, encouraging submissions from environmental science, microbiology, materials chemistry, and engineering fields. Topic editors: Heng Wu, Nuan Yang, Baoshan Wang, Xianbao Xu Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80408/bio-abiotic-coupled-chemistry-for-sustainable-waste-to-resource-conversion-interfacial-mechanisms-advanced-characterization-and-multi-omics-integration