Circular Supply Chain Design for Biohydrogen Recovery From Perishable Agri-Food Waste
Date
Authors
Khazaei, Moein
Mehrparvar, Maryam
Govindan, Kannan
Barazandeh, Saeid
Mostofi, Amirhossein
Mohemmi, Zahra
Supervisor
Item type
Journal Article
Degree name
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Abstract
The increasing interdependencies between water, energy, and food systems highlight the urgency of integrated solutions for managing environmental and resource challenges. This study proposes a sustainable logistics framework for converting agri-food waste into biohydrogen, drawing on the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus to guide strategic planning. Focusing on Razavi Khorasan, Iran, a drought-prone region with substantial upstream food losses and declining groundwater reserves, the research explores how circular supply chain can support both waste reduction and clean energy generation. The proposed system is structured around a closed-loop supply chain that incorporates both forward delivery and reverse logistics to collect perishable food waste and redirect it for biohydrogen production. This approach prioritizes the recovery of high-water-footprint items such as fruits, vegetables, and cereals, thereby mitigating the loss of embedded resources. A scenario-based assessment of vehicle types and environmental policies highlights the operational and environmental trade-offs of different logistics strategies. The findings suggest that low-capital interventions, such as smart routing and shared logistics, can deliver significant environmental benefits without the infrastructure barriers of full fleet electrification. Ultimately, the framework supports resilient, low-carbon pathways for agri-food systems in water-stressed regions, contributing to circular economy goals and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to climate action, food security, and clean energy access.Description
Keywords
03 Chemical Sciences, 09 Engineering, Energy, 34 Chemical sciences, 40 Engineering, Biohydrogen, Perishable agri-food waste, Water-energy-food nexus, Circular supply chain, Sustainable supply chain
Source
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, ISSN: 0360-3199 (Print), Elsevier BV, 217, 153731-153731. doi: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2026.153731
Publisher's version
Rights statement
© 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons CC-BY license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. You are not required to obtain permission to reuse this article.