Vermicomposting and Biological Waste Valorization: Addressing Microplastic Contamination in Circular Bioprocesses

A significant worldwide environmental issue has emerged as a result of a sharp rise in the production of organic waste and the widespread use of microplastics. As these problems continue to intensify, there is an urgent need for sustainable waste management strategies that recover valuable resources while minimizing environmental pollution. In order to convert organic wastes into nutrient rich biofertilizers while promoting the circular bioeconomy, biological waste valorization, especially through vermicomposting, offers an eco friendly method. However, the prevalence of microplastics in food waste, sewage sludge, agricultural residues, livestock manure, and municipal solid waste raises questions about their accumulation, transformation, and ecological effects during biological treatment procedures. Although the underlying mechanisms are still unclear, recent research suggests that earthworms and the microbiota they are linked with may have an impact on the fragmentation, transport, and biodegradation of microplastics. Therefore, establishing sustainable circular bioprocesses that maximize resource recovery while reducing threats to the environment and human health requires advancing research on vermicomposting-mediated waste valorization and microplastic fate.The goal of this Research Topic is to increase understanding of how vermicomposting, composting, anaerobic digestion, and sewage sludge/digestate treatment and biological waste valorization can be used to reduce microplastic contamination in circular bioprocesses. The prevalence, fate, and degradation of microplastics during these processes are still inadequately known, despite the increasing use of biological waste treatment for resource recovery. In addition to novel approaches to microplastic mitigation and sustainable waste valorization, we seek multidisciplinary research that examines the relationships between microplastics, earthworms, microbial ecosystems, and biological treatment systems. This Research Topic brings together research in environmental biotechnology, microbial ecology, and the circular bioeconomy to improve our understanding of biological waste valorization and microplastic mitigation. It aims to identify practical approaches for producing safer bio-based products, enhancing waste management practices, and supporting the transition toward a more sustainable and circular future.This collection welcomes submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Fate, transport, transformation, and biodegradation of microplastics during biological waste treatment• Earthworm-microbe interactions and gut microbiome dynamics in microplastic fragmentation and degradation• Microbial and enzymatic mechanisms of conventional and biodegradable plastic degradation• Compost and vermicompost quality, safety, and toxicological risks of residual plastic fragments• Organic waste bioconversion and management of emerging contaminants in composting systems• Omics-based approaches (metagenomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics) to investigate degradation pathways• Reactor and system design, windrow configuration, and process optimization for biological waste treatment• Process monitoring, operating parameters, and advanced analytical methods for microplastic quantification• Mass balance analysis and tracking of microplastic loads across treatment stages• Scale-up strategies and engineering considerations for pilot and industrial bioprocesses• Techno-economic assessment and life-cycle assessment (LCA) of microplastic mitigation in waste valorization• Resource recovery, nutrient recycling, and integration into circular bioeconomy frameworksWe welcome Original Research, Reviews, and Mini-Reviews that advance fundamental understanding or practical engineering solutions in this field. Topic editors: Sartaj Ahmad Bhat, Valentina Siracusa Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85763/vermicomposting-and-biological-waste-valorization-addressing-microplastic-contamination-in-circular-bioprocesses